| A.A. Attanasio
(Review by Rupert Neethling, Cape Town, South Africa) "I touch the dream in beauty - and I feel alive. Yet I know that feeling cannot last, for nothing lasts. And then I burn with the need to find that beauty in my life -- to live the dream, no matter the cost, because in the end, however we live, we pay with everything we've got." These words were written by A. A. Attanasio in his unforgettable work, The Last Legends of Earth. While it abounds with fascinating physics -- not least of which is that its chief protagonists emerge into the universe from a point smaller than an electron -- it is also a lush tapestry displaying the abiding concerns of humankind, from birth and love to death and beyond. The Last Legends of Earth is
both a grand and sensitive work of science fiction. And, frighteningly, it´s one of
his earlier books. Who knows how far he will go? Publisher:
GraftonBooks.
(Review by Rupert Neethling, Cape Town, South Africa) Byzantine politicking, relentless realism and a sledgehammering succession of hard choices are hallmarks of C. J. Cherryh´s most impressive novels. A large concentration of her best works can be found in the persuasively extrapolated future of her Merchanter/Union universe. A sharp increase in the pace of future events ranks among her most plausible and engaging extrapolations. And for sheer speed, in transportation but especially in narrative, one would have to look hard to find books that rival Rimrunners or Hellburner. Cherryh's intention is not merely to give the reader a rush, however. The recently published Finity's End, for example, focuses on one individual, Fletcher Neihart, who has to grapple with virtually the entire spectrum of Merchanter/Union and Station politics just to find out where he belongs. Like Alexei Panshin´s remarkable Rite of Passage, this is an engrossing coming-of-age novel that will leave you wanting more. C. J. Cherryh also excels in the creation of alien societies. Foreigner and Invader are solid examples, but to my mind 40,000 in Gehenna (another Merchanter/Union novel) stands out as her finest achievement in this vein. By contrasting humans with aliens, she illustrates how we approach the unknown with anthropocentric preconceptions, and how difficult it is to avoid doing so. Difficult but not impossible, by dint of her compelling argument that it is possible for humans to grow. Also recommended: Downbelow Station, Cyteen Explorations will be
updated regularly.
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