Customer Reviews

Marseguro (Daw Science Fiction)

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

 

 

Excellent world-building and well developed characters. Very enjoyable. If you are interested in the religious implications of genetic manipulation, the political problems with a theocracy, or the question of what you would do when faced with extinction, read this book.

One or two minor inconsistencies near the end (suddenly he's into atheletics...in zero-g?), but nothing that truly detracts from the novel.

The writer created a world in Marseguro that I, as the reader, really felt a part of. The decriptions of the planet and it's people were creative,yet believable, with flaws and feelings easily related to. The detail used in the action sequences allowed the reader to follow the adventure with clear pictures. I really enjoyed this book and, because the ending is left for an obvious sequel, am looking forward to meeting the people from Marseguro again.

Marseguro, a colonized planet inhabited by normal humans and Selkies--genetically modified by a scientist named Victor Hansen--would seem defenseless when the theocratic earth government (The Body) sends (with Hansen's grandson Richard as part of the force) a military expedition to capture, sterilize, and enslave the Selkies--considered an "abomination" by the earth totalitarians.

Obviously, you know that the Selkies and their unmodified coinhabitants of the planet aren't as defenseless as they seem (else there would be no book), so the suspense in this thrilling tale with multiple povs and intriguing characters comes from learning exactly how they'll accomplish this and what will happen next. The response is swift, and then things really get interesting but never sentimental--atypical for novels that have as one of their themes "what it means to be human."

The principal characters--Emily the Selkie (that's her on the front cover) and Richard Hansen--are complicated enough to seem real, and you'll probably believe in them. The supporting cast are well done, too. And the action sequences--especially a chase across the water with a killer robot in pursuit (that's it on the back cover) should thrill you.

The novel's complete in itself, but there's room for a sequel.

This book was a good science fiction read. The author develops a couple of traditional themes, what it means to be human and colonizing a new world away from the politics of the old world. It has good action scenes, smarmy villains that you love to hate and main characters that develop into decent people during the course of the story. I can't wait to read more from the author.

The clash of humans and the genetically modified water-breathing selkies was interesting, but the author didn't quite pull this one off -- the religious jihadists back on earth and their military actions just were not believable to me. Just an average SF read.

In some unspecified time in the future all the scientists agreed that Earth was going to be hit by a meteor and destroyed. Genetic sculptor Victor Hansen created a race of modified humans known as Selkies, bioengineered to live in water as they had gills and webbed feet and were faster and stronger than unmodified humans. They escaped from the religious leader the Avatar and his religious regime the Body Purified who believed all beings that were genetically modified were abominations.

The asteroid ended up being deflected by another asteroid and he consolidated his regime's hold on the people of earth. The unmodified humans and the Selkies landed on the water world of Marseguro where for seventy-five years landlings and Selkies lived in harmony with each other. Some landlings were loyal to the Avatar's beliefs and Chris Keating, brainwashed by his mother, is one of them. When two Selkies play a nasty trick on him, he turns on the homing beacon from the ship that landed there. Richard Lansing made it his life work to find the world his grandfather landed on and when he does he notifies the proper authorities who mount an attack to kill the Selkies. However, Marseguro is not as helpless as earth bureaucrats believe and when Richard , who travels with the troops to Marseguro, discovers who and what he is, the side he takes (Avatar or Selkie) will determine the outcome of what becomes of the mostly water planet.

The regime in power is so xenophobic that it makes war on innocent men, women and children subduing colony worlds by deadly force. Marseguro is determined not to be conquered but if they use the only means available to stop the troops Earth is sending their way, a great travesty will occur. Their moral dilemma is only one of the reasons this novel is so fascinating. The Selkie culture and infrastructure is very picturesque and easily pictured by readers who will want to visit his exotic world. Hopefully Edward Willet will write a sequel starring Marseguro.

Harriet Klausner