Unity (Battlestar Galactica) [Hardcover]

Steven Harper (Author)

Book Description

Series: Battlestar Galactica | Publication Date: April 3, 2007

A prophecy is fulfilled when Peter Attis is rescued from the Cylons in order to save humanity with "the plague of the tongue." Or so it seems…
 
While harvesting algae for conversion into food, the beleaguered human/refugee fleet is discovered by a small group of Cylon raiders. A brief battle ends with the destruction of a Cylon heavy raider. A colonial issue escape pod found floating among the debris reveals two survivors inside: Singer Peter Attis . . . and his captor, a Cylon Number Eight.
 
Soon after Peter's liberation, people begin babbling incoherently and dropping into comas. Unwittingly, Peter has been spreading a highly contagious, nerve-deteriorating Cylon biological weapon -- and he just performed for half the fleet. As Dr. Gaius Baltar begins work on a cure, word starts to spread that a fanatical sect believes that Peter is the religious leader who will save humanity and that this virus is their path to salvation. They are willing to do anything to keep Baltar's vaccine from being distributed.
 
While the fleet is in chaos, a larger Cylon force appears. A weakened humankind, now threatened on two fronts, may be unable to defend itself…

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It's all been said before, but I'll say it again: Battlestar Galactica is much, much better than you can possibly imagine."  --Salon.com on the Battlestar Galactica TV Series
 
"This story of enemies within is dead serious, and seriously good." --James Poniewozik, Time Magazine on the Battlestar Galactica TV Series
 
"Serious and sexy, Battlestar Galactica is the best sci fi on TV." --CFQ (Cinefantastique) on the Battlestar Galactica TV Series
 
"Either way, if the Battlestar Galactica books continue to encapsulate the spirit of the series, I will have found another series of books to read."-- Fantasybookspot.com on the Battlestar Galactica Books

About the Author

Steven Harper is a two-time Spectrum Award finalist who has published more than a dozen novels, as well as many short stories. He lives in Michigan.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; First Edition edition (April 3, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765316064
• ISBN-13: 978-0765316066
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,111,088 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Welcome Read, April 6, 2007

By 

A. Timson (Livonia, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Unity (Battlestar Galactica) (Hardcover)

I've read all four of Tor's BATTLESTAR GALACTICA novels so far. The first two novels left me decidedly unimpressed; the miniseries novelization didn't really bring anything new to the table, and The Cylons' Secret had little to do with the series. Peter David's Sagittarius Is Bleeding was enjoyable, but was expected given the author; it wasn't until UNITY that I finally had some hope for the long-term future of the line.

Taking place midway through the second season of the show, UNITY takes an opportunity to explore aspects of Colonial culture not really seen on the show. Author Steven Harper takes a closer look at the fleet than the show has to date, taking the chance to look at minorities who must populate the fleet, but that there's not time in a weekly television schedule to necessarily show. His counterpoints to the majorities presented in the show offer interesting alternatives, as well as adding versimilitude to the show.

This is all in service of the plot of the book itself, though. Harper tells the tale of a scientific crisis in the fleet, one that quickly spirals out of control and into a military and political situation as things in the Fleet are wont to do. Throughout all this, Harper shows his mastery of the characters and setting (especially Baltar and Starbuck, the highlights of the book), treating them as the show would and offering tantalizing hints of their futures and pasts. His prion-based crisis is certainly believable and plausible, and one which couldn't easily be explored in the show without reams of exposition that could be far more gracefully integrated into a narrative as Harper did.

UNITY doesn't offer any world-shattering revelations, or fundamental changes to the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA universe. But then, such isn't expected; it is, after all, a tie-in subservient to the ongoing show. But what UNITY does is it fleshes out the universe of the show, letting us seem some of what we can't in a 42-minute timeslot. Author Steven Harper's book does this, and does it quite well. I recommend it to any fan of the show.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If you enjoy the show, you'll enjoy the book., November 27, 2007

By 

Eitan M. Altshuler (Santa Cruz, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Unity (Battlestar Galactica) (Mass Market Paperback)

I wouldn't pay attention to pretentious nay-sayers on this book.


I admit, it's no literary masterpiece, and there are holes in the story's construction. But if you have no ability to suspend disbelief, I wonder what you are doing watching Battlestar Galactica in the first place.


I enjoyed it. It was fun. It starts off in an intense dog-fight between Raiders and Vipers, the Galactica and a Basestar....Then it gets a bit dry. However, once you're at the halfway mark, it's hard to put down.

3.0 out of 5 stars Nothing ground breaking, June 20, 2007

By 

Keith Rommel "Keith Rommel" (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unity (Battlestar Galactica) (Paperback)

Steven Harper's writing ability is clean and easy to follow. He paints a clear picture with short descriptions, taking you into the story and placing you beside the characters as they interact. The storyline for "Unity" is very basic, but good. My only complaint is we don't learn anything "new" about the characters or the battlestar universe. Only for can't-do-without fans of the series.