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Sime/Gen #3
First Channel: Sime~Gen, Book Three
Rimon Farris, a rich Sime farmer's son, has a golden all he has to do is marry his childhood sweetheart, Kadi, and he's set for life. But Kadi matures into a Gen, as one-third of the human children do, randomly; and suddenly is considered no more than a food animal, a thing to be killed and harvested. The couple refuse to accept their fate, and flee to a strange hybrid community. There they set in motion the greatest social engineering experiment in human history. If it succeeds, Simes will finally be able to live peacefully in a symbiotic relationship with the Gens. But if it fails, all will be lost... Sime~Gen, Book Three.
380 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
4 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Jean Lorrah
65 books65 followersJean Lorrah is a science fiction and fantasy author. She has produced several Star Trek novels and often collaborated with Jacqueline Lichtenberg. Her most recent work with Lichtenberg is on the Sime - Gen Universe. Her fantasy series The Savage Empire, from the 1980s, is mostly solo work. She is also a professor of English at Murray State University and received her PhD from Florida State University.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 27, 2011
This is part of a series I loved in my teens that was published from the 1970s through the 1980s, and I don't believe any are in print. I find that a shame. Though I wouldn't count this a deathless science fiction classic featuring an awesome prose style such as that of say, Ursula LeGuin, it's one I enjoyed in the same way as books by Marion Zimmer Bradley or Anne McCaffrey. As good, solid action/adventure, often featuring romance and imaginative world-building. I own eight of the books, all I could track down after reading the first one--which was this one, First Channel.
The premise of this book is that in the far future humans have mutated into two different types. One kind, the Sime, feeds on the energy of the other kind, the Gen. But this mutation--or possibly genetic manipulation, erupted suddenly and violently, with Simes going through a change at adolescence in which they gained tentacles allowing them to rip the energy from Gens--causing death. And their cycle means they have to do it every month.
As a result, civilization collapsed and reemerged split into two sides. In the Gen society, when some adolescents change into Simes, they're immediately killed. In Sime society, if their energy settles into Gens, they become slaves and food. And parentage is no predictor. So parents raise children knowing that one way or the other they could lose them, see them become monsters or cattle.
Enter Rimon Farris and Kadi. They love each other, but there's a problem. Rimon can't seem to make it an entire month without needing to kill. And Kadi at sixteen still hasn't made the change. Then it turns out she's turned into a Gen. A nonperson. Food. And Rimon has to try to help her get to Gen territory without killing her himself--even if the separation breaks both their hearts. But as the title hints, they make a momentous discovery that just might allow Sime and Gen to live together without killing each other.
This is a fun read--solidly written with characters to care about and an appealing romance. And no, it's not "amazing" but it's a book I've read more than once because I so enjoy the world and characters, and this one is my second favorite in the series, after Ambrov Keon. Thus the five stars, even if this isn't worthy of a Hugo or Nebula or Pulitzer, it's one that has more than earned a permanent place on by bookshelf. I think the series is fully comparable to, say, McCaffrey's Pern in quality and enjoyment even if not in popularity.
The premise of this book is that in the far future humans have mutated into two different types. One kind, the Sime, feeds on the energy of the other kind, the Gen. But this mutation--or possibly genetic manipulation, erupted suddenly and violently, with Simes going through a change at adolescence in which they gained tentacles allowing them to rip the energy from Gens--causing death. And their cycle means they have to do it every month.
As a result, civilization collapsed and reemerged split into two sides. In the Gen society, when some adolescents change into Simes, they're immediately killed. In Sime society, if their energy settles into Gens, they become slaves and food. And parentage is no predictor. So parents raise children knowing that one way or the other they could lose them, see them become monsters or cattle.
Enter Rimon Farris and Kadi. They love each other, but there's a problem. Rimon can't seem to make it an entire month without needing to kill. And Kadi at sixteen still hasn't made the change. Then it turns out she's turned into a Gen. A nonperson. Food. And Rimon has to try to help her get to Gen territory without killing her himself--even if the separation breaks both their hearts. But as the title hints, they make a momentous discovery that just might allow Sime and Gen to live together without killing each other.
This is a fun read--solidly written with characters to care about and an appealing romance. And no, it's not "amazing" but it's a book I've read more than once because I so enjoy the world and characters, and this one is my second favorite in the series, after Ambrov Keon. Thus the five stars, even if this isn't worthy of a Hugo or Nebula or Pulitzer, it's one that has more than earned a permanent place on by bookshelf. I think the series is fully comparable to, say, McCaffrey's Pern in quality and enjoyment even if not in popularity.
January 25, 2023
This book was extremely well written. Characters, plot, world building … it’s all there as it needs to be.
I’d forgotten the heartache of Ferris trying to figure out why he didn’t have to kill, while watching those around him continue to have to do so. The beginning of Fort Freedom was very tenuous for most of the book.
It was beautiful to watch the ending again.
I’d forgotten the heartache of Ferris trying to figure out why he didn’t have to kill, while watching those around him continue to have to do so. The beginning of Fort Freedom was very tenuous for most of the book.
It was beautiful to watch the ending again.
April 12, 2014
One star for writing, 5 stars for creative premise and nostalgia for the trashy sci fi I loved as a youth.
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October 23, 2025Rimon Farris, a rich Sime farmer's son, has a golden future: all he has to do is marry his childhood sweetheart, Kadi, and he's set for life. But Kadi matures into a Gen, as one-third of the human children do, randomly; and suddenly is considered no more than a food animal, a thing to be killed and harvested. The couple refuse to accept their fate, and flee to a strange hybrid community. There they set in motion the greatest social engineering experiment in human history. If it succeeds, Simes will finally be able to live peacefully in a symbiotic relationship with the Gens. But if it fails, all will be lost... Sime~Gen, Book Three.
May 11, 2025
This is so much like fanfic I love it so much. It explores the very serious questions "What if my girlfriend was also tragically my dinner?" and "Is it my victim's fault that I feel bad if they fail to prevent me from killing them?" Glorious.
February 7, 2015
great series
I used to enjoy this series when it first came out and I still enjoy it today. The authors explore all of the social aspects of a society where half must kill the other half to live. In this book, the main character finds a way to live without killing and hopes to teach it to others.
Wikipedia notes that this is the first book chronologically, while it is marked as the third book in the series.
I used to enjoy this series when it first came out and I still enjoy it today. The authors explore all of the social aspects of a society where half must kill the other half to live. In this book, the main character finds a way to live without killing and hopes to teach it to others.
Wikipedia notes that this is the first book chronologically, while it is marked as the third book in the series.
November 21, 2008
I love the whole idea of it, with the Simes taking the selyn from the Gens, is just great. And a great little love story also. ^.^
February 7, 2015
I used to enjoy this series when it first came out and I still enjoy it today. The authors explore all of the social aspects of a society where half must kill the other half to live. In this book, the main character finds a way to live without killing and hopes to teach it to others.
Wikipedia notes that this is the first book chronologically, while it is marked as the third book in the series.
Wikipedia notes that this is the first book chronologically, while it is marked as the third book in the series.
February 1, 2009
I love the whole idea of it, with the Simes taking the selyn from the Gens, is just great. And a great little love story also. ^.^
May 1, 2009
I don't remember how I got into these books, but they are GREAT!!
January 27, 2016
An interesting story about social equality set in a futuristic SiFi world. Good read, recommended
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews