Serpent's Blood

Genesys #1

by Brian M. Stableford

1995 1st UK Ed Legend Books

Genres: Fantasy

480 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Brian Michael Stableford was a British science fiction writer who published more than 70 novels. His earlier books were published under the name Brian M. Stableford, but more recent ones have dropped the middle initial and appeared under the name Brian Stableford. He also used the pseudonym Brian Craig for a couple of very early works, and again for a few more recent works. The pseudonym derives from the first names of himself and of a school friend from the 1960s, Craig A. Mackintosh, with whom he jointly published some very early work.

Reviews

[Elana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am rearranging my SF library and this gives me an excuse to go over some of the books whose covers are so familiar I feel like I've read them - even though I have not. This is one of them. I liked Stableford's earlier series - the "Hooded Swan" and the "Daedalus" from the 70s and 80s - because they reflect his biological training and I love nothing better than alien ecosystems and strange creatures that are more than just a reflection of the author's fear of cockroaches. Recently, however, Stableford has turned himself into a one-person publishing house specializing in obscure 19th century fantasy, which is very useful but not always entertaining. So I decided to give a try to his 1995 Genesys series and I was not disappointed. Half of the book is heavy plodding, with various unpleasant and/or uninteresting characters subjected to assorted misfortunes. But once they survive and get to meet aliens, the book picks up both speed and excitement. The description of the alien "dragomite" nest is one of the best I've ever read; and there is a biological mystery to lure me on to the next installment. If you want to meet some truly interesting monsters, this is for you!

[Kevin Phyland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complete with dissolute kings, reluctant princesses, witch-queens, giants and non-human monsters we are tempted to think this book is simple high fantasy quest fare, but we have been cleverly deceived. Instead, Brian Stableford has crafted a wonderful science fiction adventure tale where all the fantasy trappings are explained as the story unfolds. Andris has the misfortune to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and is imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, but just before he is about to be freed into the malevolent care of the witch-apprentice Princess Lucrezia (who plans an horrific experiment for him) he is sprung from prison as part of a mass escape to confuse the guards while a huge treasury heist takes place. Hunted now, Andris joins with the thief and others in an exploratory mission to unknown regions where Serpents, Salamanders and other supposedly mythical creatures dwell. The clues are dropped now and then: 40 hr. days; 550-day years; medical knowledge passed down from a mythical spaceship - all implying that the planet was settled by humans from another world, and there may even have been genetic alterations. First book of Genesys trilogy. A measured but riveting tale!