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The Delikon
Many generations after the Delikons have conquered and reordered Earth, their system of power and organization begins to crumble.
143 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
3 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
Helen Mary Hoover
19 books55 followershttp://www.orrt.org/hoover/
Over the course of her twenty-three-year career as a writer, H.M. Hoover won eight awards for her writing, including three Best Book for Young Adult designations from the American Library Association and two Parent's Choice Honor Awards. Another Heaven, Another Earth received the Ohioana Award in 1982.
H.M. Hoover lived in Burke, Virginia. Her last published work was The Whole Truth - And Other Myths: Retelling Ancient Tales, in 1996.
Hoover changed her pen name to H.M. Hoover before Children came out because there was already a children's author named Helen Hoover.
Over the course of her twenty-three-year career as a writer, H.M. Hoover won eight awards for her writing, including three Best Book for Young Adult designations from the American Library Association and two Parent's Choice Honor Awards. Another Heaven, Another Earth received the Ohioana Award in 1982.
H.M. Hoover lived in Burke, Virginia. Her last published work was The Whole Truth - And Other Myths: Retelling Ancient Tales, in 1996.
Hoover changed her pen name to H.M. Hoover before Children came out because there was already a children's author named Helen Hoover.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 13, 2015
H.M. Hoover is a young adult author who, I am sorry to say, has gone pretty much undiscovered during the recent surge in interest in YA books. True, she has not published a new book in 20 years, but other YA authors of older works seem to garner attention (ex: Narnia). So why not some love for YA science fiction author.
The Delikon does deal with many of the same themes and settings that Hoover has used before. While not the modern dystopian so popular today, we see an Earth pushed almost back to a form of techno feudalism. Earth's first foray into the stars failed, not for technological reasons, but because humans were seen as violent and immature. The Delikon hammered Terrans back to the mother planet and took over ruling us.
Varina is a female Delikon who trains young humans for leadership roles. This books covers the last week of training and the events that shake up the world for both humans and Varina. More than that goes way too far into spoiler territory.
If you a fan of Divergent definitely try Hoover and I think you'll be rewarded as the story is more logical and better thought out. Also for those who enjoy Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan and Kenneth Oppel Matt Cruse novels.
The Delikon does deal with many of the same themes and settings that Hoover has used before. While not the modern dystopian so popular today, we see an Earth pushed almost back to a form of techno feudalism. Earth's first foray into the stars failed, not for technological reasons, but because humans were seen as violent and immature. The Delikon hammered Terrans back to the mother planet and took over ruling us.
Varina is a female Delikon who trains young humans for leadership roles. This books covers the last week of training and the events that shake up the world for both humans and Varina. More than that goes way too far into spoiler territory.
If you a fan of Divergent definitely try Hoover and I think you'll be rewarded as the story is more logical and better thought out. Also for those who enjoy Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan and Kenneth Oppel Matt Cruse novels.
July 11, 2025
3.5 stars. The Delikon is a book that deals with a lot of difficult issues in a scifi setting. The setting is a far future Earth that has been colonized for hundreds of years by space aliens. Usually a book like this would be written from the perspective of the colonized humans, but The Delkion’s main characters are the alien conquerors and some of their human collaborators.
The Delikon would be an interesting book to read at any time, but putting it into its historical context makes it even more interesting to me. Helen M. Hoover, an American author, published the Delikon in 1977. I think she was interacting with the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam in 1973 and the process of European decolonization of Africa and Asia, which began after World War II and continued into the late 1970s.
Because the book is exploring such serious ideas, the messaging of the book was a potential problem for me because it is quite ambiguous. I think part of the reason for the ambiguity is that Hoover was probably a discovery writer rather than an author who plans everything out before writing. Thus Hoover didn’t tie up all her loose ends or have a consistent or clear message. On the other hand, the lack of clear messaging may have been intentional. Hoover may not have wanted to give simple, easy answers to complex problems she was writing about. Another problem with the book is that it is just too short to fully deal with/develop the topics that the book is trying to tackle.
Despite its potential flaws, I think it is worth reading, and I’m glad I did.
One other thing that’s important to note about The Delikon is that it’s classified as a children’s book, but it really isn’t. It does have two children as side characters, but I can’t imagine a child reading and enjoying this book. Now we might categorize it as YA, but that wasn’t a thing in the late 1970s so they just shoved it into the children’s category.
The Delikon would be an interesting book to read at any time, but putting it into its historical context makes it even more interesting to me. Helen M. Hoover, an American author, published the Delikon in 1977. I think she was interacting with the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam in 1973 and the process of European decolonization of Africa and Asia, which began after World War II and continued into the late 1970s.
Because the book is exploring such serious ideas, the messaging of the book was a potential problem for me because it is quite ambiguous. I think part of the reason for the ambiguity is that Hoover was probably a discovery writer rather than an author who plans everything out before writing. Thus Hoover didn’t tie up all her loose ends or have a consistent or clear message. On the other hand, the lack of clear messaging may have been intentional. Hoover may not have wanted to give simple, easy answers to complex problems she was writing about. Another problem with the book is that it is just too short to fully deal with/develop the topics that the book is trying to tackle.
Despite its potential flaws, I think it is worth reading, and I’m glad I did.
One other thing that’s important to note about The Delikon is that it’s classified as a children’s book, but it really isn’t. It does have two children as side characters, but I can’t imagine a child reading and enjoying this book. Now we might categorize it as YA, but that wasn’t a thing in the late 1970s so they just shoved it into the children’s category.
September 1, 2019
This is a YA novel I read when I was not quite 13, and as an adult, I was curious to see if I'd enjoy these as much as I did back then. The novel is about a race called the Delikon who come to earth to - in their minds - save humans from war & savagery. They divide the world into sectors that they police rigidly, sending elite human children for training in an academy, later to become the elite ruling class of the outer sectors. Delikon teachers of these pupils are transformed from their natural state to one nearly human. Varina, one of these human-looking Delikon teachers, must shepherd her last two pupils through a terrifying time when humans are rising up and trying to overthrown the Delikon's control. I had some criticisms, but the beauty of the language and the simple but compelling plot would make me recommend it to a teenage lover of sci-fi.
November 19, 2025
Maybe I would have appreciated this much more if I were younger. I will say the author gets credit for not talking down to her audience, and not softening the theme or the consequences. For example, there are many deaths... and they are not always very tidy deaths... the author is making it clear that war & violence are bad things. I will also say it's lovely that the pov is from the alien herself, not from the humans (though we do get to know them quite well).
The primary theme is that of colonization. The Delikon came long ago to rescue humans from ourselves. For a while that was fine. But now too many people are suffering too much, because the 'overseers' don't really understand us, our need for freedom & for agency, and have even stopped (?) helping to improve the lives of the masses. So, yeah, it'd be a great book for a family or classroom to discuss.
The aliens are truly alien. How they move among us, looking almost human, is cool SF. How they think - well, you'll have to judge for yourself. Is it true that "to forgive is to condone" - ? If the Delikon had been better teachers & stewards, would their efforts to help humans evolve be worthy... or is The Prime Directive" the appropriate strategy, instead?
Hm. The more I write about it, the more I appreciate it. Rounding up to four stars.
(But if you choose to buy it, try to get a different cover than the default that I read, the green mm pb does not really do it justice.)
The primary theme is that of colonization. The Delikon came long ago to rescue humans from ourselves. For a while that was fine. But now too many people are suffering too much, because the 'overseers' don't really understand us, our need for freedom & for agency, and have even stopped (?) helping to improve the lives of the masses. So, yeah, it'd be a great book for a family or classroom to discuss.
The aliens are truly alien. How they move among us, looking almost human, is cool SF. How they think - well, you'll have to judge for yourself. Is it true that "to forgive is to condone" - ? If the Delikon had been better teachers & stewards, would their efforts to help humans evolve be worthy... or is The Prime Directive" the appropriate strategy, instead?
Hm. The more I write about it, the more I appreciate it. Rounding up to four stars.
(But if you choose to buy it, try to get a different cover than the default that I read, the green mm pb does not really do it justice.)
June 19, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up to 4! H.M. Hoover’s writing feels like a cross between C.J. Cherryh and Ursula K. Le Guin, two of my favorite sci-fi authors. While labeled YA, it definitely didn’t feel like a YA book to me, with some heavy philosophical themes present in the story, and an adult protagonist at the forefront.
The Delikon has some of the coolest, most unique alien worldbuilding I’ve ever encountered in a book! Unfortunately, there are some loose ends in the story that never really get tied up, and the plot meanders at times. I also felt like Hoover didn’t entirely manage to pull off a satisfying ending. Part of the problem is that the book is just too short to dive in as deeply as the fantastic worldbuilding deserves. While it wasn’t a perfect book, it did make me super interested in reading more H.M. Hoover books in the future! For the right reader - one who loves coming across unique aliens in stories - I would totally recommend this book.
The Delikon has some of the coolest, most unique alien worldbuilding I’ve ever encountered in a book! Unfortunately, there are some loose ends in the story that never really get tied up, and the plot meanders at times. I also felt like Hoover didn’t entirely manage to pull off a satisfying ending. Part of the problem is that the book is just too short to dive in as deeply as the fantastic worldbuilding deserves. While it wasn’t a perfect book, it did make me super interested in reading more H.M. Hoover books in the future! For the right reader - one who loves coming across unique aliens in stories - I would totally recommend this book.
May 9, 2008
the first book i can explicitly remember checking out from the school library...i know there were many many before it, but i can't recall them...sixth grade, new school, new game.
classic alien invasion turning humanity into drones, two kids are befriended by and escape from the aliens...the aliens had cinnamon colored eyes which sparkled like a vodou flag or a faerie skirt...
classic alien invasion turning humanity into drones, two kids are befriended by and escape from the aliens...the aliens had cinnamon colored eyes which sparkled like a vodou flag or a faerie skirt...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2007
Human insurrection against rather kindly aliens.
October 13, 2012
While I didn't always love her books, I did eat them like candy.
May 26, 2021
I was in 6th grade when I purchased this in paperback at a little bookstore in York Beach, Maine. It made such an impression on me that I named one of my guinea pigs Varina. Now, rereading it as an adult in my late 40s, I'm pleasantly surprised that I like it as much as I did then.
The reader is dropped into a time when Earth is controlled by the Delikon. It isn't clear what humanity did to earn its galactic overlords, only that it somehow involved ambitions in space.
Varina has served nine terms on Earth as a teacher molding generations of young human proteges to be governors. Even though she is 307 Earth years old, looks like a human child, and is considered a child on her home planet D'Laak, the time has come for her to return where she will live a life of luxury for her service. But she doesn't want to leave.
During a final expedition with Jason and Alta, two of her last students who are ready to go off to academy, they and their escort Cornelius are captured by human rebels who are determined to overthrow the Delikon. Varina finds that Aron, one of her former students, is now a governor leading the rebellion to attack Kelidor, the seat of Delikon power.
Although Aron is happy to see Varina, she is reserved and slightly repulsed at the effect aging has had on him. Traditionally, the Delikon never see their students again, so Varina is amazed to see the older man Aron has become. Aron informs her that he is leading the rebellion because it's time for humans to rule themselves again.
Meanwhile, Sidra, the Delikon leader on Earth and both mother figure and commander to Varina, receives orders that her people are to leave Earth for good. Humans are a failed experiment that will never evolve to anything useful by Delikon standards. And besides, it's very expensive to maintain the Earth colony.
Varina, Jason, Alta, and Cornelius escape from Aron and make a treacherous journey back to Kelidor. Along the way, they encounter battle between humans and drones, the killing machine warrior creatures used by the Delikon as an army.
Throughout the story, Varina is torn between staying on Earth and returning to her homeworld. She's lived on Earth so long, that she seems to have developed some human traits.
The theme of belonging to two worlds and having to choose is agonizing. And as the story progresses, the clock is ticking as the Delikon restructure their bodies back to their alien form and prepare to leave Earth behind.
I won't give away anymore of the story here, but hopefully this gives a good setup.
I feel like this book has held up remarkably since it was published in 1977. I could see it as a series on Netflix. It would be a great world to expand. Sadly, I think it will fade into obscurity as it never seemed to catch on when it was in print. Most of H.M. Hoover's books seem to be out of print, and I have never seen her on recommended YA booklists or heard of her other work. I purchased this copy on Amazon as a used middle school library book taken out of circulation. It's staying in my permanent collection because as far as books go, it feels like a reunion with a long lost friend.
I highly recommend that you read it if you have a chance or if you're interest is piqued. It's good science fiction and a sadly overlooked gem.
The reader is dropped into a time when Earth is controlled by the Delikon. It isn't clear what humanity did to earn its galactic overlords, only that it somehow involved ambitions in space.
Varina has served nine terms on Earth as a teacher molding generations of young human proteges to be governors. Even though she is 307 Earth years old, looks like a human child, and is considered a child on her home planet D'Laak, the time has come for her to return where she will live a life of luxury for her service. But she doesn't want to leave.
During a final expedition with Jason and Alta, two of her last students who are ready to go off to academy, they and their escort Cornelius are captured by human rebels who are determined to overthrow the Delikon. Varina finds that Aron, one of her former students, is now a governor leading the rebellion to attack Kelidor, the seat of Delikon power.
Although Aron is happy to see Varina, she is reserved and slightly repulsed at the effect aging has had on him. Traditionally, the Delikon never see their students again, so Varina is amazed to see the older man Aron has become. Aron informs her that he is leading the rebellion because it's time for humans to rule themselves again.
Meanwhile, Sidra, the Delikon leader on Earth and both mother figure and commander to Varina, receives orders that her people are to leave Earth for good. Humans are a failed experiment that will never evolve to anything useful by Delikon standards. And besides, it's very expensive to maintain the Earth colony.
Varina, Jason, Alta, and Cornelius escape from Aron and make a treacherous journey back to Kelidor. Along the way, they encounter battle between humans and drones, the killing machine warrior creatures used by the Delikon as an army.
Throughout the story, Varina is torn between staying on Earth and returning to her homeworld. She's lived on Earth so long, that she seems to have developed some human traits.
The theme of belonging to two worlds and having to choose is agonizing. And as the story progresses, the clock is ticking as the Delikon restructure their bodies back to their alien form and prepare to leave Earth behind.
I won't give away anymore of the story here, but hopefully this gives a good setup.
I feel like this book has held up remarkably since it was published in 1977. I could see it as a series on Netflix. It would be a great world to expand. Sadly, I think it will fade into obscurity as it never seemed to catch on when it was in print. Most of H.M. Hoover's books seem to be out of print, and I have never seen her on recommended YA booklists or heard of her other work. I purchased this copy on Amazon as a used middle school library book taken out of circulation. It's staying in my permanent collection because as far as books go, it feels like a reunion with a long lost friend.
I highly recommend that you read it if you have a chance or if you're interest is piqued. It's good science fiction and a sadly overlooked gem.
July 8, 2022
Outstanding young adult novel exploring relationships on all levels in a fight for freedom on all sides. It's an interesting take on the repercussions of man's management of earth and each other. It is thrilling as it explores perspectives of man's nature vs alien race nature in a conquered world where hope of changing man's way of conducting the government of planet ownership is unrealistic. I recommend this to all who aspire to harmonious living but as the storyline evolves we see that harmony is a perspective and not all is visible or equal.
January 9, 2023
An unusual experience for a kid’s science fiction. Dark and brooding, it would say its a book about war.
Our main character finds herself between two people, the Delikon and Earth. We watch a revolution play out from her perspective. Dark, and savagely sad, this book left an impression.
We trusted our kids to carry and understand a lot more about life then we do now.
I knocked one star off for the ending. I’m sure there are going to be people out there who enjoyed it. But it was to ambiguous for me. (Not in an earned way in my opinion)
Our main character finds herself between two people, the Delikon and Earth. We watch a revolution play out from her perspective. Dark, and savagely sad, this book left an impression.
We trusted our kids to carry and understand a lot more about life then we do now.
I knocked one star off for the ending. I’m sure there are going to be people out there who enjoyed it. But it was to ambiguous for me. (Not in an earned way in my opinion)
November 12, 2021
I couldn't honestly give this three stars (which means "I liked it") because I didn't really like the book. I nearly gave it up a few times at the beginning, but I persevered with it because I've enjoyed all of Hoover's other books I've read. Once I got past a certain point I was compelled to read on by my desire to know what would happen (and there is no doubt that the story was well-written and conceived - Hoover is a great writer!). However, unlike her other books I've read, this one doesn't really have a child protagonist AND the protagonist is not human but one of the alien overlords of a dystopia. While as an alien she is in their years of childhood she does have over 300 years of experience and is transitioning towards adulthood. Unlike Hoover's other books, this one felt less hopeful and was quite sad.
January 27, 2021
4 stars
I’m not a SF person, but I honestly loved every Hoover book I could get my hands on in middle school. Haunting landscapes & subtle social commentary.
I’m not a SF person, but I honestly loved every Hoover book I could get my hands on in middle school. Haunting landscapes & subtle social commentary.
September 25, 2024
I really liked that one
November 22, 2025
Alright, so for the first 50 pages, I wasn't engaged. However, the remainder of the book intrigued me. The plot is simple but has some pretty fascinating elements and a few juicy, thought-provoking morsels. As a result, it gets a solid 7/10.
Basically, mankind reached too greedily for the stars and was punished by more powerful and intelligent (and extremely long-lived) extraterrestrials by becoming prisoners on their own planet. These guys, the Delikon, somehow theorize that by setting up a caste system and educating certain children who show "promise" over millennia, mankind will eventually "evolve" into something better. They do so at great personal cost, spending centuries in a human-like (their eyes stay big and sparkly) form on Earth (a backwoods planet) via a painful (and humiliating) five-day process called restructuring. Eventually, mankind forgets the origins of their predicament entirely, treating their Delikon overlords with reverence within the seat of power, Kelador.
Our protagonist, Varina, is a 307-year-old Delikon "child" serving as an odd sort of teacher to two human children ("companions") at a time. During her tutelage, the children bask in the luxury of the palace in Kelador. When their schooling concludes (at age 10-12?), they go on a bizarre field trip to "the sanctuary/caves of cosmic order" (a sealed cave housing a museum/gallery showcasing all manner of life on Earth, with a special focus on spirals). The tour wraps up with a labyrinthine scale model of the Milky Way. Afterwards, they're sent off to an academy. And from the academy... to a short and bitter life of monotonous labor.
Meanwhile, Varina has stayed on for more than the usual term, effectively becoming more human than alien. She's due to retire, so a ship arrives to send her home, but finds she wishes to remain and has grown fearful of her true form. She guides what are to be her last "companions" through the caves on their send-off tour, but immediately afterwards, the trio strays unknowingly beyond Kelador's boundary and is kidnapped by revolutionaries about to overthrow the city. Their leader just so happens to be a certain former "companion" of Varina's from 40 years ago...
...
In just 143 pages, the author uses "gleam" a total of 15 times (a good portion of them are only within the first 20 pages). Seemingly to squeeze in as much as possible, on p. 136 she uses "gleam" twice, but that's not all... On the next page (and within the very same paragraph), she adds one final "gleam"! ("Glistening" appears two paragraphs in a row on p. 112.)
-
Uses of "gleam"://// //// ////
Uses of "loom" (verb): 4
Uses of "here and there": 3
Uses of "[Insert character] wanted/demanded to know.":////
Uses of "blurt": 2
Uses of "said lamely": 1
-
"Varina wanted to know." (p. 45)
"She truly wanted to know." (p. 63)
"Alta wanted to know." (p. 81)
"Alta and Jason wanted to know as they got up and brushed themselves off." (p. 101)
"Varina demanded to know." (p. 132)
...
No typos detected.
...
Even though Sharron Vinston obviously painted it by hand decades ago, the cover art is uncannily reminiscent of an AI-generated image. This is neither criticism nor praise; merely an observation.
...
7/10
Basically, mankind reached too greedily for the stars and was punished by more powerful and intelligent (and extremely long-lived) extraterrestrials by becoming prisoners on their own planet. These guys, the Delikon, somehow theorize that by setting up a caste system and educating certain children who show "promise" over millennia, mankind will eventually "evolve" into something better. They do so at great personal cost, spending centuries in a human-like (their eyes stay big and sparkly) form on Earth (a backwoods planet) via a painful (and humiliating) five-day process called restructuring. Eventually, mankind forgets the origins of their predicament entirely, treating their Delikon overlords with reverence within the seat of power, Kelador.
Our protagonist, Varina, is a 307-year-old Delikon "child" serving as an odd sort of teacher to two human children ("companions") at a time. During her tutelage, the children bask in the luxury of the palace in Kelador. When their schooling concludes (at age 10-12?), they go on a bizarre field trip to "the sanctuary/caves of cosmic order" (a sealed cave housing a museum/gallery showcasing all manner of life on Earth, with a special focus on spirals). The tour wraps up with a labyrinthine scale model of the Milky Way. Afterwards, they're sent off to an academy. And from the academy... to a short and bitter life of monotonous labor.
Meanwhile, Varina has stayed on for more than the usual term, effectively becoming more human than alien. She's due to retire, so a ship arrives to send her home, but finds she wishes to remain and has grown fearful of her true form. She guides what are to be her last "companions" through the caves on their send-off tour, but immediately afterwards, the trio strays unknowingly beyond Kelador's boundary and is kidnapped by revolutionaries about to overthrow the city. Their leader just so happens to be a certain former "companion" of Varina's from 40 years ago...
...
In just 143 pages, the author uses "gleam" a total of 15 times (a good portion of them are only within the first 20 pages). Seemingly to squeeze in as much as possible, on p. 136 she uses "gleam" twice, but that's not all... On the next page (and within the very same paragraph), she adds one final "gleam"! ("Glistening" appears two paragraphs in a row on p. 112.)
-
Uses of "gleam":
Uses of "loom" (verb): 4
Uses of "here and there": 3
Uses of "[Insert character] wanted/demanded to know.":
Uses of "blurt": 2
Uses of "said lamely": 1
-
"Varina wanted to know." (p. 45)
"She truly wanted to know." (p. 63)
"Alta wanted to know." (p. 81)
"Alta and Jason wanted to know as they got up and brushed themselves off." (p. 101)
"Varina demanded to know." (p. 132)
...
No typos detected.
...
Even though Sharron Vinston obviously painted it by hand decades ago, the cover art is uncannily reminiscent of an AI-generated image. This is neither criticism nor praise; merely an observation.
...
7/10
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July 1, 2016I almost always enjoy 1970's SF, & this was was no exception. I was pleased to be introduced to this author and simultaneously I was a bit ashamed that I was not familiar with her. I look forward to reading more of her work.
June 2, 2008
This one of the first sci-fi books that I ever read.
November 27, 2014
1989 grade C+
January 9, 2016
Have loved this book done I was about 10 years old. Classic.
July 11, 2016
Another read from my youth. I am glad to have re-read this dystopian/utopian sci first novel. I am struck by the subtlety of Hoover's writing and by her descriptions.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews