Originators

Netherspace #2

by Andrew Lane, Andy Lane, Nigel Foster

"It’s plausible, unpredictable, and thoroughly entertaining” Publishers Weekly on Netherspace
It's half-way through the twenty-first century.
Contact with alien races was made forty years ago, but communication turns out to be impossible. We don't share a way of thinking or common sensory inputs with the aliens, let alone a grammar. But there is trade, done on a basis of putting things on a table and taking them off again until agreement is reached. There is no obvious pattern to the trades. Alien anti-gravity technology was traded for a bicycle tyre. Human science has become fixated on understanding alien technology – with little success. We can learn what it does and how to operate it. We don’t know how it works – or how to fix it. The world may be a better place but it's no longer our own. We may be colonizing the stars, but we're dependant on inexplicable alien Faster-Than-Light technology. This is controlled by aliens we call the Gliese and is the only constant trade: FTL engines for human beings, any age or condition, as long as they're alive. We don't know what happens to them, but rumour says they are taken to a Nirvana where all illnesses will be healed. Their families are also very well compensated. Interstellar immigration and trade are central to the world's economy. There is no shortage of volunteers.

Genres: Science Fiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published May 22, 2018

About the author

See also work published as Andy Lane

During 2009, Macmillan Books announced that Lane would be writing a series of books focusing on the early life of Sherlock Holmes. The series was developed in conjunction with the estate of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Lane had already shown an extensive knowledge of the Holmes character and continuity in his Virgin Books novel All-Consuming Fire in which he created The Library of St. John the Beheaded as a meeting place for the worlds of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Who.

The first book in the 'Young Sherlock Holmes' series – Death Cloud – was published in the United Kingdom in June 2010 (February 2011 in the United States), with the second – Red Leech – published in the United Kingdom in November of that year (with a United States publication date under the title Rebel Fire of February 2012). The third book – Black Ice – was published in June 2011 in the UK while the fourth book – Fire Storm – was published originally in hardback in October 2011 with a paperback publication in March 2012. The fifth book, Snake Bite was published in hardback in October 2012 and the sixth book, Knife Edge was published in September 2013. Death Cloud was short-listed for both the 2010 North East Book Award. (coming second by three votes) and the 2011 Southampton's Favourite Book Award. Black Ice won the 2012 Centurion Book Award.

Early in 2012, Macmillan Children's Books announced that they would be publishing a new series by Lane, beginning in 2013. The Lost World books will follow disabled 15-year-old Calum Challenger, who is co-ordinating a search from his London bedroom to find creatures considered so rare that many do not believe they exist. Calum's intention is to use the creatures' DNA to help protect the species, but also to search for a cure for his own paralysis. His team comprises a computer hacker, a free runner, an ex-marine and a pathological liar.

Reviews

[Marcos “MSMDragon” · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ending piqued my interest for the third book but the rest of the story felt like a lot of filler.

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, its the second book in a series, so I was not expecting resolution of some of the major themes, but it was really hard to see how the plot got advanced here. Add in what seems to be gratuitous sexual encounters (we're both here, so... why not?) and I was left with a "meh" attitude by the end. Maybe book #3 will be better?

[John Vitucci · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.6 - similar to the first book's description. a lot of great ideas and a new twist on how to execute additional dimensions and powers unknown, but it falls a bit flat in execution and making the reader feel the need to turn the page.

[Charlotte (Buried in Books) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure that this book was really needed - it didn't add much to the overall story.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding! Can’t wait to start part three of the trilogy.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, we pick up the story as Mark and Kara and Tatia are returning to Earth from their trip to rescue pilgrims from yet another alien race (not the Gliese).
It's complicated-really-but the determination has been made by Galactic Division and the folks of the Wild (we do get to meet them) that the alien tech traded by the Gliese in exchange for actual humans is not tech they originated.
Thus, the critical mission is to go to the Gliese home planet, find out more about the Gliese, and find the race that actually originated the tech (if not the Gliese).
Mark and Kara and Tatia team up again for that mission.
There's lots of philosophizing about order versus chaos and what the human race needs between those two extremes. That's kind of exhausting after awhile, as it slows the pace of the narrative.
This book definitely has Middle Child Syndrome, but at least the cliffhanger at the end puts us in place for a rollicking conclusion in the third and final book.