Book Jacket:
The Crib is everywhere . . .
Edie Sha’nim believes she and her bodyguard lover, Finn, could find refuge from the tyranny of the Crib empire by fleeing to the Fringe worlds. But Edie’s extraordinary cypherteck ability to manipulate the ecology of evolving planets makes her far too valuable for the empire to lose. Recaptured and forced to cooperate—or else she will watch Finn die—Edie is shocked to discover the Crib’s new breed of cypherteck: children. She cannot stand by while the oppressors enslave the innocent, nor can she resist the lure of Scarabaeus, the first world she tried to save, when researchers discover what appears to be an evolving intelligence.
But escape—for Edie, for Finn, and for the exploited young—will require the ultimate sacrifice . . . and a shocking act of rebellion.
You can read an excerpt here .
Review:
Children of Scarabaeus is a deliciously old-school Anne McCaffrey style story, an entertaining blend of science, space opera, and romance.
It’s a rare thing to find a duology these days and I love how Creasy gets right down to business and doesn’t waste a minute. It’s a joy to find a story full to bursting, as it was intended to be, instead of the ever popular limp, taffy-like narrative stretch for 3-book glory. Starting a week after the events in Song of Scarabaeus, Children of Scarabaeus continues to explore the unforeseen consequences of Edie’s small act of rebellion, the terraforming she sabotaged so as to save a planet she called Scarabaeus. The events set in motion by Edie’s impulsive action continue to ripple outward, and in this book Edie, and what she accidentally made, become the flash point for a political power struggle. As the Crib rapidly outstrips its resources (a lovely modern day parallel), and terraforming continues to fail at a disastrous rate, Edie becomes the crucial piece in a deadly game between different factions determined to control what she created, and the deadly ways it which it can be used.
Creasy established Edie and Finn’s relationship in Song, but while I liked their potential as a couple in the first book, I just couldn’t quite get a handle on their emotional reactions to each other – for me, there was a bit of a disconnect. But happily all the potential I liked in the pairing is realized this time around – it’s a simple dynamic, two people against the world, but it zings. As the Crib uses them as hostages against each other’s good behavior, they both are willing to do anything to save each other, even if it means sacrificing themselves – needless to say, there’s no lack of chemistry between them.
The inclusion of the children did feel a little on the nose to me – I understood the plotty reasons behind it, and was completely on board with their training being the natural progression of Edie’s success, but I also felt like it strayed just a bit too far into the Saving Innocent Children from Corrupt Corporate Overlords paradigm – not to mention the convenient and predictable way the children’s special skills came into play at a crucial juncture (it’s not hard to see it coming a mile away). Still, the kids are undeniably cute and they add a nice layer of complications to Eddie’s best laid plans of escape.
I really enjoyed how Creasy made the science in this story dynamic and visual, especially the biocyph tech – she manages to sneak in an intelligent discussion of biology and the consequences of terraforming without slowing down the narrative a whit. And while I’m sure there are die hard science fiction fans who love nothing more than to delve into highly technical descriptions of reactor coils, I prefer my science fiction intelligent but easily digestible, as it is here – and again, it’s very similar to what you’d find in an Anne McCaffrey novel (especially her Brain Ship or Talent series). There is undeniably science in this fiction, but it is on the lighter side.
Never too dense, but with plenty to sink your teeth into, Children of Scarabaeus is an easy, entertaining read. Space opera, action and intrigue, a cool alien world, and a cute couple to root for – this book is exactly the type of story I have been missing. Pure science fiction fun. (And now I have to go re-read some Anne McCaffrey…)
Byrt Grade: A-
As Levar Burton used to say – you don’t have to take my word for it…
The unusual and vital relationship that evolves between this cypherteck and her rebel-turned-bodyguard launched my heart into my throat with each scene they shared. It was meaningful and based on trust, as opposed to hurried and based on lust. I enjoyed the two of them so much and looked forward to anytime they were allowed to be alone and just talk to each other, which, naturally, was a rare occurrence indeed, what with everyone and their dog hell bent on destroying whatever Edie holds dear and any hope of freedom Finn ever had. I admire restraint in storytelling, and this series is an excellent example of such. It could so easily have shoved over into melodrama and pure spectacle, but it never does.
Song of Scarabaeus was praised when it first came out for its originality and its unique main character. Admittedly, I like the book too, but I saw more promise in it than was actually manifested. In Children of Scarabaeus, however, that promise finally becomes a reality. Rather than Edie running all over the galaxy to avoid Crib agents and doing little more than obsess over her “leash” to Finn, she actually gets more of a chance to act.
RT Book Review (four stars) says:
Edie and Finn…blossom as characters in this novel. Less action-oriented than its predecessor, the plot here is more politically driven as Creasy expands the world she developed in order to explore all of the ramifications of bioengineering.
