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Harvest
This is an alternate cover edition of ASIN B07R8HGKWN
Almost a century after Keres Triplets asteroid impact and subsequent nuclear exchange nearly ended all human life on Earth, a strange artifact is discovered on one of the moons of Saturn. Who should be sent to the outer reaches of the solar system to initiate the first contact with an alien culture?
Dr. Varsaad Volhard, an evolutionary-socio-historian, is chosen to help the world understand the alien civilization that left an artifact some thirty thousand years ago, before humans even learned to farm, at the time when other human species still walked the earth. While Vars prepares for the mission, her father, Dr. Matteo Volhard, discovers nanobots among the microplastics he studies. The bots are everywhere and seem to have been created to bond with human cyber implants. Why?
Matteo is made to keep his discovery a secret...as well as his and his daughter's true origins. Both were donated to a Human DNA Vault as babies. Matteo was raised as a Seed before leaving with his young daughter to study ecology around the world. Who knows what? Who is in control? How does one communicate with non-human intelligence? People seem to die in gruesome ways as their cyberhumatics go haywire on Earth and on Luna and Mars colonies.
Is Earth under attack or is it all just a cosmic misunderstanding? Vars needs to use all she knows to solve the mystery of the ancient civilization on Mimas, as her dad battles the alien nanobots at home.
Almost a century after Keres Triplets asteroid impact and subsequent nuclear exchange nearly ended all human life on Earth, a strange artifact is discovered on one of the moons of Saturn. Who should be sent to the outer reaches of the solar system to initiate the first contact with an alien culture?
Dr. Varsaad Volhard, an evolutionary-socio-historian, is chosen to help the world understand the alien civilization that left an artifact some thirty thousand years ago, before humans even learned to farm, at the time when other human species still walked the earth. While Vars prepares for the mission, her father, Dr. Matteo Volhard, discovers nanobots among the microplastics he studies. The bots are everywhere and seem to have been created to bond with human cyber implants. Why?
Matteo is made to keep his discovery a secret...as well as his and his daughter's true origins. Both were donated to a Human DNA Vault as babies. Matteo was raised as a Seed before leaving with his young daughter to study ecology around the world. Who knows what? Who is in control? How does one communicate with non-human intelligence? People seem to die in gruesome ways as their cyberhumatics go haywire on Earth and on Luna and Mars colonies.
Is Earth under attack or is it all just a cosmic misunderstanding? Vars needs to use all she knows to solve the mystery of the ancient civilization on Mimas, as her dad battles the alien nanobots at home.
- GenresScience Fiction
420 pages, ebook
First published May 20, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 25, 2019
Various sciences like anthropology, sociology, genetics and astrophysics come as bundled with this story, which is SF set partly on Earth of the future and partly in the outer Solar System, where some artefact has been discovered on one of Saturn's moons, Mimas.
We follow a few of the brave explorers and scientists heading out to discover what is going on. They made a few mistakes obvious to me reading it - and I suppose to them in hindsight - but mostly we see that learning how something works doesn't necessarily stop that thing from working. We early realise that all the microplastics in the ocean are harmful, maybe in ways we didn't expect.
This is a distinctly creepy tale, atmospheric, relentless and - well, you'll have to decide whether or not the outcome is hopeful. I enjoyed the pen and ink sketches by the author, and occasional space photos. Age range - older teens could read the story if they have a good grounding in science, but there's far more talking than action, so Harvest is better for adult readers.
I downloaded a Kindle version. This is an unbiased review.
We follow a few of the brave explorers and scientists heading out to discover what is going on. They made a few mistakes obvious to me reading it - and I suppose to them in hindsight - but mostly we see that learning how something works doesn't necessarily stop that thing from working. We early realise that all the microplastics in the ocean are harmful, maybe in ways we didn't expect.
This is a distinctly creepy tale, atmospheric, relentless and - well, you'll have to decide whether or not the outcome is hopeful. I enjoyed the pen and ink sketches by the author, and occasional space photos. Age range - older teens could read the story if they have a good grounding in science, but there's far more talking than action, so Harvest is better for adult readers.
I downloaded a Kindle version. This is an unbiased review.
September 22, 2021
The world suffered a catastrophic devastation when three sister asteroids struck the Earth — Africa to be specific. It left a large percentage of the human population dead, and Africa is now uninhabitable. Just about 65 years have passed since then and humanity has realized that spreading out and living off planet may be the way to best ensure the species survival.
Humanity is starting extraplanetary exploration but there’s nothing like warp drive yet. This is set in ~2130, and we, as a species, are just getting our space-legs. There’s been a discovery on the moon of Saturn… an ancient artefact that’s tens of thousands of years old, leaving the obviously looming question; who made it? Matteo has also discovered the presence of nanobots throughout the planet…except we didn’t make them. It’s alien technology, and it’s suspiciously well designed to integrate with Earth’s biology. The implications make a lot of people very nervous.
Things start to go awry when the nanobots attach themselves to cybernetic implants and deaths are starting to become more common. The top minds of humanity have to figure out what these aliens want, what their motivations could be, and how to handle them before something worse happens.
I really liked a lot of the ideas behind this book. My background is in ethology/biology and I always perk up when that takes center stage. I love the idea of studying socio-evolution and the anthropological aspects to this book. The MC is kind of an anthropologist of sorts and it makes for an interesting crossover when you’re trying to explain potential alien motivations. I felt like I wanted more, though. There are certain things I would have expected to have made more of an impact on the world and story — like the immense radiation described in Africa, making it uninhabitable for millions of years. I would have expected the world to be more… different in every day life and on a global scale. One of the big things that was addressed was the importance of genetic variance and existence of a human seed banks — keeping varied genetic material so certain lines of humans don’t die out. Outside of that though there wasn’t a ton of explanation on how a radioactive continent was affecting everyone else.
It took me a long time to warm up to the characters, but I did by the end really enjoy Vars and her dad, Matteo. I found their relationship to be endearing to both of their characters, and it evoked serious emotion from me later on in the book when serious shit is starting to go down and neither one knows which if either of them are going to live. I wasn’t crazy about many of the side characters, and I kind of felt like this was a largely plot driven book. That’s fine, once the plot got going I really enjoyed it, it was just a slower start.
I think my biggest issue was with the pacing. There was a lot of time spent on planning, thinking every aspect of something through, and going on long monologues about different scientific theories. Sometimes this can work really, really well for me, but it has to be balanced with forward movement — test some of these ideas instead of throwing one theory after another out there. I’m also pretty familiar with the majority of the theories being talked about… and instead of those theories being applied in-world, they’re merely introduced as concepts to lay-characters… since I’m already familiar it wasn’t as engaging as it could have been.
All in all I would really recommend this to people who like to explore the ideas of first contact, panspermia, anthropology, space exploration, terraforming, different societal structures and careful planning.
Ratings:
Plot: 11.5/15
Characters: 12/15
World Building: 12.5/15
Writing: 12/15
Pacing: 10/15
Originality: 11.5/15
Enjoyment: 7.5/10
Final Score: 77/100
Humanity is starting extraplanetary exploration but there’s nothing like warp drive yet. This is set in ~2130, and we, as a species, are just getting our space-legs. There’s been a discovery on the moon of Saturn… an ancient artefact that’s tens of thousands of years old, leaving the obviously looming question; who made it? Matteo has also discovered the presence of nanobots throughout the planet…except we didn’t make them. It’s alien technology, and it’s suspiciously well designed to integrate with Earth’s biology. The implications make a lot of people very nervous.
Things start to go awry when the nanobots attach themselves to cybernetic implants and deaths are starting to become more common. The top minds of humanity have to figure out what these aliens want, what their motivations could be, and how to handle them before something worse happens.
I really liked a lot of the ideas behind this book. My background is in ethology/biology and I always perk up when that takes center stage. I love the idea of studying socio-evolution and the anthropological aspects to this book. The MC is kind of an anthropologist of sorts and it makes for an interesting crossover when you’re trying to explain potential alien motivations. I felt like I wanted more, though. There are certain things I would have expected to have made more of an impact on the world and story — like the immense radiation described in Africa, making it uninhabitable for millions of years. I would have expected the world to be more… different in every day life and on a global scale. One of the big things that was addressed was the importance of genetic variance and existence of a human seed banks — keeping varied genetic material so certain lines of humans don’t die out. Outside of that though there wasn’t a ton of explanation on how a radioactive continent was affecting everyone else.
It took me a long time to warm up to the characters, but I did by the end really enjoy Vars and her dad, Matteo. I found their relationship to be endearing to both of their characters, and it evoked serious emotion from me later on in the book when serious shit is starting to go down and neither one knows which if either of them are going to live. I wasn’t crazy about many of the side characters, and I kind of felt like this was a largely plot driven book. That’s fine, once the plot got going I really enjoyed it, it was just a slower start.
I think my biggest issue was with the pacing. There was a lot of time spent on planning, thinking every aspect of something through, and going on long monologues about different scientific theories. Sometimes this can work really, really well for me, but it has to be balanced with forward movement — test some of these ideas instead of throwing one theory after another out there. I’m also pretty familiar with the majority of the theories being talked about… and instead of those theories being applied in-world, they’re merely introduced as concepts to lay-characters… since I’m already familiar it wasn’t as engaging as it could have been.
All in all I would really recommend this to people who like to explore the ideas of first contact, panspermia, anthropology, space exploration, terraforming, different societal structures and careful planning.
Ratings:
Plot: 11.5/15
Characters: 12/15
World Building: 12.5/15
Writing: 12/15
Pacing: 10/15
Originality: 11.5/15
Enjoyment: 7.5/10
Final Score: 77/100
May 6, 2019
A strange death of a worker on Mars; Professor Varsaad Volhard, a socio-historian, is kidnapped during her book presentation; and Dr. Matteo Volhard, an ecology scientist, discovers nanobots in the micro-plastic pollution of Seattle’s seashore—this is how Olga Werby kicks off her totally absorbing science fiction story. Are the humans under attack by some super-intelligent and technologically advanced alien beings? What are their intensions? Is there a way to fight back and preserve humanity from extinction once more?
A variety of extra-ordinate settings, all vividly described and masterfully animated: from deep in the Vaults, where valuable human DNA was preserved after Keres Triplets asteroid hit and almost destroyed all human life on Earth, to the surface of Mimas, a satellite of Saturn where an Alien artifact was discovered, to the ultra spectacular scientific lab, where nanobots are observed to grow and take over terrestrial biological organisms.
A variety of characters: a smart and brave young woman that discovers her past in a mission to save humanity; a loving and protecting scientist father; a dedicated seed sister; cyber-human twins with D-tats that augment human intelligence and memory capability; mysterious military lieutenant with secret agendas; the Elders; and of course the Aliens—invaders, saviors, masters, or gardeners? Olga does an incredible job crafting each one to feel real and inspiring, making bonding with them inevitable.
However, what I find most incredible about the book is how the author manages to bring life in her science fiction setting through evidence, knowledge, and theories derived from biology, socio-historical theories, and technological sciences. Hence, although the initial state of the story is fiction, the dynamics that evolve the story are real and scientifically sound. Only a true renaissance author with a sound background in sciences, humanities, and art could manage this! The characters raise true questions that lead to educated decisions based on socioeconomic theories of human evolution, using deductive scientific reasoning.
The way Homo sapiens exterminated all other hominids or the way technologically advanced civilization with plentiful resources invaded and decimated native peoples and their cultures in the history of humanity are examples that are drawn upon in Olga’s book to ask the right questions about the true intensions of the aliens and develop strategies to fight back.
Also, the fact that evolution is about luck. “The ones blessed with the best initial conditions win. It’s not how smart you are or how inventive. It’s what you have to work with.” This recurrent theme is developed in multiple dimensions in biology, sociology, and even physics, going as far as to explain how left-handed amino acids have “won” over the right-handed ones due to the accidental fact that the beta decay creates electrons that favor a particular spin.
The story ending is totally subversive and can be read in different dimensions. What is the future of humanity if not the combination of the contributions of our old and new human race's stories? Almost prophetic, Olga Werby.
A variety of extra-ordinate settings, all vividly described and masterfully animated: from deep in the Vaults, where valuable human DNA was preserved after Keres Triplets asteroid hit and almost destroyed all human life on Earth, to the surface of Mimas, a satellite of Saturn where an Alien artifact was discovered, to the ultra spectacular scientific lab, where nanobots are observed to grow and take over terrestrial biological organisms.
A variety of characters: a smart and brave young woman that discovers her past in a mission to save humanity; a loving and protecting scientist father; a dedicated seed sister; cyber-human twins with D-tats that augment human intelligence and memory capability; mysterious military lieutenant with secret agendas; the Elders; and of course the Aliens—invaders, saviors, masters, or gardeners? Olga does an incredible job crafting each one to feel real and inspiring, making bonding with them inevitable.
However, what I find most incredible about the book is how the author manages to bring life in her science fiction setting through evidence, knowledge, and theories derived from biology, socio-historical theories, and technological sciences. Hence, although the initial state of the story is fiction, the dynamics that evolve the story are real and scientifically sound. Only a true renaissance author with a sound background in sciences, humanities, and art could manage this! The characters raise true questions that lead to educated decisions based on socioeconomic theories of human evolution, using deductive scientific reasoning.
The way Homo sapiens exterminated all other hominids or the way technologically advanced civilization with plentiful resources invaded and decimated native peoples and their cultures in the history of humanity are examples that are drawn upon in Olga’s book to ask the right questions about the true intensions of the aliens and develop strategies to fight back.
Also, the fact that evolution is about luck. “The ones blessed with the best initial conditions win. It’s not how smart you are or how inventive. It’s what you have to work with.” This recurrent theme is developed in multiple dimensions in biology, sociology, and even physics, going as far as to explain how left-handed amino acids have “won” over the right-handed ones due to the accidental fact that the beta decay creates electrons that favor a particular spin.
The story ending is totally subversive and can be read in different dimensions. What is the future of humanity if not the combination of the contributions of our old and new human race's stories? Almost prophetic, Olga Werby.
May 2, 2019
Just finished reading this new offering by Olga Werby. I love how outside the box the plot is in this generally predictable alien - human conflict. Makes you think about where we come from and where we are going. For those who love the science side of it - it is a pure gem. For those who are looking for fiction, science does not interfere much with it, so it suites all. Definitely will get you thinking!
November 18, 2019
A book that makes you think!
Character driven (so refreshing!) and the approach is so logical! This approach to "aliens" includes the reality of why and how another, more advanced civilization might approach contact with new species. The reality of distances between planets and time that would be involved for travel to other solar systems leads to a new approach to the "invasion of Earth".
Character driven (so refreshing!) and the approach is so logical! This approach to "aliens" includes the reality of why and how another, more advanced civilization might approach contact with new species. The reality of distances between planets and time that would be involved for travel to other solar systems leads to a new approach to the "invasion of Earth".
May 28, 2019
I really enjoyed this story. Would recommend to anyone who liked "The Alien Next Door" or Lindsay Buroker's sci-fi. Will be looking for more books by this author, for sure!
October 18, 2019
Wow! What can I say about Harvest? Well Harvest is about aliens and humans making first contact. But when did they actually make first contact. If you get deep into to the story that is a question you may be asking yourself. Was first contact now or a very long time ago? Was it at the beginning or the end?
Harvest will take you on a trip through space looking for aliens or other life forms. Dr. Varsaad Volhard, an evolutionary-socio-historian has been chosen to be a part of the team that travels through space looking to make contact. Dr. Varsaad Volhard has waited all her life for an opportunity like this one and she is not going to do anything to jeopardize her one chance for a more in-depth study of alien life form.
Dr. Varsaad Volhard finds out that her father may not be exactly who or what he has led her to believe all these years. If he is not who she thinks he is then is she? Is her father human? Is Dr. Varsaad Volhard human?
Dr. Varsaad Volhard not only learns things about herself but she makes a big discovery that could change her life and everyone’s on Earth. Her trip through space reveals so much about the here and now as well as the past and the future of mankind and how it all came to be.
After finishing Harvest I realized that I enjoyed it way more than I thought. I so loved the whole alien concept with the past and the future and how they relate to humans it was amazing and brilliant. While I was reading Harvest I kept thinking about so many movies like Star Trek, Orville, Aliens and Mission to Mars. I think Harvest would make a great movie itself.
If you like space adventures, science fiction, aliens or futuristic stories then you are going to love Harvest.
Harvest will take you on a trip through space looking for aliens or other life forms. Dr. Varsaad Volhard, an evolutionary-socio-historian has been chosen to be a part of the team that travels through space looking to make contact. Dr. Varsaad Volhard has waited all her life for an opportunity like this one and she is not going to do anything to jeopardize her one chance for a more in-depth study of alien life form.
Dr. Varsaad Volhard finds out that her father may not be exactly who or what he has led her to believe all these years. If he is not who she thinks he is then is she? Is her father human? Is Dr. Varsaad Volhard human?
Dr. Varsaad Volhard not only learns things about herself but she makes a big discovery that could change her life and everyone’s on Earth. Her trip through space reveals so much about the here and now as well as the past and the future of mankind and how it all came to be.
After finishing Harvest I realized that I enjoyed it way more than I thought. I so loved the whole alien concept with the past and the future and how they relate to humans it was amazing and brilliant. While I was reading Harvest I kept thinking about so many movies like Star Trek, Orville, Aliens and Mission to Mars. I think Harvest would make a great movie itself.
If you like space adventures, science fiction, aliens or futuristic stories then you are going to love Harvest.
October 28, 2019
When a strange alien artifact is discovered on one of Saturn's moons, a scientific expedition is assembled, including Dr. Varsaad Volhard, an evolutionary-socio-historian, who's tasked with determining the alien culture and intentions. Many of the other scientists on the team are "hard" science-scientists, dealing with data and facts, as opposed to her "soft" people-y science, but she's put in charge of helping them see alternatives to "hostile alien invasion," which is where the military minds are heading.
This post-Apocalyptic plot centers around nanobots and humans having "d-tats" or cyber-enhancements to improve their performance. Varsaad believes the two things are connected, and is determined to find out how/why. While she flies off to Saturn, her father back on Earth is doing his part to research the nanobots present on Earth.
This is a truly unique book, like nothing I've ever read before. It's almost pure scientific dialogue, with very little action, and the ending was unexpected. The book is interesting, as I found it easy to follow the various scientific threads, but there were some profoundly disturbing ideas explored. I found it unsettling and thought-provoking. The characters were varied and sympathetic and very human, the settings were well-described and unique. The dialogue, by the nature of the discussions, tended to run into the realm of monologue as various scientific ideas are explained. I enjoy science and learning, so I didn't mind, but this is heavy going and not your average, everyday "science fiction" fare.
This post-Apocalyptic plot centers around nanobots and humans having "d-tats" or cyber-enhancements to improve their performance. Varsaad believes the two things are connected, and is determined to find out how/why. While she flies off to Saturn, her father back on Earth is doing his part to research the nanobots present on Earth.
This is a truly unique book, like nothing I've ever read before. It's almost pure scientific dialogue, with very little action, and the ending was unexpected. The book is interesting, as I found it easy to follow the various scientific threads, but there were some profoundly disturbing ideas explored. I found it unsettling and thought-provoking. The characters were varied and sympathetic and very human, the settings were well-described and unique. The dialogue, by the nature of the discussions, tended to run into the realm of monologue as various scientific ideas are explained. I enjoy science and learning, so I didn't mind, but this is heavy going and not your average, everyday "science fiction" fare.
May 6, 2021
Wow! This was unlike any other sci-fi book I've read about an alien-human conflict. I loved the intense research and thoughtful themes that went behind this book (Disclaimer: Not everything is accurate. But then, when was it meant to be?). There are pages that I've bookmarked simply because of the meaningful conversations they hold. The suspense element stays alive throughout the novel (yay!). Moreover, I admire how the author ended it so that it ultimately remains for the reader to decide whether it's a happy ending or otherwise. Every page spelt diversity — the characters, the fields, the speculations — all of them. Some points felt almost prophetic. You learn along with the characters, following their thought process. You begin appreciating things you barely took notice of earlier. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys sci-fi, space adventures, and futuristic novels. Happy reading!
Also, the illustrations are beautiful!
Instagram: @the_untitled_journal
Also, the illustrations are beautiful!
Instagram: @the_untitled_journal
December 29, 2021
I read Harvest as part of a judging team for the Self-Published Science Fiction Competition.
Harvest is one of those books that you point to as the sort of read you can only get with indie publishing—it’s just hard to imagine a traditional press putting out this kind of work, because the style is so different than standard fare in the genre.
I’m not sure how hard the science is, but Harvest is incredibly academic, with a professor (an evolutionary socio-historian) as the lead and so many passages that end up turning into mini-lectures or academic debates between experts. I know that Andy Weir has carved out space for the science-thriller, but Harvest has the scientific bent without really having the thriller. It’s a bunch of smart people faced with a hard problem (possibly hostile extraterrestrial life) and trying to figure out how to solve it. As a former academic, the debates and mini-lectures feel very true to how those conversations would go. And though I don’t see that style pop up often (ever?) in fiction, I actually thought it made sense for the problem and the characters.
We really only had a couple main characters and myriad secondary characters that ran together a little, but I felt the characterization was solidly done, if not mind-blowing, and the problem setup was excellent. There was plenty of uncertainty and plenty of danger, and everybody had their own perspective about how to address it.
The place where Harvest fell a bit short was in the prose. It was clean and as mistake-free as you’d expect from any press, but it never felt as evocative as I would’ve hoped. I could see the danger, and I could see how the characters were feeling, but I was never totally sucked in. There were moments that should, by all rights, have been emotional gut-punches but that had me reacting more in my head than in my heart. Prose is slippery and hard to pin down exactly what makes or breaks a book, but for me, the atmosphere was the missing element here. The story was not told badly, but it wasn’t told well enough to be a five-star read—even if the setup might’ve been good enough for one.
First impression: 14/20. Full review and official SPSFC score to come at www.tarvolon.com
Harvest is one of those books that you point to as the sort of read you can only get with indie publishing—it’s just hard to imagine a traditional press putting out this kind of work, because the style is so different than standard fare in the genre.
I’m not sure how hard the science is, but Harvest is incredibly academic, with a professor (an evolutionary socio-historian) as the lead and so many passages that end up turning into mini-lectures or academic debates between experts. I know that Andy Weir has carved out space for the science-thriller, but Harvest has the scientific bent without really having the thriller. It’s a bunch of smart people faced with a hard problem (possibly hostile extraterrestrial life) and trying to figure out how to solve it. As a former academic, the debates and mini-lectures feel very true to how those conversations would go. And though I don’t see that style pop up often (ever?) in fiction, I actually thought it made sense for the problem and the characters.
We really only had a couple main characters and myriad secondary characters that ran together a little, but I felt the characterization was solidly done, if not mind-blowing, and the problem setup was excellent. There was plenty of uncertainty and plenty of danger, and everybody had their own perspective about how to address it.
The place where Harvest fell a bit short was in the prose. It was clean and as mistake-free as you’d expect from any press, but it never felt as evocative as I would’ve hoped. I could see the danger, and I could see how the characters were feeling, but I was never totally sucked in. There were moments that should, by all rights, have been emotional gut-punches but that had me reacting more in my head than in my heart. Prose is slippery and hard to pin down exactly what makes or breaks a book, but for me, the atmosphere was the missing element here. The story was not told badly, but it wasn’t told well enough to be a five-star read—even if the setup might’ve been good enough for one.
First impression: 14/20. Full review and official SPSFC score to come at www.tarvolon.com
February 15, 2020
Great story although lacking suspense
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is slow paced so I understand that not everyone will enjoy it. But the unfolding, throughout the story, of what humans understand of xenobiology, along with what they explore and discover is something I really liked. To me it was a nice break from the typical space opera books I've been reading. No ships exploding and no space marine grunts dumb enough to get their flesh continuously torn off but keep at it.
I also appreciated the attempt at giving something new, or different, to the reader. The drawings are nothing near being professional but they add something.
However, the story lacked suspense when this could easily have been sewn into the plot. The end is rather flat and underdeveloped. What happened to all the people in the vault? They seem to have evaporated. Then the new, integrated humanity is hardly explored and I was left with unanswered questions and a bit of frustration.
A bit of spoiler here:
I was not convinced by the ability of nanobots to carry the knowledge and intent of an entire civilization. A few molecules can't carry that much information. You would need much more elaborate entities to do that. And since they multiply out of local material they cannot recover the data either.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is slow paced so I understand that not everyone will enjoy it. But the unfolding, throughout the story, of what humans understand of xenobiology, along with what they explore and discover is something I really liked. To me it was a nice break from the typical space opera books I've been reading. No ships exploding and no space marine grunts dumb enough to get their flesh continuously torn off but keep at it.
I also appreciated the attempt at giving something new, or different, to the reader. The drawings are nothing near being professional but they add something.
However, the story lacked suspense when this could easily have been sewn into the plot. The end is rather flat and underdeveloped. What happened to all the people in the vault? They seem to have evaporated. Then the new, integrated humanity is hardly explored and I was left with unanswered questions and a bit of frustration.
A bit of spoiler here:
I was not convinced by the ability of nanobots to carry the knowledge and intent of an entire civilization. A few molecules can't carry that much information. You would need much more elaborate entities to do that. And since they multiply out of local material they cannot recover the data either.
February 15, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is slow paced so I understand that not everyone will enjoy it. But the unfolding, throughout the story, of what humans understand of xenobiology, along with what they explore and discover is something I really liked. To me it was a nice break from the typical space opera books I've been reading. No ships exploding and no space marine grunts dumb enough to get their flesh continuously torn off but keep at it.
I also appreciated the attempt at giving something new, or different, to the reader. The drawings are nothing near being professional but they add something.
However, the story lacked suspense when this could easily have been sewn into the plot. The end is rather flat and underdeveloped. What happened to all the people in the vault? They seem to have evaporated. Then the new, integrated humanity is hardly explored and I was left with unanswered questions and a bit of frustration.
A bit of spoiler here:
I was not convinced by the ability of nanobots to carry the knowledge and intent of an entire civilization. A few molecules can't carry that much information. You would need much more elaborate entities to do that. And since they multiply out of local material they cannot recover the data either.
I also appreciated the attempt at giving something new, or different, to the reader. The drawings are nothing near being professional but they add something.
However, the story lacked suspense when this could easily have been sewn into the plot. The end is rather flat and underdeveloped. What happened to all the people in the vault? They seem to have evaporated. Then the new, integrated humanity is hardly explored and I was left with unanswered questions and a bit of frustration.
A bit of spoiler here:
I was not convinced by the ability of nanobots to carry the knowledge and intent of an entire civilization. A few molecules can't carry that much information. You would need much more elaborate entities to do that. And since they multiply out of local material they cannot recover the data either.
December 25, 2021
A good sci fi. An interesting NEW idea about alien encounters. An Intelligent and creative story
February 24, 2022
Read this as part of the Self-Published Science Fiction Competition - a quite entertaining read that was definitely tinged with horror at parts. Highly enjoyed.
December 7, 2019
Harvest by Olga Werby is an incredible book on many levels. The thought and research that has gone into this story is breathtaking. The descriptions of nanobots gone amok are chill-inducing. The affection between the father and daughter is heartwarming. And the plot moves at a pace that makes it almost impossible to put down. What more could you want?
I love stories that tackle big ideas. You know, the meaning of life, the universe and everything. This book has no shortage of grandiose themes. In fact, my only two complaints are both artifacts of this. One, the book touches on so many major themes that it has to simply let some of them drop. Two, with a scope this big, it is hard to find a satisfying end to the story. Heck, it’s hard to find any end to the story.
Without giving anything away, I’ll just say I was a little less than satisfied when it was over. Then again, I don’t know of another book of this cosmic sort that has managed to come to a better conclusion.
Did I like it anyway? You bet I did. I’d recommend this novel to almost anyone, and certainly to anyone who enjoys science fiction. This is hardcore sci-fi that is both well-written and emotionally solid, and that’s no small achievement. It will leave you thinking for days (maybe for weeks or months, I don’t know yet because it’s only been days since I finished it ….) And even if you’re a little bewildered or uneasy at the end, I believe you will have thoroughly enjoyed the journey.
For my full blog post giving more information about the book and its author, please see https://zsquaredblog.org/2019/11/27/h....
I love stories that tackle big ideas. You know, the meaning of life, the universe and everything. This book has no shortage of grandiose themes. In fact, my only two complaints are both artifacts of this. One, the book touches on so many major themes that it has to simply let some of them drop. Two, with a scope this big, it is hard to find a satisfying end to the story. Heck, it’s hard to find any end to the story.
Without giving anything away, I’ll just say I was a little less than satisfied when it was over. Then again, I don’t know of another book of this cosmic sort that has managed to come to a better conclusion.
Did I like it anyway? You bet I did. I’d recommend this novel to almost anyone, and certainly to anyone who enjoys science fiction. This is hardcore sci-fi that is both well-written and emotionally solid, and that’s no small achievement. It will leave you thinking for days (maybe for weeks or months, I don’t know yet because it’s only been days since I finished it ….) And even if you’re a little bewildered or uneasy at the end, I believe you will have thoroughly enjoyed the journey.
For my full blog post giving more information about the book and its author, please see https://zsquaredblog.org/2019/11/27/h....
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