Dark Paradise

by Catherine Brophy

On a planet called Zintilla, humans have evolved into two almost entirely separate species; regular humans who live in the wilderness, and “Crystal Beings” who live under the artificial cover of “the Cowl.” The Crystal Beings have no legs or reproductive organs and abhor emotions as being too chaotic. A group of young Crystal Beings join forces with the regular humans to end the hegemony that controls their society.

222 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1992

About the author

Catherine Brophy is a writer, story-teller and broadcaster. She writes film, T.V. and radio scripts and short stories. Her novels are The Liberation of Margaret Mc Cabe,Dark Paradise and Burning Bright She lives a blameless life in Ireland but travels whenever she can. She’s been rescued by a circus troupe in Serbia, had breakfast with a Zambian chief, ate camel stew in the Sahara, and was kicked by a horse on the Mexican plain.

Reviews

[Philip · Rating 1 out of 5]

5 pages I lasted with this one! That must be some sort of record. Though, to be fair, this may be a failing of mine more that the writer's.

I just can't get into sci-fi (or fantasy) books, and I'll tell you why: the names. These books feel the need to make up futuristic and, frankly, ridiculous names and I can't keep them all straight in my head. After five pages of this book I had been bombarded with at least a dozen weird names that I was never going to remember; is that a person, a place, an act, a food? I had no idea. I also couldn't follow the story. I couldn't tell you what was happening or who it was happening to. I was just reading meaningless words.

Again, let me say this is not wholly the fault of the author; it happens in all these sort of books, and the writing itself seemed good. I just couldn't grasp what she was trying to say most of the time.