Mazeway

At the end of Lifeburst , Quin Dain had saved the solar system from the Seeker Mother-Queen, and thus earned probationary status for humans in the Galactic Council residing in Sol's Oort Cloud. Now his son Benn must prove to the Council that humans can rise above their lowly, aggressive origins and earn full membership status. Complications arise when Benn's sponsor's clone brother dies, apparently at the hands of membership-seeking aliens with whom Benn must compete. But this book has none of the complexities of plot or character present in the prequel. Williamson ( The Legion of Space ) has returned to the style of his early works, unleashing a hero who merely stumbles through events. Unfortunately, both the major problem and the resolution take place off stage, and Benn's actions make no difference to the plot.
The Eldren races who rescued a ravaged Earth from a common enemy refuse to impart their knowledge and wisdom to humanity's survivors until a young man risks his life in the Game of Blade and Stone to prove that humans can learn the ways of nonviolence and cooperation. Sf veteram Williamson ( Man Seed, LJ 12/15/82); Lifeburst, LJ 12/84) creates a host of intriguing aliens as heroes and villains in this classic coming-of-age story that should appeal to sf adventure fans.