Taylor's Ark

Taylor's Ark #1

by Jody Lynn Nye

Dr. Shona Taylor--assisted by a menagerie of animal assistants, including a family of mine-canary mice and a pair of dwarf-eared rabbits--is determined to find the cure to a strange epidemic that is spreading from colony to colony in space. Reissue.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Space Opera, Animals, Dogs, Space

280 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 1993

About the author

Jody Lynn Nye lists her main career activity as ‘spoiling cats.’ When not engaged upon this worthy occupation, she writes fantasy and science fiction books and short stories.

Before breaking away from gainful employment to write full time, Jody worked as a file clerk, book-keeper at a small publishing house, freelance journalist and photographer, accounting assistant and costume maker.

For four years, she was on the technical operations staff of a local Chicago television station, WFBN (WGBO), serving the last year as Technical Operations Manager. During her time at WFBN, she was part of the engineering team that built the station, acted as Technical Director during live sports broadcasts, and worked to produce in-house spots and public service announcements.

Over the last twenty-five or so years, Jody has taught in numerous writing workshops and participated on hundreds of panels covering the subjects of writing and being published at science-fiction conventions. She has also spoken in schools and libraries around the north and northwest suburbs. In 2007 she taught fantasy writing at Columbia College Chicago. She also runs the two-day writers workshop at DragonCon, and is a judge for the Writers of the Future contest, the largest speculative fiction contest in the world.

Jody lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, with her husband Bill Fawcett, a writer, game designer, military historian and book packager, and three feline overlords, Athena, Minx, and Marmalade.

Reviews

[Joseph Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

SPOILERS:

I just finished this book. the characters really grew on me, i felt bad for Shona and Lani when tragedy struck, I liked Chirwl and his intellect but the ending wasnt very satisfying. Sure, the Antagonist was caught in the end, but there was so much buildup in the plot (with Wren killing Shonas baby, Veredad sabotaging Shonas good name by killing thousands of people to make a quick buck, etc) and it only took like 3 pages in the end to "wrap up" alot of the loose ends. It reminds me of a scooby doo ending. All this stuff happens, and in the end, the mask gets pulled off of the bad guy and everybody just waves their finger at him. Also, Wren is a sociopath that KILLED Shonas baby, and *POOF* shortly after that, Wren was never mentioned ever again. Personally, I wouldve loved to have read a chapter or 2 about Gershom figuring out what Wren did, huntimg him down and killing him. Fuck Wren.

Also, I agree with some of the other reviews. The title is very misleading. Does she have animals?yes. Do they contribute to the plot? Hardley. Bubonic Galaxy or something like that wouldve been a better name but all ranting aside, I really admited how the author used creative imagry to paint what was going on. Alot of what was happening was described in a very thorough way and I felt like I was right there. Maybe the next book in the series will dive in a little bit more about Wren, but as of right now, Im disapointed that Wrens character vanished from the story. Even if he is a complete asshole for what he did

[Brandie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. At times a bit of a slog but Jody Lynn Nye created some interesting worlds and created an interesting main character so you can't help be want to find out where it's going and what will happen.

Our MC, Shona Taylor, is a 26-year-old doctor currently assigned to performing physicals for colonists leaving Mars to head to their new colonies on newly discovered planets. Shona is planet-bound only because she is 5 months pregnant and wants to wait until the baby is born and a couple of years old before pursuing her dreams of traveling the stars with her trader husband and their child on their trading ship where she and her menagerie of enhanced animals can provide help throughout the universe wherever it is needed. But Mars has just enacted The Child Protect Act which prevents children and their parent or guardian (as well as pregnant mothers) from leaving Mars until the child is 18-years-old. But someone else has plans for Shona's future and they'll do anything to manipulate her and others to get what they want.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting premace, though I'm a little puzzled why the dog was mentioned as a vaccine factory if she was never put to that task during the entire book. Rabbits weren't used either, though the mice and cat were put to use. Anyway, a good enough story, a bit predictable once you got the hang of where the story was going, but a good read nonetheless. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes scifi with a bit of a mystery bend to it. Nice character development too, starting out with a young doctor who gets in over her head, then slowly (ever so slowly) begins to realize it's all a setup. Eventually, it all works out, and everyone is happy. Not a bad story overall, though I could have done with the doctor not being so trusting especially since she already knew the corporation had issues before she signed up, but such is life. I enjoyed it, and plan to hunt down the next ones in the series, and give those a look see as well.

[James Helferty · Rating 1 out of 5]

More about babies than pets

Maybe it goes somewhere eventually, but this is a tough start. In the first three chapters, for every sentence of actual action, the author parcels out three paragraphs of what I'll charitably call 'backstory'.

If you ignore all that, expect a story about a pregnant woman who wants to leave Mars before a law against taking babies off planet comes into effect, except that a controlling CEO wants to hire her at some point in the future, so said CEO hires goons to prevent her from leaving instead of, you know, offering her a retainer.

By this point I had gone beyond having lost all interest. The main character's name had already been misspelt by the author at least once. My trust is lost. I'm done.

[Janice Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're into villains and conspiracy stories you'll be intrigued by this one. We know from the start that a powerful, ruthless man has sent saboteurs and assassins to make sure Shona is recruited for their plot. Her still-born child, like so many victims, is just collateral damage, unimportant to the corporate bottom line. It takes a while to figure out the details as the good doctor does her best to save space colonies from mysterious plagues. It's obvious she and many others are in danger, but hard to know when it will show up and what form it will take. Very suspenseful.

Shona's companions, including her alien friend Chirwl, are delightful.

[Susanne Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was a part that I was very concerned would ruin the whole thing for me. I saw it coming, and I cringed. But it was well-done!

I wish the animals had played more roles, but I enjoyed this enough to put the second one on my "to buy" list! I like Nye's language and world development. The variations in colonies were well done.

I think the plot was a little jumpy in places and kind of went from 30 to 100 at the end. But it was an enjoyable read and you grow to care about Taylor and her menagerie!

I would have given it a 3.5 star rating, but whole numbers are all that's available.

[Jim Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very nice story. Good character development and quite frankly a good mystery also as the main character travels around the galaxy going to planets trying to save the peoples lives as she is a doctor.

[Pati Roberson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my more favorite authors.

[Clive Marner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-reading after more than twenty years, still a great space adventure. On to Medicine Show now 😎

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book I read several years ago, because Jody Lynn Nye had collaborated with Anne McCaffrey on some other books I enjoyed. It recently became available as an audiobook, so I decided to revisit the story. I was not disappointed the first read-through, or this first listen. In this space travel story, Dr Shona Taylor is assigned to settle human colonies to provide medical services. She is accompanied by a menagerie of animals that assist her in special ways. She also travels with an alien sentient species called an ottle who is very interested in philosophy. There is some mystery and tension introduced when it seems like Dr. Shona runs into bad luck when her latest visitations are marred by epidemic outbreaks that kill most or all of the colonists she is suppose to be helping.

The characters, both main and supporting, are well fleshed-out. The plot, while a little predictable, was still enjoyable. The narration by Tish Hicks was done very well, with enough vocal changes to distinguish between characters. She presented the characterizations of the people (and ottles) with just the right tone.

I think younger readers would enjoy this book for the space setting, and the animal interactions. Plus the ottles are pretty humorous.

[Beverly Diehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it many years ago, and recently re-read the series. It holds up well, although the villain is a bit obvious.

Trigger alert - the character undergoes a second trimester miscarriage, so this may be difficult for readers who have themselves experienced infant/pregnancy loss (though there is a happy ending, so it may also be empowering.)

I loved the whole concept of both married partners having careers, and the idea of using animals as partners to cure/prevent disease. I can also see how a corporation fixated on making profits could decimate one or more entire planets - aren't we seeing that today?

[Jay Goemmer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm sorry, but I gave up on this one at the end of Chapter 3. Taylor's Ark (1993) has a strong beginning, but quickly decayed into what appears to be a spy novel, with powerful people pulling strings behind the scenes.

Protagonist Shona Taylor is likable, tough, and sensitive, but since this is an election year, I just couldn't stand the arbitrary and unfair politics she was fighting against. That's just too close to life in the real world right now.

Maybe if I didn't hate the superficiality of politics so much, I could stand to slog through this book to get to the rest of the series.

Ms. Nye, I'm *so* sorry. (sad face)


02 Mar 2012

[Candice Kamencik · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really good. I was surprised with the depth of the story as it neared it's end. It as a good read throughout, but the skilled way the conclusion and hook was written really did it for me.

Super interesting premise overall, good characters too. I like the fact that the author could really establish good environments even though they changed each time they changed planets. It could have gotten repetitive quickly, but it did not.

I've read things from this author before, but this was definitively a good show of her skills!

[Kristen Sharpe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The back of the book synopsis and even the title is a bit misleading. Shona's animals don't play nearly as large a role in the plot as I would have expected. But, once it starts to build, the mystery behind the colony epidemics is far more interesting than the animals-as-doctors-assistants angle.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

[Ron Judenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

to-read