C. S. Friedman Authors Book Titles
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This Alien Shore By C. S. Friedman 
This is a complex, but interesting novel. Mankind’s
first experience in space travel ended disastrously when it was discovered that
it caused severe genetic damage to the travelers. Known as the Hausman effect,
it caused Earth to abruptly discontinue all contact with her colonies. The
Variants, as they came to be called, were left to fend for themselves.
Ultimately, the Guerans brought space travel back to Earth. Unlike many of the
Variants, they physically resembled humans. The Guerans’ Variation was of the
mind and psyche and it was this mutation which enabled them to brave the dangers
of space. Their resulting monopoly on space travel and the control exerted by
The Guild over intergalactic commerce causes many to fear, hate and envy them.
Additionally, there is dissension between the Variants and Earth. The Variants
have not forgotten, or forgiven, Earth’s abandonment while Earth still fears
the strangeness of the Variants.
In Friedman’s universe the internet is an
archaic concept. Rather, she speaks of the Innernet, a planet-wide communication
system, and the Outernet, a network spanning the galaxy. Although computers
still exist, they are almost entirely obsolete. It has long been decreed that
every child would have a computer chip installed in his or her brain at birth.
This brainware allows the user to control and access information at a level far
beyond our current standards. Now imagine the chaos and destruction that would
occur if a virus was let loose in such circumstances. Add in the various
factions (Terrans, Guerans, Variants, etc.) and you get a society on the edge of
explosion. This is exactly the situation Friedman explores in this novel. She
has created several main characters and switches back and forth between them and
their seemingly disconnected stories. Jamisia Shido is an orphan, cared for by
her tutor, living on a corporate habitat. When treachery befalls the habitat,
she is suddenly pushed into a universe of intrigue for which she is ill
prepared. Dr. Kio Masada is a highly respected Gueran programmer, trying to
unravel the secrets of the virus. Phoenix, a hacker, is trying to discover the
creator of the virus, for his own personal reasons.
Friedman has developed a highly complex scenario
that can be read on several different levels. On the surface it is purely a
high-tech mystery, but if you read more closely Friedman has a lot to say about
the way people interact and deal with our differences. You won’t need to speak
"computerese" to understand the problems caused by the computer virus
or the efforts made to stop it. You also won’t need to be a psychologist to
understand the personalities involved. Additionally, Friedman has inserted some
interesting information between chapters. These "asides" provide some
important background along the way and shouldn’t be skipped over. Overall,
Friedman brings all of the various elements of this novel together into a
well-knit whole. The characters are interesting and recognizable. I cared about
what happened to them and, although it takes a while for the big picture to come
into focus, it is well worth waiting for. This is the first book I’ve read by
Friedman, but I definitely plan to add her books to my "must read"
list.
Reviewed by: Diane
C. S. Friedman Authors Book Titles
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