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The Helix War
Marseguro, a water world far distant from Earth, is home to a small colony of both unmodified humans and the Selkies, a water-dwelling race created by geneticist Victor Hansen from modified human DNA. For seventy years the Selkies and the unmodified landlings have dwelled together in peace, safe from pursuit by the current fanatical theocratic rulers of Earth.
But everything changes when Earth discovers Marseguro, and a strike force - with Victor Hansen’s own grandson Richard aboard - is sent to eradicate this abomination.
Though the forces of Earth are equipped with weapons far superior to those of this peaceful, backwater planet, the people of Marseguro are not without resources to fi ght back. Soon it will be hard to determine who has more to fear - those being attacked or the invaders from Earth....
Marseguro won Canada’s prestigious Prix Aurora, and Terra Insegura was a finalist for this award.
But everything changes when Earth discovers Marseguro, and a strike force - with Victor Hansen’s own grandson Richard aboard - is sent to eradicate this abomination.
Though the forces of Earth are equipped with weapons far superior to those of this peaceful, backwater planet, the people of Marseguro are not without resources to fi ght back. Soon it will be hard to determine who has more to fear - those being attacked or the invaders from Earth....
Marseguro won Canada’s prestigious Prix Aurora, and Terra Insegura was a finalist for this award.
- GenresScience FictionFiction
704 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 3, 2012
1 person is currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Edward Willett
170 books117 followersEdward Willett is an award-winning author of science fiction, fantasy and non-fiction for both children and adults.
Born in Silver City, New Mexico, Willett lived in Bayard, New Mexico and Lubbock and Tulia, Texas, before moving to Weyburn, Saskatchewan with his family when he was eight years old.
He studied journalism at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, then returned to Weyburn as a reporter/photographer for the weekly Weyburn Review, eventually becoming news editor. In 1988 he moved to Regina, Saskatchewan, as communications officer for the Saskatchewan Science Centre, and in 1993 he became a fulltime freelance writer. He still resides in Regina.
Willett is now the author or co-author of more than 60 books, ranging from computer books and other nonfiction titles for both children and adults, to science fiction and fantasy for all ages.
His science fiction novel Marseguro (DAW Books) won the 2009 Aurora Award for best English-language science fiction or fantasy book by a Canadian author. He has also won a Saskatchewan Book Award for his YA fantasy Spirit Singer. He has been shortlisted for the Aurora Award and Saskatchewan Book Awards multiple times.
His most recent novels include Worldshaper and Master of the World, the first two books in his new series Worldshapers, and The Cityborn, a stand-alone science fiction novel from DAW Books; the Masks of Aygrima trilogy, YA/adult crossover novels published by DAW and written as E.C. Blake; the five-book YA fantasy series The Shards of Excalibur, published by Coteau Books; and the stand-alone YA fantasy Flames of Nevyana (Rebelight Publishing). He's also the author of the Peregrine Rising duology for Bundoran Press (Right to Know and Falcon's Egg).
Other novels include SF novel Lost in Translation (DAW Books), Terra Insegura (sequel to Marseguro, DAW Books), Magebane (DAW Books, written as Lee Arthur Chane), YA SF novels Andy Nebula: Interstellar Rock Star, Andy Nebula: Double Trouble, and The Chosen; and YA ghost story The Haunted Horn.
Shadowpaw Press recently released his short story collection Paths to the Stars and re-released Spirit Singer, a YA fantasy that won a Saskatchewan Book Award and other awards.
His non-fiction titles run the gamut from science books for children on topics as diverse as Ebola Virus and the Milky Way to local history books like Historic Walks of Regina and Moose Jaw for Red Deer Press, awarded a Municipal Heritage Award by the City of Regina in the education category and A Safe and Prosperous Future: 100 years of engineering and geoscience achievements in Saskatchewan, published by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan (APEGS). He's also written biographies for children of Janis Joplin, Jimmy Hendrix, Johnny Cash, Andy Warhol, Orson Scott Card, J.R.R. Tolkien and the Ayatollah Khomeini.
You can find Ed online at www.edwardwillett.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter @ewillett.
His is represented by literary agent Ethan Ellenberg (www.ethanellenberg.com).
Besides being a writer, Willett is a professional actor and singer who has performed in dozens of plays, musicals and operas in and around Saskatchewan, hosted local television programs, and emceed numerous public events.
He's married to a telecommunications engineer and has one daughter.
Born in Silver City, New Mexico, Willett lived in Bayard, New Mexico and Lubbock and Tulia, Texas, before moving to Weyburn, Saskatchewan with his family when he was eight years old.
He studied journalism at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, then returned to Weyburn as a reporter/photographer for the weekly Weyburn Review, eventually becoming news editor. In 1988 he moved to Regina, Saskatchewan, as communications officer for the Saskatchewan Science Centre, and in 1993 he became a fulltime freelance writer. He still resides in Regina.
Willett is now the author or co-author of more than 60 books, ranging from computer books and other nonfiction titles for both children and adults, to science fiction and fantasy for all ages.
His science fiction novel Marseguro (DAW Books) won the 2009 Aurora Award for best English-language science fiction or fantasy book by a Canadian author. He has also won a Saskatchewan Book Award for his YA fantasy Spirit Singer. He has been shortlisted for the Aurora Award and Saskatchewan Book Awards multiple times.
His most recent novels include Worldshaper and Master of the World, the first two books in his new series Worldshapers, and The Cityborn, a stand-alone science fiction novel from DAW Books; the Masks of Aygrima trilogy, YA/adult crossover novels published by DAW and written as E.C. Blake; the five-book YA fantasy series The Shards of Excalibur, published by Coteau Books; and the stand-alone YA fantasy Flames of Nevyana (Rebelight Publishing). He's also the author of the Peregrine Rising duology for Bundoran Press (Right to Know and Falcon's Egg).
Other novels include SF novel Lost in Translation (DAW Books), Terra Insegura (sequel to Marseguro, DAW Books), Magebane (DAW Books, written as Lee Arthur Chane), YA SF novels Andy Nebula: Interstellar Rock Star, Andy Nebula: Double Trouble, and The Chosen; and YA ghost story The Haunted Horn.
Shadowpaw Press recently released his short story collection Paths to the Stars and re-released Spirit Singer, a YA fantasy that won a Saskatchewan Book Award and other awards.
His non-fiction titles run the gamut from science books for children on topics as diverse as Ebola Virus and the Milky Way to local history books like Historic Walks of Regina and Moose Jaw for Red Deer Press, awarded a Municipal Heritage Award by the City of Regina in the education category and A Safe and Prosperous Future: 100 years of engineering and geoscience achievements in Saskatchewan, published by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan (APEGS). He's also written biographies for children of Janis Joplin, Jimmy Hendrix, Johnny Cash, Andy Warhol, Orson Scott Card, J.R.R. Tolkien and the Ayatollah Khomeini.
You can find Ed online at www.edwardwillett.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter @ewillett.
His is represented by literary agent Ethan Ellenberg (www.ethanellenberg.com).
Besides being a writer, Willett is a professional actor and singer who has performed in dozens of plays, musicals and operas in and around Saskatchewan, hosted local television programs, and emceed numerous public events.
He's married to a telecommunications engineer and has one daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 26, 2022
The Helix War is the omnibus of two novels-- Marseguro and Terra Insegura, the first of which won Canada's Prix Aurora award. Really difficult to review the first without giving away spoilers for the second, so I will just give the outline of the story here and comment on what Willett achieved here.
Interestingly enough, the main center point of both novels is a dead man named Victor Hansen. By the 23rd century or so, humanity had made definite progress in 'genesculpting' that extended to humans. Most used this almost like cosmetic surgery and such, but Victor Hansen, Nobel winner, was a master, and in fact, he created a variation of humanity that was not only amphibious, but also 'bred true', albeit only among themselves. In effect, he created a new race, based on humanity, but distinct enough that cross breeding was no longer possible. Around this time, a massive asteroid was found heading to Earth and it seemed like certain destruction. Many if not most of humanity fled to the fledgling colonies in the Solar System and far beyond, but one man, the so-called Avatar, started a new religion, proclaiming that not only are all other religions false, but he was the only true spokesman of God, and that the only way to save the planet was to renounce playing with Gods own genes (and assorted other 'ungodly' behavior).
In short, Earth was spared due to another asteroid smashing the first around the Moon's orbit, and even though Earth still suffered hugely, civilization went on. The Avatar and his church, however, was prepared for this, with massive underground bunkers and such, and soon instituted its harsh religion on Earth everywhere, seeking to purge infidels, genespliced 'abominations', homosexuals, etc. from the face of Earth, and once consolidated, from every space colony as well. Just before the purges started, Victor Hansen fled the solar system, taking his amphibian creations with him (known as Selkies) to a distant planet and erased all records of where he went.
The first book starts about 60 or so years later on the planet Marseguro ('safe sea') and delves into the fledgling colony started there. Victor is now dead, but the Selkies prosper on the largely water world, and even the 'landlings' (e.g., 'normal' humans) are doing fine on the world's one large island. The Church, however, has not forgot about Victor and his 'abominations' and due to some rather odd events, finally gets a lead on where they are and sends out an assault craft and marines to 'purge' the planet-- e.g., to kill, sterilize and enslave the Selkie population. Little do they know that the Selkies may have some nasty surprises!
Willett does a nice job here with Marseguro, although it definitely reminded me of Niven's work on space colonies. He also really tried to make this a character driven story, although his 'bad guys' were especially flat and sterile. It was fun to see him play with the idea of religion and tolerance, a much needed message today, and created a vivid dystopia of a corrupt religious totalitarian world government for sure. Both novels have definite pacing issues, however, and the attempt to build complex characters really did not do it for me, although YMMV. Overall, I can see why I had this on my shelf as a 'keeper' and I have read it before (long before I was on GR). 3.5 stars, rounding down due to the final book's ending.
Interestingly enough, the main center point of both novels is a dead man named Victor Hansen. By the 23rd century or so, humanity had made definite progress in 'genesculpting' that extended to humans. Most used this almost like cosmetic surgery and such, but Victor Hansen, Nobel winner, was a master, and in fact, he created a variation of humanity that was not only amphibious, but also 'bred true', albeit only among themselves. In effect, he created a new race, based on humanity, but distinct enough that cross breeding was no longer possible. Around this time, a massive asteroid was found heading to Earth and it seemed like certain destruction. Many if not most of humanity fled to the fledgling colonies in the Solar System and far beyond, but one man, the so-called Avatar, started a new religion, proclaiming that not only are all other religions false, but he was the only true spokesman of God, and that the only way to save the planet was to renounce playing with Gods own genes (and assorted other 'ungodly' behavior).
In short, Earth was spared due to another asteroid smashing the first around the Moon's orbit, and even though Earth still suffered hugely, civilization went on. The Avatar and his church, however, was prepared for this, with massive underground bunkers and such, and soon instituted its harsh religion on Earth everywhere, seeking to purge infidels, genespliced 'abominations', homosexuals, etc. from the face of Earth, and once consolidated, from every space colony as well. Just before the purges started, Victor Hansen fled the solar system, taking his amphibian creations with him (known as Selkies) to a distant planet and erased all records of where he went.
The first book starts about 60 or so years later on the planet Marseguro ('safe sea') and delves into the fledgling colony started there. Victor is now dead, but the Selkies prosper on the largely water world, and even the 'landlings' (e.g., 'normal' humans) are doing fine on the world's one large island. The Church, however, has not forgot about Victor and his 'abominations' and due to some rather odd events, finally gets a lead on where they are and sends out an assault craft and marines to 'purge' the planet-- e.g., to kill, sterilize and enslave the Selkie population. Little do they know that the Selkies may have some nasty surprises!
Willett does a nice job here with Marseguro, although it definitely reminded me of Niven's work on space colonies. He also really tried to make this a character driven story, although his 'bad guys' were especially flat and sterile. It was fun to see him play with the idea of religion and tolerance, a much needed message today, and created a vivid dystopia of a corrupt religious totalitarian world government for sure. Both novels have definite pacing issues, however, and the attempt to build complex characters really did not do it for me, although YMMV. Overall, I can see why I had this on my shelf as a 'keeper' and I have read it before (long before I was on GR). 3.5 stars, rounding down due to the final book's ending.
June 3, 2018
Great book. What a story!
June 3, 2012
The Helix War consists of 2 books. In the first book Marseguro, imagine the most prejudiced person you have ever had the misfortune to work with. Now, give them not only the power to fire you, but to actually kill anyone that disagrees with them. Then, give them power over the entire world. Extend that hatred to anyone who is different in appearance or belief. Scared yet? Now, throw in (prior to this persons rise to power) geneticists that not only make food plants that are drought resistant, but also able to modify animal and human DNA so that living creatures can thrive in climates and on worlds that are not as friendly as Earth. What happens when you combine these two different cultures? Pogroms and extermination. So, of course, everyone who could (especially if they were genetically modified) fled Earth for a planet that they hoped would provide a safe harbor. Unfortunately, hatred never rests or relinquishes its hold. Throw in coming of age, redemption, love (familial and romantic – subtle though, thank you!) and looking for acceptance. You end up with a novel that could be very messy (rather like life) but Edward manages to tie everything together for us and prepare us for the second book. The science is believable and the psychology is very well done.
For the second book, we are reminded that hatred never sleeps. The psychotic little idiot who started the whole thing is back and still convinced that his paranoia is justified. The warning’s planted in book one about the insanity brought about by the gene bomb mentioned in book one are demonstrated in book two. We have a culture that is willing to risk their very survival to do the right thing. The plague has escaped back to Earth, thanks to the conniving of Keating. The surviving Selkies have sent the vaccine to Earth to save whatever survivors are still alive. Unfortunately, The Body still exists and is more interested in control and destruction than before. We are also introduced to two different tribes of modies that have survived in hiding on Earth. No, they are not allies, thanks (in part) to the insanity triggered by the gene bomb. How do you survive and build when not only your main enemy, but the very people that should be your allies want to exterminate you and your entire planet?
© Night Owl Reviews
For the second book, we are reminded that hatred never sleeps. The psychotic little idiot who started the whole thing is back and still convinced that his paranoia is justified. The warning’s planted in book one about the insanity brought about by the gene bomb mentioned in book one are demonstrated in book two. We have a culture that is willing to risk their very survival to do the right thing. The plague has escaped back to Earth, thanks to the conniving of Keating. The surviving Selkies have sent the vaccine to Earth to save whatever survivors are still alive. Unfortunately, The Body still exists and is more interested in control and destruction than before. We are also introduced to two different tribes of modies that have survived in hiding on Earth. No, they are not allies, thanks (in part) to the insanity triggered by the gene bomb. How do you survive and build when not only your main enemy, but the very people that should be your allies want to exterminate you and your entire planet?
© Night Owl Reviews
June 25, 2019
Disclaimer: This is one of, if not THE best book I have ever read!!!!!
4 1/2 stars.
First off, while I enjoyed this book the most, I made it 4 1/2 stars because, although it is MY favorite book, from an objective standpoint it really wasn't that good.
It's pretty boring. The first time I got this from the library, I quit after a few pages.
HOWEVER. It is extremely well-written, has an interesting concept, and increasingly gets more interesting as the story develops. My only concerns are that the pacing is slow, the antagonists could be more redeemable, and the beginning is boring.
If you have time and patience, though, you'll find an amazing story to be uncovered. This book is a must for any sci-fi fans.
4 1/2 stars.
First off, while I enjoyed this book the most, I made it 4 1/2 stars because, although it is MY favorite book, from an objective standpoint it really wasn't that good.
It's pretty boring. The first time I got this from the library, I quit after a few pages.
HOWEVER. It is extremely well-written, has an interesting concept, and increasingly gets more interesting as the story develops. My only concerns are that the pacing is slow, the antagonists could be more redeemable, and the beginning is boring.
If you have time and patience, though, you'll find an amazing story to be uncovered. This book is a must for any sci-fi fans.
January 5, 2014
I'll have to re-read it for specifics. Finished it months ago. Didn't stick with me.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews