The Kronos Condition

by Emily Devenport

When their evil mentors, The Three, force Sally and her telekinetic companions to help them in their quest for a true Olympus, Sally prepares an elaborate defense that takes them all through space and time. Original.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy

336 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 1997

About the author

Look for MEDUSA UPLOADED, published by Tor, available in paper, ebook, and audio. MEDUSA IN THE GRAVEYARD is due out from Tor in July 2019.

I've been published under three pen names: as Emily Devenport, I wrote SHADE, LARISSA, SCORPIANNE, EGGHEADS, THE KRONOS CONDITION, and GODHEADS. As Maggy Thomas, I wrote BROKEN TIME, which was nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award. As Lee Hogan I wrote BELARUS and ENEMIES. My books have been published in the U.S., the U.K., Italy, and Israel. I'm writing as Emily Devenport again, and I have two titles available exclusively in ebook: THE NIGHT SHIFTERS and SPIRITS OF GLORY. (Okay -- almost exclusively. TNS is also available in audio.)

I'm an undergraduate studying Geology, a volunteer at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, and a buyer for the Heard Museum book store.

Reviews

[Swankivy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was just plain creepy, violent, and bizarre for so many reasons that it didn't really have to be. I guess its grittiness made a strong impression on me, but having the actions of the psychopathic villains of the book described in *such* detail and *so* often was a huge shudder-fest for me. The idea of super-powered kids having to overthrow their creators is an appealing one, especially when they have to battle the temptation to become just as horrible themselves, but . . . Emily, did you really need an in-depth description of someone getting killed by being turned inside out by her private parts, or the obscene sexual attacks one of the main characters made on a little girl? Come on. I rated this so low because there wouldn't have been much else TO this book if most of it wasn't taken up by these horrific happenings, and I had no attachment to anyone even though the main character Sally really wanted to help clean up the messes her guardians made. . . .

[Julie Decker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sally has been trapped since birth as one of a group of super-powered children, kept under wraps by her adult guardians The Three (who also have superpowers). As a defense mechanism, Sally has developed a "Secret Mind" in which she can think without being telepathically spied upon, but she is still forced to witness horrifying acts by her guardians and creators, who believe themselves to be the superior beings on the planet. Sally feels she will end up like one of her unfortunate siblings if she is discovered, but she cannot bear the daily horror of living under them, and though it's almost impossible to escape a group of people who can manipulate your body and control your thoughts, Sally and her young companions may be forced to act. They have another destiny and connection they'd like to pursue, but it's possible they'll be just as bad as or worse than their captors when left to their own devices. . . .

Please read the rest of this with caution. I'm about to say some very disturbing things about this book.

I'm unable to be objective about this book and I admit that. I wanted to know more about a group of super-powered kids overthrowing powerful adults and pursuing a rather interesting-sounding future, but even if the convoluted writing and unclear connections to the ending could have been overlooked, I was just so utterly disgusted by the continuous, repeated descriptions of rape and death and rape and gendered slurs and rape. One of the villains of the group mentally attacks a child and almost kills her with sexual manipulation for no reason at all (I guess to show us he's evil?) and it's gratuitously described for like a whole page. The same character frequently mutilates people by doing disgusting things to their vaginas, and at least one more in-depth description featured someone dying from it. When these kids are free of the slave-like conditions, they suddenly start wanting to be adults and use their superpowers to make themselves more sexually mature and act on those urges. It's incredibly disturbing and horrifying and weird, and there wasn't a single thing in it that made me glad I read it . . . I really wish I hadn't, because those images are basically traumatizing.

[rose ☾₊ ⊹ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Now, I enjoy books that feature the chosen one trope. And it's much better if the selected one decides to topple the government. But that didn't really work for me.

It's not riveting, there are several narrative gaps, and the entire scenario is underdeveloped. All of the characters lacked power, and it wasn't merely a wonderful novel in general.