Offspring: A Novel of the Silent Empire [Kindle Edition]

Steven Harper (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The fourth novel in the Silent Empire series continues the adventures of Father Kendi Weaver; his lover, Ben Rymer; and their friends. Having performed a dramatic rescue in Nightmare (2002), they have returned to the forest planet of Bellerophon to start a family. But politics and personal problems intervene. The end of the Dream--the ability of various sentients to enter a telepathic plane that made faster-than-light communication possible--brought down governments, destroyed economies, and roused interspecies enmities, and elements of all three catastrophes remain in process on Bellerophon. Moreover, Ben has discovered that his genetic parents were humanity's greatest hero and its greatest villain, both dead for a thousand years. Then a madman starts killing, intent on replicating Daniel Vik's villainy in Nightmare. Harper's characters and society are as fascinating, and his plot is as intricate, as ever. It helps, though, to have read Nightmare before tackling this one. Frieda Murray
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Description

The lush and beautiful forest planet of Bellerophon is home to a cacophony of noises, but its resident psychics are known as the Silent. Previously they could travel to the Dream, a telepathic plane of existence where they could twist the laws of reality. But that time is over...

One madman's lust for power tore the Dream asunder. Now only a handful of the Silent can enter it. Kendi Weaver is one of them.

As an election for the governorship of Bellerophon begins, Kendi is caught in the crossfire. Attempts on his life—and a rash of Silent kidnappings—point to a political enemy...or a personal one. Either way, the future of the Dream is at stake. And Kendi fears it may become a nightmare.

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 630 KB
• Publisher: Penguin/Putnam/NAL (November 1, 2005)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B002LASFBS
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #361,238 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

Steven Harper Piziks was born in Saginaw, Michigan, but he moved around a lot. Currently he lives with his wife and three sons near Ann Arbor, Michigan.

His novels include In the Company of Mind and Corporate Mentality, both science fiction published by Baen Books. Writing as Steven Harper for Roc Books, he has produced The Silent Empire series. He's also written movie novelizations and books based on Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, and The Ghost Whisperer.

Mr. Piziks currently teaches English in southeast Michigan. When not writing, he plays the folk harp, dabbles in oral storytelling, and spends more time on-line than is probably good for him. Visit his web page at http://www.sff.net/people/spiziks or find his LiveJournal at http:spiziks.livejournal.com/

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great series, which will leave you wanting more, August 13, 2009

By 

T. Keber (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Offspring: A Novel of the Silent Empire (Kindle Edition)

Offspring is the fourth book of the Silent Empire series. Reading the other books in the series is recommended before starting this one, and with the great Kindle prices you should certainly pick them all up.

Offspring continues the terrific world building from the previous novels alongside great character development. Mr. Harper(Piziks) brings you and the characters you have grown to love on a fun and exciting ride.

The only unfortunate thing about this book is that it is the last in the series, but we can always hope that Kendi, Ben and the rest of the family will share more of their adventures with us someday in the future.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cram packed with plot and sub-plot, November 13, 2008

By 

Benjamin (UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Offspring (Silent Empire) (Paperback)

Offspring (I think it was originally going to be titled Children) picks up shortly after the return of Kendi and his crew after having rescued Keith and Martina from enslavement.
Kendi and Ben plan to start their family using the batch of embryos from which Ben himself originated, but of course there are a few complications.

An election is impending for governorship of their home planet Bellerophon, and Kendi and Ben are inevitable involved. During the campaign attempts are made on Kendi's life, there is also a series of kidnappings of both Silent and non-Silent; add to that the possibility of a spy in the camp, blackmail, and accusations of corruption and the return of an old enemy, there is more than enough to keep the story moving from one crisis to another.

Offspring is without doubt full of action, and to add to the drama there are plenty of unknowns to keep us guessing. As the story builds towards its climax the pace quickens and the tension builds; and the book is difficult to put down.

As good as any of the books in the Silent Empire series, and with the same very likeable core group of characters, plus a few new names (but sadly still little of Segal), Offspring certainly keeps this series alive. While it makes for a most entertaining read, I have one complaint, and it is common to all the Silent Empire novels, it is the lack of subtlety in the way Steven Harper employs the dialogue to advance, recap or explain the narrative. It is of course a standard method, but often here it comes across as a little clumsy, even patronising; with the result that it lessens the tension and interrupts the flow to the action. Nonetheless if Harper decides to write yet another in this series I will without doubt be reading it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fantastic science fiction who-done-it, October 27, 2004

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Offspring (Silent Empire) (Paperback)

Most of the Silent can no longer enter the Dream, a telepathic place of existence that allows instantaneous communication between worlds spread all over the universe. On the planet Bellerophon, Kendri and his life mate Ben are regarded as heroes because they saved part of the Dream and can enter at will. Bellerophon is electing its first governor in centuries because without the Dream, the Confederation that saw to Bellerophon's safety no longer exists. Ben and Kendri's grandmother is a candidate, who advocates a strong military to prevent pirates from raiding the planet.

During the campaign, Kendri actively supports his grandmother, but someone tries to kill him. While trying to figure out who in their inner circle wants him dead, someone kidnaps the Silent and the Silenced (those who cannot enter the Dream any longer). Although Kendri and Ben do not know it, there is a link between the murder attempts and the abductions; the dynamic duo must figure that out for failure means loved ones dying.

Readers who have followed the previous adventures of Kendri and Ben will see they prepare for parenthood using surrogate mothers and frozen embryos, which are genetic siblings of Ben. Their relationship is beautiful to behold as they battle a maniac who wants every Silent dead and the Dream buried. They make the tale into fantastic science fiction who-done-it that fans will revel in because Steven Harper turns his audience into believers that the planet Bellerophon exists in a physical solid state.

Harriet Klausner