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The Casitian Universe #1
The Casitians Return
In The Casitians Return, life on Earth changes forever when aliens of human origin arrive with a startling new mandate, and the technology to enforce it.
The aliens are here — and they are us. Or rather, they are human beings from another star system who have come to reunite the two branches of humanity, whether we like it or not. These aliens (who call themselves Casitians since their planet, Casiti, is casi tierra, or “almost Earth,”) are mandated by the Galactic Council to make earth a more enduring, peaceful and sustainable community — not so much for people, but for dolphins, the true galactic citizens. Predictably, many Earth humans resist, and the Casitians unveil a surprising Earth humans are given the option to migrate to a whole new planet.
There is Joel, a SETI scientist, who is first denounced, then vindicated when he discovers an alien signal. Marianne, a whip-smart programmer, is chosen as the first contact, and has to juggle the realities of telling the world as she is also emotionally drawn to the mysterious Casitian, Ja’el. Follow them and a whole host of Earth and Casitian characters in this engaging exploration of what might happen when humans meet … ourselves.
The aliens are here — and they are us. Or rather, they are human beings from another star system who have come to reunite the two branches of humanity, whether we like it or not. These aliens (who call themselves Casitians since their planet, Casiti, is casi tierra, or “almost Earth,”) are mandated by the Galactic Council to make earth a more enduring, peaceful and sustainable community — not so much for people, but for dolphins, the true galactic citizens. Predictably, many Earth humans resist, and the Casitians unveil a surprising Earth humans are given the option to migrate to a whole new planet.
There is Joel, a SETI scientist, who is first denounced, then vindicated when he discovers an alien signal. Marianne, a whip-smart programmer, is chosen as the first contact, and has to juggle the realities of telling the world as she is also emotionally drawn to the mysterious Casitian, Ja’el. Follow them and a whole host of Earth and Casitian characters in this engaging exploration of what might happen when humans meet … ourselves.
- GenresLesbianScience Fiction
Nook
First published April 1, 2011
11 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Maxwell Pearl
19 books18 followersMax Pearl's work has spanned numerous disciplines, including neuroscience, education, nonprofit technology, theology and spirituality. He has published numerous scientific and technical articles and reviews, is a published poet, and a novelist. He lives and works in Northern California.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 14, 2011
Michelle Murrain's debut novel The Casitians Return was a real treat. I read it nonstop right after its release, and am only now posting my thoughts.
I enjoyed the blend of hard science fiction, spiritual exploration, environmentalism, present day realities of surveillance and privacy, and musings on everyday life in high tech. The alien race Casitians have returned to Earth after many (really many) years leaving the planet to its own devices. When they last were here, the human race was kinda just getting started. An an aside, given the way things are going these days, that's still true enough, and we had better get our act together pretty soon. And that's pretty much the message the Casitians deliver. They first contact a few likely sympathetic listeners, and quickly use them to let the whole planet know we're living on borrowed time.
Elements of this theme remind me positively of such diverse classic movies as Close Encounters and the Day the Earth Stood Still. Unlike Close Encounters and like Earth Stood Still (remake), in Casitians Return, the key human contacts get close enough to their Casitian counterparts to begin to probe what the technological--and moral/spiritual--superiority really counts for. The shape up message delivered by the Casitians is true enough, but then again, do we really want to hear it from a bunch of aliens who haven't been around since ages ago and have no idea what we went through to get as far as we did? I suspect that that is where volume 2 of the series is going to go, and I'm ready to pick it up.
One concern: While the dialog and personal situations of the characters seem real and modern, the characters could stand to come alive a bit more. You want to care about the characters as people as much as the larger issues. For a first novel, and one with such epic concerns, this limitation is OK.
I should say that I know and have worked with Michelle and appreciate how much of her own tremendous liveliness *is* in the characters and their dilemmas, as well as the story line. I am looking forward to the author settling into the story and letting the characters grow as well.
I also want to say that I love that the book launched as a self-published ebook, which I easily got onto by Nook, and that the author is mastering the evolving economics of publishing as well as writing at the same time.
Well done!
I enjoyed the blend of hard science fiction, spiritual exploration, environmentalism, present day realities of surveillance and privacy, and musings on everyday life in high tech. The alien race Casitians have returned to Earth after many (really many) years leaving the planet to its own devices. When they last were here, the human race was kinda just getting started. An an aside, given the way things are going these days, that's still true enough, and we had better get our act together pretty soon. And that's pretty much the message the Casitians deliver. They first contact a few likely sympathetic listeners, and quickly use them to let the whole planet know we're living on borrowed time.
Elements of this theme remind me positively of such diverse classic movies as Close Encounters and the Day the Earth Stood Still. Unlike Close Encounters and like Earth Stood Still (remake), in Casitians Return, the key human contacts get close enough to their Casitian counterparts to begin to probe what the technological--and moral/spiritual--superiority really counts for. The shape up message delivered by the Casitians is true enough, but then again, do we really want to hear it from a bunch of aliens who haven't been around since ages ago and have no idea what we went through to get as far as we did? I suspect that that is where volume 2 of the series is going to go, and I'm ready to pick it up.
One concern: While the dialog and personal situations of the characters seem real and modern, the characters could stand to come alive a bit more. You want to care about the characters as people as much as the larger issues. For a first novel, and one with such epic concerns, this limitation is OK.
I should say that I know and have worked with Michelle and appreciate how much of her own tremendous liveliness *is* in the characters and their dilemmas, as well as the story line. I am looking forward to the author settling into the story and letting the characters grow as well.
I also want to say that I love that the book launched as a self-published ebook, which I easily got onto by Nook, and that the author is mastering the evolving economics of publishing as well as writing at the same time.
Well done!
August 30, 2011
Melds Political, Spiritual, Personal, and Ecological
Casitians return to teach earth-humans lessons that we badly need to hear. The basic premise is that we’re all human, but when we are embedded in different social systems, our values and viewpoints can clash wildly, as they do in this novel. Many earth-humans naturally resist the necessary changes to bring humans back into balance with nature, for personal or political or religious reasons. This mix of motivations, sometimes within the same character, is one of the book’s strengths. The main character, Marianne, is a terrific lead as she is able to embrace new ideas with strength and flexibility. I really cheered her on in her quest for love and insight.
The values that the Casitian humans represent are inspiring and the glimpses we get of their social structures fascinating. This novel gives an astute view of how humans can change, if we’re lucky.
Casitians return to teach earth-humans lessons that we badly need to hear. The basic premise is that we’re all human, but when we are embedded in different social systems, our values and viewpoints can clash wildly, as they do in this novel. Many earth-humans naturally resist the necessary changes to bring humans back into balance with nature, for personal or political or religious reasons. This mix of motivations, sometimes within the same character, is one of the book’s strengths. The main character, Marianne, is a terrific lead as she is able to embrace new ideas with strength and flexibility. I really cheered her on in her quest for love and insight.
The values that the Casitian humans represent are inspiring and the glimpses we get of their social structures fascinating. This novel gives an astute view of how humans can change, if we’re lucky.
November 18, 2017
Terrible. All the bad guys are stereotypes. Anyone who distrusts the alien humans is paranoid. Interesting premise but terrible story.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews