 A review in "Publishers Weekly" praised "Hammerfall", calling it a "satisfying novel" that is a "blend of gorgeous, slightly knotty prose, deeply conflicted heroes, desperate action and nicely observed cultural details".Writing in the SF Reader, Elizabeth Kelley Buzbee described the book as a "world-class space opera" that explores "the low tech/high tech clash of cultures".But she was critical of Cherryh's portrayal of the two major characters, Marak and the Ila, who she felt come across as being the perfect hero and villain.