The Silver Ship and the Sea

Interesting look at integration within a culture. Humanity has left earth using genetic modification to improve themselves along the way. Not everybody was convinced and a small(ish) population founded their own colony on a distant young plant. Still tectonically active but with lush biome, just living is a challenge. Technology fades and the old skills are lost, while new traditions emerge. And then the humans land again, an even smaller outpost of Altered. Peace lasts for a while but the old tensions resume and against terrible odds eventually the baseline humans win a last throw of the dice and the 'invaders' are driven off. Leaving behind six orphan children only a few years old. Morally weary of killing the townspeople agree to show more adopt them, after all how different could they be.

The story picks up when the children are just a year or so short of their majority and coming into their powers. Although they still look 'normal' (unlike some of the adapted), they are inherently stronger, and faster, and heal more quickly. And then they can integrate into the data nets without devices and who knows what else. But even so, they've spent more than ten years being loved, or at least tolerated. And they do help around the colony and don't flaunt their differences. Until and earthquake threatens the town, and they find one of their brethren isn't being treated so kindly. Now every one has to choose.

Really believable characters, a mix of those who can accept and move on, and those who remember the past and fear the worst. I wasn't totally convinced by all the technology, some of it seemed more advanced than the rest of the colony was prepared to use. But the world and the nicely envisioned wider universe was cleverly constructed.

Enjoyable. A hook was left for further tales, but perhaps it's complete as it is. I would like to see other stories in this universe, even if it's new characters and situations. show less

(Amy) This book made me think, which is one of the prime virtues of SF in general, I think. Its premise: A planet is colonized by some fairly back-to-basics types, who are fleeing the march of technology in the greater galaxy. A few generations later, another pair of colony ships arrive, this time filled with people who were rather less anti-tech, and were therefore "altered", to use the book's term, in assorted ways. (Apparently, bureaucratic paperwork-losing is not something that has been solved in this future, as the second lot didn't know the first lot was there.)

This did not go well, and indeed led to a fairly nasty war. The war ends when the surviving altered people load into one of their ships and bugger off, but they've left show more behind six children, who, being specially tailored to conditions their parents found on this planet, then grow up as outcasts of one degree or another in the other society. The book opens some years later, when the children are nearly grown up.

As a depiction of one possible outcome of non-ubiquitous transhumanism, the story certainly does point up some possible failure modes, and illustrates some potential social issues that may need to be overcome, when we get around to upgrading ourselves en masse. I found it very interesting on this level, and a fairly compelling story in its own right. Recommended.
( http://weblog.siliconcerebrate.com/zenos-library/2009/04/the_silver_ship_and_the... ) show less

Like Flight by Sherman Alexie, this is another one of the quintessential YA books that for some unknown reason is published as an adult title. This book can be read as an allegory for teen life in the U.S. We pretend to love our teens, but only when they are thousands of miles away, fighting wars. Teens are stronger than we are and soon they will be taking control and that scares the living bejeezus out of us. Teens are also often impulsive and they still do knuckleheaded things. Teens need us—even when we don't trust them and don't respect them as we should. Teens take tremendous solace in the adults who do those simple things, like smiling or offering that kind word before advice. The Silver Ship and the Sea has this story down! The show more structure reminds us of books like Pilgrim’s Progress: Chelo is the peacemaker, Joseph is the brains, Brian is the brawn, etc. Together these teens (or this composite teen) deal with how they are supposed to fit in a troubled world not of their making. How they are supposed to maintain a place within the social structure when the social structure is unwelcoming, condescending, and even destructive? These five genetically altered teens are looked upon with fear and even loathing, despite all that they do to maintain the colony. Now there is renewed interest in ridding society of people like them. The problems with the novel are minor in comparison to its strengths. It does start slowly. The adventure is there. The political and social intrigue are EXACTLY teen. The ending is perfect, filled with all the love and uncertainty that comes from making our own place in a troubled world. Perfect for that high school student who loves science fiction and loves predicting the future of current computer technology. show less

Fremont is a colonized planet, a dangerous planet that always hides predators behind its wildness. Chelo is one of the six altered humans left on this planet - but none of her community of first colonists trust her at all.

I didn't like this book because it didn't feel real. It was just too hard to immerse myself into this world, into this plot, into the characters. None of the dialogue rang true to me. The interactions felt fake and I didn't believe the colonists's hatred towards these six children. I think a lot of the problem was that the whole book was written in Chelo's perspective as first person, but we still somehow were able to know what other people felt and thought. And I just don't trust the narrator to tell me what other show more people are thinking. It all felt forced.

The world-building... it was a good attempt. But the world didn't really interest me. It wasn't radically different, it wasn't that dangerous to be honest (despite what the book summary promised).

Randomly picked up this book at the library because the summary looked interesting, but honestly, I just didn't care about anything in this book.

One star because I didn't want to read it, even after powering through more than 80 pages and skimming through the rest of the book.
Not recommended for anyone. show less

The emphasis is all on the central character and her friends, and how they fit in (or don't) with the world around them. It's mostly about relationships, with the action a minor throw in here and there.
Think Anne McCaffery with a somewhat harder sci-fi background setting.

Other reviews mention it's hard to figure out the motivations of some of the characters. To me that's actually a plus. It puts you in the main character, trying to figure out the best thing to do.

It didn't thrill me, but I didn't hate it either, and the premise has lots of promise. It might have tipped into a four star if it wasn't such an obvious lead in for a series. It just barely stands alone.

All in all, a quick, OK read.

Fremont is a colonized planet, a dangerous planet that always hides predators behind its wildness. Chelo is one of the six altered humans left on this planet - but none of her community of first colonists trust her at all.

I didn't like this book because it didn't feel real. It was just too hard to immerse myself into this world, into this plot, into the characters. None of the dialogue rang true to me. The interactions felt fake and I didn't believe the colonists's hatred towards these six children. I think a lot of the problem was that the whole book was written in Chelo's perspective as first person, but we still somehow were able to know what other people felt and thought. And I just don't trust the narrator to tell me what other show more people are thinking. It all felt forced.

The world-building... it was a good attempt. But the world didn't really interest me. It wasn't radically different, it wasn't that dangerous to be honest (despite what the book summary promised).

Randomly picked up this book at the library because the summary looked interesting, but honestly, I just didn't care about anything in this book.

One star because I didn't want to read it, even after powering through more than 80 pages and skimming through the rest of the book.
Not recommended for anyone. show less

Fremont is a colony planet, founded by a group of people who do not believe in genetic modification of humans. But, another group of colonists, greatly modified arrives to settle. Following a war, 6 modified infants are left behind. Are they orphans to be adopted, or prisoners of war with frightening capabilities?