Frequency

by C. Scott Frank

War is coming to Earth.They're ruthless, powerful, and they look just like us. As the mysterious clone army advances on our solar system, Lincoln Harris and his team must find a way to stop them. But on the cusp of a crucial discovery that could save the human race, an unexpected visitor arrives at the research station and threatens to unravel everything they've worked so hard to build.

Paperback

About the author

I like making things. I know a little bit about a lot of things, and a lot about almost nothing. I'm a writer, musician, designer, and professional dabbler.

I love the Lord and I love my family. I live in Oklahoma with my wife, Hailee and my son. We have a few animals, but mainly so we can pay people to watch them while we're out of town. It's one of our favorite pastimes.

I write things. I write fantasy things, sci-fi things, zombie things, and my wife and I write about faith, family, and fostering at afrankvoice.com.

Reviews

[J.E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this short little Sci-Fi. Once again, C. Scott Frank shows his love and familiarity with the genre, using familiar tropes in fun and new ways. I really am in love with the premise for this series, and I can't wait to see future ways in which it's used.
I thought, when I first started, that this book would be fairly predictable. It was, in some ways. But even when it ended up going in the direction I was pretty sure it would go, the way in which it was flipped on it's head still took me by surprised.
The themes themselves were my favorite parts, and were quite beautifully woven in. They weren't too obvious, and yet they were strong enough that they felt intentional and fully-realized.
I can't wait to see where this story goes from here.

[E.B. Dawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novella. It is packed full of so many things I love: tough ethical/metaphysical questions, complex characters, multi-disciplinary science, and plenty of nods to classic science fiction. Frank's writing has a maturity and intelligence to it that I value in an age when the YA style seems to be creeping into all genres of fiction. The same could be said for his more distant POV, which allowed me to appreciate all aspects of the story (even when it got more violent).

The story centers on a team of scientists on a research station, trying to find a way to stop the clone army sent by the alien force known as the Sardaans. After nearly a year of research, they seem to be no closer to an answer, and pressures from without and within are threatening to boil over. An unexpected accident triggers a series of events that will leave them all fighting for their lives.

This novella brought out some of the concepts that were introduced in "Echo" and gave them the attention they deserved: What makes a person human? Do the ends justify the means?

The author uses two characters to represent opposite ends of these arguments. The compassionate doctor is much more sympathetic than the seemingly flippant, belligerent programmer. And yet at the end of it all, the programmer was the most consistent in what he believed and whether or not his actions were justified, they lined up with his belief system. The doctor, on the other hand, said all the right things while still committing questionable acts. Yes, he wrestled with the morality of it, but he still did it.

The final act of the story turns into a suspense/thriller where the team is trapped on station miles from the surface of the planet, fighting for their lives.

My only complaints were that some of the minor characters weren't fleshed out at all. I think one of them could have been cut completely. And the narrative had a few too many bumps for me, although to be fair I think some of it may be stylistic taste.

I highly recommend this read to classic SciFi lovers and am eagerly looking forward to reading more in this universe.

[Deck · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a quick fun read, delivered in a concise and punchy style. It starts off with the urgent tedium of a small team working together on an isolated space station and quickly builds to an action-packed conclusion that left me guessing and ultimately wanting more.

"Frequency" does an excellent job of building on the world and concepts introduced in "Echo." The story is focused and contained but hints at a larger world and higher stakes. Frank does an excellent job of blending fast-paced action with interesting moral and ethical dilemmas that are certainly worth exploring.

Overally, a worthwhile read. Looking forward to the next installment in the series!

[Samantha Hanni]

A fast-paced exciting read! Great for summer.