What do you think?
Rate this book
Dominant Species #2
Evolution
It is the year 3012. The human incursion begins. 40 warp days from Earth is the newly discovered planet, Verde's Revenge - a jungle planet green, thriving and fertile. Containing a wealth of natural resources, it is the chosen location for a new off-world colony. Earth's enormous colonizing machinery is beginning preparations for the coming human invasion. But by law, the planet's flora and fauna must be inventoried for biological hazards before human feet can tread there. An apparent glitch has put the surveys behind schedule - and contractors are already down on the planet's surface. Biologist Rachel Sanders thinks she has drawn a lucky card when she's hired to perform the biological surveys on Verde's rich ecosystems. She will soon discover new and diverse species - and along the way reveal a growing threat more perilous than she could ever have imagined. 283 pages.
288 pages, Paperback
First published April 25, 2005
5 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
About the author
David Coy
14 books21 followersI’ve had a lifetime love of science fiction and horror. I suspect it started in puberty since most obsessions do. My passion for it was so strong as a youth that, young and penniless, I resorted to boosting copies of my favorite authors’ works off the shelves of the book section of the local Federal’s department store. My friends and I soon had a collection of great sci-fi at discounted prices to read and read again. But I’m not wholly without conscience about those shifty activities as a scrawny youth. I’ll shake my head from side to side and mumble “Crap, that was stupid” once every decade or so, but that’s about it.
I consider myself a sci-fi film Nazi. I’m sure I’ve seen every sci-fi movie ever made, or certainly the vast majority of them. I can’t pass up even the worst of it. All those god-awful, black and white B flicks of the 40’s onward, with their outrageous and ham-handed themes of science vs. ignorance and good vs. evil, wrapped in whatever pseudo-scientific covering was popular that year, transfixed me, entertained me, and like the works pinched then stashed in my friend’s basement, made me think. When pivotal films like “Alien” and John Carpenter’s “The Thing” elevated sci-fi film up out of the gutter with all those glorious and expensive production values, I was im himmel.
I attended Wayne State University in Detroit Michigan. Like so many of my peers at the time, I left Wayne State with an utterly useless BA with a major in psychology. I’ve cleaned tractor cranes for money and worked as a steel mill laborer when the last one of those plants in Michigan still existed. I’ve worked as a night janitor. I moved to southern California when I was 30 years old and sold cars for a while. Shortly thereafter I worked for what used to be called the Hughes Aircraft Company as an in-house photographer. For the last 10 years of my work-a-day life I worked as a senior project manager for Computer Sciences Corporation. I now live in Oregon where I started and recently sold a fitness gym. I relate this choppy history to drive home my favorite maxim relating to life and the living of it: you never know where in the fuck you’ll end up. You’ll find my books laced through with that persistent theme. I hope you find the journey of reading them, should you attempt it, if not straight and linear, at least interesting.
I consider myself a sci-fi film Nazi. I’m sure I’ve seen every sci-fi movie ever made, or certainly the vast majority of them. I can’t pass up even the worst of it. All those god-awful, black and white B flicks of the 40’s onward, with their outrageous and ham-handed themes of science vs. ignorance and good vs. evil, wrapped in whatever pseudo-scientific covering was popular that year, transfixed me, entertained me, and like the works pinched then stashed in my friend’s basement, made me think. When pivotal films like “Alien” and John Carpenter’s “The Thing” elevated sci-fi film up out of the gutter with all those glorious and expensive production values, I was im himmel.
I attended Wayne State University in Detroit Michigan. Like so many of my peers at the time, I left Wayne State with an utterly useless BA with a major in psychology. I’ve cleaned tractor cranes for money and worked as a steel mill laborer when the last one of those plants in Michigan still existed. I’ve worked as a night janitor. I moved to southern California when I was 30 years old and sold cars for a while. Shortly thereafter I worked for what used to be called the Hughes Aircraft Company as an in-house photographer. For the last 10 years of my work-a-day life I worked as a senior project manager for Computer Sciences Corporation. I now live in Oregon where I started and recently sold a fitness gym. I relate this choppy history to drive home my favorite maxim relating to life and the living of it: you never know where in the fuck you’ll end up. You’ll find my books laced through with that persistent theme. I hope you find the journey of reading them, should you attempt it, if not straight and linear, at least interesting.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 31, 2018
Wouldn’t want to visit this world, makes me shiver. Looking forward to the next book, nicely tailored into the first story now.
August 16, 2016
Edge Effects is the second book in the Dominant Species Series by David Coy. I fell into the first book in this series and loved every moment of it, so it was natural to pick up the second book and continue the ride.
There are some considerable differences between the first and second books. The first is set in 2006 the second is set in 3012. The first is set on earth and the second revolves around a distant planet called Verde’s Revenge. Odd name for a planet isn’t it. And the story of how the planet got named is how the book starts. I wasn’t sure if I would like the change in the feel of the story at first, book one has a very distinct conquest vibe and Edge Effects has much more of an exploration and discovery feel to it but as it progressed it was awesome.
I loved the way this book is laid out. Each chapter is a vignette almost. The beginning chapters are seemingly fractured but everything links together and flows really well. You learn about the discovery of the planet and the initial clearing of the jungle, then it settles into the meat of the story.
I really enjoyed Edge Effects. The characters are fantastic, the one guy makes my skin crawl every time he is on the page, well written, solid and incredibly detailed. The scenes are richly worded and vividly described. The story has a great flow that makes it easy to realize that it is 4 am before you know what happened.
There are a number of characters in Edge Effects. Some are good characters, like Joan and Donna and some are really bad characters like Kelly and Smith. But each and every character seems to jump off the page when they enter a scene.
My favorite character in Edge Effects is actually Donna McNeil Applegate she is a descendant of Linda in the first book of the series and has the same odd eye coloration. She is a strong and stubborn woman who faces unbelievable adversity and survives. In short she is awesome.
My only disappointment is the story is the sudden and abrupt ending. That means you need to have book three ready to read or you’re going to be grumbling. Luckily I am jumping into book three of the series this evening.
Filled with wonderfully written characters, vivid scenes and a fantastic story Edge Effects is definitely one You Gotta Read!.
There are some considerable differences between the first and second books. The first is set in 2006 the second is set in 3012. The first is set on earth and the second revolves around a distant planet called Verde’s Revenge. Odd name for a planet isn’t it. And the story of how the planet got named is how the book starts. I wasn’t sure if I would like the change in the feel of the story at first, book one has a very distinct conquest vibe and Edge Effects has much more of an exploration and discovery feel to it but as it progressed it was awesome.
I loved the way this book is laid out. Each chapter is a vignette almost. The beginning chapters are seemingly fractured but everything links together and flows really well. You learn about the discovery of the planet and the initial clearing of the jungle, then it settles into the meat of the story.
I really enjoyed Edge Effects. The characters are fantastic, the one guy makes my skin crawl every time he is on the page, well written, solid and incredibly detailed. The scenes are richly worded and vividly described. The story has a great flow that makes it easy to realize that it is 4 am before you know what happened.
There are a number of characters in Edge Effects. Some are good characters, like Joan and Donna and some are really bad characters like Kelly and Smith. But each and every character seems to jump off the page when they enter a scene.
My favorite character in Edge Effects is actually Donna McNeil Applegate she is a descendant of Linda in the first book of the series and has the same odd eye coloration. She is a strong and stubborn woman who faces unbelievable adversity and survives. In short she is awesome.
My only disappointment is the story is the sudden and abrupt ending. That means you need to have book three ready to read or you’re going to be grumbling. Luckily I am jumping into book three of the series this evening.
Filled with wonderfully written characters, vivid scenes and a fantastic story Edge Effects is definitely one You Gotta Read!.
August 17, 2012
Edge Effects is Book Two in David Coy's superb Science Fiction Dominant Species trilogy. A millennium from now as Earth's population explodes out of control humans are forced into indentured servitude through debt contracts that they have to purchase in order to provide for their livelihood and retirement. A group of hard-luck colonists find themselves on an earth-like planet called Verde that is teeming with animal and plant life. The colonists’ mission is to exploit the planet's natural resources while trying to survive not only the harsh natural habit but their own fellow man. This story is original, thought-provoking science fiction at its best. If Occam's Razor applies to the universe then I think Mr. Coy's concept of the evolution and development of life among the stars is not only plausible but a certainty. Edge Effects masterfully combines the "what if" of alien life with human emotion, suffering and drama. Edge Effect will make you question what is more dangerous: hostile alien life or your fellow man and I guarantee the story will leave you itching from head-to-toe to discover— "What is this place . . . ?"
July 27, 2012
How do you kill a planet?
Coy does it again. In this second installment of Dominant Species, in the year 3012, a new planet is discovered that is as majestic as it could be, with natural resources so rich, its flora and fauna thriving. Most second novels do not give the same pace and exciting details as that of the first novel, but this not the case with Edge Effects by David Coy.
What I like about Coy’s style and direction is that he explores all the possibilities and conditions of a premise, carefully evaluating situations in a strange, new planet that is full of vitality and beauty, balanced also with the many dangers and creatures that inhabit it.
The characterization is well thought-out, signifying realistic relationships and wariness between people in another time, in another planet, and the only bond that holds two people together. Just when the reader can breathe easy, and enjoy the landscape and nature of a new planet, the terror sneaks up from behind when it is least expected.
It is never a boring read with Coy.
Coy does it again. In this second installment of Dominant Species, in the year 3012, a new planet is discovered that is as majestic as it could be, with natural resources so rich, its flora and fauna thriving. Most second novels do not give the same pace and exciting details as that of the first novel, but this not the case with Edge Effects by David Coy.
What I like about Coy’s style and direction is that he explores all the possibilities and conditions of a premise, carefully evaluating situations in a strange, new planet that is full of vitality and beauty, balanced also with the many dangers and creatures that inhabit it.
The characterization is well thought-out, signifying realistic relationships and wariness between people in another time, in another planet, and the only bond that holds two people together. Just when the reader can breathe easy, and enjoy the landscape and nature of a new planet, the terror sneaks up from behind when it is least expected.
It is never a boring read with Coy.
April 21, 2014
An improvement on the first book in many ways. Gone are the alien abduction cliches, replaced by interesting political conflicts and a cool alien world. Also, lots of details about creepy crawly alien bugs that made me squirm uncomfortably. I thought the characters and dialogue were better too, although the good guys and bad guys are good and bad enough that there's not really any ambiguity.
It might bother some people that this book is so removed from the first (by 1,000 years) that it doesn't feel connected. Also, this book never really resolves. Rather, this book and the next are just two parts of one long book.
My only real gripe is that, after 1,000 years, civilization hasn't changed enough. There's a new global government, a new religion, and inter-planetary travel, true, but we're also still firing lead projectiles from contemporary pistols, cooking our food in microwaves, and living in trailers built by Airstream. It seems to me that this story would be more plausibly set 100-300 years from now. Oh well.
It might bother some people that this book is so removed from the first (by 1,000 years) that it doesn't feel connected. Also, this book never really resolves. Rather, this book and the next are just two parts of one long book.
My only real gripe is that, after 1,000 years, civilization hasn't changed enough. There's a new global government, a new religion, and inter-planetary travel, true, but we're also still firing lead projectiles from contemporary pistols, cooking our food in microwaves, and living in trailers built by Airstream. It seems to me that this story would be more plausibly set 100-300 years from now. Oh well.
February 25, 2013
I was really surprised by this book. I did not read the first in the series and didn't realize it was a series book ... until the end. There were a lot of really cool alien species on the Verde's Revenge Planet and they definitely seemed like they were going to take over everyone and everything. To find out which will become the dominant species on Verde's Revenge, I will have to read the next book in the series. Although this book didn't end with a cliff hanger, it also did not tell us who (or what) was going to win out as top dog. The way it stands ... I think the alien species will win!
May 19, 2013
Very different from the first book. I liked this book more than the first one. Looking forward to part 3.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews