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The Outcast and the Little One
In a distant future, two races of evolved humans struggle for supremacy on a largely tamed Venus. The robotic, pacifist Aumons find themselves ever more suppressed by the vital and exotic Clonir, but Arkhend, a new arrival at the Aumon's Southern Arc, is determined that the Brotherhood should not sink quietly into extinction. When a Clonir girl child falls into his hands, he sees an opportunity to rouse his fellows in defiance of their enemy before it's too late...
"Andy West displays an incredible eye for detail in mapping out this extraordinary post-human future." - Tony Ballantyne, author of Twisted Metal.
Hardback, Paperback & Kindle versions available at Amazon US / UK. Other electronic formats (Epub, pdf, rtf, HTML etc.) available at Smashwords.com .
Cover art by Sophia McDougall (author of the Romanitas series):
http://sophiamcdougall.com . Cover arrangement by Andy Bigwoood:
http://topaz172.deviantart.com .
"Andy West displays an incredible eye for detail in mapping out this extraordinary post-human future." - Tony Ballantyne, author of Twisted Metal.
Hardback, Paperback & Kindle versions available at Amazon US / UK. Other electronic formats (Epub, pdf, rtf, HTML etc.) available at Smashwords.com .
Cover art by Sophia McDougall (author of the Romanitas series):
http://sophiamcdougall.com . Cover arrangement by Andy Bigwoood:
http://topaz172.deviantart.com .
Paperback
First published April 6, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 22, 2012
I loved this book. I don't usually read science fiction but this one was recommended to me. It's a great introduction to the genre and left me feeling a little more intelligent than when I began it. Can't wait to see it made into a movie!
October 8, 2022
First time I've come across Andy West, the author, and I'm impressed.
This is a shortish novel of around 220 pages or so, but fits quite a lot into those pages without too much unnecessary waffling. However, he still manages to create three characters (maybe four if you count the 'horse') with a bit of depth that you care for immensely by the end.
The story is set in the far future on a partly terraformed Venus and is a conflict between the machine intelligence 'Aumons' (who were used to terraform the planet) and a race descended from humans known as the Clonir. The largely peaceful Aumons are being slowly wiped out by the aggressive Clonir as they expand their cities.
The fate of the Aumons is turned by the outcast Arkhend (an Aumon who lived in the service of the Clonir, was outcast by them, was eventually allowed into the hive machine mind of the Aumon, only to be also outcast by them as he had gained too many Clonir traits) and the abandoned Clonir child (the little one) who was adopted by the Aumon 'brotherhood'. Conversely, she comes to hate the Clonir for their over aggressive stance to the peaceful Aumons, and wishes to become more Aumon than Clonir.
A fascinating tale, not too long, and nicely set up for a sequel. Surprisingly, however, this book was written 10 years ago and there hasn't been too much else to follow this, although I believe that he has a few short stories which I shall now try and look up.
This is a shortish novel of around 220 pages or so, but fits quite a lot into those pages without too much unnecessary waffling. However, he still manages to create three characters (maybe four if you count the 'horse') with a bit of depth that you care for immensely by the end.
The story is set in the far future on a partly terraformed Venus and is a conflict between the machine intelligence 'Aumons' (who were used to terraform the planet) and a race descended from humans known as the Clonir. The largely peaceful Aumons are being slowly wiped out by the aggressive Clonir as they expand their cities.
The fate of the Aumons is turned by the outcast Arkhend (an Aumon who lived in the service of the Clonir, was outcast by them, was eventually allowed into the hive machine mind of the Aumon, only to be also outcast by them as he had gained too many Clonir traits) and the abandoned Clonir child (the little one) who was adopted by the Aumon 'brotherhood'. Conversely, she comes to hate the Clonir for their over aggressive stance to the peaceful Aumons, and wishes to become more Aumon than Clonir.
A fascinating tale, not too long, and nicely set up for a sequel. Surprisingly, however, this book was written 10 years ago and there hasn't been too much else to follow this, although I believe that he has a few short stories which I shall now try and look up.
May 13, 2012
A sentient machine culture inadvertently becomes parent to a small human Clonir child. The Aumons were originally placed on Venus to aid the terraforming process and only Arkhend, a much altered prototype has any knowledge of Clonir ways. Now embattled with the Clonir, descendants of their creators, the Aumons must fight for their very existence. Little Oenkleine grows up within the pacifist Aumon culture to become their saviour. But this is only one battle in a protracted war of attrition.
Written from the point of view of sentient machines, it is made all the more poignant by the little human touches that attend the little human Oenkleine, and her interactions with the characters of the Aumon hive mind. The reader gets to know and feel for the main characters, their plans and their flaws as the story progresses. It is an action packed adventure story with a surprising conclusion which will appeal to teenagers and adults alike.
This story is set in a fully realised world of the newly terraformed Venus. The book contains a glossary. Maps and pronunciation guides are available with the Kindle version for those who like detail. Andy West has set a number of stories in his beautifully envisaged world and we are told there is more to come with his three novel series; the Clonir Flower (seeking a publisher) which follows this story in time.
Written from the point of view of sentient machines, it is made all the more poignant by the little human touches that attend the little human Oenkleine, and her interactions with the characters of the Aumon hive mind. The reader gets to know and feel for the main characters, their plans and their flaws as the story progresses. It is an action packed adventure story with a surprising conclusion which will appeal to teenagers and adults alike.
This story is set in a fully realised world of the newly terraformed Venus. The book contains a glossary. Maps and pronunciation guides are available with the Kindle version for those who like detail. Andy West has set a number of stories in his beautifully envisaged world and we are told there is more to come with his three novel series; the Clonir Flower (seeking a publisher) which follows this story in time.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews