Planetfall (Genellan, Bk. 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

Scott G. Gier (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 27, 1995

Genellan -- beautiful, Earthlike world where intelligent cliff-dwellers waited in fear for the day the warlike bear people would return...

Genellan -- the only refuge for a ship's crew and a detachment of spacer marines, abandoned by a fleet fleeing from alien attackers.

Stranded on Genellan, the humans struggled to make a home for themselves until -- they hoped against hope -- the fleet could rescue them. Lt. Sharl Buccari tried desperately to hold on to the threads of command over both the civilians and the marines -- to keep her people together.

Winter was coming. No one knew if the winged natives would be friend or foe. And now the bear people were returning, bent on destroying every human -- but not before stealing the secret of hyperlight drive, the key to interstellar flight...

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Genellan -- beautiful, Earthlike world where intelligent cliff-dwellers waited in fear for the day the warlike bear people would return...

Genellan -- the only refuge for a ship's crew and a detachment of spacer marines, abandoned by a fleet fleeing from alien attackers.

Stranded on Genellan, the humans struggled to make a home for themselves until -- they hoped against hope -- the fleet could rescue them. Lt. Sharl Buccari tried desperately to hold on to the threads of command over both the civilians and the marines -- to keep her people together.

Winter was coming. No one knew if the winged natives would be friend or foe. And now the bear people were returning, bent on destroying every human -- but not before stealing the secret of hyperlight drive, the key to interstellar flight...

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 30 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey (June 27, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345395093
• ISBN-13: 978-0345395092
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,219,659 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am a lucky man. Born and pretty much raised in Hawaii (I went to the same high school as the president, although I am pretty sure I had better grades), I graduated from the US Naval Academy and became a Naval Aviator. There are no smarter, more genuine, more professional people than those that you will find in the American armed services. I am honored to be a veteran. There are also no better toys than Navy jets, and there are few adrenaline-pumping routines on this planet that can match landing on or taking off from an aircraft carrier. I was also privileged to be a regular watch-standing officer-of-the-deck, underway, on board the USS Hancock, a WWII vintage attack carrier.

After six years in the Navy (the Vietnam War was ending), I went to work for the next quarter-century or so in Silicon Valley, California, where I was again privileged to work with individuals of exalted intelligence and ambition: entrepreneurs. Working primarily in manufacturing and later in project management and customer service, I participated in the technological miracle of lasers, computers, and corporate software almost all at the start-up company level. Believe me, if you want to have fun (and angst) working, go join a start-up in the San Francisco Bay Area...

I have always enjoyed hiking and the outdoors and have come to believe that humanity's most important asset (after our respective families) is the Earth beneath our feet. That love of nature and my experiences in the military and high-technology companies define my novels.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Flawed, yet very enjoyable, March 29, 2001

By 

David Bonesteel (Fresno, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Planetfall (Genellan, Bk. 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

Although the author doesn't show much imagination when it comes to alien races, this remains a highly enjoyable adventure story. The indigenous life-forms of Genellan are basically direct analogues of Earth creatures. The sentient aliens are so recognizably human in their psychology that the only significant barrier to understanding between the species is the lack of a common language. Nevertheless, the depiction of stranded humans struggling to survive is compelling and, despite the abovementioned misgivings, I found myself moved at times by the struggle to find common cause among the various species.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable adventure tale, March 29, 2005

By 

M. A. Ramos (Florida USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Planetfall (Genellan, Bk. 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

The book starts with an exploration fleet looking for a new home. When they enter the star system they are planning to explore, hostile aliens attack them. The fleet escapes. But one corvette is badly damaged and leaves a small portion of its crew and a small detachment of marines stranded on a wilderness planet. This planet, Genellan, just happens to be the home to another species.

The book is well written and is the story of the human's attempts to survive and make a home. And the interactions between the three species are told from their own perspective. Giving us good insight. The characters are likable and Gier's story flows. I did not want to put the book down. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ***Don't Miss This Series***, July 20, 2006

By 

Kimberly T. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Planetfall (Genellan, Bk. 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

The book covers don't do justice to the content. This is the 1st book in a series of 4. This is a great read, you'll want to start the next one immediately after putting this one down. It has everything. The series starts with a mystery and crash landing in the first book. It develops into lots of great characters, Politics, seemingly genocidal ET's and successful first contacts and alliances against a common threat. Fans of David Weber, Heinlein, Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, John Ringo, Lois McMaster Bujold and Anne MacCafrey--to name a very few favorite authors-- will like these books. The themes are well thought out, and the characters all deal with the choices, sacrifice and agony of war, loss and hope in a realistic manner and sometimes with a little humor and romance thrown in.