Customer Reviews

The Growing

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is most definitely on my top ten list of the best books written in the Uber world so far.

I have to confess that I am a sucker for a good science fiction and was therefore deeply satisfied with 'The Growing'. The science part is not too overwhelming but really interesting to read and to think through. But on top of that I really loved the way the relationship between our two heroines was described. It takes nearly the first 100 pages before they even meet and that is working really good for the story. This way the introduction to the characters gets really interesting and they develop a personality beside their relationship.

And on top of the good science fiction and the really interesting relationship there are the very important aspects of spirituality in the story.

This definitely is one of the books to read again and again. Go, buy it and set aside at least a long weekend for that one.

I had been looking for something else by Susanne Beck ever since I read her Redemption trilogy(which, by the way, is one of the best lesbian romance novels ever written). The Growing is a powerful love story in the midst of a thriller. Don't let the length of the book give you pause. At the end you'll be saying, "Is that All?" I loved it.

(This review refers to the online version of this novel) The Growing pre-dates the current BSG series on TV. There are similarities: an apocolypse created by the androids who have rebelled against their masters. Couragous, thoroughly drawn characters fighting against overwhelming odds. and there are differences: deep connections to Lakota spirituality/the land, a compelling friendship/romance between our two heroines, and hope (I stopped watching BSG because it was depressing me.)
The plot moves right along, you turn each page with eagerness mixed with dread. The realities, as they unfold, are grim and disturbing, and the heroism is inspiring and hope-filled. The science is solid and the writing is well done and well edited. No extra scenes, typos or missed opportunities. I can still bring scenes vividly to life in my mind's eye, 2 years after reading it.
If you like Asimov. Get this. If you like BSG. Get this. If you like action/adventure. Get this. If you like romance. Get this.
Then join the rest of us waiting eagerly for a sequel!

I have read several of Susanne's books in the past, and enjoyed them, but not necessarialy enough to long for the next book to come out. Susanne's and Okkasha's writing of this book has changed my mind. The book starts out with just enough information about the story to tease you on to the next page and then the next chapter. Very soon you find your mind in a world of androids and you start to wonder where we have gone wrong. This book is a wonder in combining technology and the spirit world of the past and does it in a way that is believable. Value for money was an extra plus for this book. I am very glad they published this as one book and not broken down into several smaller books. Thanks for sticking to your beliefs, because for me it made the reading experience fulfilling. The book has an ending that suffices, But.... I hope there is a sequel!!

I usually don't read this type of novel but it was highly recommended to me and I am glad I bought it.

The writers make their vision of what can happen very realistic and utterly believable. Reader beware this is an extremely disturbing and depressing story of what can happen if machines take over the world. Luckily for the reader intermingled and predominant is a story populated with wonderful, stalwart characters, a beautiful love story and tremendous humor.

This is also a race to the finish type novel where on every page you are excited or dreading to know what happens next. The writers provide a thrill ride with a whopper of an ending.

At 652 pages you get an epic story that a smaller novel just can't equal, so my hat is off to the publisher.

Adventure, Romance, Sci-fi, spirituality, military battles, hot sex, mystery, robots, amazons, a faithful canine companion..... You name it, it's here. I've read it twice and plan to read it again.
I've recommended it to even my non-sci-fi friends, as the story transcends the genre.
When, oh when will the sequel come out???

"The Growing" starts by an uprising of robots killing most of the people around them. The year is 2012 and robots have been used for quite some time as helpers in society, including recently in the armed forces. The main characters of the story are Koda Rivers a Lakota veterinarian and Dr. Kirsten King a computer genius and apparently the sole survivor of President Hillary Clinton's cabinet. They meet in North Dakota while Kirsten is trying to destroy the main robot factory. The plot is centered on the remaining survivors and their fight against the robots while trying to find why there was an uprising of the robots and why some women are taken prisoners by them.
The sci-fi background theme of "The Growing" is not new, and deals once again with the "dangers" of artificial intelligence. The authors are aware of what has been written on the theme before them, and pay homage to the classic "I Robot" stories by naming Kirsten King's dog Asimov. The main themes of the book are what are you willing to do to survive, how do you survive in a world that has become dependent on technology and is there a possibility to create an alternative world where technology mingles with nature? These themes intertwine with the love story between Kirsten, the rational scientist who has centered all her life around technology and Koda who merges technology and Lakota mysticism.
My main problem with this book is that I'm not a very mystical person. However, I found it interesting learning about the Lakota culture, the characters are well drawn and the plot will probably keep you interested.

One of the best ubers as well as one of the best SF novels I've read in awhile.

In my opinion, this is one of the best books of the lesbian genre I've read, in fact it spans past just that genre. As an avid reader of lesbian fiction and science fiction, I was very happy when this book arrived in the mail and the page count alone got me excited. A lot of thought went into every aspect of this story, from the apocalyptic scenario, the war strategics, and the contrast of Lakota culture and modern science. You have to take a bit of the story on faith or spirituality because it deals with extreme and brutal times, so miraculous and spiritual things happen and I appreciated that it stepped beyond what was expected and still brought the reader with it. It's not just a love story, but a proclamation of what the human spirit can achieve and a hint of perhaps what the human race was or is supposed to be. Finally, the love story was nice because although it revolves around the main characters, it is not the defining point of the journey. I love lesbian romance more than is probably healthy, but often times in the genre the plot falls by the ways side of intimacy and the obligatory sex scenes. The Growing doesn't do this, it has enough to keep any lesbian happy, while keeping the reader anticipating the resolution of the android war and why the heck all these terrible things are happening. If you're not in shamanism or spiritual journeys you probably won't sync very well with this story, but if you're one of those people like me that has always felt another existence and purpose has been humming just past your senses, I say give this book a try. It's definitely worth it. Only one small thing I was left wanting was an epilogue with all the characters, just to see things come full circle, but still five stars in my opinion.

This is, without a doubt, the very best lesfic sci-fi book I've ever read. It's one of the best lesfic books I've read of ANY genre. I have to admit, its 646 pages seemed a bit challenging only because it was a pretty big investment of my time if it turned out that the book was only "okay". This book turned out to be a wonderful escape and a great saga. I was not disappointed. Usually when I write a review I have the copy of the book beside me to make sure that I don't forget any key points I might want to make. In this case, after talking to someone I know about the book, I've had to mail it off to them because it's a book that everyone wants to read.

The authors, Suzanne M Beck and Okashi Skat'si have created a great story, blending native-ameican culture and tradition with anglo-american culture set in the future in a world where androids have taken over and humans have become the hunted. How do you know which humans are on your side as some may be collaborators? What is it that the androids want? How can they be defeated? Can one's human qualities be an advantage...or a liability?

The main characters include: Koda (Dakota) Rivers, a Lakota vet; Kirsten King, the sole survivor of the president's cabinet, and a cyber scientist; Col Maggie Allen, a top-gun pilot and one of the top officers left on the military base, Koda's brother and their cousin who are also part of the "resistance" to the androids.

This book is well worth your time. It's one I will read again and again. On a side note - Once I read this book I went on the hunt for a trilogy of Suzanne Beck's books (Redemption, Retribution, and Restitution) Amazon has the 1st book, the other 2 are out of print and about $75 each. I did happen to get my hands on all 3 copies which I've not yet read. Her writing seems to be in high demand.....a good sign I would say.