For the uninitiated, Yoshiki Tanaka's sprawling science-fiction epic, "The Legend of Galactic Heroes" is a massive saga spanning 10 main novels and several side-stories. It has been adapted into multiple mediums, including animation, film, manga, audio drama and ballet. My review will be brief and--aside from a minor comment on the events of the previous book, so please don not worry--spoiler free.
On the series as a whole....
Much like the venerable "Mobile Suit Gundam" franchise, the Legend of the Galactic Heroes is sometimes referred to as the "Star Wars of Japan." Though, personally, given the scope, scale and themes of the story I find Frank Herbert's Dune to be a more suitable analog.
The Legend of the Galactic Heroes is best described as a "Historical Epic / Space Opera." Tanaka writes less as a storyteller and more as a historian. Characterization is sparse (but adequate) and the story moves at a fairly swift space whose course is charted just as much by the (sometimes anticlimactic) whims of history as the dramatic arcs of its characters. As is so often the case in our own histories, the cast of relevant characters is enormous, though many find themselves mere bit players. The focus of the narrative is on two protagonists: Reinhard von Lohengramm, a brilliant admiral serving the autocratic Galactic Empire; and his equal-but-opposite, the genius Yang Wen-li, in the democratic Free Planets Alliance. The galaxy-spanning war between these two nations serves primarily as a backdrop for the conflict between these two men who, despite their many similarities, adhere to opposite political ideologies.
First published in 1982, the Legend of the Galactic Heroes is one of the few series in science-fiction truly deserving of such adjectives as "epic" and "classic." The adherence to fairly realistic "hard science fiction" technologies and tactics makes the battles--and the imaginative, unorthodox tactics frequently used to end them--a joy to behold, and the ideological and thematic conflicts add a great deal of depth and significance to the trials and triumphs of Reinhard and Yang as they struggle to fulfill their personal and political ambitions.
On Volume 3: Endurance....
Much like the prior books (Dawn and Ambition), Tanaka's prose is rather dry--more what you'd expect to find in a history book than a novel. The editing sometimes appears rather wanting, as occasionally the Tanaka's syntax will will feel clumsy, with superfluous phrasing or inefficient nouns that don't mesh well with the relatively formal tone his writing usually maintains. Perhaps this is due to the translator or the Haikasoru editors, but I'm inclined to believe it may be the result of the author attempting to affect a less "professional," more conversational style--in other words, to make the writing feel more like a casual conversation than a lecture. Sometimes this works very well--mostly in scenes with some character interaction--but it can feel out of place in the exposition-heavy pages, of which there are many.
When Volume 3 opens, our two protagonists (Reinhard and Yang) find themselves in very different positions from when our story started. Yang, the reluctant soldier, is the Savior of the Republic--a national hero for all the peoples of the Free Planets Alliance--a role he never desired and openly despises. Reinhard, on the other hand, is no longer the "golden upstart" he once was--he is now the most powerful man in the Galactic Empire, and will soon grasp the whole of the galaxy in his hands. Both Yang and Reinhard are tragic characters defined by their ambitions, and now that their ambitions have more or less crystallized Tanaka begins to really delve into what those ambitions mean.
Reinhard's ambitions have been fulfilled: the Goldenbaum dynasty is all but gone and the despicable nobility has been dissolved. Yang's ambitions have been irrevocably destroyed: he will never be able to retire to a quiet life--his fame has transformed him into an icon, a role that he could not abandon even if he tried. In many ways, Book 3: Endurance (as the title may suggest) is mostly treading water while both Reinhard and Yang become accustomed to their new roles at ambition's end. Reinhard sets himself to remaking the Empire into a better place, while Yang struggles to reconcile the good he has done with the evil he has enabled.
Again, the real meat of the story lies with Yang Wen-li, and it's here in Book III that his story begins its sharp descent into tragedy. Yang saved the Free Planets Alliance, and by doing so made himself on object of fear to the ruling elite of that government, who are incapable of considering the fact that Yang doesn't want to seize power for himself, or go into politics himself to usurp their hard-won positions. This paranoia can be a bit one-sided and makes Yang feel like a bastion of rationality in the midst of an insane ruling state, but as a vehicle for Tanaka's political rhetoric it is fantastic. Some of the best, most biting quotes from the Legend of Galactic Heroes series come from this book, as Yang struggles to maintain his idealism--his faith--in the inherent justice of democratic government in the face of a government that spits on those selfsame ideals. Finally, the defining dichotomy of the Galactic Heroes series emerges: on one side of the galaxy Reinhard embodies the best aspects of totalitarianism as a benign despot, and on the other Yang struggles to preserve a government that embodies the worst aspect of democratic rule. The great war between the Galactic Empire and the Free Planets Alliance takes a backseat for now, as we come to fully understand the differences and stakes at play in the conflict.
Operating under the (hopefully very safe) assumption that you are reading this review after having read the prior books, I have little to say about the authenticity of the translation or editing of the English edition that I did not also say in my review of the first book. Daniel Huddleston's translation remains very competent and faithful to the original text, duplicating Tanaka's writing consistently at both its best and its worst. The prose is as tight and succinct (even formal) as it was in the prior book (and as it will continue to be), for both better and worse. There are also some (minor) editing errors and typos, but nothing too distracting. I dearly hope that even readers who dislike Tanaka's approach the story or who are weary of all the thematic focus on sociopolitical ideologies are able to overlook those sentiments in order to appreciate the characters woven into the heart of the story, who are written far more like real people than, I think, we are accustomed to in our fiction. Sometimes they don't make sense, sometimes they do; sometimes they make mistakes, sometimes they leave us in awe of their brilliance--but always they leave us intrigued and expectant for more. Where the previous book introduced us to a complicated setting and complex characters, Book 2 takes that foundation for granted and dives underneath. In the last book, we learned where we were and what our characters were: now we get to learn *who* they are and *why* they are and even *how* they are. Or, rather, how they *try* to be.
In the grand scheme of the Legend of Galactic Heroes saga, "Book III: Ambition" is best characterized as the calm before the storm. With the main plot threads of the prior books neatly wrapped up, the grand history of the galaxy continues at its usual breakneck pace--and even with our heroes able exert more influence over it, it's clear that both are still subject to its capricious whims.
....
To summarize: the Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Volume 3: Endurance continues to be a science-fiction epic of enormous scope and scale, weaving a complex and utterly engrossing narrative. Its cast is populated by compelling characters, characterized conflicting social and political ideologies and personal, and tragically also subject to the immutable, intractable forces of history. Here the story transforms stalls for a bit as the characters become accustomed to their new roles in a drastically different galaxy, and we can constantly feel the pressure building--always aware that things could explode into chaos and abrupt change any moment. Book 3 delves more into the political ideologies that define the series, but remains laser-focused on the compelling personalities of its two protagonists, remaining just as inspiring, imaginative and enthralling as ever--if not moreso. I absolutely and unreservedly recommend this book to anyone fond of great science fiction or historical epics--though, please, read the prior book first.
POSTSCRIPT:
For fans of the animated (1989-1996) adaptation of Yoshiki Tanaka's epic, note that Book II: Ambition covers the events adapted in episodes 027 to 035.
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