One is tempted just to say "L. Neil Smith wrote it" and let it go as that. After all, that pretty much guarantees it will be a rollicking adventure, openly espousing liberty and damning all the "usual suspects" that work against our freedom. In this case the novel is particularly satisfying, as it is the unified completion of a trilogy Smith began years ago, which was unceremoniously cancelled by its publisher after the second book for being "too extreme."

Forge tells of a mid-21 st-century shoestring expedition from an impoverished and socialism-dominated Earth to a strange asteroid. Upon arrival, they discover that it is inhabited by numerous intelligent species from alternate historical realities on Earth, all of whom are devout anarchocapitalists. Smith gives free rein to his imaginative faculties in dreaming up sentient beings from evolutionary branches as different as birds, mollusks, trilobites, and sea scorpions. The immense (534 pages) tale progresses through a multiple murder mystery and the solution of several fascinating scientific enigmas to the expected happy ending. Oh yeah, there's a space battle in this book, too! There's even a tie-in to the North American Confederacy storyline. Many unique characters are presented—especially Eichra Oren, the p'Nan moral debt assessor, and his talking dog, Sam. Eichra Oren experiences love and tragic loss, not to mention the conflict between his personal desire and his moral responsibility. I don't want to go into any more plot details, lest I spoil some of the wonderful surprises in this book.

All in all, Forge of the Elders is a fine, fun story, chock full of good philosophical points and interesting characters. If you like any of L. Neil Smith's previous novels, you will love this one, as it packs even more of a personal and philosophical wallop then usual. Enjoy!