Gene Roddenberry's Earth: Final Conflict--Heritage [Paperback]

Doranna Durgin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 14, 2001 | Series: Gene Roddenberry's Earth--Final Conflict

A Taelon experiment gone horribly wrong will decimate humanity unless Liam can uncover a secret buried in his past.

GENE RODDENBERRY'S EARTH: FINAL CONFLICT

From the popular television series by the creator of Star Trek (tm)

Liam Kincaid walks a dangerous tightrope. While he serves as Protector of the enigmatic Taelon Companion, Da'an, secretly he also heads the human Resistance, Earth's only hope against the aliens. With deception and danger a constant, it doesn't seem life could get any harder-until the Taelons' Synod leader, Zo'or, releases a virus among the human populace that infects thousands. Yet Zo'or intends something even more sinister than genocide, forcing Liam and the Resistance to find a cure before many people die and Zo'or's ultimate plan can fully unfold.

What Liam doesn't realize is that to end the suffering, he'll have to delve into his alien past. But it'll take great courage to explore so deeply the deadly secrets of his mysterious alien . . .
Heritage

BOOK 5: HERITAGE

Liam Kincaid, the human Protector assigned to Da'an, the North American Taelon Companion, has had a difficult time balancing his duties for the aliens with his responsibility as the head of the secret, underground Resistance that is Earth's only hope for survival under the aliens.

Liam has also struggled with his alien heritage. He's managed to control the shaqarava, the power he wields, inherited from his Kimera ancestor, who came from a distant world in another galaxy.

Left to himself, he thinks he'd be able to master the power that sometimes possesses him to send a vast beam of energy toward some perceived threat. When he is accidentally infected by a Taelon virus that Zo'or, head of the Taelon Synod, has unleashed for the purpose of creating shaqarava in humans, Liam catches more than the artificial flu that was designed into the virus.

Instead, he is so seriously ill that it will require more than mere medicine to cure him. For the illness has awakened memories he didn't know he had--memories that could save . . . or kill him.

As his friends in the Resistance try to save him and stop the Taelon plague, Liam wrestles with the inner demons from his past in a life-and-death struggle for survival.

This exciting novel based on the hit television series will be a revelation to series viewers, and a thrilling novel of the near future for all readers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the fifth tie-in to the Roddenberry-inspired TV series, fantasy author Durgin (Dun Lady's Jess) delivers a better than average franchise product, but the novel won't win any new converts. Liam Kincaid, one of the double agents for Earth's Resistance within the occupation forces of the alien Taelons, has more reason than most to feel conflicted: a Kimura, the now-extinct progenitor species of the Taelons and their ancestral enemies the Jaridians, was one of his three parents. Survivors of a secret experiment to infect humans with Jaridian DNA learn to channel energy through their palms which could make them deadly, if risky, recruits for the Resistance. Liam's unique genome responds to the infection by giving him racial memories about the true relationships among Kimura, Taelons and Jaridians. These flashbacks are the novel's strength, adding depth to the series and to Liam's characterization. But the situation of the double agents is not precarious enough to generate suspense their habit of phoning the Resistance from the Taelon mothership make them seem as snug in the enemy's midst as Hogan's Heroes. And the fateful decision to let the virus loose on Earth, instead of experimenting on prisoners, is implausible except as a way to drive the plot. Readers with a previous interest in the series will be rewarded, but only Durgin's deft use of familiar contemporary elements, such as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and a computerized cameo by a certain warrior princess, will keep the uninitiated from feeling adrift. (Jan. 16)Forecast: Flagging ratings and fan disgruntlement with the TV series on the SciFi channel may limit sales for this tie-in, especially as Roddenberry fans shift focus to the new Star Trek series that debuted on UPN this fall, Enterprise.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

The latest Earth: Final Conflict tie-in focuses on Liam Kincaid, the human made to be the bodyguard of the Taelon Da'an. Liam faces a particularly horrendous conflict when he uncovers a Taelon plot to infect humanity with a retrovirus. Those who don't die of flu-like symptoms will develop the shaquarava, the Taelon complex of psychic powers, and become something like a new race. Complicating that situation, a number of members of the anti-Taelon resistance, including several of Liam's closest human friends, are among those infected and stand to give humanity powers against the Taelons it heretofore lacked. With memories of how a similar retrovirus altered the Taelons' ancestors and a great deal of help from his friends, Liam may be able to reverse the course of events to the benefit of both peoples. This is one of the more intelligent, if not most accessible, entries in the series, featuring traces of humor and an acute awareness of the impact of divided loyalties in the situation it presents. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; 1st edition (December 14, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076530208X
• ISBN-13: 978-0765302083
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,613,585 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Doranna responded to all early injunctions to "put down that book/notebook and go outside and play" by climbing trees to read & write.

Such quirkiness of spirit has created a wandering path through the publishing world, spanning genres and form to include thirty novels and counting--mystery, SF/F, action-romance, and franchise, including the Compton Crook-winning Dun Lady's Jess--and a slew of essays and short stories.

But after all that, mostly she still prefers to hang around outside with the animals. She doesn't believe so much in mastering the beast within, but in channeling its power. For good or bad has yet to be decided.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!! Better than the season five series plot, July 24, 2002

By 

"kahless66" (Plymouth, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gene Roddenberry's Earth: Final Conflict--Heritage (Paperback)

The book resolved quite a few open issues with regard to the origins of the Taelons and their connection to the Jaridians and the Kimera. The series was not very good at this. As a matter of fact, the series created a more questions in its fifth season that it neglected to answer. I enjoyed the book and hope to read more by this author and others writing about this sci-fi series.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read... Better than the show ever was..., January 20, 2002

By 

"suffer359" (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gene Roddenberry's Earth: Final Conflict--Heritage (Paperback)

Many E:FC fans dislike Liam Kincade for various reasons. This book gives alot more insight into the character of Liam then was ever given in S2. The author seems to want to make Season 2 make more sence then it did on TV and does a very good job. I enjoyed the Conversation with Ha'gel and the Flashbacks of Ha'gels memories of the Atavus! The book goes into alot of detail of how the Jaridians and Taelons were split apart and how the Kimera were involved. In Season 1 and 2 We are often given sketchy, cryptic details by Da'an and Zo'or about the Atavus and the Kimera and how the Taelons were created. The author takes those and binds them all together so they make sence. Very well done and compelling reading. I couldnt put it down. The writers on the TV show should take lessons from this author. Who knows, maybe she can make Season 5 make some sence.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Cool!, March 21, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Gene Roddenberry's Earth: Final Conflict--Heritage (Paperback)

Heritage is the 5th EFC book, and almost certainly the best.

While "Arrival", "The First Protector" and "Requiem for Boone" focus on event before the show, and "Augur's Teacher" focuses on an original chracter, "Heritage" is purely about Liam.

The basis is that Zo'or's latest project is to give humanity shaquarava through a virus, shortly after the season two episode "Second Chances". (Shaquarava are the glowing things on Liam's hands, for those unfamiliar with the series) Not knowing that Liam is one-third Kimera, and has shaquarava of his own, Zo'or orders that Liam is administered the virus. The virus gives Liam access to some of his genetic memories, including the knowledge that it was the shaquarva that turned the Atavus into Taelons, and started them on that nasty treacherous path of theirs.

Hayley Simmons (from episodes "Second Chances", "Thicker Than Blood" and "Take No Prisoners") is a major player, and there are bits of Liam/Hayley romance. While it is questionable that Zo'or would attempt to give humans shaquarva (which could allow humanity to join the Commonality), this is a minor flaw.

The plot is mainly plausible, executed with a minimum of techno-babble, and makes sense in context with the rest of the series. There are excellent explanations for the Taelons' hatred of the Kimera and how the Taelons and Jaridians differ. All characters are very, umm... in character.

Anywho. It's a great book.