science fiction

A Paradigm of Earth - Candas Jane Dorsey Book Review

Enter a review
of your own!
Other books by
author Candas Jane Dorsey

"A Paradigm of Earth"
Message Board
Review Summaries
" Tor, Oct 2001, 26.95, 366 pp. ISBN: 031287796X Having recently moved to the Canada Great Plains to escape from recent tragedies and feeling alone, Morgan Shelby decides to open her inherited mansion to a bunch of oddball outcasts. Though her boarders are an eccentric group, one particular individual stands out among the crowd. After an interview and studying her résumé filled with work involving handicapped children, the Canadian government hires Morgan to raise an alien infant Blue. Now one must understand that alien does not mean an immigrant from another country for in Blue's case alien denotes another world. Even more shocking is that Morgan's band of misfits are used to mistreatment and even taunting from an ultra-conservative nation. People find it difficult to accept the androgynous off-world creature. Morgan learns more than her blank slate ET as Blue begins to fill her soul with caring and nurturing even as the government and her other guests see Blue much differently. A PARADIGM OF EARTH is an exciting character study of the human condition through the interaction of an extraterrestrial being. The story line is incredibly insightful especially when those who have suffered abuse turn abusive. The evolution of Morgan from a vacuous person into a tender and affectionate individual mirrors the development of Blue, which in turn augments the deep look inside the souls of the earthling and her alien guest. Candas Jane Dorsey is quite a talent as she provides science fiction readers with a strong tale, but those fans that need testosterone running amuck need to skip this relationship tale. Harriet Klausner "
Harriet Klausner, Resident Candas Jane Dorsey Scholar


Click above for the new Obama Girl Parody video!

Overall Review
Our unique search engine breaks down books and movies into
dozens of literary elements, all of which are searchable.
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Inner Struggle Yes
Plotlet: - search for identity/new understanding
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Cultural problems, alien culture Yes
Culture clash- - feelings as an alien growing up among humans

Main Character
Identity: - Female
Profession/status: - small businessman
Age: - 40's-50's
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male Alien
Age: - a kid
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an average amount
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - bulging muscles

Setting
Earth setting: - near future (later in 21st century)
Takes place on Earth? 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 descript than dialog
Most similar books by Gordonator ranking
Fine Prey by Scott Westerfeld
City of Illusions by Ursula K. LeGuin
Roswell: The Outsider by Melinda Metz
Bitter Waters by Wen Spencer
Sims by F. Paul Wilson




Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Try our new Star Wars & Star Trek puzzle pictures! Click here

Advertise with us
Feedback
Star Wars Revenge of the Sith plot spoilers
Hobbits
The politics game
The lawyer game

3 Book search options!
1) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
2) Detailed book search
(click here)
or

3) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot below!

Animal Story

Clones

Coming of age

Cultural problems, alien culture

Explore/1st contact/ enviro story

Family relations

GIANT monster(s)

Horror story?

Inner Struggle

Lifeform altered?

Mental/magical powers focus

Parody

Political power play

Religious overtones?

Repressive society story

Robots, Computers, VR

Romance

Spying & Investigations

Tech./$$$/Info hunt

Time Travel story?

Training/Apprent.

War or Invasion


Games:
Trivia Masters!

Rescue your favorite
scifi characters from
slavery!


Talk to your favorite
scifi characters!


Eating New Yorkers
Computer Game


Pomeranians

Most recent TV & Movie discussions:

Blade Runner: Blade Runner 10/12/2008 11:25:13 AM

Star Trek Enterprise: Jolene Blalock on T'Pol and Star Trek Enterprise 10/12/2008 3:22:58 AM

A Boy and His Dog: A Boy and His Dog 10/10/2008 3:56:33 PM

Blade Runner: Was Harrison Ford on Tranquilizers or an Actor's Strike When Filming Blade Runner? 9/20/2008 3:18:54 AM

Doctor Who: Who was the best companion? 9/18/2008 6:59:25 AM

Clash of the Titans: Clash of the Titans 9/7/2008 3:53:28 AM

Star Trek Enterprise: T'Pol shows her nude butt on Enterprise! 9/2/2008 3:20:24 AM

Star Trek Enterprise: Is T'Pol supposed to be a Vulcan lesbian? 9/2/2008 3:02:45 AM

Charmed: How can Phoebe Halliwell get an abortion? 8/29/2008 10:02:34 PM

Alien Hunter : Alien Hunter 8/28/2008 1:25:23 PM


Newest slaves:
Queen Amidala/Padme (Natalie Portman) 6:16:42 PM
Princess Leia 6:14:22 PM
Clone Trooper Girlfriend 6:11:43 PM
Wolverine Dim Sum (Kelly Hu) 6:05:11 PM
Jet Li 5:30:29 PM
President Clark 5:28:06 PM
William Edgars 5:27:59 PM
Lennear 5:27:52 PM
Vir (Flounder) 5:27:44 PM
Alfred Bester 5:27:37 PM
All slaves
(click here)


Celebrity interviews:
President George W. Bush 6:32:00 PM
Jan-Michael Vincent 2:16:51 PM
Captain Kathryn Janeway 3:47:46 PM
Jack ONeill (Richard Dean Anderson) 1:39:22 PM
Jennifer Aniston (Friends) 5:01:07 PM
All celebrities
(click here)