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Yesterday's Kin Trilogy #1
Tomorrow's Kin
Tomorrow's Kin is the first volume in a hard science fiction trilogy by Nancy Kress based on the Nebula Award-winning Yesterday's Kin.
The aliens have arrived... they've landed their Embassy ship on a platform in New York Harbor, and will only speak with the United Nations. They say that their world is so different from Earth, in terms of gravity and atmosphere, that they cannot leave their ship. The population of Earth has erupted in fear and speculation.
One day Dr. Marianne Jenner, an obscure scientist working with the human genome, receives an invitation that she cannot refuse. The Secret Service arrives at her college to escort her to New York, for she has been invited, along with the Secretary General of the UN and a few other ambassadors, to visit the alien Embassy.
The truth is about to be revealed. Earth's most elite scientists have ten months to prevent a disaster--and not everyone is willing to wait.
The aliens have arrived... they've landed their Embassy ship on a platform in New York Harbor, and will only speak with the United Nations. They say that their world is so different from Earth, in terms of gravity and atmosphere, that they cannot leave their ship. The population of Earth has erupted in fear and speculation.
One day Dr. Marianne Jenner, an obscure scientist working with the human genome, receives an invitation that she cannot refuse. The Secret Service arrives at her college to escort her to New York, for she has been invited, along with the Secretary General of the UN and a few other ambassadors, to visit the alien Embassy.
The truth is about to be revealed. Earth's most elite scientists have ten months to prevent a disaster--and not everyone is willing to wait.
368 pages, Paperback
First published July 11, 2017
286 people are currently reading
1904 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Kress
452 books904 followersNancy Kress is an American science fiction writer. She began writing in 1976 but has achieved her greatest notice since the publication of her Hugo and Nebula-winning 1991 novella
Beggars in Spain
which was later expanded into a novel with the same title. In addition to her novels, Kress has written numerous short stories and is a regular columnist for Writer's Digest. She is a regular at Clarion writing workshops and at The Writers Center in Bethesda, Maryland. During the Winter of 2008/09, Nancy Kress is the Picador Guest Professor for Literature at the University of Leipzig's Institute for American Studies in Leipzig, Germany.
Excerpted from Wikipedia.
Excerpted from Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 298 reviews
July 8, 2017
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!
I've read a lot of Nancy Kress, going way back to the Eighties and Nineties when she was a regular in Asimov. I'll be honest and say that I was amazed by her debut novels. Some of the later ones, though? Not so much. I know that this novel isn't going to get a super-glowing review, but I can tell you that it's solid novel. Very solid.
As with a lot of Kress, we get a lot of single or at most dual high-science concepts taken all the way as the grand arc for a novel, and this one is no different. In this case, were talking about the global effects of an invasive species in an ecological System, only we see it from the actions of an alien first-contact scenario and focus more on the subtle effects rather than an in-your-face action sequence that dominates most stories.
I appreciate that a lot.
It's thoughtful, personal, and because of the nature of the theme, usually only obvious long after the initial contact is done and done. That's not to say the effects aren't long lasting... because they are. And in a very real way, it's very dangerous and even possibly catastrophic.
This is just assuming that all parties involved, I.E., both humans and aliens, enter into some sort of dialog or transaction with the highest possible motives!
I think that's Kress's main strength. People are generally rational and even when everyone is doing their best on either side of a huge (or small) genetic gap, unintended consequences always can ruin your day. :)
For everyone else just wanting to know what they can expect, science-wise? Genetics, a bit of cool physics, Systems Theory, and a lot more than a hint of species-change. :) And there are a few cool surprises and scary points, too, with action and explosions, but this is NOT the coolest part of the novel. The coolest part is how down-to-earth it is and how much good science is explored in a really fascinating way. :)
I'm looking forward to any sequels to this. It's so nice to see rational people struggle and eventually succeed in good stories. We all know how often the other sort tends to dominate the hero business.
I've read a lot of Nancy Kress, going way back to the Eighties and Nineties when she was a regular in Asimov. I'll be honest and say that I was amazed by her debut novels. Some of the later ones, though? Not so much. I know that this novel isn't going to get a super-glowing review, but I can tell you that it's solid novel. Very solid.
As with a lot of Kress, we get a lot of single or at most dual high-science concepts taken all the way as the grand arc for a novel, and this one is no different. In this case, were talking about the global effects of an invasive species in an ecological System, only we see it from the actions of an alien first-contact scenario and focus more on the subtle effects rather than an in-your-face action sequence that dominates most stories.
I appreciate that a lot.
It's thoughtful, personal, and because of the nature of the theme, usually only obvious long after the initial contact is done and done. That's not to say the effects aren't long lasting... because they are. And in a very real way, it's very dangerous and even possibly catastrophic.
This is just assuming that all parties involved, I.E., both humans and aliens, enter into some sort of dialog or transaction with the highest possible motives!
I think that's Kress's main strength. People are generally rational and even when everyone is doing their best on either side of a huge (or small) genetic gap, unintended consequences always can ruin your day. :)
For everyone else just wanting to know what they can expect, science-wise? Genetics, a bit of cool physics, Systems Theory, and a lot more than a hint of species-change. :) And there are a few cool surprises and scary points, too, with action and explosions, but this is NOT the coolest part of the novel. The coolest part is how down-to-earth it is and how much good science is explored in a really fascinating way. :)
I'm looking forward to any sequels to this. It's so nice to see rational people struggle and eventually succeed in good stories. We all know how often the other sort tends to dominate the hero business.
December 31, 2017
Tomorrow’s Kin is Kress’ expansion of her award-winning novella Yesterday’s Kin. The plot is a first contact/soft invasion story, in which aliens come to earth to warn humanity of an impending disaster and to help us develop the technology to stop it. There is a catch, of course (no spoilers here), that calls into question the aliens’ motives for helping us (or possibly, questions whether they are here to help us at all).
The premise of Tomorrow’s Kin is a strong one – worthy of Arthur C. Clarke – and Kress, being the kind of writer who likes to put the science in science fiction, puts it to good use. The human story is where the novel falters: Kress builds a drama of family conflict around her setup, one full of clichés and obvious moments. It seems like her primary tool for padding the story to novel length, and big chunks of it are a slog to get through. There is some good stuff here for hard SF fans, but it has limited appeal overall.
The premise of Tomorrow’s Kin is a strong one – worthy of Arthur C. Clarke – and Kress, being the kind of writer who likes to put the science in science fiction, puts it to good use. The human story is where the novel falters: Kress builds a drama of family conflict around her setup, one full of clichés and obvious moments. It seems like her primary tool for padding the story to novel length, and big chunks of it are a slog to get through. There is some good stuff here for hard SF fans, but it has limited appeal overall.
August 7, 2017
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/08/05/...
I’m always up for a good tale of alien first contact, and Tomorrow’s Kin definitely fit the bill. Expanding upon the author’s Nebula Award-winning novella Yesterday’s Kin, this book is told in multiple sections, first chronicling the arrival of the extra-terrestrials before exploring the far-reaching repercussions in the latter parts of the novel.
It is New York City, sometime in the near future. Humanity now knows for certain they are not alone in universe. When the “Debnebs” first arrived, people were scared—understandably. But as time passed and the aliens proved themselves to be peaceful, life on Earth returned to relative normalcy. The visitors even had their Embassy ship parked on a platform in the middle of New York Harbor, even though pretty much everything about them still remains a great mystery. At first, they would only speak to the United Nations, claiming that their physiologies were too different to withstand Earth’s atmosphere and thus they must stay on their ship. No one has any idea what they look like, or what they want. But suddenly, two months later, they are finally ready to talk.
For Dr. Marianne Jenner, the invitation to the Debneb Embassy comes as one of the biggest surprises of her life. After all, she’s just a human genome scientist, working on an esoteric project involving the mapping of mitochondrial DNA. For some reason though, the aliens want to talk to her about the latest research paper, in which she detailed her identification of a new mtDNA haplogroup. Marianne is baffled as to why the Debnebs would be interested in singling her out to discuss her work—that is, until she gets the chance to meet one of them for the very first time. Having seen a Debneb with her very own eyes, Marianne now knows why the aliens desperately need Earth’s help, but time is running out even with humanity’s most brilliant minds working together to tackle the problem.
Before I go further in review, I must warn that Tomorrow’s Kin is not like most first contact narratives. If you simply want your aliens and not much else, then I’m afraid this might not be the book for you, because the Debnebs really only play a major role in the first part of the story (which I believe was the originally novella). The themes involved are also not the ones you’d typically expect from a novel about aliens, focusing instead on topics that run the gamut from environmental issues to foreign policy, which gives rise to plenty of potential for debate. Then, of course, there’s the science, spanning multiple subjects across fields like human genetics, ecology studies, astrophysics, and more. Needless to say, it would be impossible to read this book and fail to appreciate the amount of research that was put into its ideas, and the even more impressive is the way Kress managed to juggle all this information without resorting to awkward info-dumping or worse, derailing her plot.
Still, if you ask me, the best thing about this book is the emphasis on the theme of family. As its title suggests, this novel explores the deeper meanings and roles of kinship, and how those ideas might be perceived by an alien race whose concept of family differs vastly from ours. Following this thread, the story also allows us to get to know Dr. Marianne Jenner and discover her own family ties, examining the web of complex relationships between three generations over a number of years. As well, it’s rare these days to read a book starring middle-aged characters, and rarer still when the main protagonist is a parent of adult children and is even a grandmother. Personally, I found Marianne fascinating. Her relationship with her three children—who hold very different ideological views—forms the very core of Tomorrow’s Kin, influencing the decisions of many of the characters.
I also must admit, this was a difficult review to write. So much of the story—and by extension, a lot of what I want to say about what I thought of it—is affected by a huge revelation near the beginning of the book. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ve been deliberately vague, trying to dance around that major plot development. Suffice to say though, Tomorrow’s Kin is tightly plotted and well-written, combining imaginative yet believable elements of science fiction with relevant and thought-provoking issues. The story remained engaging even as it constantly evolved, moving from one stage of the novel to the next, filling me with confidence that the next installment will bring us even more exciting and imaginative developments. I’m looking forward to continuing this series.
I’m always up for a good tale of alien first contact, and Tomorrow’s Kin definitely fit the bill. Expanding upon the author’s Nebula Award-winning novella Yesterday’s Kin, this book is told in multiple sections, first chronicling the arrival of the extra-terrestrials before exploring the far-reaching repercussions in the latter parts of the novel.
It is New York City, sometime in the near future. Humanity now knows for certain they are not alone in universe. When the “Debnebs” first arrived, people were scared—understandably. But as time passed and the aliens proved themselves to be peaceful, life on Earth returned to relative normalcy. The visitors even had their Embassy ship parked on a platform in the middle of New York Harbor, even though pretty much everything about them still remains a great mystery. At first, they would only speak to the United Nations, claiming that their physiologies were too different to withstand Earth’s atmosphere and thus they must stay on their ship. No one has any idea what they look like, or what they want. But suddenly, two months later, they are finally ready to talk.
For Dr. Marianne Jenner, the invitation to the Debneb Embassy comes as one of the biggest surprises of her life. After all, she’s just a human genome scientist, working on an esoteric project involving the mapping of mitochondrial DNA. For some reason though, the aliens want to talk to her about the latest research paper, in which she detailed her identification of a new mtDNA haplogroup. Marianne is baffled as to why the Debnebs would be interested in singling her out to discuss her work—that is, until she gets the chance to meet one of them for the very first time. Having seen a Debneb with her very own eyes, Marianne now knows why the aliens desperately need Earth’s help, but time is running out even with humanity’s most brilliant minds working together to tackle the problem.
Before I go further in review, I must warn that Tomorrow’s Kin is not like most first contact narratives. If you simply want your aliens and not much else, then I’m afraid this might not be the book for you, because the Debnebs really only play a major role in the first part of the story (which I believe was the originally novella). The themes involved are also not the ones you’d typically expect from a novel about aliens, focusing instead on topics that run the gamut from environmental issues to foreign policy, which gives rise to plenty of potential for debate. Then, of course, there’s the science, spanning multiple subjects across fields like human genetics, ecology studies, astrophysics, and more. Needless to say, it would be impossible to read this book and fail to appreciate the amount of research that was put into its ideas, and the even more impressive is the way Kress managed to juggle all this information without resorting to awkward info-dumping or worse, derailing her plot.
Still, if you ask me, the best thing about this book is the emphasis on the theme of family. As its title suggests, this novel explores the deeper meanings and roles of kinship, and how those ideas might be perceived by an alien race whose concept of family differs vastly from ours. Following this thread, the story also allows us to get to know Dr. Marianne Jenner and discover her own family ties, examining the web of complex relationships between three generations over a number of years. As well, it’s rare these days to read a book starring middle-aged characters, and rarer still when the main protagonist is a parent of adult children and is even a grandmother. Personally, I found Marianne fascinating. Her relationship with her three children—who hold very different ideological views—forms the very core of Tomorrow’s Kin, influencing the decisions of many of the characters.
I also must admit, this was a difficult review to write. So much of the story—and by extension, a lot of what I want to say about what I thought of it—is affected by a huge revelation near the beginning of the book. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ve been deliberately vague, trying to dance around that major plot development. Suffice to say though, Tomorrow’s Kin is tightly plotted and well-written, combining imaginative yet believable elements of science fiction with relevant and thought-provoking issues. The story remained engaging even as it constantly evolved, moving from one stage of the novel to the next, filling me with confidence that the next installment will bring us even more exciting and imaginative developments. I’m looking forward to continuing this series.
June 25, 2017
Aliens have landed on Earth and stationed their ship at the New York Harbor. They've communicated that their own world is very different from Earth and they cannot leave their ship but are willing to talk with the United Nations about their arrival. This is of course causing a bit of fear and panic among citizens wanting to know more and why the aliens are here.
Dr. Marianne Jenner had made a discovery that got her name on the map but while attending a faculty event someone arrives stating that she has been requested to accompany them to New York. After arriving Marianne finds herself among other elite scientists with the dilemma of solving a scientific discovery with a countdown of ten months until all of Earth will be in danger.
Tomorrow's Kin is the first book of the Yesterday's Kin Trilogy by Nancy Kress. First I will admit sci-fi is not a top genre for me so I always find reading them that it's a bit iffy as to whether I'll enjoy a book or not. With this particular book I found the story involved to be an interesting one and wanted to give it a try.
For me though this story was entertaining enough plot wise that I wanted to know what would happen but I wasn't a huge fan of the way it's executed overall. I knew there was a countdown which made a big part of the story but what we have is some really quick time jumps which leaves me a bit disconnected to the characters. All in all by the end years have gone by and while it's interesting what is going on I can't say I wouldn't have liked more depth to get more hooked into the book.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Dr. Marianne Jenner had made a discovery that got her name on the map but while attending a faculty event someone arrives stating that she has been requested to accompany them to New York. After arriving Marianne finds herself among other elite scientists with the dilemma of solving a scientific discovery with a countdown of ten months until all of Earth will be in danger.
Tomorrow's Kin is the first book of the Yesterday's Kin Trilogy by Nancy Kress. First I will admit sci-fi is not a top genre for me so I always find reading them that it's a bit iffy as to whether I'll enjoy a book or not. With this particular book I found the story involved to be an interesting one and wanted to give it a try.
For me though this story was entertaining enough plot wise that I wanted to know what would happen but I wasn't a huge fan of the way it's executed overall. I knew there was a countdown which made a big part of the story but what we have is some really quick time jumps which leaves me a bit disconnected to the characters. All in all by the end years have gone by and while it's interesting what is going on I can't say I wouldn't have liked more depth to get more hooked into the book.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
July 7, 2017
So, this is more of a 2.5. From my column:
Tomorrow’s Kin, by Nancy Kress, starts off with a strong, intriguing angle. Theoretical geneticist Dr. Marianne Jenner makes a seemingly minor discovery that catches the interest of aliens camping out in New York. They inform her that she and a team of human scientists will be crucial in preventing a disaster in 10 months that could end humanity. The first half of the book swells with promise and interesting ideas, but by the middle, it grows soggy with sappy characterizations. It also features a cringe-inducing stereotype of a loud black woman: Sissy, Marianne’s assistant, with “frizzy curls.” (NOTE: This is not how one would describe natural, kinky hair unless you have never known a black person). Sissy didn’t understand how bad her college was until she went to fancy colleges with Marianne; she may not have book smarts, but she’s got sense! Kress’s novel, the first of a projected trilogy, is based on her Nebula Award-winning novella of the same name. It reads as breezily, and fans of aliens and first-contact stories may be compelled to pick up the second volume, forthcoming next spring.
SPOILER ALERT
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*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
So after reading her embarrassing characterization of Sissy (what kind of name is that?), I turned to my boyfriend and started reading passages so he could see how ridiculous it was. We were like she has never met a black person who isn't like, the cashier at her neighborhood store. Then I said, well she's probably going to die soon anyways so Marianne can feel sad for one minute.
She died like, 2 chapters later. And then Marianne got to sleep with Sissy's hot white boyfriend. It was really, really weird and uncomfortable. And to be fair, Sissy isn't the only person that dies. The only gay character, who also only served to make Marianne seem like a nice human, also dies violently. Basically, anytime Marianne thinks "wow, I care about this person as much as my children, they're my family now" they die. It's really sloppy, and weird because they were also her throw away diversity characters.
Tomorrow’s Kin, by Nancy Kress, starts off with a strong, intriguing angle. Theoretical geneticist Dr. Marianne Jenner makes a seemingly minor discovery that catches the interest of aliens camping out in New York. They inform her that she and a team of human scientists will be crucial in preventing a disaster in 10 months that could end humanity. The first half of the book swells with promise and interesting ideas, but by the middle, it grows soggy with sappy characterizations. It also features a cringe-inducing stereotype of a loud black woman: Sissy, Marianne’s assistant, with “frizzy curls.” (NOTE: This is not how one would describe natural, kinky hair unless you have never known a black person). Sissy didn’t understand how bad her college was until she went to fancy colleges with Marianne; she may not have book smarts, but she’s got sense! Kress’s novel, the first of a projected trilogy, is based on her Nebula Award-winning novella of the same name. It reads as breezily, and fans of aliens and first-contact stories may be compelled to pick up the second volume, forthcoming next spring.
SPOILER ALERT
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
So after reading her embarrassing characterization of Sissy (what kind of name is that?), I turned to my boyfriend and started reading passages so he could see how ridiculous it was. We were like she has never met a black person who isn't like, the cashier at her neighborhood store. Then I said, well she's probably going to die soon anyways so Marianne can feel sad for one minute.
She died like, 2 chapters later. And then Marianne got to sleep with Sissy's hot white boyfriend. It was really, really weird and uncomfortable. And to be fair, Sissy isn't the only person that dies. The only gay character, who also only served to make Marianne seem like a nice human, also dies violently. Basically, anytime Marianne thinks "wow, I care about this person as much as my children, they're my family now" they die. It's really sloppy, and weird because they were also her throw away diversity characters.
July 29, 2017
Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.
Tomorrow’s Kin by Nancy Press is a first encounter science fiction story which expands on the author’s Nebula Award winning novella Yesterday’s Kin. While it has some explosive events and normal alien conspiracy elements to it, this story is more focused on its main character, Dr. Marianne Jenner, and the cutting-edge science at its heart.
Four months ago, an object heading toward Earth was discovered to be an alien spacecraft. Thankfully, the extraterrestrials were peaceful, placed their ship in orbit around the moon, and made contact with the United Nations to assure them of their peaceful mission. Eventually, the aliens received permission to launch a floating embassy in New York Harbor in exchange for sharing scientific data.
Since their landing on Earth, the aliens have remained apart from the world, communicating via electronic technology. But now they have requested a face-to-face meeting with a group of U.N. ambassadors and Dr. Julian Jenner, a little known geneticists.
From this setup, Nancy Kress tells a story focused on the global effects of the introduction of an invasive species on a planet. The scientific fields of both biology and genetics playing huge roles in the narrative; the author doing an outstanding job educating her readers about the important science at the heart of the story, yet never turning the tale into a dry scientific info dump.
The strength of the narrative is its main character Marianne Jenner: this fifty year old mother and soon-to-be grandmother an ordinary person. Certainly, she is a geneticists, who has made some important discoveries, but she still works at a second tier university, isn’t one of the rock stars of the scientific world, and lives a fairly normal life. No one would ever pick this lady out and label her a budding heroine. In fact, her relationship with her family and friends highlights how normal she really is, seemingly unsuited for aliens to ask to consult with her. And this “normalcy” is what grounds Tomorrow’s Kin, helps it maintain its focus as a story about humanity as opposed to a tale about science.
The main weakness here is the secondary characters; the most notable of which was Marianne’s assistant Sissy. None of these people really developed very much throughout their time in the narrative, remaining fairly static in their roles, and seemingly there only as a nod toward sci fi diversity. Personally, I felt a few strong supporting characters would have helped the story grow to be about more than just Marianne and her family.
With a plausible plot, understandable science, and a true-to-life main character, Tomorrow’s Kin is a very readable tale. Certainly, this will appeal more to readers who prefer there science fiction to be about real science, but with its simple prose and quick pacing, it is a tale I can see many sci fi fans enjoying.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
Tomorrow’s Kin by Nancy Press is a first encounter science fiction story which expands on the author’s Nebula Award winning novella Yesterday’s Kin. While it has some explosive events and normal alien conspiracy elements to it, this story is more focused on its main character, Dr. Marianne Jenner, and the cutting-edge science at its heart.
Four months ago, an object heading toward Earth was discovered to be an alien spacecraft. Thankfully, the extraterrestrials were peaceful, placed their ship in orbit around the moon, and made contact with the United Nations to assure them of their peaceful mission. Eventually, the aliens received permission to launch a floating embassy in New York Harbor in exchange for sharing scientific data.
Since their landing on Earth, the aliens have remained apart from the world, communicating via electronic technology. But now they have requested a face-to-face meeting with a group of U.N. ambassadors and Dr. Julian Jenner, a little known geneticists.
From this setup, Nancy Kress tells a story focused on the global effects of the introduction of an invasive species on a planet. The scientific fields of both biology and genetics playing huge roles in the narrative; the author doing an outstanding job educating her readers about the important science at the heart of the story, yet never turning the tale into a dry scientific info dump.
The strength of the narrative is its main character Marianne Jenner: this fifty year old mother and soon-to-be grandmother an ordinary person. Certainly, she is a geneticists, who has made some important discoveries, but she still works at a second tier university, isn’t one of the rock stars of the scientific world, and lives a fairly normal life. No one would ever pick this lady out and label her a budding heroine. In fact, her relationship with her family and friends highlights how normal she really is, seemingly unsuited for aliens to ask to consult with her. And this “normalcy” is what grounds Tomorrow’s Kin, helps it maintain its focus as a story about humanity as opposed to a tale about science.
The main weakness here is the secondary characters; the most notable of which was Marianne’s assistant Sissy. None of these people really developed very much throughout their time in the narrative, remaining fairly static in their roles, and seemingly there only as a nod toward sci fi diversity. Personally, I felt a few strong supporting characters would have helped the story grow to be about more than just Marianne and her family.
With a plausible plot, understandable science, and a true-to-life main character, Tomorrow’s Kin is a very readable tale. Certainly, this will appeal more to readers who prefer there science fiction to be about real science, but with its simple prose and quick pacing, it is a tale I can see many sci fi fans enjoying.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
March 9, 2021
This was sort of OK as it blended the problems of a global virus, an alien race related to humans, and climate change all in a strange potpourri. I was unable to fully connect with Madeline and her three kids (especially not Elizabeth but not the other two either). It was sort of Avatar in the Age of COVID. The plot was just ok and the tech was sort of interesting but not extravagant. I dunno, this one just didn't do it for me.
November 3, 2024
‘Tomorrow’s Kin’ by Nancy Kress, book 1 of the Yesterday’s Kin trilogy, is a solid science fiction novel of some hard science and extrapolated speculation! I enjoyed it and intend to read the rest of the trilogy.
I have copied the book blurb below:
”Tomorrow's Kin is the first volume in and all new hard SF trilogy by Nancy Kress based on the Nebula Award-winning Yesterday's Kin.
The aliens have arrived... they've landed their Embassy ship on a platform in New York Harbor, and will only speak with the United Nations. They say that their world is so different from Earth, in terms of gravity and atmosphere, that they cannot leave their ship. The population of Earth has erupted in fear and speculation.
One day Dr. Marianne Jenner, an obscure scientist working with the human genome, receives an invitation that she cannot refuse. The Secret Service arrives at her college to escort her to New York, for she has been invited, along with the Secretary General of the UN and a few other ambassadors, to visit the alien Embassy.
The truth is about to be revealed. Earth s most elite scientists have ten months to prevent a disaster and not everyone is willing to wait.”
Are the aliens “an invasive species”? Marianne, along with the rest of earth, are shocked when the aliens are examined through their DNA with the aliens’ permission. The nations of the world are even more shocked by the reason the aliens have come! The aliens will only talk to members of the United Nations, so they park their ship in New York’s harbor. Conspiracy theories erupt in America despite that truthful explanations, impartial as those explanations are, and perhaps somewhat incomplete, are released to the public. Conservative members of the public, particularly those of the South in America, plot assassinations of the aliens themselves and whomever supports dialogue with the aliens. Men of business, hoping to make more money, and other countries compete to use whatever alien tech they can get their hands on. Relatives scream at each other at backyard barbecues and holiday meals, resolving never to speak to a brother, sister or parent again because of their differences at what to do or believe about the aliens. Meanwhile, earth scientists and aliens work on solving a problem which is deadly to fauna of Earth and the aliens themselves! The clock is ticking down towards a possible Armageddon for both the aliens and the humans of Earth!
I enjoyed the novel very much! I recommend it especially to those readers needing a beach read. But to those readers who are absolutely frazzled to the core over current American politics, maybe no, not.
I have copied the book blurb below:
”Tomorrow's Kin is the first volume in and all new hard SF trilogy by Nancy Kress based on the Nebula Award-winning Yesterday's Kin.
The aliens have arrived... they've landed their Embassy ship on a platform in New York Harbor, and will only speak with the United Nations. They say that their world is so different from Earth, in terms of gravity and atmosphere, that they cannot leave their ship. The population of Earth has erupted in fear and speculation.
One day Dr. Marianne Jenner, an obscure scientist working with the human genome, receives an invitation that she cannot refuse. The Secret Service arrives at her college to escort her to New York, for she has been invited, along with the Secretary General of the UN and a few other ambassadors, to visit the alien Embassy.
The truth is about to be revealed. Earth s most elite scientists have ten months to prevent a disaster and not everyone is willing to wait.”
Are the aliens “an invasive species”? Marianne, along with the rest of earth, are shocked when the aliens are examined through their DNA with the aliens’ permission. The nations of the world are even more shocked by the reason the aliens have come! The aliens will only talk to members of the United Nations, so they park their ship in New York’s harbor. Conspiracy theories erupt in America despite that truthful explanations, impartial as those explanations are, and perhaps somewhat incomplete, are released to the public. Conservative members of the public, particularly those of the South in America, plot assassinations of the aliens themselves and whomever supports dialogue with the aliens. Men of business, hoping to make more money, and other countries compete to use whatever alien tech they can get their hands on. Relatives scream at each other at backyard barbecues and holiday meals, resolving never to speak to a brother, sister or parent again because of their differences at what to do or believe about the aliens. Meanwhile, earth scientists and aliens work on solving a problem which is deadly to fauna of Earth and the aliens themselves! The clock is ticking down towards a possible Armageddon for both the aliens and the humans of Earth!
I enjoyed the novel very much! I recommend it especially to those readers needing a beach read. But to those readers who are absolutely frazzled to the core over current American politics, maybe no, not.
December 1, 2024
I received and read an ARC of the novella this novel is based on back in 2015, I think. I remember liking it quite a bit, but the details were vague enough that it seemed almost new to me.
That said, I think what follows after the events of the (reworked) novella are different enough that it shows.
The second half of the book deals with the aftermath and fallout of the visit by our long lost cousins and a natural disaster that follows.
Naturally, there is a dichotomy of opinion about how humanity should proceed, especially given the events. I think kress does a good job of illustrating the opinions and yet takes a firm stand as to our main character’s (and, I think, her own) opinion.
I have read a number of Kress’ novels and while I like them and find them easy to read, there’s still something about her writing which fails to grab me emotionally.
That said, I think what follows after the events of the (reworked) novella are different enough that it shows.
The second half of the book deals with the aftermath and fallout of the visit by our long lost cousins and a natural disaster that follows.
Naturally, there is a dichotomy of opinion about how humanity should proceed, especially given the events. I think kress does a good job of illustrating the opinions and yet takes a firm stand as to our main character’s (and, I think, her own) opinion.
I have read a number of Kress’ novels and while I like them and find them easy to read, there’s still something about her writing which fails to grab me emotionally.
July 13, 2017
2.5 Stars
I was originally very excited for the premise of this story, but unfortunately I was quite disappointed by the execution. The synopsis sounded very similar to the basic setup of Arrival/Story of Your Life. However, this book was completely different and it would be unfair to compare it to that masterpiece work.
For me, the downfall of this novel started with the marketing, which setup the wrong expectations for the reader. This book is advertised as hard science fiction, which was not at all accurate. Instead, this read more like a family drama, that just happened to have elements of science fiction. Certainly, this book involved aliens and research, but those aspects almost felt like background noise. For a science fiction story, I hoped there would be more focus on the technology and alien culture.
Also, given the synopsis, I was surprised that this was not really a story of first contact. Instead, the novel begins four months after the aliens arrived on earth. I wanted to read firsthand how the characters reacted to the ship appearing on earth, but instead these events were simply described to the reader retroactively in a handful of paragraphs. I feel the author really missed an opportunity to tell one of the most interesting aspects of the story in a more active manner.
Instead, the story is more of a character study, focusing on the central character and her children. This story is very emotionally driven demonstrating the fallout of how this world-changing event affected this particular family. The story is more about the humans, than the aliens, addressing how average people would react in such a life-changing situation.
The book, itself, was fairly short and was easy to read. Told over multiple perspectives, I was able to finish this story relatively quickly, despite not really enjoying the reading experience. The writing was very simple to follow, with a straightforward style. There is not a lot of action in the story, yet the plot-driven narrative kept the story moving along through time. The book was readable, yet it ultimately lacked substance. The plot felt hollow, despite the grand scale potential of the larger story.
I requested this book from the publisher via Netgalley.
I was originally very excited for the premise of this story, but unfortunately I was quite disappointed by the execution. The synopsis sounded very similar to the basic setup of Arrival/Story of Your Life. However, this book was completely different and it would be unfair to compare it to that masterpiece work.
For me, the downfall of this novel started with the marketing, which setup the wrong expectations for the reader. This book is advertised as hard science fiction, which was not at all accurate. Instead, this read more like a family drama, that just happened to have elements of science fiction. Certainly, this book involved aliens and research, but those aspects almost felt like background noise. For a science fiction story, I hoped there would be more focus on the technology and alien culture.
Also, given the synopsis, I was surprised that this was not really a story of first contact. Instead, the novel begins four months after the aliens arrived on earth. I wanted to read firsthand how the characters reacted to the ship appearing on earth, but instead these events were simply described to the reader retroactively in a handful of paragraphs. I feel the author really missed an opportunity to tell one of the most interesting aspects of the story in a more active manner.
Instead, the story is more of a character study, focusing on the central character and her children. This story is very emotionally driven demonstrating the fallout of how this world-changing event affected this particular family. The story is more about the humans, than the aliens, addressing how average people would react in such a life-changing situation.
The book, itself, was fairly short and was easy to read. Told over multiple perspectives, I was able to finish this story relatively quickly, despite not really enjoying the reading experience. The writing was very simple to follow, with a straightforward style. There is not a lot of action in the story, yet the plot-driven narrative kept the story moving along through time. The book was readable, yet it ultimately lacked substance. The plot felt hollow, despite the grand scale potential of the larger story.
I requested this book from the publisher via Netgalley.
December 12, 2024
This is an SF first contact / apoc novel based on the author’s novella of the same title, which won Nebula and Locus for Best Novella in 2015. I’d say, it is a solid (4*) novella turned in average (3.25*) novel.
The first part, which fully incorporates the novella is about a near-future Earth, where the USA turned to isolationism. The aliens arrive and set a protected by power shield embassy in NY harbor. They don’t show themselves but inform that they will share information and help mankind. The protagonist, Dr. Marianne Jenner just recently published a paper about finding out a thirty-first haplogroup of human DNA (as of 2023, the updated phylogenetic tree for human mitochondrial genomes includes 6401 unique haplogroups). It seems a discovery that only interested specialists in her narrow field, so she is surprised when FBI agents transport her to the first face-to-face meeting with aliens. It turns out that aliens are actually our cousins, who were taken from Earth like 70’000 years ago and they came to warn about the panspermia cloud coming to Earth. The cloud already passed some of their worlds killing everyone. The quest for a vaccine against this virus starts, while conspiracy theorists try to destroy aliens…
This is the premise of the first (of three) parts. The later parts follow Dr. Jenner after aliens fly away, while mankind mostly survives. Humanity was spared an immediate death, but the virus killed mice (creating havoc in the environment and affecting the global economy) and changed some of the children born after, drastically increasing their hearing range. Because of the larger story size, the pace notably slows down.
I liked some of the twists and may continue the series one day, but in no rush to do so.
The first part, which fully incorporates the novella is about a near-future Earth, where the USA turned to isolationism. The aliens arrive and set a protected by power shield embassy in NY harbor. They don’t show themselves but inform that they will share information and help mankind. The protagonist, Dr. Marianne Jenner just recently published a paper about finding out a thirty-first haplogroup of human DNA (as of 2023, the updated phylogenetic tree for human mitochondrial genomes includes 6401 unique haplogroups). It seems a discovery that only interested specialists in her narrow field, so she is surprised when FBI agents transport her to the first face-to-face meeting with aliens. It turns out that aliens are actually our cousins, who were taken from Earth like 70’000 years ago and they came to warn about the panspermia cloud coming to Earth. The cloud already passed some of their worlds killing everyone. The quest for a vaccine against this virus starts, while conspiracy theorists try to destroy aliens…
This is the premise of the first (of three) parts. The later parts follow Dr. Jenner after aliens fly away, while mankind mostly survives. Humanity was spared an immediate death, but the virus killed mice (creating havoc in the environment and affecting the global economy) and changed some of the children born after, drastically increasing their hearing range. Because of the larger story size, the pace notably slows down.
I liked some of the twists and may continue the series one day, but in no rush to do so.
November 7, 2018
Ahoy me mateys! Grab your grog! Here is book 1 of the sixth installment of the 3 Bells trilogy showcase.
Well, this was not yer usual alien first contact story but it sure was engaging. To start with, the aliens are already on Earth when the book begins. In fact, they have been there for months and no one really knows what they want or why. Speculation is rampant. But the aliens will only deal with the UN and then only under specific guidelines. They say they come in peace.
The book follows Marianne Jenner, who is celebrating the publication of her recent research paper. So she is super surprised when the aliens ask to speak with her specifically. Why is she important? What ensues is a series of consequences that no one could fathom.
The story is told in three parts. Part 1 begins at “S minus 10.5 months” and takes us to “S minus 0.” What does the “S” stand for. Spoilers for ye matey, unless ye read the book! But what can be said, is that the Earth is scheduled for disaster unless Marianne and the other scientists can find a solution. This is where ye get to see the alien culture and learn the most about why the aliens made contact. I loved this entire section and found the plot line to be so engaging.
Side note: I believe that part 1 is based on Kress’ 2015 Nebula Award-winning short story yesterday’s kin. Arrr!
The interesting thing is that the second and third parts of the book take place after “S.” Part 2 happens from “S plus 2.6 years” to “S plus 4 years.” Part 3 happens from “S plus 6 years to “S plus 6.9 years.” Oh and there be an epilogue at “S plus 9 years.” This be where the unintended consequences come in. Kress deals with how first contact changed the world.
There be hard science involved but told in a easy to digest format. Topics include: Genetics with the mitochondrial Eve, Engineering with dark matter, Chemistry with panspermia, Climate Changes with the bottleneck event theory, Ecology with invasive species, and much more. The ramifications to life on Earth was fascinating. Ye got to see how and why this events occurred because of the extended time-frames of novel.
But even though the science is there, the human relationships of Marianne really are the heart of the novel. She has three children and they are the backdrop for the changes to humanity caused by the alien contact. All three handle the situation in different ways. Marianne is the center of that conflict and her interactions with her family and friends is what drives the plot.
Part 2 of the novel was me least favourite part. It is the shortest part and I totally get why it is there. But the action was much more intense and interesting in part 3. I am intrigued to see where in the world (or universe) the next book will take the story. I do think this book is worth reading. Onward to book two. Arrrr!
check out me other reviews of https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
Well, this was not yer usual alien first contact story but it sure was engaging. To start with, the aliens are already on Earth when the book begins. In fact, they have been there for months and no one really knows what they want or why. Speculation is rampant. But the aliens will only deal with the UN and then only under specific guidelines. They say they come in peace.
The book follows Marianne Jenner, who is celebrating the publication of her recent research paper. So she is super surprised when the aliens ask to speak with her specifically. Why is she important? What ensues is a series of consequences that no one could fathom.
The story is told in three parts. Part 1 begins at “S minus 10.5 months” and takes us to “S minus 0.” What does the “S” stand for. Spoilers for ye matey, unless ye read the book! But what can be said, is that the Earth is scheduled for disaster unless Marianne and the other scientists can find a solution. This is where ye get to see the alien culture and learn the most about why the aliens made contact. I loved this entire section and found the plot line to be so engaging.
Side note: I believe that part 1 is based on Kress’ 2015 Nebula Award-winning short story yesterday’s kin. Arrr!
The interesting thing is that the second and third parts of the book take place after “S.” Part 2 happens from “S plus 2.6 years” to “S plus 4 years.” Part 3 happens from “S plus 6 years to “S plus 6.9 years.” Oh and there be an epilogue at “S plus 9 years.” This be where the unintended consequences come in. Kress deals with how first contact changed the world.
There be hard science involved but told in a easy to digest format. Topics include: Genetics with the mitochondrial Eve, Engineering with dark matter, Chemistry with panspermia, Climate Changes with the bottleneck event theory, Ecology with invasive species, and much more. The ramifications to life on Earth was fascinating. Ye got to see how and why this events occurred because of the extended time-frames of novel.
But even though the science is there, the human relationships of Marianne really are the heart of the novel. She has three children and they are the backdrop for the changes to humanity caused by the alien contact. All three handle the situation in different ways. Marianne is the center of that conflict and her interactions with her family and friends is what drives the plot.
Part 2 of the novel was me least favourite part. It is the shortest part and I totally get why it is there. But the action was much more intense and interesting in part 3. I am intrigued to see where in the world (or universe) the next book will take the story. I do think this book is worth reading. Onward to book two. Arrrr!
check out me other reviews of https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
November 3, 2019
Questo romanzo di shi-fi mi ha davvero preso dalla prima all'ultima pagina. Avevo bypassato il fatto che fosse una trilogia e ora ne sono amaramente pentita. Ho bisogno di sapere come prosegue, alla stregua del figlio drogato della protagonista, Noah, dipendente dalla Sugarcane, una sostanza che ti dà l'illusione di essere qualcun'altro.
Come nei buoni libri, no?
Si racconta dell'incontro tra umani e alieni. Alieni che sono stranamente simili a noi. Quasi di famiglia. Ma chi è veramente l'alieno? L'alieno è il figlio drogato, che non vuole essere se stesso, che vuole essere altro da sé?
Alieno è chi non riesce a comunicare? Ognuno di noi vive in mondi diversi che non si riescono a compenetrare se non invadendo, modificando."Cos'è veramente la famiglia?", si chiede inconsciamente Marianne, la protagonista. Solo estranei con rari momenti di contatto?
Bellissimo personaggio è Colin, bambino che sente le parole della terra, degli alberi e delle cose. Uno dei pochi innocenti.
Quante domande innesca questa lettura. Molto filosofico senza risultare affatto pesante, proprio come "Arrival" ("Story of Your Life" di Ted Chiang).
Attendo con ansia il seguito. Cercherò un'altra dose di Sugarcane.
Come nei buoni libri, no?
Si racconta dell'incontro tra umani e alieni. Alieni che sono stranamente simili a noi. Quasi di famiglia. Ma chi è veramente l'alieno? L'alieno è il figlio drogato, che non vuole essere se stesso, che vuole essere altro da sé?
Alieno è chi non riesce a comunicare? Ognuno di noi vive in mondi diversi che non si riescono a compenetrare se non invadendo, modificando."Cos'è veramente la famiglia?", si chiede inconsciamente Marianne, la protagonista. Solo estranei con rari momenti di contatto?
Bellissimo personaggio è Colin, bambino che sente le parole della terra, degli alberi e delle cose. Uno dei pochi innocenti.
Quante domande innesca questa lettura. Molto filosofico senza risultare affatto pesante, proprio come "Arrival" ("Story of Your Life" di Ted Chiang).
Attendo con ansia il seguito. Cercherò un'altra dose di Sugarcane.
July 18, 2017
A mature female scientist protagonist who is a grandmother who works. She isn't/ hasn't been a perfect mom, or maybe she has ? She hasn't been the perfect wife or girlfriend, or maybe she has ? She isn't/ hasn't been the perfect friend or co-worker, or maybe she has ? Why is it so hard to know? Because life's not perfect and neither are the people we love, depend on, armoire or even envy. Why? Because good days follow bad days, but sometimes not in that order. She's a unique heroine and i'm glad Kress wrote her onto the page.
January 3, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this, gobbling it up, and cannot wait for book 2! 4.5 stars.
July 11, 2017
A first encounter sci-fi story. Dr Marianne Jenner discovers something unusual in the human genome and receives an invite to visit an alien Embassy ship which is floating over New York Harbour. Here she discovers how her work relates to the aliens and an imminent disaster that is threatening the planet.
There was plenty of science in this book to keep me entertained, from genetics, physics, ecology etc. and aliens with possibly shady motives to give me the conspiracy theory thrill. I loved that this book didn’t just focus on the action of the first encounter, it explores the after-effects and unexpected changes to the eco-system and the planet afterwards and humans reactions to this. Its a bit of a slow-burn but very well thought out. There are some large time leaps which can be a bit dis-orientating but they are needed to cover the timescale and show the impact within the book. An enjoyable read with some interesting ideas about the effects of aliens coming to earth and reactions towards it.
I enjoyed that the star of this book is not a “hero”. Dr Marianne Jenner is a scientist, a mother, an “average” person with no spectacular super-hero traits to set her apart. She makes mistakes, loves, works hard and is a believable character. Not all the characters are as well thought out and some of the lesser characters feel a little stereo-typical. The main story is told through Marianne’s perspective but there are sections seen through other people such as her children and others involved in the story. This adds some variety and a depth of views to the story.
Even though there was plenty of science I still found it an easy read and read it over two days. I’m intrigued to see what the next book in the trilogy brings.
Recommended to: fans of stories based on science, hard sci-fi, ecological, aliens and alternative futures.
There was plenty of science in this book to keep me entertained, from genetics, physics, ecology etc. and aliens with possibly shady motives to give me the conspiracy theory thrill. I loved that this book didn’t just focus on the action of the first encounter, it explores the after-effects and unexpected changes to the eco-system and the planet afterwards and humans reactions to this. Its a bit of a slow-burn but very well thought out. There are some large time leaps which can be a bit dis-orientating but they are needed to cover the timescale and show the impact within the book. An enjoyable read with some interesting ideas about the effects of aliens coming to earth and reactions towards it.
I enjoyed that the star of this book is not a “hero”. Dr Marianne Jenner is a scientist, a mother, an “average” person with no spectacular super-hero traits to set her apart. She makes mistakes, loves, works hard and is a believable character. Not all the characters are as well thought out and some of the lesser characters feel a little stereo-typical. The main story is told through Marianne’s perspective but there are sections seen through other people such as her children and others involved in the story. This adds some variety and a depth of views to the story.
Even though there was plenty of science I still found it an easy read and read it over two days. I’m intrigued to see what the next book in the trilogy brings.
Recommended to: fans of stories based on science, hard sci-fi, ecological, aliens and alternative futures.
November 2, 2020
Notes:
Currently on Audible Plus
- Cool concepts but tried to do too much in a limited amount of pages. The end result comes across as haphazard, disorganized and did not completely flesh out the characters or key plot elements.
Currently on Audible Plus
- Cool concepts but tried to do too much in a limited amount of pages. The end result comes across as haphazard, disorganized and did not completely flesh out the characters or key plot elements.
November 27, 2024
Interesting premise but it developped in a way I didn't like later on, this usually happens with this author's books. It seemed stretched only so that it would become a series.
I'm not sure I want to read more books by this author since they end up being disappointing for me anyway.
I'm not sure I want to read more books by this author since they end up being disappointing for me anyway.
July 25, 2017
Tomorrow's Kin is the first novel in a new trilogy expanding upon Nancy Kress' excellent Nebula Award-winning novella Yesterday's Kin. The first third is the previously published story, and the rest of the novel follows what happens after the end of the original novella. Though I did think the novella was the strongest part, I found the novel as a whole to be smart and engaging. I also enjoyed following the main protagonist, Dr. Marianne Jenner, a mother, grandmother, and geneticist who makes an interesting--but fairly unremarkable--scientific discovery that leads to her being among the first to meet alien visitors to Earth. Kress seamlessly blends science and fiction in this novel, and I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next.
Full Review on My Website
Full Review on My Website
March 14, 2019
This had a great premise but the story kinda loses focus about 40% in. It's ok and I'll read the next installment.
January 12, 2019
First book in a trilogy. Nancy Kress is a science fiction author I have a lot of respect for. She writes good "touchy-feely" science fiction.
This book is a good representative of her work.
Sorry. I have written a lot of reviews lately and am tired. I bought this book, so don't feel the need to give it a thorough examination.
This book is a good representative of her work.
Sorry. I have written a lot of reviews lately and am tired. I bought this book, so don't feel the need to give it a thorough examination.
June 12, 2018
Excellent book! Great, realistically flawed characters. An truly uncommon protagonist. Great book!
June 19, 2019
This was an interesting book. I really liked the alien plotline and the mystery of them unfolding. Finding out that they are humans and when it’s discovered they lied to humans, it genuinely pissed me off. Marianne is an interesting protagonist and it’s really sad to see people like Evan die or Noah go to space. The only thing that bugged me about her is that she didn’t find it to be a big deal that the aliens lied about the spore cloud. Like this caused mass hysteria. I’m sure thousands of people would have committed suicide because they thought the world was going to end. People died, Evan died because of it. The economy was destroyed. Marianne should be a little bit more pissed at them. I am pissed for what they did to “my” world.
The other “problem” I had with this book is that as a political science major the politics are…they aren’t wrong but they are obvious? For example, this book makes allegories to the immigration debate currently happening in the United States. The conclusion the book makes is this:
“The answer is to do what Noah did, to slowly infect each other. In a controlled way. With restrictions on who can go to World, and why. And on who can come here. A slow journey toward brotherhood.”—Page 340
This is the correct approach when it comes to immigration. Open boarders and complete isolationism is a wrong approach to take when it comes to immigration. I don’t disagree with this statement but it feels glaringly obvious. Maybe it’s just because I’m a political science major and have had deeper conversations about this topic but that sort of bugged me.
Still really enjoyed the book and am desperate to get my hands on the two other books in this series.
The other “problem” I had with this book is that as a political science major the politics are…they aren’t wrong but they are obvious? For example, this book makes allegories to the immigration debate currently happening in the United States. The conclusion the book makes is this:
“The answer is to do what Noah did, to slowly infect each other. In a controlled way. With restrictions on who can go to World, and why. And on who can come here. A slow journey toward brotherhood.”—Page 340
This is the correct approach when it comes to immigration. Open boarders and complete isolationism is a wrong approach to take when it comes to immigration. I don’t disagree with this statement but it feels glaringly obvious. Maybe it’s just because I’m a political science major and have had deeper conversations about this topic but that sort of bugged me.
Still really enjoyed the book and am desperate to get my hands on the two other books in this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2017
I enjoyed the book a lot, and a big part of that was because I could relate to the main character. She is an academic, so am I. She does basically obscure research that no one outside her field cares about, which occasionally (and apparently randomly) gets a lot of public attention. That's my job in a nutshell. She also has to deal with a lot of bullshit from people who should really know better, or who should at least be more considerate. Welcome to my life.
I found the story very engaging, and read the book quickly. Another reviewer pointed out that the author makes some pretty bad stereotypes of minority characters, which in retrospect I agree with completely but didn't notice at the time. Besides that, I found the characters mostly believable.
It would have been nice to have more info about the aliens, and about what happens to some of the side characters. There were a few loose ends, but this is just the first in the series so who knows? Maybe I would have been less forgiving to the author if the main character had been less relatable to me personally. In any case, I recommend it.
I found the story very engaging, and read the book quickly. Another reviewer pointed out that the author makes some pretty bad stereotypes of minority characters, which in retrospect I agree with completely but didn't notice at the time. Besides that, I found the characters mostly believable.
It would have been nice to have more info about the aliens, and about what happens to some of the side characters. There were a few loose ends, but this is just the first in the series so who knows? Maybe I would have been less forgiving to the author if the main character had been less relatable to me personally. In any case, I recommend it.
May 31, 2019
An interesting tale of humanities first contact with alien life. I liked the narrative but I found the many of the characters rather flat. The author also continuously pulled on stereotypes of black folks in order to create the character of Sissy.
October 27, 2020
Very enjoyable, very intelligent book. Great protagonist - a 50-ish woman scientist, who likes sex, makes mistakes, and seems like a very real person.
August 23, 2018
non male, secondo gli standard della sf attuale, anche se la Kress mi ha abituato a livelli superiori. e anche la storia ricalca temi già sfruttati spesso dell'autrice, con risultati migliori
June 21, 2024
Rezensionstitel: OHNE MAUS IST DIE ERDE WÜST UND LEER
Kurzmeinung: Hat viel Charme. Zu hohe Ansprüche sollte man allerdings nicht haben.
Der erste Band der Yesterday’s Kin-Trilogie von Nancy Kress beschert der Erde ganz unverhofft die erste Begegnung mit Außerirdischen, den Denebs. Sie errichten von ihrem über New York schwebenden Raumschiff aus eine schwimmende Insel auf dem New York Harbour, genannt „Embassy“, also ein Botschaftsgebäude. Dorthin laden sie die besten Wissenschaftler der Welt ein, denn sie sollen ein Gegenmittel zu einem Virus entwickeln, das in einer geballten Asteroid-Wolke enthalten die Erde in weniger als 1 Jahr treffen wird. Dieses Virus hat einen der Planten der Denebs getroffen und die Bevölkerung dort ausgelöscht. Das soll der Erde nicht passieren. Ein fieberhaftes Wettrennen gegen die drohende Katastrophe beginnt.
Der Kommentar und das Leseerlebnis:
Der Roman punktet durch die Phantasie der Autorin auf der einen Seite und ihrer mangelnden Scheu, dem Leser liebgewordene Personen zu entreißen und um die Ecke zu bringen. So jagt eine Überraschung die andere. Dass es einem dennoch nicht kalt den Rücken herunterläuft, dafür sorgt eine liebevolle Schreibweise.
Ein anderes Plus ist, dass die Autorin nicht nur die Handlung Raumschiff/Forschung/fremde Wesen/Krankheit/Virus fortführt, sondern die üblichen menschlichen Reaktionen auf Unbekanntes vorführt: was entstehen da nicht alles für Gruppierungen! Von denen, die den Weltuntergang voraussagen bis zu denen, die die Denebs in altbekannter rassistischer Manier für alles verantwortlich machen bis zum üblichen Shitstorm gegenüber denen, die sich engagieren. Angst, Panik, Begeisterung, Überschnappen, Ausflippen. Menschlich eben!
Das Ganze ist in einfacher Sprache verfasst, aber nicht allzu platt, wenngleich man dem Roman eine gewisse liebevolle Naivität nicht absprechen kann, Kinder, in diesem Falle Enkel und außergewöhnliche Tiere (in diesem Fall Mäuse) und ein bisschen Liebe schaffen Wohlfühlatmosphäre. Natürlich gibt es auch den Bad Boy. Beim Showdown muss man ein wenig die Stirn runzeln, denn es hinterlassen Ingenieure ihr Werkzeug im unfertigen Badezimmer eines von Menschen erbauten Raumschiffs, so dass man sie nur noch greifen muss, um sich zu wehren. Und auch sonst sind die Vorgänge, die zur Rettung der Crew im abhebenden Raumschiff führen, zu kindlich geraten beziehungsweise, sie sind zu märchenhaft. Gepunktet haben dagegen die Darstellung der fremden Kultur und die ungewöhnlichen Fähigkeiten der Kinder.
Ich habe den Roman gemocht und gerne gelesen, man darf aber nich allzu hohe Erwartungen haben oder großartige Ansprüche stellen. Wenn es nicht anders geht, zieht die Autorin schnell mal den Zufall aus dem Hut oder wie gesagt - die Handlung wird dann etwas zwischen kindisch und kindlich. Dennoch - im großen und ganzen - gibt es von mir ein Go.
Fazit: Ein wunderbarer phantasievoller SF-Spaß mit der Begegnung einer fremden Kultur und der Würdigung der Spezies Maus.
Kategorie: SF/Begegnung mit Außerirdischen
Verlag: Macmillan, 2017/2018
Kurzmeinung: Hat viel Charme. Zu hohe Ansprüche sollte man allerdings nicht haben.
Der erste Band der Yesterday’s Kin-Trilogie von Nancy Kress beschert der Erde ganz unverhofft die erste Begegnung mit Außerirdischen, den Denebs. Sie errichten von ihrem über New York schwebenden Raumschiff aus eine schwimmende Insel auf dem New York Harbour, genannt „Embassy“, also ein Botschaftsgebäude. Dorthin laden sie die besten Wissenschaftler der Welt ein, denn sie sollen ein Gegenmittel zu einem Virus entwickeln, das in einer geballten Asteroid-Wolke enthalten die Erde in weniger als 1 Jahr treffen wird. Dieses Virus hat einen der Planten der Denebs getroffen und die Bevölkerung dort ausgelöscht. Das soll der Erde nicht passieren. Ein fieberhaftes Wettrennen gegen die drohende Katastrophe beginnt.
Der Kommentar und das Leseerlebnis:
Der Roman punktet durch die Phantasie der Autorin auf der einen Seite und ihrer mangelnden Scheu, dem Leser liebgewordene Personen zu entreißen und um die Ecke zu bringen. So jagt eine Überraschung die andere. Dass es einem dennoch nicht kalt den Rücken herunterläuft, dafür sorgt eine liebevolle Schreibweise.
Ein anderes Plus ist, dass die Autorin nicht nur die Handlung Raumschiff/Forschung/fremde Wesen/Krankheit/Virus fortführt, sondern die üblichen menschlichen Reaktionen auf Unbekanntes vorführt: was entstehen da nicht alles für Gruppierungen! Von denen, die den Weltuntergang voraussagen bis zu denen, die die Denebs in altbekannter rassistischer Manier für alles verantwortlich machen bis zum üblichen Shitstorm gegenüber denen, die sich engagieren. Angst, Panik, Begeisterung, Überschnappen, Ausflippen. Menschlich eben!
Das Ganze ist in einfacher Sprache verfasst, aber nicht allzu platt, wenngleich man dem Roman eine gewisse liebevolle Naivität nicht absprechen kann, Kinder, in diesem Falle Enkel und außergewöhnliche Tiere (in diesem Fall Mäuse) und ein bisschen Liebe schaffen Wohlfühlatmosphäre. Natürlich gibt es auch den Bad Boy. Beim Showdown muss man ein wenig die Stirn runzeln, denn es hinterlassen Ingenieure ihr Werkzeug im unfertigen Badezimmer eines von Menschen erbauten Raumschiffs, so dass man sie nur noch greifen muss, um sich zu wehren. Und auch sonst sind die Vorgänge, die zur Rettung der Crew im abhebenden Raumschiff führen, zu kindlich geraten beziehungsweise, sie sind zu märchenhaft. Gepunktet haben dagegen die Darstellung der fremden Kultur und die ungewöhnlichen Fähigkeiten der Kinder.
Ich habe den Roman gemocht und gerne gelesen, man darf aber nich allzu hohe Erwartungen haben oder großartige Ansprüche stellen. Wenn es nicht anders geht, zieht die Autorin schnell mal den Zufall aus dem Hut oder wie gesagt - die Handlung wird dann etwas zwischen kindisch und kindlich. Dennoch - im großen und ganzen - gibt es von mir ein Go.
Fazit: Ein wunderbarer phantasievoller SF-Spaß mit der Begegnung einer fremden Kultur und der Würdigung der Spezies Maus.
Kategorie: SF/Begegnung mit Außerirdischen
Verlag: Macmillan, 2017/2018
October 4, 2024
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? A generally rewarding first-contact novel.
In Kress' 2017 novel "Tomorrow's Kin," aliens visit Earth and prove to be genetically similar to humans. However, they are not identical, so geneticist Dr. Marianne Jenner is invited to their floating "embassy" to interact with the "Denebs."
The first third of the novel reprints the Nebula- winning novella "Yesterday's Kin," culminating in the discovery of the aliens' genetic relationship to humanity. The rest of the novel builds from there.
The aliens warn humanity about an inescapable interstellar "spore-cloud" that will wreak havoc on Earth's biosphere, offering engineering technology in exchange for volunteers to travel back with them to their home planet, "World."
Eventually, the aliens, along with some humans (including one of Marianne's sons), depart, and the spore cloud descends on Earth. While much of the West is spared, it causes mass death in Asia and Eastern Europe and wipes out Earth's mouse population. Kress' speculation on how the world reacts to such disparate impacts and the loss of a critical biosphere component is particularly enjoyable. The "what if" scenario, especially as it affects infants and children, is very compelling.
The relationship between Marianne and her adult children is broadly satisfying, portraying them as accomplished adults with their own careers and opinions. They're not petulant or angsty teenagers. They're just....people. Not every character is fully fleshed out, but on the whole, the familial conflicts feel more mature than most other alien stories. That being said, the "romance" between Marianne and her bodyguard felt forced, and I wasn't sorry to see it end (the gushing language used to describe the guy was too much too often).
The book does some time-skips, and eventually, Marianne is hired by an Elon Musk-type eccentric billionaire who, along with other factions/companies, are building their own starships based on the Deneb designs. There are realizations that neither the aliens nor the ship builders were being entirely honest, and we get some interesting revelations and some last-minute action.
While I enjoyed the story and the scientific speculation, the "romance" and late middle third sagged a bit as the book had trouble reenergizing the plot. That being said, "Tomorrow's Kin" is a solid, grounded SF tale of first contact.
In Kress' 2017 novel "Tomorrow's Kin," aliens visit Earth and prove to be genetically similar to humans. However, they are not identical, so geneticist Dr. Marianne Jenner is invited to their floating "embassy" to interact with the "Denebs."
The first third of the novel reprints the Nebula- winning novella "Yesterday's Kin," culminating in the discovery of the aliens' genetic relationship to humanity. The rest of the novel builds from there.
The aliens warn humanity about an inescapable interstellar "spore-cloud" that will wreak havoc on Earth's biosphere, offering engineering technology in exchange for volunteers to travel back with them to their home planet, "World."
Eventually, the aliens, along with some humans (including one of Marianne's sons), depart, and the spore cloud descends on Earth. While much of the West is spared, it causes mass death in Asia and Eastern Europe and wipes out Earth's mouse population. Kress' speculation on how the world reacts to such disparate impacts and the loss of a critical biosphere component is particularly enjoyable. The "what if" scenario, especially as it affects infants and children, is very compelling.
The relationship between Marianne and her adult children is broadly satisfying, portraying them as accomplished adults with their own careers and opinions. They're not petulant or angsty teenagers. They're just....people. Not every character is fully fleshed out, but on the whole, the familial conflicts feel more mature than most other alien stories. That being said, the "romance" between Marianne and her bodyguard felt forced, and I wasn't sorry to see it end (the gushing language used to describe the guy was too much too often).
The book does some time-skips, and eventually, Marianne is hired by an Elon Musk-type eccentric billionaire who, along with other factions/companies, are building their own starships based on the Deneb designs. There are realizations that neither the aliens nor the ship builders were being entirely honest, and we get some interesting revelations and some last-minute action.
While I enjoyed the story and the scientific speculation, the "romance" and late middle third sagged a bit as the book had trouble reenergizing the plot. That being said, "Tomorrow's Kin" is a solid, grounded SF tale of first contact.
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