One of my favorite books of all time. I have read it a number of times and expect to read it again. ( )

A great find -- I found an old copy of this is a used book store -- too bad it's out of print! Wonderfully fun young and brilliant female protagonist in a post apocalyptic USA. The writing style took a few minutes to get used to but was a real kick. Highly recommended to sci-fi fans. ( )

A fixup collection telling the story of a more than human young girl, who is extremely intelligent and a martial arts prodigy with the ability to perform very short burst like superhuman physicl feats. Her father is a scientist, tasked with working on some serious problems and is called away to Washington. That is when everything goes pearshaped, as a disease wipes out most of the population, leaving Candy stranded on her own, apart from her parrot, Terry.

Provision having been made for an emergency situation she is able to stay safe at home for a while, but eventually realises she has to venture outside sometime, and decides to go exploring, to see what the hell has happened, and h opefully to find more of those like her still liave.

Told in an extremely entertaining quirky style as though the girl is reading her own shorthand journal entries, this is a great book.

The first half is superior, as some of the later stories are told from the point of view of other characters, and while the pacing and tone is similar, the voice of these just introduced supporting players isn't as fun after you have been used to riding along with Candy.

There's a serialised in Analog sequel which is just as good, too.

Emergence : Emergence - David R. Palmer
Emergence : Seeking - David R. Palmer
Emergence : Quest - David R. Palmer
Emergence : Destiny - David R. Palmer
Emergence : Portents - David R. Palmer
Emergence : Revelation - David R. Palmer
Emergence : Finale - David R. Palmer
Emergence : Epilogue - David R. Palmer

Homo post hominem, post holocaust historian hopeful of hookup.

5 out of 5

Superhuman hunt, plus one parrot. Some surgery required.

5 out of 5

Finding a super boyfriend.

4 out of 5

Teacher flying contrail reunion doomsday reckoning.

3.5 out of 5

Parrot fast link search.

3.5 out of 5

Plucky Girl Savior Of Our People neckbreaker.

4 out of 5

Little kid Candy rescue view.

3.5 out of 5

Busted up recovery bear boy addition.

3.5 out of 5

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2008/12... ( )

A fixup collection telling the story of a more than human young girl, who is extremely intelligent and a martial arts prodigy with the ability to perform very short burst like superhuman physicl feats. Her father is a scientist, tasked with working on some serious problems and is called away to Washington. That is when everything goes pearshaped, as a disease wipes out most of the population, leaving Candy stranded on her own, apart from her parrot, Terry.

Provision having been made for an emergency situation she is able to stay safe at home for a while, but eventually realises she has to venture outside sometime, and decides to go exploring, to see what the hell has happened, and h opefully to find more of those like her still liave.

Told in an extremely entertaining quirky style as though the girl is reading her own shorthand journal entries, this is a great book.

The first half is superior, as some of the later stories are told from the point of view of other characters, and while the pacing and tone is similar, the voice of these just introduced supporting players isn't as fun after you have been used to riding along with Candy.

There's a serialised in Analog sequel which is just as good, too.

Emergence : Emergence - David R. Palmer
Emergence : Seeking - David R. Palmer
Emergence : Quest - David R. Palmer
Emergence : Destiny - David R. Palmer
Emergence : Portents - David R. Palmer
Emergence : Revelation - David R. Palmer
Emergence : Finale - David R. Palmer
Emergence : Epilogue - David R. Palmer

Homo post hominem, post holocaust historian hopeful of hookup.

5 out of 5

Superhuman hunt, plus one parrot. Some surgery required.

5 out of 5

Finding a super boyfriend.

4 out of 5

Teacher flying contrail reunion doomsday reckoning.

3.5 out of 5

Parrot fast link search.

3.5 out of 5

Plucky Girl Savior Of Our People neckbreaker.

4 out of 5

Little kid Candy rescue view.

3.5 out of 5

Busted up recovery bear boy addition.

3.5 out of 5

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2008/12... ( )

An incredibly gifted 11-year-old, Candy Smith-Foster, is left home alone when her adoptive-dad is called to Washington, and just happens to be investigating the enormous library in their newly revealed emergency shelter when a bio-nuclear war breaks out. Fortunately, dad was exceedingly well-connected (and financed!) and has fitted it out with all imaginable conveniences, and our plucky little heroine rides out the holocaust in safety and relative comfort - along with her "retarded, adoptive twin brother", Terry (a macaw) who was luckily with her at the time. She decides to keep a journal, for Posterity's sake, using Pittman shorthand (longhand being tedious & too time-consuming) - which accounts for the quirky narrative style of the book - and eventually emerges from her shelter into a world of devastation, and sets out on a quest for other survivors....

Obviously, this is no ordinary little girl - as is soon revealed as her fantastic adventures unfold - for Candy turns out to be a member of an advanced group of humans... A new stage in human evolution: Homo post hominem.

Although the stream-of-consciousness writing style may seem daunting at first, it's easy to get used to and contributes much towards the fast-paced and vivid story-telling. A thoroughly enjoyable read. ( )