Caught in the CrossfireA human colony settles on a distant planet, a colony formed by Jake Holman-- a man trying to escape a dark past. But as this diverse group of thousands comes to terms with their new lives on a new world, they make a startling discovery: primitive humanoid aliens. There are only a few isolated villages, and the evidence seems to indicate they aren't native to the planet--despite the aliens living in thatched huts and possessing only primitive tools. When a handful of human colonists finally learn the truth, they will face the toughest decision of their lives, a decision that could determine not just the fate of their new home, but the fate of all humanity.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Unsatisfying First Contact Tale:
Jake Holman and Gail Cutler head the expedition to colonize the new planet, Greentrees, with paying colonists from Earth. Among them are New Quakers, Cheyenne, a deposed Saudi royal family, Gail's rich eccentric family which includes the DeBeers, and assorted scientists of all stripes. They soon find that the planet is inhabited by kangaroo-like mammals, which they name "The Furs" who have been genetically engineered by another plant-like species, named "The Vines". The humans are captured and dragged all... more info
Don't let the cover fool you:
This is Nancy Kress at her best, and this book could well serve as the foundation for another series comparable to the Beggars books, which I enjoyed immensely. Although the book is not without flaws, the unique take on space opera that Kress brings makes the read worthwhile and memorable. Decisions and choices forced upon the humans really bring the characters to the foreground. They seem unique, believable, and internally consistent, rather than acting exactly the same way or in ridiculous typecast... more info
Best SF I've read in years:
One of Nancy Kress's strengths is that she is able to create characters whom the reader gets to know. In this respect, I think she's done her best work in "Crossfire."
But that's only one dimension of this fine book. The concept of a first-contact novel is of course not new, but Ms. Kress has put a terrific twist on the concept, and built a riveting story about a settlement of several thousand humans who depart a dying Earth in search of a new start--and get much more than they bargained for.
A private corporation is set up in order to travel to and colonize a habitable planet Greentrees. The colonists belong to several unrelated cultural groups who manage to get along well enough to accomplish their initial goals. Unbeknown to the humans, Greentrees is used as an experimental station by Vines, plant-like non-DNA aliens who are at war with DNA-based Furs. Vines and Furs arrive at Greentrees in quick succession, and the humans become entangled in their conflict. With the mastery and... more info
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