Kathryn Lance's Blog
January 14, 2016
The Pandora's Trilogy: Complete Box Set
Just want y'all to know about my newest book, The Pandora's Trilogy, which is a compilation of all three Pandora's books, plus a previously unpublished novella from the Pandora's world, AND FAQ's and Easter Eggs. It's a bargain at $6.99 on Kindle, less than the cost of two of the novels. Please--if you've been thinking about dipping into my series, download it now. I'll be saying more about it soon.
January 5, 2016
Pandora's Paperbacks and Box Set
I just wanted to let my friends and readers here on Goodreads know that new paperback editions are now available for all three of the Pandora's Books. They can be bought both at Amazon and through Createspace. Also, within the next two weeks (I hope) I will be bringing out an omnibus e-edition (also called "Box Set") of all three books in The Pandora's Trilogy with complete text for each book PLUS a special section of never-before-published material that explains how Zach and the Principal took over the District from the old President. Also included are FAQ's and a list of Easter Eggs. All this chewy post-apocalypse goodness will be on sale on Kindle at the special introductory price of $6.99.
February 20, 2015
Does Pandora's Promise Forecast Our Future?
Mind-reading elephants...Giant snakes devouring their worshipers...A love story of such intense passion, it outlasts the catastrophic wreckage of a frightening future society.
All this, and much more, is found in Pandora’s Promise, the just-released third novel in my “Pandora” trilogy, which began 30 years ago with "Pandora's Genes."
A catastrophic oil spill sets off my imagined dystopic future. The cleanup, using genetically altered bacteria, leads to the total destruction of modern technology. Experimental life forms escape from germ-warfare labs. Extinctions and mutations -- both plant and animal -- spread around the globe. Tattered remnants of civilization struggle to endure, as a new disease selectively kills women and threatens to exterminate the entire human race.
Throughout the trilogy, pro-science survivors scramble to save their world, fiercely opposed by forces of ignorance and religious fundamentalism. In the new Pandora’s Promise, the effects of galloping climate change compound the many perils originally posed by “The Change.” Yet now, as the story reaches its conclusion, an unexpected ray of hope can be seen, hinted at by the mysterious “Eye,” whose symbol beckons only those with sufficient wisdom.
On its original release in 1985, the first book in the trilogy, Pandora's Genes, received the “Best New Science Fiction Novel” award from Romantic Times, and was named to that year’s “Locus Recommended List.”
The first two books closely examined societies that develop disparate ways to deal with the lack of technology and the critical shortage of women. In the new book, readers encounter a cult of primitive snake-worshipers...villagers who re-enact ancient sporting events they have transformed into lethal struggles...and families of telepathic elephants, descendants of those that escaped from zoos, circuses, and animal refuges. These empathic elephant “Dream Tasters” eventually team up with the book’s main characters to offer wisdom and perspective, as the humans race to preserve what is left of civilization.
As with all my sf novels, I used my scientific background and research abilities to mingle a character-driven plot with fact-based action. I am a long-time member of Science Fiction Writers of America and the author of fifty other books, both fiction and nonfiction -- along with dozens of articles -- on science and technology, medicine, health and fitness, nutrition, consumerism, and lifestyles.
It’s hard to say what I like best about Pandora’s Promise, but probably most appealing to me is the story’s complicated love triangle, among a poet-warrior, a headstrong political leader, and a beautiful young scientist whose bravery is matched only by her brilliance. Of everything I have written, this is by far my favorite book. But I give full credit to my characters, who really wrote it for me. Once they came to life, they seemed to create the plot, their interactions, and the outcome. All I had to do was listen to them and write it down.
All this, and much more, is found in Pandora’s Promise, the just-released third novel in my “Pandora” trilogy, which began 30 years ago with "Pandora's Genes."
A catastrophic oil spill sets off my imagined dystopic future. The cleanup, using genetically altered bacteria, leads to the total destruction of modern technology. Experimental life forms escape from germ-warfare labs. Extinctions and mutations -- both plant and animal -- spread around the globe. Tattered remnants of civilization struggle to endure, as a new disease selectively kills women and threatens to exterminate the entire human race.
Throughout the trilogy, pro-science survivors scramble to save their world, fiercely opposed by forces of ignorance and religious fundamentalism. In the new Pandora’s Promise, the effects of galloping climate change compound the many perils originally posed by “The Change.” Yet now, as the story reaches its conclusion, an unexpected ray of hope can be seen, hinted at by the mysterious “Eye,” whose symbol beckons only those with sufficient wisdom.
On its original release in 1985, the first book in the trilogy, Pandora's Genes, received the “Best New Science Fiction Novel” award from Romantic Times, and was named to that year’s “Locus Recommended List.”
The first two books closely examined societies that develop disparate ways to deal with the lack of technology and the critical shortage of women. In the new book, readers encounter a cult of primitive snake-worshipers...villagers who re-enact ancient sporting events they have transformed into lethal struggles...and families of telepathic elephants, descendants of those that escaped from zoos, circuses, and animal refuges. These empathic elephant “Dream Tasters” eventually team up with the book’s main characters to offer wisdom and perspective, as the humans race to preserve what is left of civilization.
As with all my sf novels, I used my scientific background and research abilities to mingle a character-driven plot with fact-based action. I am a long-time member of Science Fiction Writers of America and the author of fifty other books, both fiction and nonfiction -- along with dozens of articles -- on science and technology, medicine, health and fitness, nutrition, consumerism, and lifestyles.
It’s hard to say what I like best about Pandora’s Promise, but probably most appealing to me is the story’s complicated love triangle, among a poet-warrior, a headstrong political leader, and a beautiful young scientist whose bravery is matched only by her brilliance. Of everything I have written, this is by far my favorite book. But I give full credit to my characters, who really wrote it for me. Once they came to life, they seemed to create the plot, their interactions, and the outcome. All I had to do was listen to them and write it down.
June 12, 2011
Review of The Left-Handed Dollar
The Left-handed Dollar by Loren D. EstlemanI finally finished reading it! No fault of the book--just not much time to read novels. I have followed Amos Walker through all twenty of his adventures. This is not one of the best, but it's still way better than the best of most other hard-boiled mystery writers. No matter what anybody tells you, believe me that Estleman is the TRUE heir to Raymond Chandler. He's a wonderful writer. Even when the story is hard to follow, which it often is in this series, I have to keep reading for the great dialogue and turns of phrase. A random example from late in the book:
[Walker, in his car, is having a cellphone conversation with someone he doesn't wish to coverse with at this time] "I'm--" I tuned into my favorite all-static station on the radio, held the phone to the speaker, thumped it a couple of times on the dash for good measure, then snapped it shut and turned it off. I could kick myself for all the years I'd wasted resisting wireless technology.
If you're already a fan, get "The Left-Handed Dollar." If you haven't yet had the very great pleasure of reading the Amos Walker books, get something earlier in the series and prepare to become hooked.
View all my reviews
April 21, 2011
Welcome to me!
I'm glad to be on Goodreads. I was very pleased to see that many of my books are listed here, including several written under my pseudonym of Lynn Beach. I hope to make contact with readers and gain inspiration to continue putting old work up online and create new work. Please say hi, and if you have any questions I will do my best to answer them.
