What do you think?
Rate this book
Seeders Universe #1
Against Time
Paleontologist Callie Sheridan spent a few days deep in the Oregon Caves on a dig with three students from the University of Oregon. When they emerged, they found almost everyone in the world dead. Survival became her only thought.
Mathematician and galactic explorer Vardis Fisher dropped into orbit over a planet where almost all of the human life had been recently killed for no obvious reason. Suddenly, hundreds of other ships, all human, appear in orbit and start working to save the planet’s remaining population.
Together, Callie and Fisher work to discover the secrets of a galaxy that has been hidden in plain sight, even from the powerful humans who rescued millions. And in the process, they just might change everything.
Mathematician and galactic explorer Vardis Fisher dropped into orbit over a planet where almost all of the human life had been recently killed for no obvious reason. Suddenly, hundreds of other ships, all human, appear in orbit and start working to save the planet’s remaining population.
Together, Callie and Fisher work to discover the secrets of a galaxy that has been hidden in plain sight, even from the powerful humans who rescued millions. And in the process, they just might change everything.
206 pages, ebook
First published February 4, 2014
378 people are currently reading
262 people want to read
About the author
Dean Wesley Smith
822 books176 followersPen Names
Edward Taft
Dee W. Schofield
Sandy Schofield
Kathryn Wesley
Dean Wesley Smith is the bestselling author of over ninety novels under many names and well over 100 published short stories. He has over eight million copies of his books in print and has books published in nine different countries. He has written many original novels in science fiction, fantasy, mystery, thriller, and romance as well as books for television, movies, games, and comics. He is also known for writing quality work very quickly and has written a large number of novels as a ghost writer or under house names.
With Kristine Kathryn Rusch, he is the coauthor of The Tenth Planet trilogy and The 10th Kingdom. The following is a list of novels under the Dean Wesley Smith name, plus a number of pen names that are open knowledge. Many ghost and pen name books are not on this list because he is under contractual obligations not to disclose that he wrote them. Many of Dean’s original novels are also under hidden pen names for marketing reasons.
Dean has also written books and comics for all three major comic book companies, Marvel, DC, and Dark Horse, and has done scripts for Hollywood. One movie was actually made.
Over his career he has also been an editor and publisher, first at Pulphouse Publishing, then for VB Tech Journal, then for Pocket Books.
Currently, he is writing thrillers and mystery novels under another name.
Edward Taft
Dee W. Schofield
Sandy Schofield
Kathryn Wesley
Dean Wesley Smith is the bestselling author of over ninety novels under many names and well over 100 published short stories. He has over eight million copies of his books in print and has books published in nine different countries. He has written many original novels in science fiction, fantasy, mystery, thriller, and romance as well as books for television, movies, games, and comics. He is also known for writing quality work very quickly and has written a large number of novels as a ghost writer or under house names.
With Kristine Kathryn Rusch, he is the coauthor of The Tenth Planet trilogy and The 10th Kingdom. The following is a list of novels under the Dean Wesley Smith name, plus a number of pen names that are open knowledge. Many ghost and pen name books are not on this list because he is under contractual obligations not to disclose that he wrote them. Many of Dean’s original novels are also under hidden pen names for marketing reasons.
Dean has also written books and comics for all three major comic book companies, Marvel, DC, and Dark Horse, and has done scripts for Hollywood. One movie was actually made.
Over his career he has also been an editor and publisher, first at Pulphouse Publishing, then for VB Tech Journal, then for Pocket Books.
Currently, he is writing thrillers and mystery novels under another name.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
February 17, 2021
The second book in the Seeders SF series. However, each book seems to be a stand-alone.
Much to my surprise, this book turned out to be a romance. It’s also a rather sweet romance without the usual (toxic) tropes, such as jealousy or misunderstandings that could be solved with sitting down and talking for five minutes.
Callie Sheridan is a paleontologist. She and her two students have spent a couple of days deep in the caves of Oregon. However, when they’re returning, they’re confronted with a horrible sight: dead people in the upper caves. Everyone is dead but there’s no sign of violece on them. Callie’s guide stays with the corpses because his wife is among the dead. Callie and her students return to the surface and the tourist cabin. Everyone is dead there, too.
Callie doesn’t have family but her two students have so they take their car and hurry home. Everyone on the road and at home is dead, too. Meanwhile, Callie realizes that she will most likely need to stay in the lodge for many days, most likely through the winter. She starts the terrible task of removing the bodies and making the lodge livable.
Vardis Fisher is a brilliant man. He has several PhDs and together with his friend Doc, he has invented and built a spaceship. Nobody on his planet believed it possible. He and Doc travel the galaxy. To their astonishement, they find out that the planets that can support human life are inhabited – by humans whose tech level is about the same as Fisher and Doc’s Earth, about our modern level. But when they came to the next planet, to their horror they see that most of the planet’s population is dead. They can’t find a reason for it. Suddenly, hundreds of other ships appear around the planet’s orbit.
This was a fun and light read. For once, it doesn’t have violence and has a sweet romance. Callie and Fisher are both intelligent people. Callie forces her grief and shock to the side and forces herself to work. She’s a very practical person. Callie and Fisher are immediatly attracted to each other which can annoy some readers.
This is an exploration and investigation story, not a violent confrontation which was a refreshing change.
Much to my surprise, this book turned out to be a romance. It’s also a rather sweet romance without the usual (toxic) tropes, such as jealousy or misunderstandings that could be solved with sitting down and talking for five minutes.
Callie Sheridan is a paleontologist. She and her two students have spent a couple of days deep in the caves of Oregon. However, when they’re returning, they’re confronted with a horrible sight: dead people in the upper caves. Everyone is dead but there’s no sign of violece on them. Callie’s guide stays with the corpses because his wife is among the dead. Callie and her students return to the surface and the tourist cabin. Everyone is dead there, too.
Callie doesn’t have family but her two students have so they take their car and hurry home. Everyone on the road and at home is dead, too. Meanwhile, Callie realizes that she will most likely need to stay in the lodge for many days, most likely through the winter. She starts the terrible task of removing the bodies and making the lodge livable.
Vardis Fisher is a brilliant man. He has several PhDs and together with his friend Doc, he has invented and built a spaceship. Nobody on his planet believed it possible. He and Doc travel the galaxy. To their astonishement, they find out that the planets that can support human life are inhabited – by humans whose tech level is about the same as Fisher and Doc’s Earth, about our modern level. But when they came to the next planet, to their horror they see that most of the planet’s population is dead. They can’t find a reason for it. Suddenly, hundreds of other ships appear around the planet’s orbit.
This was a fun and light read. For once, it doesn’t have violence and has a sweet romance. Callie and Fisher are both intelligent people. Callie forces her grief and shock to the side and forces herself to work. She’s a very practical person. Callie and Fisher are immediatly attracted to each other which can annoy some readers.
This is an exploration and investigation story, not a violent confrontation which was a refreshing change.
April 6, 2022
The opening sequence of this novel is superb. Callie, a paleontologist, and two of her graduate students, come out of a cave system they have been working in to discover dead people everywhere. It’s very creepy and certainly catches the reader’s attention.
At the same time, two guys are flying around in their spaceship and come across the earth. From them, we discover that there are thousands of earths each looking pretty much the same and having the same development due to a mysterious group called “the seeders”. Doc and Fisher are just figuring out that billions of people on this world have been killed when a whole bunch of spaceships appear and beginning “rescuing” the remaining two million people on the planet before a second deadly wave of radiation arrives to kill off the rest of the survivors. I put rescue in quotes because they then return everyone after the radiation passes and two million people spread out over a whole globe aren’t going to survive very long
But still, interesting set up. The middle part, Fisher’s attempt to reconnect with Callie (whom he meets briefly during the “rescue”) is lower key adventure, but toward the end things pick up again when Fisher puts some facts that were troubling me together and in doing so sets up the series to follow.
A nice little adventure, but far from Smith’s best work.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
At the same time, two guys are flying around in their spaceship and come across the earth. From them, we discover that there are thousands of earths each looking pretty much the same and having the same development due to a mysterious group called “the seeders”. Doc and Fisher are just figuring out that billions of people on this world have been killed when a whole bunch of spaceships appear and beginning “rescuing” the remaining two million people on the planet before a second deadly wave of radiation arrives to kill off the rest of the survivors. I put rescue in quotes because they then return everyone after the radiation passes and two million people spread out over a whole globe aren’t going to survive very long
But still, interesting set up. The middle part, Fisher’s attempt to reconnect with Callie (whom he meets briefly during the “rescue”) is lower key adventure, but toward the end things pick up again when Fisher puts some facts that were troubling me together and in doing so sets up the series to follow.
A nice little adventure, but far from Smith’s best work.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
July 30, 2022
Snark warning
Pure froth. Slightly putrid froth. Quite simply put, this is the sort of writing that gave science fiction a bad name back in the bad old days. I guess, with so many good SciFi writers today, it's important that somebody keep up the old traditions.
I won't go into all the silly flaws and fallacies and inattention to detail. I will mention as an example that apparently people in all the thousands —or is it millions? I've forgotten— of civilizations in the galaxy all wear blue jeans and sneakers. And all, always, have ham and eggs for breakfast and turkey sandwiches for lunch. And every woman in the galaxy is even more beautiful than the last (except for the heroine— no one could be more beautiful than her.)
If these premises seems the least bit improbable to you, well, extend their kind of logic into science and human fiction, and this book is the unavoidable result. I must say I had fun with it. For all the wrong reasons.
Apparently, Mr Smith is one of the most prolific writers out there today. It shows. If he writes and publishes as much as it says in his bio, it would follow that he has no time to edit, let alone to read any of the many really fine writers out there today. He might consider taking a break to do so. There is so much to be learned.
Pure froth. Slightly putrid froth. Quite simply put, this is the sort of writing that gave science fiction a bad name back in the bad old days. I guess, with so many good SciFi writers today, it's important that somebody keep up the old traditions.
I won't go into all the silly flaws and fallacies and inattention to detail. I will mention as an example that apparently people in all the thousands —or is it millions? I've forgotten— of civilizations in the galaxy all wear blue jeans and sneakers. And all, always, have ham and eggs for breakfast and turkey sandwiches for lunch. And every woman in the galaxy is even more beautiful than the last (except for the heroine— no one could be more beautiful than her.)
If these premises seems the least bit improbable to you, well, extend their kind of logic into science and human fiction, and this book is the unavoidable result. I must say I had fun with it. For all the wrong reasons.
Apparently, Mr Smith is one of the most prolific writers out there today. It shows. If he writes and publishes as much as it says in his bio, it would follow that he has no time to edit, let alone to read any of the many really fine writers out there today. He might consider taking a break to do so. There is so much to be learned.
April 8, 2022
Story had potential but turned out to be a romance that turned to ILY n marriage way too soon. I kept waiting for the plot twist, something to happen to lead my to the second book but nothing. “Really, really” was used WAY too often!
July 27, 2016
A decent enough opening to a space opera, but short. I read it basically in a 2 hour fishing trip.
Actually, it's not a space opera at all, because the other books in the 'series' are stand alone, so the whole Seeders Universe is a collection of only loosely related short stories.
Actually, it's not a space opera at all, because the other books in the 'series' are stand alone, so the whole Seeders Universe is a collection of only loosely related short stories.
March 19, 2022
Against Time (Seeders Universe #2) by Dean Wesley Smith
This is a stand-alone book. You don't need to read the first one in the series to enjoy it.
Paleontologist Callie Sheridan spent a few days deep in the Oregon Caves on a dig with three students from the University of Oregon. When they emerged, they found almost everyone in the world dead. Survival became her only thought.
Mathematician and galactic explorer Vardis Fisher and his co-pilot, Doc, piloting their ship - The Lady - dropped into orbit over this planet where almost all of the human life had been recently killed for no obvious reason. Suddenly, hundreds of other ships, all human, appear in orbit and start working to save the planet’s remaining population.
Come to find out, a rare electromagnetic wave came in two waves, killing all but two million of Earth's inhabitants. A group of interplanetary ships rescues them before they die and transports them back after erasing their memories.
Fisher is introduced to the race that saves the survivors of Earth. Fisher meets Callie and immediately falls for her. After she's transported back to Earth with her memory erased he must figure out a way to gain her back. He must also solve the riddle of a race of "Seeders" who have supposedly planted human forms on all the inhabitable planets of the Universe.
Together, Callie and Fisher work to discover the secrets of a galaxy that has been hidden in plain sight, even from the powerful humans who rescued millions. And in the process, they just might change everything.
Narrated from the third person point of view from both Fisher and Sheridan this is a quick and easy read. I read it in about two hours. It's part of a good sci-fi series.
Recommended to sci-fi readers.
This is a stand-alone book. You don't need to read the first one in the series to enjoy it.
Paleontologist Callie Sheridan spent a few days deep in the Oregon Caves on a dig with three students from the University of Oregon. When they emerged, they found almost everyone in the world dead. Survival became her only thought.
Mathematician and galactic explorer Vardis Fisher and his co-pilot, Doc, piloting their ship - The Lady - dropped into orbit over this planet where almost all of the human life had been recently killed for no obvious reason. Suddenly, hundreds of other ships, all human, appear in orbit and start working to save the planet’s remaining population.
Come to find out, a rare electromagnetic wave came in two waves, killing all but two million of Earth's inhabitants. A group of interplanetary ships rescues them before they die and transports them back after erasing their memories.
Fisher is introduced to the race that saves the survivors of Earth. Fisher meets Callie and immediately falls for her. After she's transported back to Earth with her memory erased he must figure out a way to gain her back. He must also solve the riddle of a race of "Seeders" who have supposedly planted human forms on all the inhabitable planets of the Universe.
Together, Callie and Fisher work to discover the secrets of a galaxy that has been hidden in plain sight, even from the powerful humans who rescued millions. And in the process, they just might change everything.
Narrated from the third person point of view from both Fisher and Sheridan this is a quick and easy read. I read it in about two hours. It's part of a good sci-fi series.
Recommended to sci-fi readers.
October 8, 2022
This is book #2 and I didn’t read book #1 but it was fine. I liked the science fiction story here, and I didn’t even mind the romance, but the clunky writing threw me out of the story a lot.
The writing style seemed familiar to me. I looked to see if I have read something else by this author. I didn’t find anything but I saw he wrote a book called Heinlein’s Rules. Maybe that’s what it is. Maybe the writing reminds me of Heinlein’s?
Is “I got work to do” proper English? Even if it’s not proper English do any PhD scientists talk like that?
I don’t think I’ll read anymore in this series. This one ended well enough for me & the sloppy writing was too distracting.
I keep waffling between 2 and 3 stars. It wasn’t horrible and I did finish it. I’m going to go with 3. If someone was looking for a quick, easy, sci fi/romance then this would work just fine. I’d flat tell them to read it. This review is surprisingly long for a book I didn’t love. Guess I’ll end it now cuz I got work to do.
Editing this review again to add what may be a spoiler so I’ll scroll down a bit…
Why did Callie never reconnect with her 2 students who survived?? Everyone else is dead but her 2 students never returned to “the lodge” or contacted her at all. Seems weird.
The writing style seemed familiar to me. I looked to see if I have read something else by this author. I didn’t find anything but I saw he wrote a book called Heinlein’s Rules. Maybe that’s what it is. Maybe the writing reminds me of Heinlein’s?
Is “I got work to do” proper English? Even if it’s not proper English do any PhD scientists talk like that?
I don’t think I’ll read anymore in this series. This one ended well enough for me & the sloppy writing was too distracting.
I keep waffling between 2 and 3 stars. It wasn’t horrible and I did finish it. I’m going to go with 3. If someone was looking for a quick, easy, sci fi/romance then this would work just fine. I’d flat tell them to read it. This review is surprisingly long for a book I didn’t love. Guess I’ll end it now cuz I got work to do.
Editing this review again to add what may be a spoiler so I’ll scroll down a bit…
Why did Callie never reconnect with her 2 students who survived?? Everyone else is dead but her 2 students never returned to “the lodge” or contacted her at all. Seems weird.
March 20, 2022
While not the sequel of sorts I'd hoped for after reading the first in this series. This one takes the same apocryphal event and spins it a different way. The story opens up the world into the galaxy introducing several groups of humans from other star systems. This brings in the main conceit of the series, in that this is a galaxy where all habitable planets have had their initial lifeforms wiped out and replaced with identical groups of humans, animals, and plants. This replacement was apparently done in the dim and distant past by an unknown group known only as the Seeders.
The rest of the book deals with what the off-world humans are there for, and how a group of them plus an Earth human discover there is more to the Seeder than anybody expects. As well as this we get another pairing up romance between one of the offworlders and an Earth scientist which is not too much of a distraction although again it is written in a very teenage way. My biggest frustration was how once again things are wrapped up awfully fast with so many loose ends I was definitely frustrated. Note you do not need to read the first book in the series to enjoy this one.
The rest of the book deals with what the off-world humans are there for, and how a group of them plus an Earth human discover there is more to the Seeder than anybody expects. As well as this we get another pairing up romance between one of the offworlders and an Earth scientist which is not too much of a distraction although again it is written in a very teenage way. My biggest frustration was how once again things are wrapped up awfully fast with so many loose ends I was definitely frustrated. Note you do not need to read the first book in the series to enjoy this one.
September 7, 2018
Loved loved loved this book!
Against Time” is one of those books where you instantly fall in love with the characters and the story and you sit and read the entire book straight through and don’t want it to come to an end.
I realize that some people criticize it because it isn’t 350 or 400 pages long, so you actually CAN read the entire book in one sitting. However, as someone who reads three books or more a week I can honestly say for me it isn’t about the length it is about how much I am enjoying what I am reading, how many people I talk to about the book after I finish, and how likely I am to purchase part two after I read part one.
This book was thoroughly enjoyable, the characters were well defined, likable, and the type you root for, understand, and look forward to discovering what the future holds for them. Take the time to download or buy this book. It is a great sci-fi book!
Against Time” is one of those books where you instantly fall in love with the characters and the story and you sit and read the entire book straight through and don’t want it to come to an end.
I realize that some people criticize it because it isn’t 350 or 400 pages long, so you actually CAN read the entire book in one sitting. However, as someone who reads three books or more a week I can honestly say for me it isn’t about the length it is about how much I am enjoying what I am reading, how many people I talk to about the book after I finish, and how likely I am to purchase part two after I read part one.
This book was thoroughly enjoyable, the characters were well defined, likable, and the type you root for, understand, and look forward to discovering what the future holds for them. Take the time to download or buy this book. It is a great sci-fi book!
April 14, 2021
Dang it! Just when it was really getting good!
I've read many, many books in my life. A few are on my "All-time Favorite" list. This book may be added soon. I look forward to reading book two of the series and if it's anything like book one, I've got another favorite.
At first, I had thought this was about a parallel universe type setting but, the more I read, the more intrigued I became.
Why not have "Seeders" within the galaxy? Why not have "trans-tunnel" propulsion? (I especially chuckled with the 'not warp' remark.)
The only problem I had was the "most handsomest guy" and the "most beautiful woman" thing between Callie and Fisher. That became old very quick. I knew almost as soon as the characters meet that they were to become an item. And this "wrangling" of feelings between them placed a bump in the storyline that wasn't needed.
Other than that, I very much enjoyed this yarn.
I've read many, many books in my life. A few are on my "All-time Favorite" list. This book may be added soon. I look forward to reading book two of the series and if it's anything like book one, I've got another favorite.
At first, I had thought this was about a parallel universe type setting but, the more I read, the more intrigued I became.
Why not have "Seeders" within the galaxy? Why not have "trans-tunnel" propulsion? (I especially chuckled with the 'not warp' remark.)
The only problem I had was the "most handsomest guy" and the "most beautiful woman" thing between Callie and Fisher. That became old very quick. I knew almost as soon as the characters meet that they were to become an item. And this "wrangling" of feelings between them placed a bump in the storyline that wasn't needed.
Other than that, I very much enjoyed this yarn.
November 13, 2019
Who says aliens have to be different?
This book is excellent. The story allows the reader to live the life of humans in space, humans consistent planets.
It explains the similarities , along with the mythical idea of help from an alien as to how the planets evolve.
Doc and Fisher arrive above a planet to find many of its inhabitants dead. Just as they are trying to process this more ships arrive to save the remainder of the population. There are more problems to overcome and the survivors are transported aboard the ships until the dangers passed.
Fisher meets Callie and th to of them hit it off just as the people are returned to the planet. One problem - Callie no longer remembers Fisher and he has to convince her of his honesty.
The final big surprise comes at the end!
This book is excellent. The story allows the reader to live the life of humans in space, humans consistent planets.
It explains the similarities , along with the mythical idea of help from an alien as to how the planets evolve.
Doc and Fisher arrive above a planet to find many of its inhabitants dead. Just as they are trying to process this more ships arrive to save the remainder of the population. There are more problems to overcome and the survivors are transported aboard the ships until the dangers passed.
Fisher meets Callie and th to of them hit it off just as the people are returned to the planet. One problem - Callie no longer remembers Fisher and he has to convince her of his honesty.
The final big surprise comes at the end!
November 24, 2020
Simple, well written, short.
Sadly that's all the good stuff, and one of the three is not really good.
It's really a silly book, no conflict or antagonist, with a storyline that makes no real sense (essentially a creationist tale without a deity, with planted evidence of a different history than actually occurred, but on a galactic scale). Even starting with such a believability stretch no attempt was made to capitalize on it and build a real story. Just one feel-good moment morphing into another, characters that always win, that always are smarter than everyone else (but do not actually DO anything with that intelligence).
So maybe in retrospect, it is good that it was short.
The author can clearly string words together well; but seemed to lack of any actual story to tell, but kept writing anyway. I suggest you not waste your time reading.
Sadly that's all the good stuff, and one of the three is not really good.
It's really a silly book, no conflict or antagonist, with a storyline that makes no real sense (essentially a creationist tale without a deity, with planted evidence of a different history than actually occurred, but on a galactic scale). Even starting with such a believability stretch no attempt was made to capitalize on it and build a real story. Just one feel-good moment morphing into another, characters that always win, that always are smarter than everyone else (but do not actually DO anything with that intelligence).
So maybe in retrospect, it is good that it was short.
The author can clearly string words together well; but seemed to lack of any actual story to tell, but kept writing anyway. I suggest you not waste your time reading.
October 28, 2019
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS !!!
I have been an avid reader for more than 40 years (hate to say that outloud), and I can say without hesitation that this is most definitely in my top 10 Best books that I have Ever read!
Start to finish I just couldn't put it down.
An absolutely original and So refreshing take on our universe, how we see ourselves in it and how we came to be. There are some definite hints to our own historical knowledge and understanding of things, but I don't recall ever having heard anyone put voice or word to it before in quite this way.
While I can see the intensity coming in the next book (and look forward to what can only be conflict), this first installment of the story is a wonderful, feel good read that you really can't miss!
I have been an avid reader for more than 40 years (hate to say that outloud), and I can say without hesitation that this is most definitely in my top 10 Best books that I have Ever read!
Start to finish I just couldn't put it down.
An absolutely original and So refreshing take on our universe, how we see ourselves in it and how we came to be. There are some definite hints to our own historical knowledge and understanding of things, but I don't recall ever having heard anyone put voice or word to it before in quite this way.
While I can see the intensity coming in the next book (and look forward to what can only be conflict), this first installment of the story is a wonderful, feel good read that you really can't miss!
February 24, 2021
Enjoyed this book. Quick and easy read with interesting characters and a good story. A good idea of what it would be like to have humans on many planets in the galaxies and watch them wander into trouble if you had been the being to put them there. I will have to check out some of the others in the series. I liked Fisher and his friend Doc a lot. They built a space ship all on their own and flew through space as explorers. Callie was a Paleontologist who survives a life ending event on earth and is transported to a ship hovering over Earth to pick up survivors. She meets Fisher there then is transported back to earth after having her memory erased. Fisher wants to see her again so ends up going down to earth to convince her to come with him. Good read.
January 14, 2024
Good read, entertainig, great conceopts
Great story, too predictable,filled with much repettitins of much abused cliches. Much liberty taken with physics, speed of light and jumping from place to place without any explanation. Also , conveniently, the EMP left many cars operational
as well a lot of electronics running electric grids, water pumps, etc. All in all good story. I loved all his characters. Kind of amazing coincidence for both Fisher and Doc finding the love of their liveses simultaneously. I loved these brilliant and super awkward and shy men enjoying teir lives and becoming "Seeder Club". WORTHWHILE READING.
Great story, too predictable,filled with much repettitins of much abused cliches. Much liberty taken with physics, speed of light and jumping from place to place without any explanation. Also , conveniently, the EMP left many cars operational
as well a lot of electronics running electric grids, water pumps, etc. All in all good story. I loved all his characters. Kind of amazing coincidence for both Fisher and Doc finding the love of their liveses simultaneously. I loved these brilliant and super awkward and shy men enjoying teir lives and becoming "Seeder Club". WORTHWHILE READING.
July 31, 2018
Too cute!
This is an interesting story, if a bit too cute for my taste. The main character so all just too perfect. Everyone is attractive, rich, smart, physically fit, etc. I assume this tale is intended for young adults rather than a more mature audience. I am sure that this universe would have much more diversity than has been shown here. Just look at the range of cultures on just this planet. A world developing along the lines of Imperial Japan would be quite alien (literally) to what seems to be shown as being a western european "white bread" type.
This is an interesting story, if a bit too cute for my taste. The main character so all just too perfect. Everyone is attractive, rich, smart, physically fit, etc. I assume this tale is intended for young adults rather than a more mature audience. I am sure that this universe would have much more diversity than has been shown here. Just look at the range of cultures on just this planet. A world developing along the lines of Imperial Japan would be quite alien (literally) to what seems to be shown as being a western european "white bread" type.
May 4, 2020
7/10: Good solid read, something to get your teeth into.
She sort of had a date for a drink with a man from space. And she was looking forward to it.
I was surprised at the romantic aspects of this story. I'm not sure why, but it threw me.
Still, it didn't take long to get behind the romance, and the story itself intrigued.
In the end, I really enjoyed this one, I just wish the next was about the same characters because it sounds like their off on a grand adventure!
She sort of had a date for a drink with a man from space. And she was looking forward to it.
I was surprised at the romantic aspects of this story. I'm not sure why, but it threw me.
Still, it didn't take long to get behind the romance, and the story itself intrigued.
In the end, I really enjoyed this one, I just wish the next was about the same characters because it sounds like their off on a grand adventure!
April 7, 2022
It is unique to find that a good portion of a sci-fi story takes place in your own neighborhood, but that’s what caught my attention with this book. The earth portion of the setting is the Oregon Caves, about 40 miles by road and 20 miles as the crow flies from where I live. Been there, taken the tour, etc.
Ok, being familiar with the area, I have a quibble with a detail. The grad students call from Cave Junction back to the Caves and mention they are fifty miles away; sorry, it’s sixteen miles. A simple look at a map would have gotten that corrected. A bigger problem is that that EMP killed those on earth who were exposed. The four folks in the cave were not exposed. Thus, being underground or other sorts of seclusions saved about 2 million people on earth from the EMP surge. What about the folks on the other side of the planet when the EMP struck? Did the surge somehow wrap around all of earth? It’s an electromagnetic pulse; it is directional, and it doesn’t linger. And then there's the issue of it destroying electronics, but after the surge the radio worked, and so did the cars.
Other than a mild sexual scene, I liked the rest of the book. The story is a love story and a mystery. Both are resolved in the end. Vardis Fisher and his friend Doc are a couple of very bright fellows who built their own space ship and show up off earth after a couple of years wandering about the Milky Way finding other planets with people on them. The curious thing is that all the populated planets had democratic free-enterprise human civilizations at approximately the same level of sophistication. That raised a serious question since the odds of that happening were, well, astronomical. And that presents the mystery.
Callie Sheridan is a paleontology professor, young, pretty, unmarried, on a dig in the Oregon Caves. That’s a stretch, but the author covers it with something about special permission in a remote section of the caves. Being underground when the EMP hits, she and three others are unaffected. The other three are conveniently sent out of the picture while Callie remains at the lodge. How do she and Fisher get together? I’ll let you read the book and find out. Enjoy. It’s a quick read and fun.
Ok, being familiar with the area, I have a quibble with a detail. The grad students call from Cave Junction back to the Caves and mention they are fifty miles away; sorry, it’s sixteen miles. A simple look at a map would have gotten that corrected. A bigger problem is that that EMP killed those on earth who were exposed. The four folks in the cave were not exposed. Thus, being underground or other sorts of seclusions saved about 2 million people on earth from the EMP surge. What about the folks on the other side of the planet when the EMP struck? Did the surge somehow wrap around all of earth? It’s an electromagnetic pulse; it is directional, and it doesn’t linger. And then there's the issue of it destroying electronics, but after the surge the radio worked, and so did the cars.
Other than a mild sexual scene, I liked the rest of the book. The story is a love story and a mystery. Both are resolved in the end. Vardis Fisher and his friend Doc are a couple of very bright fellows who built their own space ship and show up off earth after a couple of years wandering about the Milky Way finding other planets with people on them. The curious thing is that all the populated planets had democratic free-enterprise human civilizations at approximately the same level of sophistication. That raised a serious question since the odds of that happening were, well, astronomical. And that presents the mystery.
Callie Sheridan is a paleontology professor, young, pretty, unmarried, on a dig in the Oregon Caves. That’s a stretch, but the author covers it with something about special permission in a remote section of the caves. Being underground when the EMP hits, she and three others are unaffected. The other three are conveniently sent out of the picture while Callie remains at the lodge. How do she and Fisher get together? I’ll let you read the book and find out. Enjoy. It’s a quick read and fun.
June 30, 2022
I liked this book, it rattles along quickly, and the characters are agreeable. It conforms to romance as much as SF - but that's okay too. This was my entry into Seeders - so I should probably read #1 in order to understand the context better... because this is where it loses ratings. The conceit is hard to fathom, and a lot is obscure, For instance language is not explained - but then again it's not justified in any of the Star Trek stories either (Klingons have Klingonese - but everyone else, including most Klingons speaker English) so... nit picking. But I sort of expect this to be revealed in book-form SF.
Another complaint - which I guess might be considered a virtue - is that the book is short and so just gets going before it's wrapped up. It reads more as the scene setting of a larger work than as complete and in and of itself. But episodic book 'episodes' set in a longer 'season' is a thing these days. However I prefer books that are complete in themselves, but set in a larger context. So, to continue the analogy, a book has a 'tv season' narrative, set in a larger 'tv series' context with a continuing story arc.
I will read #1 in the universe - and if that satisfies might try #3 - but unless things get going I'll pass on further books. I suspect the universe will be like Star Trek TOS - where the stories are set in one universe but there is no overarching narrative to hold me. Let's see.
Another complaint - which I guess might be considered a virtue - is that the book is short and so just gets going before it's wrapped up. It reads more as the scene setting of a larger work than as complete and in and of itself. But episodic book 'episodes' set in a longer 'season' is a thing these days. However I prefer books that are complete in themselves, but set in a larger context. So, to continue the analogy, a book has a 'tv season' narrative, set in a larger 'tv series' context with a continuing story arc.
I will read #1 in the universe - and if that satisfies might try #3 - but unless things get going I'll pass on further books. I suspect the universe will be like Star Trek TOS - where the stories are set in one universe but there is no overarching narrative to hold me. Let's see.
March 13, 2024
I got the ick at 24%, the concept and writing seemed good but the descriptions of people's attractiveness and bodies made me realize it's probably not the kind of sci fi that I wanted.
Specifically, Fisher being a former fat kid who found fitness, Doc? being stick thin but able to eat anything without gaining weight, and Callie "looks like she works out" as a euphemism for being thin just made me flash back to modern day dating apps, no thank you... Don't want to deal with that in my recreational fiction lol.
Specifically, Fisher being a former fat kid who found fitness, Doc? being stick thin but able to eat anything without gaining weight, and Callie "looks like she works out" as a euphemism for being thin just made me flash back to modern day dating apps, no thank you... Don't want to deal with that in my recreational fiction lol.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2022
This is the alien disclosure that I want!
Like Gene Roddenberry this book posits an all human universe. Many author of speculative fiction use the idea of directed panspermia. The idea that this, and potentially other, planets were seeded and guided by an earlier civilization is quite popular and much more comfortable than the scary alien invasion model. This story holds a positive vision and hope for humanity.
Like Gene Roddenberry this book posits an all human universe. Many author of speculative fiction use the idea of directed panspermia. The idea that this, and potentially other, planets were seeded and guided by an earlier civilization is quite popular and much more comfortable than the scary alien invasion model. This story holds a positive vision and hope for humanity.
August 21, 2018
A Seeder Universe Beginning
After growing up in SciFi with James Blish, The Seedling Stars, this novel and its series tickles my fancy. Being well written, it sticks to a more basic plot of standardized humans and their development.
It will be interesting to see where the series goes.
After growing up in SciFi with James Blish, The Seedling Stars, this novel and its series tickles my fancy. Being well written, it sticks to a more basic plot of standardized humans and their development.
It will be interesting to see where the series goes.
June 4, 2021
Very entertaining!
Well, I have to admit there are some obvious technical problems with grammar and word choice. But the plot is pretty darn good and I loved that there was no extraneous foul language! The pacing is good and I could definitely see myself reading more in this series. I would recommend this book to just about anyone.
Well, I have to admit there are some obvious technical problems with grammar and word choice. But the plot is pretty darn good and I loved that there was no extraneous foul language! The pacing is good and I could definitely see myself reading more in this series. I would recommend this book to just about anyone.
September 11, 2021
A VERY good read! Seeders is a great title for a post apocalyptic world and is a wonderfully believe able tooic.
I wasn't sure I'd be able to get into this book but from page 1, I was caught up i n not only the story line but the way the author directed the story AWAY from the horror and in to hope!
I highly suggest this book. Now, the authors really gotten me thinking!
I wasn't sure I'd be able to get into this book but from page 1, I was caught up i n not only the story line but the way the author directed the story AWAY from the horror and in to hope!
I highly suggest this book. Now, the authors really gotten me thinking!
March 17, 2022
A decent story about a concept that questions evolution saying we were "seeded" throughout the universe by a super human race and nurtured to develop into a better kind of being. Callie and Fisher and their friends are invited to join the seeders to help future humans to better themselves and future generations. Nice read finished it in a day as it was compelling.
March 29, 2022
Over all a good book
The take us intriguing. Earths all over the place, seeders, instant transfer(think transporter room on the Enterprise) instant attraction to most beautiful woman he has ever seen and the most handsome man she had ever seen. Okay that last part threw me but the rest of the book is good.
The take us intriguing. Earths all over the place, seeders, instant transfer(think transporter room on the Enterprise) instant attraction to most beautiful woman he has ever seen and the most handsome man she had ever seen. Okay that last part threw me but the rest of the book is good.
October 6, 2020
Light hearted SciFi
This story is an interesting exploration of ideas about where humans come from and how we got here. I really enjoyed the characters the author introduces is to. I'll be exploring more of space in the local neighborhood via other stories in this series.
This story is an interesting exploration of ideas about where humans come from and how we got here. I really enjoyed the characters the author introduces is to. I'll be exploring more of space in the local neighborhood via other stories in this series.
June 5, 2021
A Bold Vision for Our Future
This Novel is full of Hope, and Optimism for Humanity. The author rates 5 stars, for originality and that touch of Romance. I recommend that All ages, Will enjoy this Satisfying read. Gregory B.
This Novel is full of Hope, and Optimism for Humanity. The author rates 5 stars, for originality and that touch of Romance. I recommend that All ages, Will enjoy this Satisfying read. Gregory B.
December 23, 2021
A very enjoyable and easy read this book has a very golden age feel. Full of big ideas and concepts while the characters are well realised and interesting.
I will definitely be reading more in this series,
3.5 stars
I will definitely be reading more in this series,
3.5 stars
March 21, 2022
Excellent fast pace
Great plot a lot of excitement you wonder how the characters will interact and what will be the outcome. Interesting story line you never know who is out there pushing our buttons.
Great plot a lot of excitement you wonder how the characters will interact and what will be the outcome. Interesting story line you never know who is out there pushing our buttons.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews