Customer Reviews

The Epsilon Eridani Alternative

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Like modern Rip Van Winkles, the characters in this scifi novel wake from their space journey to find themselves considerably aged. Now too old to reproduce, and having lost the stem cells they were transporting, they face a terrible dilemma. This is a futuristic, but credible story, and the concepts are almost within reach of present day scientists. A lot to think about, here.

The Epsilon Eridani Alternative by Beth Groundwater explores issues we face today such as the abuse of the resources Earth provides in this intriguing tale about a group of people sent to settle on a new planet with the hopes it will provide salvation for the people of Earth. When the couples find the cryogenics used to slow their aging didn't work, the hope of populating the new planet with human beings is dashed. The colonists also realize communicating back to Earth the results of their findings will take too long. The colonists begin experimenting with the stem cells from the planet's inhabitants to restore the colonists' youth until unexpected consequences occur. Groundwater creates a world filled with characters the reader will alternately like and dislike, agree with and disagree with, root for and root against because of their complexity. Her exploration of the issues within the pages is both insightful and balanced. The reader will question the decisions the characters make on both sides of the issues they are facing. The Epsilon Eridani Alternative is a fast, enjoyable read by an author who is both skilled and talented.

In Beth Groundwater's intelligent Sci-fi novel, a group of astronauts have landed on another planet, and face a terrible realisation. They have all aged by thirty years. This group of young people are transformed and soon have to wrestle with all the ageing processes, including the possibility of dementia. Once they realise how they can rejuvenate themselves they are presented with a dilemma, which is as difficult as knowing that their physical and mental faculties are going to let them down.

Filled with suspense and likeable people, with whom one cannot help but empathise, I thoroughly recommend this book.