Catalyst

by Nina Kiriki Hoffman

This psychologically complex science-fiction novel focuses on a sensitive adolescent making the difficult transition from childhood into adolescent sexuality and adult society. A boy, fleeing a bullying classmate, inadvertently makes first contact with a race of aliens who live beneath the surface of his planet. Exploring such subjects as the dynamics of dysfunctional families and human society's greed-based political system, Catalyst has eerie psychological undercurrents and tells an emotionally compelling and surprising story. 

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Science Fiction Fantasy, Aliens, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy

171 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2006

About the author

Nina Kiriki Hoffman’s first solo novel, The Thread That Binds the Bones (1993), won the Bram Stoker Award for first novel; her second novel, The Silent Strength of Stones (1995) was a finalist for the Nebula and World Fantasy Awards. A Red Heart of Memories (1999, part of her “Matt Black” series), nominated for a World Fantasy Award, was followed by sequel Past the Size of Dreaming in 2001. Much of her work to date is short fiction, including “Matt Black” novella “Unmasking” (1992), nominated for a World Fantasy Award; and “Matt Black” novelette “Home for Christmas” (1995), nominated for the Nebula, World Fantasy, and Sturgeon awards. In addition to writing, Hoffman has taught, worked part-time at a B. Dalton bookstore, and done production work on The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. An accomplished fiddle player, she has played regularly at various granges near her home in Eugene, Oregon.

Reviews

[Althea Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very short book.
This book reminded me in many ways of many kids/YA books I've read about young people making first contact with an alien species. (Andre Norton's, for example). A young teenager on a colony world, fleeing a bully, stumbles into a cave and finds an alien "city." Issues with the bully get resolved, the adults get called in, and positive aspects should come out of this for all.
The radical elements here are that the colony world in question is really a criminal world, bootlegging illegal drugs (an issue that is brought up but never really discussed), and that there are a couple of sexually explicit scenes (which have caused other reviewers to go so far as to call the book "soft-core porn.") It's not. The scenes aren't even that explicit, and aren't inappropriate, age-wise, for young teens, either. It's just that there's a definite disconnect between the content, and the style of the language in which the book is written. There's a very ‘juvenile' feel to the writing – especially when ‘alien' words are stuff like "bink bink boo bootah." So more mature content, when it arrives, feels very jarring.
Interesting, but not Nina Kiriki's Hoffman's best (or most original) work.

[John Loyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kaslin and his family moved to Chuudoku. His dad had one too many schemes that didn't work. Kas doesn't have any augmentations like Histly, who makes herself Kas's personal bully. While he is running away we get flashbacks to some of the really mean things she has done to him, so when he finds a hole in the ground. It's better than being caught by Histly.

It turns out that the hole is a cave filled with some incredible white substance that can be changed from hard to soft to sticky and back with voice commands, and it's food too. At least for him.

Fast fun read, the writing just fluid and delicious. There probably could have been a stronger anti-bullying message and it's left a little open ended. I think the aliens can take care of themselves, but who knows maybe they'll get exploited. A four and a half of five stars.

[Eva Folsom · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish there was a way to distinguish in the rating between "meh" and "I loved part so much and hated part so much." This one was definitely the second type of two stars.

It reads like a completely awesome beginning of a novel, with a horrible ending tacked on too soon. Like the author got frightened of the mess she had created for her characters and slapped on a deus ex machina.

Like the other book of hers I've read, I was totally impressed with the worldbuilding and the themes she addressed, and I found the protagonist likeable. Also like that other book, I thought the characters behaved unbelievably and that the antagonist wasn't developed fully enough.

This one is also a slide-right-down-your-throat yummy read. Very enjoyable, until the end.

[The Poor Person's Book Reviewer · Rating 1 out of 5]

all the makings of a classic sci fi but the ending was so lack luster that I felt like I should of just skipped it

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nina Kiriki Hoffman is one of my favorite authors. If you like Octavia Butler or Ursula LeGuin, Hoffman will be an author for you.

This book was categorized as SF, rather than Young Adult at my library, most likely because of the erotic scenes. This would be one of those secret word-of-mouth books that I'm sure that scifi/fantasy teen readers will hope to stumble across for that very reason.
You get a hint of the sexy stuff to come within the second page: "She looked like his ideal woman, but he never imagined she'd notice him. ...Kaslin figured he could study Histly enough to get her into his dreams without her even seeing him, but he was wrong. ...Kaslin saw Histly and thought, yum. Histly saw Kaslin and thought, prey."

While I liked the book, such promising foreshadows were touched upon later, but didn't get the complete treatment. I kept wondering about the significance of him getting her in his dreams, but never really got an answer. There are some other threads that could have been handled with more depth, and I can only hope that's because this is the "pilot" and there will be more depth later in a sequel or sequels. That is perfectly acceptable to me, so if that happens, I will probably give it 4 stars instead of 3.

So, running from Histly, Kaslin comes upon some aliens that gently hold him captive while they...um...get to know him better. By the end of the book, I am still wondering, are they good or bad aliens. Will there be differing opinions on that depending on the character?

Hoffman plays with boundaries of the body and the self in a very sensual way in all her books. It could be she is playing with genre itself with this one. While her past books have been in the fantasy genre, and this leans over into scifi, this one has a whole lot of that other kind of fantasy. Just imagine being held down while someone feeds you a magical food that tastes like all the best stuff, and having naughty things done to you...

[Nicholas Whyte]

http://www.strangehorizons.com/reviews/2007/04/the_2007_philip.shtml[return][return]Kaslin, the adolescent hero growing up on a recently colonised planet, falls into a cave while escaping the torments of the rich girl who he fancies, and discovers a hitherto unknown indigenous alien lifeform, a hive mind that communicates through sex and food. This could have been a great novel of sexual and political awakening, as Kaslin gets to grips with the alien being and the girl in the first case, and her greedy oligarch parents in the second, but somehow doesn't gel; Kaslin himself (as a catalyst) remains curiously unchanged by his experiences, and too much of the plot depends on the friendly adults (his mother and her colleague) making decisions which are completely irresponsible for professionals in their position but necessary to move the story forward.

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit weird.
OK, read in all one sitting and I liked the 'world' created for this story, but I can understand the reason this book isn't found in too many public libraries. Waaaaay too much emphasis on the teen's masturbatory (by the aliens) and sexual encounters (with another teen). It's not handled in a 'porn' way, but I just found it detracted from the overall book.
I would have preferred more backstory on some of the other characters, or on the setup at the colony - his father at one point basically sold the main character into indentured servitude, convenient to the plot, but not referenced at all before it just occurred.
Unfortunate, because I have enjoyed her other work that I've been able to find & read, but this one is definitely not worth the effort I went to to find it.
For anyone still interested, it will be reposted on PBSwap asap!

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I love all of Nina Kiriki Hoffman, this is the only book by her I have definatly NOT recommended to my niece Tyler. My sister Mary'd kill me for the rather strange eroticism of the book.

I have all Nina's books but goodreads won't let me add Courting Disasters, Unmasking, Legacy of Fire or Common Threads.

The story "Housewife" has more sex and eroticism; it's about the only story or book by her that makes me squirm with discomfort.

Susan

[Genevieve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A creative story, and a nice foray into science fiction for Hoffman; I enjoyed the world she created, both the aliens and the humans. It did have a bit of a feeling of a short story, leaving many questions unanswered and with no real resolution. As always with her tales, a character initially setup to be an antagonist is redeemed, rather quickly in this case. This may be puzzling to those not used to Hoffman's writing style.

[Rachel (Kalanadi) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uncomfortably perplexing, rushed pacing, and cringe-y sexual/sensual moments with non-consensual overtones (with teens). So. No. Very alien aliens right up to the predictable moment when they reveal that they are an ancient species that already knew about humans and probably bio-engineered or meddled with all life in the galaxy.... Sigh. Really? Again?.

[Peter Tillman · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unusual first-contact novel, her first SF novel. The setup is a bit squicky, but it's well-written and I liked it pretty well. Odd characters, odd planet, interesting aliens.

Publisher's Weekly said,
"This weird novel of alien contact... careens like a pinball among the bumpers of science fiction, young adult literature and softcore porn."

So, there you are. Kinda bizarre. 2.6 stars?

[Randal · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an odd book. I can't recall a first contact novel anything like it. YA except the nonconsensual (and extremely thorough) touching would freak out the kind of adults who freak out about that sort of thing. Thematically a little bit like Childhood's End in that the alien master race wants less to do with the adults, especially the enhanced ones, than with the unspoiled children.
Definitely speculative fiction, not science fiction (very little science in bink, bink, bootah) but an SF setting for exploring a variety of themes around maturity and exploration.
I loved the ending ... the right combination of closure and expectation. I'll look for more of this author's work. 4.5 stars

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know why it took me so long to get around to reading this, but it's been a couple years since I ordered it, knowing I love this author's work.

It was worth the wait, but I still wish I hadn't!

Nina Kiriki Hoffman has crafted an interesting background and combined it with interesting aliens. The relationships of our protagonist and his peers, his family, his society, and ultimately the aliens throw him for a loop. It was hard enough when he thought he knew who he was. Now?!

But don't read this expecting clean answers!

[Anna Hepworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite creeped out by this one, not sure if I was supposed to be. Alien first contact with dubious consent sexual relations, grievous bullying with everyone in power looking the other way, and slavery masquerading as 'work contracts'. While I normally recommend everything Hoffman to everyone, this is the exception to the rule.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun novel about a boy who literally falls into a space alien lair. It's a fast-paced and enjoyable yarn about how he reacts to this contact and how the aliens react to him. It feels like it could be the first in a series, but I'm not sure it is.

[James Ronholm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know if this is setup for a sequel or if it just ends in a cliffhanger - has the vibes of a 170 page short story (not meant as a negative comment).

I would read a sequel

[Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read, and one that drew me in so I finished it faster than many other books I've started. The story did have a bit of a frantic pace at times, too many things happening a bit too quickly, but that aspect is hard to differentiate from the world building which deftly built up the background of the characters and the world with a minimum of awkward exposition.

The story is obviously framed as one of first contact, of initial interaction of discovery and I feel like the ending works well for such. But I am curious to see what happens next. And I'm especially curious to know if the aliens would prove as powerful away from the environment full of their essentially magical technology.

[Cindywho · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of the oddest, kinkiest YA SF books I've read in a while. In her other fantasy novels, Hoffman has often touched upon the theme of people with too much power over others and how they abuse that power. Teenaged Kaslin has been at the whim of his parents, a bully, and now the aliens he found in a cave on the human-colonized planet where he lives. His relationship with the bully becomes disturbingly romantic (though it mirrors the plight of many female characters in romance novels) and the aliens get pretty freaky too. It's a short book, I finished it on a lazy afternoon.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a few quibbles with the social structure described in the book, which seemed very unstable, but my real complaint is the abrupt ending of the book! I wanted the story to continue, and to find out what happened next. To me, that is one sign of a good book.
The alien contact was fascinatingly strange, and the portrayal of a truly incomprehensible advanced alien culture was very interesting. But then, it just stops!

[Corinne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is in some ways not the typical SF plot I expected, but instead a typical Nina K. Hoffman book with lots of twists, strange life forms and even stranger ideas/concepts. However, I really liked the idea, that the aliens aren't arriving from the sky, but instead are already living under the feet of a human colony. An original idea is also the fact that the protagonist is the only one (in the beginning) able to manipulate the alien material into everything he wants with his voice. Nice :)

[Sarahz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Normally I'm a fan of Nina Kiriki Hoffman, but this one didn't click for me. Some of the ideas were interesting, in terms of the world she created, but I couldn't stand Histly, and Kaslin is way too passive for most of the book. The whole time, things are just happening to him, and it just didn't make for an engaging read for me. Also, the sexual material in this book was just...odd. The pieces of this book just didn't fit together into a cohesive whole for me.

[Erika Worley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good example of a book that doesn't go exactly how you would expect it to, which is realistic. The main character is not what I would call a hero, but I enjoy learning about him as the random person who stumbles into the role of protagonist. His emotions and the manipulation of them by other characters is believable, and sometimes a little sad, and captures a less than rock solid teenager.

[Miss Ginny Tea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a good start--bizarre, original. It messed with gender roles and consent. Then it just lost steam, fell flat. I'm all for an open ending, but this was a letdown. Still, the start was interesting and entertaining enough to warrant three stars.

[Trip · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very atypical book for Nina Kiriki Hoffman, being definitely science fiction, but still good. In fact, I wish she'd write more like this.

Also: surprisingly hot teenage BDSM sex.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read two Nina Kiriki Hoffman books this weekend and I am still like, why have I never read any of this woman's stuff? Holy crap, can she write. This novel was short, sweet, emotionally resonant, and mature. Also, I need to find out if there is a sequel, because I would like more. So much more.

[Tanita Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only reason I didn't rate it more highly is because I was annoyed at how it ended!

[Noel · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most original and fascinating sci-fi novels I've read in ages. A quick read, mostly because it was so weird and inventive I couldn't put it down.

[Lobeck · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little entertaining and a little interesting. The main character is too passive, and others are unlikable.

[scarlettraces · Rating 2 out of 5]

i love Nina Kiriki Hoffman, but this was really bad.

[Heide · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was kinda a sex with aliens book. Which ok if there's something else there that's fine but really the rest wasn't interesting either.