What do you think?
Enka
Gaiya Peace is shattered by the arrival of sentient beings with awesome technology that desecrate the land and foul its waters. Armed only with her wits Enka must find some way to stop the invaders before her world is destroyed.
372 pages, Paperback
About the author
F. Douglas Forbes
1 book2 followersToday’s world seems to be evolving at the speed of the rockets that soon will take humans to Mars and beyond. Computers are surpassing their creators’ intelligence. Communications today bind humanity in an enormous web beyond the comprehension of many. We have a need for new paths to examine the potential of this explosive growth for both good and evil. I believe the surging genre of science fiction is one such path. Through it, we may hypothetically experience the effects and consequences of the perilous times we face.
I started my career designing electronic systems for satellites, military aircraft, communications equipment and toys for spies. Thus, I was immersed in technology as it reached critical mass. Since then I have been writing, advancing from short stories to novels having created five over the years. The literary world has changed with the rise of Amazon and we now have a society where authors and their readership critique the works of writers as opposed to being dominated by traditional publishers.
In this new era, readers and novelists alike can exchange ideas and eventually become colleagues. Thus, I invite all to join the conversation. I welcome your comments and reviews and will strive to provide you with intelligent responses that pique your interest and enthusiasm.
I started my career designing electronic systems for satellites, military aircraft, communications equipment and toys for spies. Thus, I was immersed in technology as it reached critical mass. Since then I have been writing, advancing from short stories to novels having created five over the years. The literary world has changed with the rise of Amazon and we now have a society where authors and their readership critique the works of writers as opposed to being dominated by traditional publishers.
In this new era, readers and novelists alike can exchange ideas and eventually become colleagues. Thus, I invite all to join the conversation. I welcome your comments and reviews and will strive to provide you with intelligent responses that pique your interest and enthusiasm.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 22, 2020
I rarely read science fiction, but I’m so glad I picked this up. It was just the escape I needed during this time (coronavirus / quarantine). This is a rich story with all my favorite ingredients: an action-packed plot, a strong female protagonist, and themes on greed / capitalism, climate change, imperialism, and the interconnectedness of it all. The commentary on these themes is direct, which I found refreshing and enjoyable, but it may feel too “on the nose” for some. Minor spoilers below.
Forbes builds an immersive, new world for the reader called Elo, which resembles Earth in many ways, and opens the story through the perspective of a sentient native species, the Horahne. You come to know, love, and respect them, as you learn about their past mistakes with technology, their near destruction of their own habitat, and their ultimate decision to largely eliminate technology from their way of life, keeping only solar-powered “flyers” and placing weapons in the hands of a wise few who lived isolated in the mountains. They described the age of technology as, “a time of unlimited growth without concern for Elo.”
The action quickly picks up as they learn an alien species has landed on their planet—an alien species that never learned these lessons about the dangers of technology that they did (or didn’t care). The aliens ruined their home planet and are seeking to colonize a new one. They are soon revealed to be humans from our current earth. After centuries of unabated capitalism and greed, they depleted the earth’s resources, rendered the planet uninhabitable for humans, and are now searching for a place to repeat this process. The humans on the ship and in the compound are revealed to be the children of the rich capitalists who were behind earth’s demise (with the exception of a couple).
I’m intentionally leaving out a ton of details that make this all far more nuanced than it sounds.
The bulk of the book then follows the Horahne as they struggle to save Elo from the destructive ways of the humans.
This book asks us:
— Who are we to define sentience? To “play God” and determine who has a right to life and who doesn’t?
— How long can we continue with our current unsustainable ways of living?
— Will humanity be able to take the collective action it needs to take (like the Horahne did) to prevent the collapse of resources and biodiversity on our planet?
If you like thinking about these things, I highly suggest this book. 😊
Forbes builds an immersive, new world for the reader called Elo, which resembles Earth in many ways, and opens the story through the perspective of a sentient native species, the Horahne. You come to know, love, and respect them, as you learn about their past mistakes with technology, their near destruction of their own habitat, and their ultimate decision to largely eliminate technology from their way of life, keeping only solar-powered “flyers” and placing weapons in the hands of a wise few who lived isolated in the mountains. They described the age of technology as, “a time of unlimited growth without concern for Elo.”
The action quickly picks up as they learn an alien species has landed on their planet—an alien species that never learned these lessons about the dangers of technology that they did (or didn’t care). The aliens ruined their home planet and are seeking to colonize a new one. They are soon revealed to be humans from our current earth. After centuries of unabated capitalism and greed, they depleted the earth’s resources, rendered the planet uninhabitable for humans, and are now searching for a place to repeat this process. The humans on the ship and in the compound are revealed to be the children of the rich capitalists who were behind earth’s demise (with the exception of a couple).
I’m intentionally leaving out a ton of details that make this all far more nuanced than it sounds.
The bulk of the book then follows the Horahne as they struggle to save Elo from the destructive ways of the humans.
This book asks us:
— Who are we to define sentience? To “play God” and determine who has a right to life and who doesn’t?
— How long can we continue with our current unsustainable ways of living?
— Will humanity be able to take the collective action it needs to take (like the Horahne did) to prevent the collapse of resources and biodiversity on our planet?
If you like thinking about these things, I highly suggest this book. 😊
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2020
A timeless tale of love and loss, resilience and hope.
If you’re a fan of epic sci-fi and fantasy, this book’s for you. I fell instantly in love with Enka and her beloved planet in this exciting coming-of-age story about her struggle for survival. The world-building was completely immersive, and the characters rich and complex. An exciting and cinematic adventure displaying what strong females are capable of. In this story for the ages Forbes shows us the fine line between friend and foe and the heroes and villains inside all of us.
If you’re a fan of epic sci-fi and fantasy, this book’s for you. I fell instantly in love with Enka and her beloved planet in this exciting coming-of-age story about her struggle for survival. The world-building was completely immersive, and the characters rich and complex. An exciting and cinematic adventure displaying what strong females are capable of. In this story for the ages Forbes shows us the fine line between friend and foe and the heroes and villains inside all of us.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews