ISBN: 0-345-37828-8 Order from: Amazon.com
A somewhat plodding story of a man's struggle to reshape civilization, both human and alien, stressing social and biological change.
Reviewed by David on August 02, 1998
Genre: Science Fiction (Intrigue, Interstellar Civilizations, Aliens, Biology, Microbes)
Synopsis: Bass, a privileged young man in a widespread but slowly decaying human confederation, undergoes a number of misfortunes, most due to the malice of others around him. Finally ending up on a provincial alien planet, instead of revenge, he learns to direct his talents and developing charisma to first understand, and them reverse the slow economic and social unraveling of the Trans-Reef worlds.
Full Review: This is a tale of how one man found a way to meld the alien biological and gene-manipulating technology and the human mechanistic civilization to satisfy the needs of both. The economic justification for the splintering of the human confederation is a bit weak. In addition, the alien bio-prowess seems a bit like hand-waving at times.
Cherryh's very good Serpent's Reach has a more exciting exploration of a symbiosis of human and alien civilizations. Octavia Butler's somewhat ponderous Xenogenesis trilogy delves a lot deeper into the social change caused by the alien genetic manipulation of humanity.
However, the plot is skillfully told, and the social/historical narrative (deliberately) takes precedence over human elements like love, sex and revenge. This is an intellectual adventure, and as such may satisfy those soft Science Fiction fans who look for excitement in concepts rather than characters.
Overall: 5; Plot: 5.5; Characters: 4.5; Style: 5; World-building: 5; Originality: 5.5;
Copyright date 1992, Ballantine Books (Del Rey), September 1992, Mass-market, 313 pages
ISBN: 0-345-37828-8 Order from: Amazon.com