In the end, Rivas and his "quarry" Uri (short for Urania) decide that they really don't have much in common. They don't fall madly in love. Rivas simply returns her to her father and makes peace with her fiancee (who felt understandably threatened by his presence).
Rivas ends up pairing up with Barbara, a jaybird he met on his adventure who always had some suspicion of the cult, even when she was in it. She turns out to be a heroine, finishing off Rivas' quest when he is knocked unconscious and can't survive on his own.
The only thing that bothered me is that Rivas spends some time in the book worried about the fact that he has structured his life so that he doesn't depend on anyone (which he concludes is a bad thing), and then proceeds to insist in the final chapter that he alone bear the burden of insuring Jaybush can't return to Earth. (It's complicated, but it ends up that Jaybush is not killed, but only placed in a sort of stasis. And Rivas is his guardian, making sure he can't come back).
I was annoyed that he tried to take on this rest-of-his-life obligation alone, even after all his musings. Luckily, Barbara is annoyed too, and won't let him do it. The book ends with them running off together to get Jaybush away from Ellay (which is under attack from San Berdoo), neatly setting up the possibility of a sequel. (Since the book was written in the 80's, I suppose that's out already, or won't ever be. I haven't checked).
Anyway, it was a way better ending that the usual schlock, where the Big Male Hero keeps the girl he rescued, builds a castle, and lives the rest of his life in self-satisfied splendor, or whatever. (Or else rides off into the sunset, content to live the life of a loner, while the smitten girl looks after him longingly, sighing).
Copyright © Kim Allen 2000
