BEARERS OF THE SUN. Foster, Chris. 100 Mile House (B.C.), Integrity International, c1984, 1985.199pp, paper, $7.95, ISBN 0-9690341-2-1. Distributed by Integrity International, P.O. Box 9, 100 Mile House, B.C., V0K 2E0. CIP Grades 9 and up Reviewed by Volume 14 Number 6 1986 November By using the genre of science fiction, the author wishes to inspire his readers to live better lives. The novel opens in the castle of the sun lord Mi-om-Ra, who has recently sent a prince and his consort "to remind earth's inhabitants of their true character and identity as sun beings." They have taken the incarnate human forms of Dr. Denton and his wife, Elizabeth, and now the sun lord is commissioning four more to follow. They are "born" from the wombs of four women (one British, one Russian, and two American) in 1921, become involved in some major events of the rnid-century, inspire some of its powerful leaders, and meet finally in 1960, unaware till then of their true identities, or their destinies. Each of the four live according to an inner voice that compels them to "do the right thing." Unfortunately, this makes for unrealistic, artificial characters serving the author's too obvious intent. We hear little more from the sun lords controlling these humans until the end of the novel. While it is admirable to see a novelist attempt to shed light on a darkened world (as Foster sees it), unfortunately, the novel itself exhibits too many flaws. It demonstrates both the cief weakness of many science fiction works, obvious didacticism, and that of romance novels, stereotypical characters mouthing cliche'd dialogue. Upon miraculously surviving the crash of his Bentley, brought on by the discovery of his wife in bed with another man, the British hero, James, from his hospital bed, remarks to his wife after deciding "he could put the moment of truth off no longer.": "Julia." "Yes, darling?" "I don't think it's going to work anymore." Her eyes filled with tears. "Not going to work anymore?" Neither does the book. One is always wary of a self-published novel (Foster is the founder of Integrity International) and Bearers of the Sun proves these suspicions correct. It could be improved by some judicious editing. Dianne Clipshaw, A.Y. Jackson S.S., Kanata, Ont.