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Review Summaries
"
Ace, Nov 2003, 23.95 438 pp.
ISBN 0441010466
By 2230, humanity has known about the Omega Clouds for a quarter of a century. They seem to hunt planets where signs of civilization exist. When they find them, they destroy all life forms and geometric shapes and angles. Even though an omega cloud is due to pass Earth in nine centuries, not much research has been done on them because humanity believes they have plenty of time to find a way of dealing with them.
Time runs out when mankind discovers a sentient race of humanoids, so much like us they could be our cousins. An Omega cloud has diverted from its path when it finds the world of Goompahs and the masses on Earth do not want them killed. Linguists, scientists and socialists from all over the galaxy race to the newly discovered civilized world (technologically on a level with Ancient Rome) to try to find a way of destroying the Omega. Failing that they hope to convince the Goompah's to flee their cities and seek higher ground so that they will survive the coming catastrophe.
It is great to watch a united galaxy use all its power to save a newly discovered sentient race (a rare find in the McDevitt universe) despite the danger they bring unto themselves. The society of the Goombahs is examined in such great depth that readers will feel they have actually visited their planet. As more is learned about the Omegas, mankind comes to believe they are not forces of nature but things constructed by an unknown entity.
Harriet Klausner
"
Harriet Klausner, Resident Jack McDevitt Scholar
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Overall Review
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Plot
Composition of Book Descript. of chases or violence - 10% planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30% Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 40%
Tone of book
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- science fiction story
Explore/1st contact/ enviro story
Yes
Plotlets:
- preventing an ecological disaster
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Cultural problems, alien culture
Yes
Intense exploration of society's culture?
Yes
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- champion of justice
Age:
- 20's-30's
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- An "It".
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a little/some
Setting
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body:
- humans in a primitive/fantasy society
Planet outside solar system?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
scientific jargon? (SF only)
- a moderate amount of scientific explanation
How much dialogue?
- significantly more dialog than descript
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