Jack the Bodiless

10/10
What a unique book—a survival story (really, two of them—Rogi and Teresa in the wilderness and then Jack after his birth), but also the stories of the seeds of rebellion, the diabolical plots of the murderous Hydra and Fury, and the politics of bringing the human of Earth into the Galactic Milieu. Can’t wait to continue this series!

A complex, richly detailed bit of hard science fiction. The reader must be engaged; no skimming allowed. Occasional flights of metaphysical fancy are anchored by the earthy narrator. Saying it's about faith, politics, and humanity's peculiar condition is like saying a Ferrari is about a fuel injected engine.

The first book of this series takes us back before the events of the Pliocene Exile - sort of. Before the gate was opened to the Pliocene, in the near future of Earth, we have recently been discovered by aliens, and humanity is discovering its great mental powers. Among the greatest of those are the Remillard family. A great story, great characters, and excellent prequel series that stands on its own. The bookseller with the Maine Coon cat has always stood out in my memory.

A phenomenal series set in a future where humanity has developed psychic abilities. The Galactic Milieu has invited humanity to join their alliance, but we must prove ourselves first. One of the restriction placed on us, we must get a license to reproduce. Jack's mother defies that ban, and gives birth to him despite the genetic disease that is destined to destroy his body. But, his mind doesn't need his body to exist. An astonishing science fiction epic. A travesty thsi is out of print.

I very much enjoyed May's breakout series, The Saga of Pliocene Exile. However, I found the subsequent works, which are basically filling in the back story to the saga, to be rather straightforward "good vs evil" tales, about the multifarious branches of the Remillard family. The first sequel books, about the Intervention, were like that, and this newer series, about the Galactic Milieu, is the same at least based on my reading of the first book in the trilogy. I won't be bothering with the rest of the Milieu trilogy.

This pilocene series is an outstanding work of fiction and this the prelude to that series, (although it can also be thought of as a continuation due to the nature of events) sees rogi remillard called upon to help the remillard clan once again. julian may is a very perceptive writer and given half the chance the reader will miss the subtlety of the plot, the implication of any given scenario or the elegance in mundane situations. (Possible spoiler) the latter is best seen when jack (a few days old) is telepathically talking to rogi (his great grand uncle) and interrupts him to announce he's going to cry, explaining he hasn't managed to control this biological imperative. In reading this series it probably best to start with the show more pliocene series then intervention and then this book and the two which follow it. show less

This takes place in the not-so-distant future after the "exotics" have intervened on Earth. It follows the fates of the Remillard family...up to a certain point: it is a triology...and how they became a "Dynasty." While it is an interesting enough story, there are inconsistencies that I'm sure are addressed in the other two books.

Divides humanity into the "normals," without metapsychic powers, and the "operants," those with. There is also a unification theme that is somewhat hazy. I'll keep reading.