Customer Reviews

Maelstrom (Twins Of Petaybee)

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

 

 

Maelstrom (2006) is the second SF novel in the Twins of Petaybee series, following Changelings. In the previous volume, Murel and Ronan barely saved the sacred Honu from Dr. Mabo and then immediately returned to Petaybee. Their father had gone missing and Madame Algemeine shipped a load of helicopters, small submarines and other rescue equipment to search their planet. Ke-ola and the Honu were also coming with them.

Back on Petaybee, the twins soon recovered their father, alive and well, but without any memory of his ordeal. Later, the Petaybeans took Ke-ola and the Honu into the communion cave and there they received a message from the planet. Petaybee wanted to invite Ke-ola, the Honu and their people to come live on the new landmass and the twins have been selected as planetary emissaries.

In this novel, the selkie twins and Sky Otter leave their homeworld to deliver the invitation. On the outward journey, the captain of the Piaf, Johnny Green, arranges for them to learn various ship functions. They never really have time to get bored.

After reaching the Halau system, the Piaf encounters the Intergalactic Enterprises Company Corps carrier George Armstrong Custer, Colonel Zachariah Cally commanding. The Intergal crew orders them to leave, but Marmion uses her rank and reputation -- and an outright lie -- to overrule the order and land on the planet. There they find Ke-ola's hometown deserted and full of craters from meteorites.

Although the situation looks hopeless, the Honu informs them that there are survivors underground. After the surviving villagers and Honus are found, Colonel Cally asserts that there are no more survivors. Yet the Honus guide them to another nearby village where other survivors of the bombardment have also gone underground. But the twins soon discover that this village has Manos -- sharks -- as their aumakuas instead of sea-turtles.

After considerable argument and with some rationing, the Piaf returns with these survivors to Petaybee. Since the spaceport is far from the sea, the Petaybeans make arrangements to transport the Manos -- with their able-bodied people -- to the ocean. Meanwhile, the young and elderly remain aboard the Piaf, but with better meals and other supplies.

In this story, the twins and Sky have another encounter with the sea otters. Then Sky casually mentions that the sea otters have told him that the deep sea otters are still alive, despite indications that a volcano had destroyed their city. Since nobody else knows that these otters exist, the twins decide to warn them about the sharks. Murel and Ronan head out to the new island forming in the sea where the deep sea otter city had been located.

The twins also encounter a number of other creatures in the sea, including a pod of Orcas, some sea seals, and the newly arrived Manos. Murel and the Orcas have a confrontation that isn't entirely one-sided. The sea seals are helpful, but a little domineering until they meet Sean and the Orcas. The Manos are bloodthirsty, but the patriarch is rather afraid of Murel.

This story is the middle book in a trilogy, so the ending leaves the situation hanging. The sentient planet Petaybee displays some of its powers, mostly at the end of the volume. However, one wonders whether the adult Petaybeans are ever going to be able to leave the planet without dying from their planetary induced changes.

Highly recommended for McCaffrey & Scarborough fans and anyone else who enjoys tales of sentient planets, telepathic animals and precocious selkie children.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Twins Muriel and Ronan Shongili have the honor of living on the only known sentient planet in the universe Petaybee. Like their father Sean, the Shongili twins turn into seals when their bodies are immersed in water. Since anyone who lives on Petaybee past puberty can't leave the planet, Muriel and Ronan are going to perform an important mission that will save the people of Halau and their totem animals, sharks and sea turtle because the terraforming that was performed on their planet is falling apart.

When they arrive aboard the luxurious spaceship that belong to a Powers That Be Marmian de Revers Algemeine, an ally of Petaybee and its people they find the planet being bombarded by meteors. They want to look for survivors but company man Colonel Cally wants to leave before more meteors hit them. Marmian and company are determined to rescue the survivors, even the sharks and bring them back to Petaybee. The Shongili twins discover alien beings living on the bottom of the ocean of Petaybee when they return, the first natives of Petaybee who can help them defeat the Powers That Be who want to take over the planet and arrest the people in power. The question is will the aliens help them.

Two science fiction greats create a trilogy that focuses on the second generation of the Shongili family. This is space opera at its finest and the underwater scenes are so vividly described that readers can easily visualize them. Young adults and older will enjoy this action oriented character driven tale starring two preadolescents who get into the heart of the matter and develop a course of action that will keep their planet safe for their parents and friends from the Powers That Be.

Harriet Klausner

If you don't mind cliffhangers, run, do not walk, to your local sci-fi source and get this book. You'll enjoy it immensely. The Twins of Petaybee are back and they're lots of fun.

Like Changelings (The Twins of Petaybee, Book 1), Maelstrom is well-written, intriguing, and somewhat frustrating if, like me, you prefer stories that end when the book ends. While I enjoyed the continuing adventures of the Petaybee Twins, I strongly recommend that anyone who is considering reading this book, first find Changelings and read that, then plan on reading the next installation of this serial as soon as you can get your hands on it. Better yet, wait until the final installation of this serial comes out and read all of the story without waiting a year or so between books. Eventually, The Twins of Petaybee will make a great omnibus edition.

Although this may be a simplier plot than usual for Ann McCaffrey, it is in perfect tune with the story thus far and an absolute joy to read. I am looking forward to the next part in these characters lives. These two authors complement each other wonderfully! It is so refreshing to read a great story that adults and children alike can relate to and enjoy.

This is the second book following the story of the selkie twins Ronan and Murel. Though I enjoyed Changelings quite a bit more than this story, this was a good sequel that kept the story going and I am now awaiting the third installment due to the cliffhanger ending. You will fall in love with the animals on Petaybee and I believe that is why I keep reading these books about the twins. Sky (an otter) is my favorite character. This book is very well suited for Young Adult readers, but can also be a good, short read for adults. I recommend reading Changelings before you pick up this book. If you enjoy these, you should read the trilogy that started it all starting with 'Powers that Be', they are terrific and I would recommend them to all fantasy lovers!

Other reviews have described the plot of this book so I am not. Petabee is a sentient planet. Human and other species have inhabited the planet and can communicate with the planet. This book is the second in a series of three. What an interesting concept!
Petabee likes all of the life on her surface but there are rules. Some nasties show up and have evil plans for the planet.

There is dramatic conflict and the villans are really evil. How does this come out? Read the next book and find out.
I have read Ann McCaffrey for years ever since she started her Pern series. What a wonderful author! Her books are so enjoyable
that I spent one Christmas Day glued to the pages of the "White Dragon".

Sara Howard, Author of "Something Funny Happened on The Way to The Moon" and "The Biggest Explosions in the Universe".

Good story. I always liked the "Petaybee" storyline. However, this is most definitely more geared towards a younger audience; age range would be more around 9 to 13. I appreciate Elizabeth Ann Scarborough's assistance to Ms. McCaffrey to keep this storyline alive.

I'm hoping that the next one of this series is more geared to a little older audience as the twins get older.

The McCaffrey/Scarbourough partnership has produced another quick read in the Power That Be cycle of books with Maelstom, second in their new trilogy. If all you want is to continue reading of the adventures of the twins of Petaybee, revisting a familiar universe and no challenges, read this book. If you want to have your perceptions of the world shaken - go and find some harder sci-fi. What you have here is a cosy kitchen sink drama with little real danger. A fine tea/coffee break read. But not something that sticks in the mind long afterwards.

It kept up the pace and the story line as book 1 left off. I really enjoyed it and very much look forward to Book 3.

I have read and enjoyed most of Anne Mccaffrey's books. This one is no diffrent, I loved it.