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The Biomass Conflux #1
Of Mycelium and Men
The generational fleet was supposed to land on a new world in eighty years. Eleven planets and four hundred years later, they finally found a home.
The only problem is something already lives there, and it's big.
Agetha and her husband Daved have lived in zero-G in the fleet their whole short lives. Now they are thrown into turmoil as the fleet lands, surrounded by a vibrant biomass consisting of a single fungal alien organism spanning the entire planet. Together, they must build a new home, brave a dangerous organism, and decide when and if they might raise a family in this new inhospitable landscape.
Jane Brighton holds tenuous command over the entire colony and the other administrators who once commanded the ships of the fleet. She and the other gene-modded leaders who have stayed in suspended animation for the four hundred year journey of the fleet find crew who are much different than the ones they started out with on Old Earth. Jane must direct the fragile colony, ever in danger of being overrun by the fast-growing biomass. The generational crew of the ships have their own agendas, but Jane and the other leaders will live many times longer than the colonists. They must balance the growth and survival of the colony with the fleeting lives of those who would build it.
But there is something none of the colonists know. The massive organism that spans the planet is not simply a fungal mass, nor even simply a chimerical combination of species that once roamed free on the planet. The biomass has desires and goals, and one of those is to know these strange beings carving out a new home in its midst.
Find out how--and whether--the colony can survive in Of Mycelium and Men!
The only problem is something already lives there, and it's big.
Agetha and her husband Daved have lived in zero-G in the fleet their whole short lives. Now they are thrown into turmoil as the fleet lands, surrounded by a vibrant biomass consisting of a single fungal alien organism spanning the entire planet. Together, they must build a new home, brave a dangerous organism, and decide when and if they might raise a family in this new inhospitable landscape.
Jane Brighton holds tenuous command over the entire colony and the other administrators who once commanded the ships of the fleet. She and the other gene-modded leaders who have stayed in suspended animation for the four hundred year journey of the fleet find crew who are much different than the ones they started out with on Old Earth. Jane must direct the fragile colony, ever in danger of being overrun by the fast-growing biomass. The generational crew of the ships have their own agendas, but Jane and the other leaders will live many times longer than the colonists. They must balance the growth and survival of the colony with the fleeting lives of those who would build it.
But there is something none of the colonists know. The massive organism that spans the planet is not simply a fungal mass, nor even simply a chimerical combination of species that once roamed free on the planet. The biomass has desires and goals, and one of those is to know these strange beings carving out a new home in its midst.
Find out how--and whether--the colony can survive in Of Mycelium and Men!
294 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 20, 2022
24 people are currently reading
221 people want to read
About the author
William C. Tracy
36 books108 followersWilliam C. Tracy writes tales of the Dissolutionverse: a science fantasy series about planets connected by music-based magic instead of spaceflight. This series currently includes a three-book epic space opera cycle. It also includes five novelettes and novellas, including a coming of age story, tales of political intrigue, a Sherlock Holmes-like mystery, a Jules Verne style adventure. Several books include LGBT-friendly elements.
His first epic fantasy from NineStar Press is Fruits of the Gods, about a land where magic comes from seasonal fruit, and two sisters plot to take down a corrupt government.
William is a North Carolina native and a lifelong fan of science fiction and fantasy. He has a master's in mechanical engineering, and has both designed and operated heavy construction machinery. He has also trained in Wado-Ryu karate since 2003, and runs his own dojo in Raleigh NC. He is an avid video and board gamer, a reader, and of course, a writer.
In his spare time, he cosplays with his wife such combinations as Steampunk Agent Carter and Jarvis, Jafar and Maleficent, and Doctor Strange and the Ancient One. They also enjoy putting their pets in cute little costumes and making them cosplay for the annual Christmas card.
You can get a free Dissolutionverse short story by signing up for William's mailing list at http://williamctracy.com/contact-me/
Or follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/wctracy for writing updates, cat pictures, and thoughts on martial arts.
His first epic fantasy from NineStar Press is Fruits of the Gods, about a land where magic comes from seasonal fruit, and two sisters plot to take down a corrupt government.
William is a North Carolina native and a lifelong fan of science fiction and fantasy. He has a master's in mechanical engineering, and has both designed and operated heavy construction machinery. He has also trained in Wado-Ryu karate since 2003, and runs his own dojo in Raleigh NC. He is an avid video and board gamer, a reader, and of course, a writer.
In his spare time, he cosplays with his wife such combinations as Steampunk Agent Carter and Jarvis, Jafar and Maleficent, and Doctor Strange and the Ancient One. They also enjoy putting their pets in cute little costumes and making them cosplay for the annual Christmas card.
You can get a free Dissolutionverse short story by signing up for William's mailing list at http://williamctracy.com/contact-me/
Or follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/wctracy for writing updates, cat pictures, and thoughts on martial arts.
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April 17, 2024September 21, 2022: Hello folks! I hope you enjoy this book. It's been an adventure putting it together and it's evolved a lot from my original idea about 8 years ago. I'll be using this space to provide some updates for the Biomass Conflux series. I'm currently working on book 2 and about 1/5 of the way done writing the first draft. I hope to have it complete around the end of the year.
For now, if you want another story in this world to read, check out the anthology Distant Gardens, which has a lot of excellent stories in it, including what happens about 10 years after Of Mycelium and Men!
May 24, 2023: To a Fungus Unknown is out! If you enjoyed Of Mycelium and Men, then you like the second book. You can find it on Amazon and other booksellers. I'll be starting on the third book in another month or so!
April 16, 2024: The Spores of Wrath, the third and final book, is released! If you enjoyed the other two books, this finishes off the series and delves into how the fungus and the colonists attempt to survive together. Hope you enjoy it!
For now, if you want another story in this world to read, check out the anthology Distant Gardens, which has a lot of excellent stories in it, including what happens about 10 years after Of Mycelium and Men!
May 24, 2023: To a Fungus Unknown is out! If you enjoyed Of Mycelium and Men, then you like the second book. You can find it on Amazon and other booksellers. I'll be starting on the third book in another month or so!
April 16, 2024: The Spores of Wrath, the third and final book, is released! If you enjoyed the other two books, this finishes off the series and delves into how the fungus and the colonists attempt to survive together. Hope you enjoy it!
February 24, 2023
Please read my review at the following link:
https://escapistbookcompany.com/2023/...
Thanks for taking the time to read my review. As always, happy reading and Stay Great!!
https://escapistbookcompany.com/2023/...
Thanks for taking the time to read my review. As always, happy reading and Stay Great!!
September 11, 2022
Received as a review copy from Booksirens, this is an honest review. A beautifully visually painted story where a very complex biomass organism has a great effect upon its alien world to which a desperate fleet of ships want to claim as their own. While humanity always had its own schemes and desires anywhere it goes; ignoring the unique sentience of this fungi delivers a memorable encounter.
The author William C. Tracy continues to craft interwoven stories where the flaws of the characters shine through grand adventure and determination.
Highly recommended.
The author William C. Tracy continues to craft interwoven stories where the flaws of the characters shine through grand adventure and determination.
Highly recommended.
November 6, 2025
I read an (autographed!) paperback copy I purchased at worldcon.
Looks like I am now down one more worldcon book. I think I am only missing the remaining 2 Sanderson novels, and 3 more. So, pretty much just 5 books from that batch. I still have several paperbacks I have bought over time lying around and will be finishing them off as quickly as possible.
Now, let's tget to the nitty gritty and focus on this specific book.
When Of Mycelium and Men premiered, it had tons of fanfare and publicity. So much, that I am flabbergasted to know one of my coworkers recognized the title and told me about some vague expected events of the story! The fact this book's marketing has reached a farflung audience that doesn't widely speak English is most commendable.
Whether it was just amazingly good timing or a purposeful decision, the book's commercial success seemed to have coincided with the premiere of that TV show about fungi turning humans into zombies. Uh, I don't know what the show is called. Zombie drama shows are not my cup of tea.
Other than a vague idea there is fungi and spaceships, I entered this book not knowing anything about it and feel glad the story is more about the settlement into a hostile fungi infested planet than the zombie horror stuff. Yes, there's sprinkles of horror, with cute fluffy green bumblebees making pink honey alternated by zombie goats with claw eyeballs that zap acid. I would say the horror stuff encompasses 15% of the novel and only a worldbuilding aspect. So, within my tolerable zombie adjacent limits.
There isn't exactly a protagonist in this book. More like it is a series of short stories following around approx 10 characters that become bullied into making landfall in Planet Lida. Horror slasher film fans will get their fix of 'what were they thinking?' trope where half of the situations in the story would never have happened if the people in charge were mildly competent scientists. Not to mention their soldier HQ leader should have been forthcoming about researching the planet prior to making a disorganized land in a cavernous valley without nearby waterfalls. Readers that enjoy stories where incompetent leaders bark nonsensical orders and act surprised Pikachu face when everything goes wrong will love this book.
And boy, I really wonder why would Earth select a person as irremediably tunnel visioned and psychopathic like June to become their genetically modified ruler. At times, I felt the book strived to become a cautionary tale of the dangers stemming from American individualism and imperialism. This can be felt at times with how the super soldier Vagals were enticed to become a disposable bullies of the Generational serfs.
I feel readers that grew up within the American culture will react differently to this book from readers living in countries affected by America's foreign policy. Either side might feel the book can be frustrating at times because none of the Vagals who hold the true power of the colony have plans to overthrow the Admin upper caste who don't seem to posess anything of value outside of long lifespans.
In a way, I felt the book needed a bit more editing in the sense where in one scene, June is against the concept of community darcare to increase the workforce and make reproduction more enticing. That scene made sense because June has been in stasis for so long that her conservative Earthian beliefs go against the changed culture of everyone else and seem outdated. However, later in the book when worker shortages are affecting productivity, June makes a 180 for no reason and now wants to force every child into communal daycare. While I do think some aspects were working because she wanted greater influence on the new generations, the ease in changing course came out of nowhere. I kept on wondering who did she sleep with on Earth to become the fleet commander/queen because in every sense of the word, she is cartoonishly bad at her job.
I enjoyed the book's decision to change society enough where children are never referred to in a specific gender and always choose one for themselves. This aspect made a ton of sense given the collectivistic society the generational space farers developed to survive in cramped quarters. I liked the culture shock clashes they had with the wasteful Earthers. The book takes its social criticism of people from developed nations against more socially conscious collectivists from developing societies quite well. This is in respect to how the soldiers are constantly littering the ground with their half used vapes, which was deemed illogical by the space farers who liked recycling everything. My favorite chapters in the book is where one of the fleet's most agoraphobic members paints his apartment with spaceship routing colors and arrows directing to emergency exits. It is something I had never seen before in other books and it made me think of how I would react to certain situations interacting with someone where living in a submarine like device for over 10 generations was their normal.
One thing I did not understand well about the plot was with regards to the lack of genetic mingling between the fleets prior to arrival. One would assume there would be periods during their interstellar voyage every fleet ship would routinely deccelerate and remain orbiting an uninhabitable celestial body for a while to mine. The book hints space farers modified the ship hulls to counteract Earthian design flaws. It was odd to be a society with the tech to inject DNA of two sperms into an empty ova into an artificial womb would not intermix people or at least sperm/ova from deceased fleet members. While the book strives to focus on the social criticism against Earthians, I do wonder why it didn't strive to focus more on boosting technological feats from space fareres. For unexplained reasons for plot convenience, nobody knows how to 3D print cheap disposable drones from animal bone but 3D printed bacon is normal. I think these little tech discrepancy issues are the weakest aspects of the novel. I guess everyone used the bones to make calcium supplement medicine. That would make sense.
However, that doesn't mean the book was a bad experience either. I always enjoy a story about something being built and things seem to get better as the colony stumbles into self sufficiency despite endless mishaps. The way human innovation slowly conquers a hostile planet is the highlight of the story. I think my favorite characters were Jiow and the aromantic scientist friend of hers named Frank Silver. Anderson's story was also very fun and it looks like he will play a bigger role in the sequel.
Prose is nice, gets things done and while the book seems to flounder a bit around the final third arc, it was a fun read. I will likely give book 2 a read sometime whenever I have the chance.
I found 1 typo on pages 101, 113, 127 and 154. Just a bit too lazy to check exactly what they were, just mentioning the pages where each typo was located.
Looks like I am now down one more worldcon book. I think I am only missing the remaining 2 Sanderson novels, and 3 more. So, pretty much just 5 books from that batch. I still have several paperbacks I have bought over time lying around and will be finishing them off as quickly as possible.
Now, let's tget to the nitty gritty and focus on this specific book.
When Of Mycelium and Men premiered, it had tons of fanfare and publicity. So much, that I am flabbergasted to know one of my coworkers recognized the title and told me about some vague expected events of the story! The fact this book's marketing has reached a farflung audience that doesn't widely speak English is most commendable.
Whether it was just amazingly good timing or a purposeful decision, the book's commercial success seemed to have coincided with the premiere of that TV show about fungi turning humans into zombies. Uh, I don't know what the show is called. Zombie drama shows are not my cup of tea.
Other than a vague idea there is fungi and spaceships, I entered this book not knowing anything about it and feel glad the story is more about the settlement into a hostile fungi infested planet than the zombie horror stuff. Yes, there's sprinkles of horror, with cute fluffy green bumblebees making pink honey alternated by zombie goats with claw eyeballs that zap acid. I would say the horror stuff encompasses 15% of the novel and only a worldbuilding aspect. So, within my tolerable zombie adjacent limits.
There isn't exactly a protagonist in this book. More like it is a series of short stories following around approx 10 characters that become bullied into making landfall in Planet Lida. Horror slasher film fans will get their fix of 'what were they thinking?' trope where half of the situations in the story would never have happened if the people in charge were mildly competent scientists. Not to mention their soldier HQ leader should have been forthcoming about researching the planet prior to making a disorganized land in a cavernous valley without nearby waterfalls. Readers that enjoy stories where incompetent leaders bark nonsensical orders and act surprised Pikachu face when everything goes wrong will love this book.
And boy, I really wonder why would Earth select a person as irremediably tunnel visioned and psychopathic like June to become their genetically modified ruler. At times, I felt the book strived to become a cautionary tale of the dangers stemming from American individualism and imperialism. This can be felt at times with how the super soldier Vagals were enticed to become a disposable bullies of the Generational serfs.
I feel readers that grew up within the American culture will react differently to this book from readers living in countries affected by America's foreign policy. Either side might feel the book can be frustrating at times because none of the Vagals who hold the true power of the colony have plans to overthrow the Admin upper caste who don't seem to posess anything of value outside of long lifespans.
In a way, I felt the book needed a bit more editing in the sense where in one scene, June is against the concept of community darcare to increase the workforce and make reproduction more enticing. That scene made sense because June has been in stasis for so long that her conservative Earthian beliefs go against the changed culture of everyone else and seem outdated. However, later in the book when worker shortages are affecting productivity, June makes a 180 for no reason and now wants to force every child into communal daycare. While I do think some aspects were working because she wanted greater influence on the new generations, the ease in changing course came out of nowhere. I kept on wondering who did she sleep with on Earth to become the fleet commander/queen because in every sense of the word, she is cartoonishly bad at her job.
I enjoyed the book's decision to change society enough where children are never referred to in a specific gender and always choose one for themselves. This aspect made a ton of sense given the collectivistic society the generational space farers developed to survive in cramped quarters. I liked the culture shock clashes they had with the wasteful Earthers. The book takes its social criticism of people from developed nations against more socially conscious collectivists from developing societies quite well. This is in respect to how the soldiers are constantly littering the ground with their half used vapes, which was deemed illogical by the space farers who liked recycling everything. My favorite chapters in the book is where one of the fleet's most agoraphobic members paints his apartment with spaceship routing colors and arrows directing to emergency exits. It is something I had never seen before in other books and it made me think of how I would react to certain situations interacting with someone where living in a submarine like device for over 10 generations was their normal.
One thing I did not understand well about the plot was with regards to the lack of genetic mingling between the fleets prior to arrival. One would assume there would be periods during their interstellar voyage every fleet ship would routinely deccelerate and remain orbiting an uninhabitable celestial body for a while to mine. The book hints space farers modified the ship hulls to counteract Earthian design flaws. It was odd to be a society with the tech to inject DNA of two sperms into an empty ova into an artificial womb would not intermix people or at least sperm/ova from deceased fleet members. While the book strives to focus on the social criticism against Earthians, I do wonder why it didn't strive to focus more on boosting technological feats from space fareres. For unexplained reasons for plot convenience, nobody knows how to 3D print cheap disposable drones from animal bone but 3D printed bacon is normal. I think these little tech discrepancy issues are the weakest aspects of the novel. I guess everyone used the bones to make calcium supplement medicine. That would make sense.
However, that doesn't mean the book was a bad experience either. I always enjoy a story about something being built and things seem to get better as the colony stumbles into self sufficiency despite endless mishaps. The way human innovation slowly conquers a hostile planet is the highlight of the story. I think my favorite characters were Jiow and the aromantic scientist friend of hers named Frank Silver. Anderson's story was also very fun and it looks like he will play a bigger role in the sequel.
Prose is nice, gets things done and while the book seems to flounder a bit around the final third arc, it was a fun read. I will likely give book 2 a read sometime whenever I have the chance.
I found 1 typo on pages 101, 113, 127 and 154. Just a bit too lazy to check exactly what they were, just mentioning the pages where each typo was located.
January 17, 2023
3.5 stars
I enjoyed this book. Well developed and diverse characters and science-y world building (literally) on another planet. I recommend this read, but note, this book does not close out all questions. Be prepared to read the series.
I enjoyed this book. Well developed and diverse characters and science-y world building (literally) on another planet. I recommend this read, but note, this book does not close out all questions. Be prepared to read the series.
September 8, 2022
A very scary story. Eight ships left Earth over four hundred years ago. Finely they found what they thought was a good planet. What they went through to make a place there is strange, scary and unusual. Not a bad story though. I received a complimentary review copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
November 26, 2023
Even before we start, the clever title[1] and excellent cover are good draws here. We also get a cool map thing at the beginning of the book, which is later revealed to be the sectors of the intended colony - the human race has departed from Earth, and is making its way among the stars. But not everything has worked out quite the way we would have preferred.
So begins one of the most interesting and original space-colonisation stories I have ever read. And it is just that - the story is all about the functionality of human travel to other star systems, and the foundation of a new society there. It says it right there in the title, "a space colony exploration series". That's the skeleton, skin, and most of the musculature and organs of the story. I admire the purity of it. Yes, there are characters and an arching plot and subtexts of class divide and cultural shift, a bit of family drama, but they're just seasoning. Okay, I say "just" ... a meal without seasoning is pretty bland, so I don't know. I'm trying to work a fungus-based culinary pun in here but I'm drawing a blank. Let's carry on.
A fleet of ships have departed Earth under the command of the Admins and Vagals, an officer / military class who were enhanced genetically and technologically to live very long lives and have enhanced reflexes and such. They spent most of the trip in suspended animation (sus-ani as they call it), only being woken up to do the occasional tour and crowd-control action. The week-to-week (or megasecond-to-megasecond ... the time measurement as a microcosm of the culture gap was really interesting) business of the ships is handled by the crew, or Generationals. These people live generation after generation in zero gravity and with the constant duty of upkeeping the vessels and flying them to an adequate planet for habitation. This was supposed to be target one, or target two ... but one after another the planets they flew to were not suitable, and a one- or two-generation flight turned into a voyage of four hundred years.
Finally, the fleet arrives at target eleven. The Generationals are happy because the ships get more energy and resources when they stop at a system, even if they don't land. But in this case, the Admin they wake up is a bossy-arse American and decides to park the fleet on the planet despite the fact that its entire surface is covered in a massive fungus-type alien biomass. Unbeknownst to the humans, but knownst to us readers, the biomass is very much sentient, and we get some intriguing (and damn, so well-written) looks into its alien thought-processes and reactions as it watches the fleet land and the colony begins to take shape.
And that's the story. Generation ships arrive at planet, and the divergent subcultures of humanity on board begin to build a settlement. The biomass attempts to absorb them. The Generationals come to terms with their lowly role in society, and the next generation of humanity try to find their place in a deeply weird new world. The biomass surrounding them is sometimes the most normal facet of their existence.
There's a lot to break down and talk about here but I'll just summarise it here and recommend you check the book out. I liked the way zero gravity affected the Generationals not just physically, but in terms of their behaviours (the difficulty of cooking [or just existing] in a gravity well) and aesthetic sense (all six sides of a room). While I don't know if I buy the long-term survivability of humans in zero-g, and am beyond sceptical of their ability to re-adjust to normal gravity, let's just hand-wave that and say the injections and chairs and exercises did the trick, the author showed their working there.
I felt like the colonists had a heinously unhealthy and deeply weird approach to breeding. It may have just been the specific characters we were shown, but the commentary and speculative-fiction angle of what long-term generation ship and colonisation culture might look like was very nicely handled.
Sometimes the nonbinary and trans inclusion is smooth, sometimes it was a bit clunky and hard to believe that's how future-humanity has decided to go with it. "Gentlemen, ladies and ... others" with a nod to the enbee? Uh. Okay. Also I say "trans" but that's not really what it was, I think. It seemed as though all children start out, socioculturally if not physically, as nonbinary they/thems, then decide at some point whether to become a he/him, a she/her or remain a they/them. Which is kind of neat. And might actually serve to render the 'trans issue' moot anyway? I'll let people who aren't me be the judge of that.
Like I said, the biomass point of view sections were really interesting, even if the author seemed to get 'cast' and 'caste' mixed up.
In closing, Janx is a real dipshit. Way to reward a loyal friend who just doesn't want to be a full-blown terrorist moron, Janx. The exile-into-biomass option was pretty damn harrowing, especially combined with the biomass point of view sections. And that ending, holy fuck. I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series, and seeing the development of biomass ambassadors (or "biobassadors") in future first contact situations.
Sex-o-meter
The colonists breed in tubes, at least until they can find their feet again in the gravity well context. No sex really, and barely any romantic entanglement. The characters all seem very aware that they and everyone around them is kind of a dick. Okay, there are some nice people but my point is, they don't fuck. A single smear of weird pink fungus honey out of a possible Super Mario Land orgy.
Gore-o-meter
As the colony is established and the biomass starts to 'interact' with the settlers, we are treated to some excellent body horror and positively Gigeresque descriptive scenery, along with a high and sustained body count. Four flesh-gobbets out of a possible five.
WTF-o-meter
This book brings plenty of solid biological WTF to the table, but it is all quite (weird) science based. While the biomass is very alien and it's fascinating, it's researched and described and even given its own point of view, so the result isn't really WTF as the meter typically reads it. It's just deeply strange and gloriously vivid alien environmental effects. The WTF-o-meter is giving it a Toad all covered in pink honey and with a speech bubble that says "Go to Hell, Janx" out of a possible same thing only it's Dennis Hopper with a really upsetting CGI tongue. And the speech bubble says "Oh don't give me none more of that Old Janx Spirit" now.
My Final Verdict
If my literary flailing and extended rambling have not already given the game away, this was a well written and enjoyable story that has left me a lot to think about. A lot of the characters were pretty detestable but they seemed at least as self-aware as the biomass they were attempting to live with. Four stars, would recommend.
---
[1] I am not going to keep living a lie at this point, and chuckle and swirl my imaginary brandy and chuff on about how clever this book's title is. It's a play on Of Mice and Men, and it's about mycelium because the planet is covered in a big alien fungus-type thing. But I haven't read the original book. I've only watched and analysed the movie in sufficient detail to know there's these guys Lennie and George in it[2] and something about their plan to have a farm with cute bunny rabbits and I have a lingering trauma-memory of wishing I had turned the movie off the first time George tells Lennie about the rabbits so I could pretend they went ahead and did that and everyone lived happily ever after. Of Mycelium and Men didn't really have much connection to the 'original' beyond the wordplay in its title. Oh, I could go off on a tangent about how both stories told of the struggles of humanity in adversity and the necessity of adapting to a changing environment and circumstances, and how the Earth-born classes were a parallel with George and the Generationals were a sad and ultimately disposable force akin to Lennie ... or I could turn it around and say the Admins and Vagals were Lennie, unable to adapt to a new world, and the Generationals were George just doing their best in a situation completely out of their control, but either way the biomass was a metaphor for the Great Depression and ... no. I said I wasn't going to live a lie anymore. I'm not a scholarly litwank anymore, those days are behind me. This isn't even brandy, it's extremely watered-down coke. Good title though.
[2] Fun fact, before I ever learned about Of Mice and Men, I knew Lennie and George because of the creatures of the same name in Gremlins 2: The New Batch.
So begins one of the most interesting and original space-colonisation stories I have ever read. And it is just that - the story is all about the functionality of human travel to other star systems, and the foundation of a new society there. It says it right there in the title, "a space colony exploration series". That's the skeleton, skin, and most of the musculature and organs of the story. I admire the purity of it. Yes, there are characters and an arching plot and subtexts of class divide and cultural shift, a bit of family drama, but they're just seasoning. Okay, I say "just" ... a meal without seasoning is pretty bland, so I don't know. I'm trying to work a fungus-based culinary pun in here but I'm drawing a blank. Let's carry on.
A fleet of ships have departed Earth under the command of the Admins and Vagals, an officer / military class who were enhanced genetically and technologically to live very long lives and have enhanced reflexes and such. They spent most of the trip in suspended animation (sus-ani as they call it), only being woken up to do the occasional tour and crowd-control action. The week-to-week (or megasecond-to-megasecond ... the time measurement as a microcosm of the culture gap was really interesting) business of the ships is handled by the crew, or Generationals. These people live generation after generation in zero gravity and with the constant duty of upkeeping the vessels and flying them to an adequate planet for habitation. This was supposed to be target one, or target two ... but one after another the planets they flew to were not suitable, and a one- or two-generation flight turned into a voyage of four hundred years.
Finally, the fleet arrives at target eleven. The Generationals are happy because the ships get more energy and resources when they stop at a system, even if they don't land. But in this case, the Admin they wake up is a bossy-arse American and decides to park the fleet on the planet despite the fact that its entire surface is covered in a massive fungus-type alien biomass. Unbeknownst to the humans, but knownst to us readers, the biomass is very much sentient, and we get some intriguing (and damn, so well-written) looks into its alien thought-processes and reactions as it watches the fleet land and the colony begins to take shape.
And that's the story. Generation ships arrive at planet, and the divergent subcultures of humanity on board begin to build a settlement. The biomass attempts to absorb them. The Generationals come to terms with their lowly role in society, and the next generation of humanity try to find their place in a deeply weird new world. The biomass surrounding them is sometimes the most normal facet of their existence.
There's a lot to break down and talk about here but I'll just summarise it here and recommend you check the book out. I liked the way zero gravity affected the Generationals not just physically, but in terms of their behaviours (the difficulty of cooking [or just existing] in a gravity well) and aesthetic sense (all six sides of a room). While I don't know if I buy the long-term survivability of humans in zero-g, and am beyond sceptical of their ability to re-adjust to normal gravity, let's just hand-wave that and say the injections and chairs and exercises did the trick, the author showed their working there.
I felt like the colonists had a heinously unhealthy and deeply weird approach to breeding. It may have just been the specific characters we were shown, but the commentary and speculative-fiction angle of what long-term generation ship and colonisation culture might look like was very nicely handled.
Sometimes the nonbinary and trans inclusion is smooth, sometimes it was a bit clunky and hard to believe that's how future-humanity has decided to go with it. "Gentlemen, ladies and ... others" with a nod to the enbee? Uh. Okay. Also I say "trans" but that's not really what it was, I think. It seemed as though all children start out, socioculturally if not physically, as nonbinary they/thems, then decide at some point whether to become a he/him, a she/her or remain a they/them. Which is kind of neat. And might actually serve to render the 'trans issue' moot anyway? I'll let people who aren't me be the judge of that.
Like I said, the biomass point of view sections were really interesting, even if the author seemed to get 'cast' and 'caste' mixed up.
In closing, Janx is a real dipshit. Way to reward a loyal friend who just doesn't want to be a full-blown terrorist moron, Janx. The exile-into-biomass option was pretty damn harrowing, especially combined with the biomass point of view sections. And that ending, holy fuck. I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series, and seeing the development of biomass ambassadors (or "biobassadors") in future first contact situations.
Sex-o-meter
The colonists breed in tubes, at least until they can find their feet again in the gravity well context. No sex really, and barely any romantic entanglement. The characters all seem very aware that they and everyone around them is kind of a dick. Okay, there are some nice people but my point is, they don't fuck. A single smear of weird pink fungus honey out of a possible Super Mario Land orgy.
Gore-o-meter
As the colony is established and the biomass starts to 'interact' with the settlers, we are treated to some excellent body horror and positively Gigeresque descriptive scenery, along with a high and sustained body count. Four flesh-gobbets out of a possible five.
WTF-o-meter
This book brings plenty of solid biological WTF to the table, but it is all quite (weird) science based. While the biomass is very alien and it's fascinating, it's researched and described and even given its own point of view, so the result isn't really WTF as the meter typically reads it. It's just deeply strange and gloriously vivid alien environmental effects. The WTF-o-meter is giving it a Toad all covered in pink honey and with a speech bubble that says "Go to Hell, Janx" out of a possible same thing only it's Dennis Hopper with a really upsetting CGI tongue. And the speech bubble says "Oh don't give me none more of that Old Janx Spirit" now.
My Final Verdict
If my literary flailing and extended rambling have not already given the game away, this was a well written and enjoyable story that has left me a lot to think about. A lot of the characters were pretty detestable but they seemed at least as self-aware as the biomass they were attempting to live with. Four stars, would recommend.
---
[1] I am not going to keep living a lie at this point, and chuckle and swirl my imaginary brandy and chuff on about how clever this book's title is. It's a play on Of Mice and Men, and it's about mycelium because the planet is covered in a big alien fungus-type thing. But I haven't read the original book. I've only watched and analysed the movie in sufficient detail to know there's these guys Lennie and George in it[2] and something about their plan to have a farm with cute bunny rabbits and I have a lingering trauma-memory of wishing I had turned the movie off the first time George tells Lennie about the rabbits so I could pretend they went ahead and did that and everyone lived happily ever after. Of Mycelium and Men didn't really have much connection to the 'original' beyond the wordplay in its title. Oh, I could go off on a tangent about how both stories told of the struggles of humanity in adversity and the necessity of adapting to a changing environment and circumstances, and how the Earth-born classes were a parallel with George and the Generationals were a sad and ultimately disposable force akin to Lennie ... or I could turn it around and say the Admins and Vagals were Lennie, unable to adapt to a new world, and the Generationals were George just doing their best in a situation completely out of their control, but either way the biomass was a metaphor for the Great Depression and ... no. I said I wasn't going to live a lie anymore. I'm not a scholarly litwank anymore, those days are behind me. This isn't even brandy, it's extremely watered-down coke. Good title though.
[2] Fun fact, before I ever learned about Of Mice and Men, I knew Lennie and George because of the creatures of the same name in Gremlins 2: The New Batch.
August 3, 2024
(I listened to this audio book for free with the Queer Liberation Library.)
Honestly... I found this one kind of basic?
The idea of a sentient fungus was cool but underexplored. The fungus mostly does standard scifi scary fungus stuff, infecting their crops and whatnot.
There wasn't really an overarching plot. Maybe the colony admins tending toward authoritarianism could be seen as the overarching plot? But mostly, it was just the characters living their lives.
I didn't care much for the audio book narration. The narrator mainly distinguished dialog by giving characters accents, but the accents were obviously fake, and it was distracting. The narration was also not very dynamic, it was pretty monotonous.
I did like the representation of different sexualities, genders, and relationship types as being totally culturally normal and accepted. One of the protagonists is a trans woman and there are multiple nonbinary characters.
I would probably read the sequel if my library had it. I feel like this series has potential. But they don't have it, so I probably won't.
Honestly... I found this one kind of basic?
The idea of a sentient fungus was cool but underexplored. The fungus mostly does standard scifi scary fungus stuff, infecting their crops and whatnot.
There wasn't really an overarching plot. Maybe the colony admins tending toward authoritarianism could be seen as the overarching plot? But mostly, it was just the characters living their lives.
I didn't care much for the audio book narration. The narrator mainly distinguished dialog by giving characters accents, but the accents were obviously fake, and it was distracting. The narration was also not very dynamic, it was pretty monotonous.
I did like the representation of different sexualities, genders, and relationship types as being totally culturally normal and accepted. One of the protagonists is a trans woman and there are multiple nonbinary characters.
I would probably read the sequel if my library had it. I feel like this series has potential. But they don't have it, so I probably won't.
June 15, 2025
Very interesting storyline/plot. Unfortunately, the execution was flat and the characters were boring. Besides the world building, I was just not interested.
November 14, 2022
It was covered at least, so the piles of feces and liquid waste didn’t float out and get into the venting system. It was ugly when the shit hit the fan.
2 1/2 stars. William C. Tracy's "Of Mycelium and Men" is certainly built around an interesting premise or arguably even a series of premises - ranging from long-term space colonization to even seemingly arguing that caste systems as a means of governance are best suited for long-term survival, particularly if not all colonists are created equally (meaning on a cellular and even expected lifespan level). However, the author becomes far too bogged down in trying to form the world he is literally building up from scratch, resulting in a book with little excitement or real tension. Technical details drown out opportunities for truly exciting opportunities in terms of the story-telling and overall I found myself more than just a little bored. What goes from being an interesting colonization or even first contact tale instead plods forward with scads of unwanted detail about building specs, construction issues, and more.
Christiaan had been working for her for the last fifteen years—well, four hundred and thirty-five years, if she added in the ridiculous amount of time the fleet had been floating about in space. Who would have thought a suitable chunk of rock would be so hard to find?
Most telling though for me was the absence of ANY sympathetic characters. It's not that we don't get to know any of the score of main - or better said mostly side players - brought together on this world - but just none of them have any significant redeeming features to draw the reader further into who they actually are. Yes, we learn a LOT about what it is they do or what they'd like to be doing, but truly the most telling parts of their personalities and motivations are at best thinly constructed and two-dimensional at best. The lack of redeeming features with most is also nearly overwhelming.
They were only supposed to travel for three generations instead of over fourteen, looking for a world that wouldn’t kill them on contact.
The book reads smoothly enough despite what I found to be a lot of unnecessary repetition and filler (for example, the expression of time in BOTH 'normal' days/years etc. vs. kiloseconds did NOT work and only served as an irritant). Still, I can see fans of true scifi/space exploration pulps being very intriqued by the story-line and particularly the occasional glimpses into the thinking (??) of the alien biomass. For me, I just found myself wishing we had been treated to a lot more of the humanity involved, especially knowing how each of the eventual four groupings of humans found themselves positioned with or even against one another. And especially as the end seemed to race ever faster to express the passage of time, the lack of any real player with whom I could identify only made things seem that much more superficial.
There was an opportunity to grow, to change, to learn, and yes, to subsume.
I would say it's not a bad book to try out if you go via your local library or like I did with a KU check-out but otherwise, I'm not continuing with the series. Better luck next time.
2 1/2 stars. William C. Tracy's "Of Mycelium and Men" is certainly built around an interesting premise or arguably even a series of premises - ranging from long-term space colonization to even seemingly arguing that caste systems as a means of governance are best suited for long-term survival, particularly if not all colonists are created equally (meaning on a cellular and even expected lifespan level). However, the author becomes far too bogged down in trying to form the world he is literally building up from scratch, resulting in a book with little excitement or real tension. Technical details drown out opportunities for truly exciting opportunities in terms of the story-telling and overall I found myself more than just a little bored. What goes from being an interesting colonization or even first contact tale instead plods forward with scads of unwanted detail about building specs, construction issues, and more.
Christiaan had been working for her for the last fifteen years—well, four hundred and thirty-five years, if she added in the ridiculous amount of time the fleet had been floating about in space. Who would have thought a suitable chunk of rock would be so hard to find?
Most telling though for me was the absence of ANY sympathetic characters. It's not that we don't get to know any of the score of main - or better said mostly side players - brought together on this world - but just none of them have any significant redeeming features to draw the reader further into who they actually are. Yes, we learn a LOT about what it is they do or what they'd like to be doing, but truly the most telling parts of their personalities and motivations are at best thinly constructed and two-dimensional at best. The lack of redeeming features with most is also nearly overwhelming.
They were only supposed to travel for three generations instead of over fourteen, looking for a world that wouldn’t kill them on contact.
The book reads smoothly enough despite what I found to be a lot of unnecessary repetition and filler (for example, the expression of time in BOTH 'normal' days/years etc. vs. kiloseconds did NOT work and only served as an irritant). Still, I can see fans of true scifi/space exploration pulps being very intriqued by the story-line and particularly the occasional glimpses into the thinking (??) of the alien biomass. For me, I just found myself wishing we had been treated to a lot more of the humanity involved, especially knowing how each of the eventual four groupings of humans found themselves positioned with or even against one another. And especially as the end seemed to race ever faster to express the passage of time, the lack of any real player with whom I could identify only made things seem that much more superficial.
There was an opportunity to grow, to change, to learn, and yes, to subsume.
I would say it's not a bad book to try out if you go via your local library or like I did with a KU check-out but otherwise, I'm not continuing with the series. Better luck next time.
November 9, 2022
Of Mycelium and Men
This is a massive creative undertaking with many, not always apparent, levels.
On the surface it is simply the story of the beginning of the colonisation of the planet 11d, Lida, by a set of eight generational ships and the hazards and obstacles that are encountered.
On others it is an examination of class and society comparing the different attitudes and morals of three different types in this society, the short lived Generationals, the enhanced supersoldier Vagal all gene-modified original soldiers from Earth and the eight Admins, 1 from each ship of the fleet and now self appointed leaders of the colony, again originally from Earth.
These Admins become more and more arrogant narrow minded and fascistic in their control of the colonists, tyrannical and overbearing in their supposedly benevolent guardianship.
Adding to the problems is the fact that the planet is already home to a single planet encompassing fungal biomass, an entity that is sentient, even though the colonists are as yet still unaware of its sentience and only perceive it as a major obstacle to their progress. This biomass is not only sentient but capable of foresight, planning and adaptability and infinitely patient and calculating with mental processes so alien to the human colonists as to be both inconceivable and incomprehensible.
Whether an understanding and comprise will be realised or whether it will devolve into a war of supremacy is far from clear and at the present entirely unresolved.
This is a massive creative undertaking with many, not always apparent, levels.
On the surface it is simply the story of the beginning of the colonisation of the planet 11d, Lida, by a set of eight generational ships and the hazards and obstacles that are encountered.
On others it is an examination of class and society comparing the different attitudes and morals of three different types in this society, the short lived Generationals, the enhanced supersoldier Vagal all gene-modified original soldiers from Earth and the eight Admins, 1 from each ship of the fleet and now self appointed leaders of the colony, again originally from Earth.
These Admins become more and more arrogant narrow minded and fascistic in their control of the colonists, tyrannical and overbearing in their supposedly benevolent guardianship.
Adding to the problems is the fact that the planet is already home to a single planet encompassing fungal biomass, an entity that is sentient, even though the colonists are as yet still unaware of its sentience and only perceive it as a major obstacle to their progress. This biomass is not only sentient but capable of foresight, planning and adaptability and infinitely patient and calculating with mental processes so alien to the human colonists as to be both inconceivable and incomprehensible.
Whether an understanding and comprise will be realised or whether it will devolve into a war of supremacy is far from clear and at the present entirely unresolved.
December 8, 2022
Edited with perfection, and true to form, Of Mycelium and Men is a great example of hard science fiction. It doesn't shy away from the social elements, and integrates just enough future science to sate the reader's desires, while forwarding the story's parallel focus on the human elements within.
Tracy's devotion to exploring all aspects of the science presented in the novel is apparent; minor aspects, such as the consequences of atmospheric entry, to the minor ways in which gravity, or the growing fungus, may affect the new colony are both creative and realistic, forming a world that really does feel whole. Even the meticulous process by which colonization is explored is rife with efficiency, again resonating the deep focus on realism within the realm of science fiction.
Interestingly, the fungus plays not only a constant, almost claustrophobic environmental character, but is in and of itself a personality throughout, and these interpolated monologues provide a creative reprieve from the process of colonization that the rest of the book explores.
The use of a unique time system juxtaposed with contemporary gauges is a bit disorienting at times, and can be confusing - but this does not persist within the latter portions of the novel, and does not pose a significant barrier to enjoyment.
A great entry novel for those who love to completely immerse themselves in not only an interesting narrative, but actually live within a futuristic, science fiction world.
https://www.editorsweekly.com/book-re...
Tracy's devotion to exploring all aspects of the science presented in the novel is apparent; minor aspects, such as the consequences of atmospheric entry, to the minor ways in which gravity, or the growing fungus, may affect the new colony are both creative and realistic, forming a world that really does feel whole. Even the meticulous process by which colonization is explored is rife with efficiency, again resonating the deep focus on realism within the realm of science fiction.
Interestingly, the fungus plays not only a constant, almost claustrophobic environmental character, but is in and of itself a personality throughout, and these interpolated monologues provide a creative reprieve from the process of colonization that the rest of the book explores.
The use of a unique time system juxtaposed with contemporary gauges is a bit disorienting at times, and can be confusing - but this does not persist within the latter portions of the novel, and does not pose a significant barrier to enjoyment.
A great entry novel for those who love to completely immerse themselves in not only an interesting narrative, but actually live within a futuristic, science fiction world.
https://www.editorsweekly.com/book-re...
November 13, 2022
Within the first few pages I encountered new concepts and ideas. I've been a science fiction and fantasy fans for a very long time, but this book definitely has new ideas.
FROM BOOKBUB: The generational fleet planned to make landfall after eighty years, but eleven planets and four centuries later, they still had not found a home. Finally, they landed on Lida, but something already lives there, and it's big.
Agetha and her husband have spent their whole lives in the fleet’s zero-G. Now all is turmoil as the fleet lands, discovering they are surrounded by a single fungal biomass spanning the entire planet. To build a new home, the fleet must confront a dangerous organism, and Agetha must decide if she can raise a family in this inhospitable landscape.
Jane Brighton holds tenuous command over the colony and its administrators. She and the other gene-modded leaders emerged from their four-hundred-year suspended animation to find a crew much different from the one that departed Old Earth. Jane must direct the colony’s fragile growth and defend it against being overrun by the fast-growing biomass.
But there is something none of the colonists know. The massive organism that spans the planet is not simply a fungal mass, nor even a chimerical combination of species that once roamed the planet. The biomass has desires and goals, and one is to know these strange beings carving out a home in its midst.
FROM BOOKBUB: The generational fleet planned to make landfall after eighty years, but eleven planets and four centuries later, they still had not found a home. Finally, they landed on Lida, but something already lives there, and it's big.
Agetha and her husband have spent their whole lives in the fleet’s zero-G. Now all is turmoil as the fleet lands, discovering they are surrounded by a single fungal biomass spanning the entire planet. To build a new home, the fleet must confront a dangerous organism, and Agetha must decide if she can raise a family in this inhospitable landscape.
Jane Brighton holds tenuous command over the colony and its administrators. She and the other gene-modded leaders emerged from their four-hundred-year suspended animation to find a crew much different from the one that departed Old Earth. Jane must direct the colony’s fragile growth and defend it against being overrun by the fast-growing biomass.
But there is something none of the colonists know. The massive organism that spans the planet is not simply a fungal mass, nor even a chimerical combination of species that once roamed the planet. The biomass has desires and goals, and one is to know these strange beings carving out a home in its midst.
April 28, 2024
*** # of 5 Stars
The concept of a gernerational ship has always intriequed me. Generations passing aboard a ship moving across space in order to reach another star system.
There have been many stories on the shubject and it seems a popular trope for authors.
This story is about what happens when they arrive on a planet. This is where we realize there is a defined social tier system that was put in place when the ship was launched.
The elite, are in Supended Animation
The worriers
The Genreationals. The people that lived aboart the ship along the journy and maintained the ship. This group is minimilaized when they reach the planet.
The author also goes out of the way to establish their own flavor in the story, how the track time... very interesting. But it would have been more interesting if it was explained better as to WHY.
Also there are is mention of gender nutral characters, kinda of left out there in the wind too.
Maybe in book two we will get some answers and fill in more of the story and less leadership foolery
The concept of a gernerational ship has always intriequed me. Generations passing aboard a ship moving across space in order to reach another star system.
There have been many stories on the shubject and it seems a popular trope for authors.
This story is about what happens when they arrive on a planet. This is where we realize there is a defined social tier system that was put in place when the ship was launched.
The elite, are in Supended Animation
The worriers
The Genreationals. The people that lived aboart the ship along the journy and maintained the ship. This group is minimilaized when they reach the planet.
The author also goes out of the way to establish their own flavor in the story, how the track time... very interesting. But it would have been more interesting if it was explained better as to WHY.
Also there are is mention of gender nutral characters, kinda of left out there in the wind too.
Maybe in book two we will get some answers and fill in more of the story and less leadership foolery
December 4, 2024
🏳️🌈
🚫 Spice
⭐ 2.8/5 ⭐
Concept/Plot (4/5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters (3/5) ⭐️⭐⭐
Writing (2/5) ⭐⭐
Pacing (2/5) ⭐⭐
Enjoyability (3/5) ⭐️⭐⭐
Final reaction: Great concept brought down by poor decision making (by the characters, courtesy of the writer). You travel for 400 years, then don't do any sort of short- or long-term testing on the planet before landing?
The made up time system serves no purpose other than to take away from the story, because the characters constantly translate it into Earth Years, and then eventually into Lida Years. It also doesn't fit when no other terms have been invented, but terms like "HUD" and "ereader" are in regular use.
I found the choice strange to have someone start a speech with "ladies, gentlemen, and others" when the concept of choosing or foregoing a gender identity begins at birth. If the characters can invent a new system of time, they would absolutely have developed a gender neutral greeting. Or, you know, say "Everybody".
🚫 Spice
⭐ 2.8/5 ⭐
Concept/Plot (4/5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters (3/5) ⭐️⭐⭐
Writing (2/5) ⭐⭐
Pacing (2/5) ⭐⭐
Enjoyability (3/5) ⭐️⭐⭐
Final reaction: Great concept brought down by poor decision making (by the characters, courtesy of the writer). You travel for 400 years, then don't do any sort of short- or long-term testing on the planet before landing?
The made up time system serves no purpose other than to take away from the story, because the characters constantly translate it into Earth Years, and then eventually into Lida Years. It also doesn't fit when no other terms have been invented, but terms like "HUD" and "ereader" are in regular use.
I found the choice strange to have someone start a speech with "ladies, gentlemen, and others" when the concept of choosing or foregoing a gender identity begins at birth. If the characters can invent a new system of time, they would absolutely have developed a gender neutral greeting. Or, you know, say "Everybody".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2025
Rating: 3.25/5
Fair start to a series, with some interesting concepts and POVs.
The characters were all a little one-dimensional, and not all of them were interesting, but they do all contribute to this feeling of a whole society. I did like Anderson and the biomass chapters.
Other specifics I liked: babies in tubes and all the related bits that went along with that; space-culture; how they handled gender; concept of the biomass in general; those funky little bees.
My biggest issue with the book was the lack of a self contained plot. This book does not have any sort of resolution. There is no specific conflict the book is following. This is just set up for the series. There’s an overall lack of depth as well - to the “plot”, to the characters, and to some of the world building - that left me, at the end, feeling empty. Wanting.
I’ll likely continue with the series as my Libby has the next one, and I do think it’s worth a read/listen if the premise sounds interesting to you.
Fair start to a series, with some interesting concepts and POVs.
The characters were all a little one-dimensional, and not all of them were interesting, but they do all contribute to this feeling of a whole society. I did like Anderson and the biomass chapters.
Other specifics I liked: babies in tubes and all the related bits that went along with that; space-culture; how they handled gender; concept of the biomass in general; those funky little bees.
My biggest issue with the book was the lack of a self contained plot. This book does not have any sort of resolution. There is no specific conflict the book is following. This is just set up for the series. There’s an overall lack of depth as well - to the “plot”, to the characters, and to some of the world building - that left me, at the end, feeling empty. Wanting.
I’ll likely continue with the series as my Libby has the next one, and I do think it’s worth a read/listen if the premise sounds interesting to you.
May 9, 2024
Clever title. New world; intergalactic space travel to locate a new home planet but with fungi at its center. I relate this very science-driven story to a 60s acidic (mushroom) trip. Well written but for me dry. Having the actual biomass provide input is insightful although I recommend a subtitle to alert the reader to prevent confusion. The depth of this story took me some time to read because I couldn’t focus due to all the science and dryness. It caused a reading disconnect for me. There were characters I didn’t like and some I was sad to see go. I kept looking for a friendship to form between the different divisions; it didn’t happen. The only tasty parts were the interactions between people and their feelings. Would I recommend? Only if you like science, space travel, sentient fungus planet and new world building.
June 4, 2024
Of Mycelium and Men goes hard ... hard sci-fi that is. The author did a good bit of research on fungus and cell structure and reading this book will either make you want to eat mushroom pizza or avoid mushrooms the rest of your life. Horror overtones grace the story but don't overwhelm it.
The story follows colony ships landing on the planet, and the two most realized characters are the colonization actions and the planet's biosphere. The human characters are one-sided, but each one is different. Each human group of the colony are isolated and lack nuance, but the colonization actions and the biosphere reactions make excellent reading.
If you like science, horror, mushrooms, mycelium supporting forest roots, or stories about colonizing space, you will enjoy this brief novel (274 pages). It works as a stand-alone but also is the first book of the series.
Bought directly from author at 2024 ConCarolinas.
The story follows colony ships landing on the planet, and the two most realized characters are the colonization actions and the planet's biosphere. The human characters are one-sided, but each one is different. Each human group of the colony are isolated and lack nuance, but the colonization actions and the biosphere reactions make excellent reading.
If you like science, horror, mushrooms, mycelium supporting forest roots, or stories about colonizing space, you will enjoy this brief novel (274 pages). It works as a stand-alone but also is the first book of the series.
Bought directly from author at 2024 ConCarolinas.
August 30, 2024
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Whilst I really enjoyed many aspects of this, I was not a fan of the many time jumps. I understand that they were necessary but it was difficult for me to keep track of when I was in the story.
I also feel like the ending didn't have enough open threads to make me interested in any future books. I would potentially have enjoyed having a more definitive plan from the mycelium because it did seem that all remaining plot points were left directionless - city is developing, mycelium are experimenting with the bodies, Anderson is considering selling his book. I didn't really know what I would be seeing in any future installments.
Whilst I really enjoyed many aspects of this, I was not a fan of the many time jumps. I understand that they were necessary but it was difficult for me to keep track of when I was in the story.
I also feel like the ending didn't have enough open threads to make me interested in any future books. I would potentially have enjoyed having a more definitive plan from the mycelium because it did seem that all remaining plot points were left directionless - city is developing, mycelium are experimenting with the bodies, Anderson is considering selling his book. I didn't really know what I would be seeing in any future installments.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 27, 2024
Great story! Creative premise, with elements I've never read before, like the anxiety a ship-born person feels at the prospect of living planet-side. I like that queerness and poly relationships are normalized.
Two issues:
1. Why why why why why is time measured in megaseconds?! It's annoying bc that unit of time means nothing to me and is difficult to convert in my head. It doesn't make sense as the most used unit of measurement for a human society.
2. Ends mid-story. Not exactly a cliffhanger, but there's no feeling of resolution - we'll have to wait for the next book (hopefully) or for the series to end. I don't like that - I want the book to feel like it has a resolution even when there's a sequel.
Two issues:
1. Why why why why why is time measured in megaseconds?! It's annoying bc that unit of time means nothing to me and is difficult to convert in my head. It doesn't make sense as the most used unit of measurement for a human society.
2. Ends mid-story. Not exactly a cliffhanger, but there's no feeling of resolution - we'll have to wait for the next book (hopefully) or for the series to end. I don't like that - I want the book to feel like it has a resolution even when there's a sequel.
March 18, 2023
A fleet of ships fleeing Earth and needing a new home happens upon a planet covered in an invasive fungus that proves impossible to kill. The building of the humans’ colony is complicated by frequent, and often violent, deaths at the hands of a plant more deadly than anything from Earth, and is compounded further still by neverending work that leaves no time for family and a classist commander who decides to use the fungus as her own executioner for those she doesn’t like. Complex yet relatable, it was a fascinating study of people seeking normality in an alien landscape, as the first twenty years of the new colony unfolds. Tracy’s best book yet!
August 9, 2025
3.75
This caught my eye because fungi are fascinating but can be a little creepy, and that was the vibe throughout the book. I found the behavior of the biomass unsettling in the best way, and I was hooked after the first 50 or so pages. I was invested in most of the characters whose POVs we followed, and also in the evolution of the native fungus. It felt like there could've been a little more polishing to the story, and there were a few instances where I thought there were inconsistencies in how long a megasecond is/how many are in a year, but overall this was a fun and unique read and I'm excited to continue the series.
This caught my eye because fungi are fascinating but can be a little creepy, and that was the vibe throughout the book. I found the behavior of the biomass unsettling in the best way, and I was hooked after the first 50 or so pages. I was invested in most of the characters whose POVs we followed, and also in the evolution of the native fungus. It felt like there could've been a little more polishing to the story, and there were a few instances where I thought there were inconsistencies in how long a megasecond is/how many are in a year, but overall this was a fun and unique read and I'm excited to continue the series.
December 23, 2022
I was looking for something different, and William C. Tracy delivered! I discovered an alien world distinct from anything I've read before. The characters were relatable, and it was interesting to see how they evolved or didn't.
There are a lot of layers and viewpoints within this book. I enjoyed the constant twists and turns and the representation of everyday challenges. I am looking forward to seeing how the story unfolds in future books.
I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
There are a lot of layers and viewpoints within this book. I enjoyed the constant twists and turns and the representation of everyday challenges. I am looking forward to seeing how the story unfolds in future books.
I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 11, 2023
Of Mycelium and Men is book 1 in The Biomass Conflux by William C Tracy. I believe that this book is a serious SiFi story. The story begins right before the space fleet lands on Lida and covers the first 20 Years on the planet. The planet is overcome with fungal growth which is alien to the people from earth. I thought that the author did a good job of laying the foundation for the trilogy. Agetha is a main character and I thought all of the characters were well written. I enjoy serious SiFi and this is an enjoyable book. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
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September 14, 2022I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A truly interesting story. Quite original as well. I found the characters a bit hard to relate to with the exception of Anderson. The cautionary warning about a society ruled so arbitrarily by a permanent elite is worth hearing. Not a fun world either.
I received a free copy of this story in exchange for this review
A truly interesting story. Quite original as well. I found the characters a bit hard to relate to with the exception of Anderson. The cautionary warning about a society ruled so arbitrarily by a permanent elite is worth hearing. Not a fun world either.
I received a free copy of this story in exchange for this review
September 28, 2022
This book was so unexpected! I choose not to read blurbs and therefore that means I go in blind.
What a phenomenal read this book is!
The characters are superbly written, with all the traits and then some you’d expect from humans fighting for survival.
The storyline is complex and intriguing in a way that hooks you in and holds you hostage.
A definite read for those who love reading books where humans aren’t top dog.
What a phenomenal read this book is!
The characters are superbly written, with all the traits and then some you’d expect from humans fighting for survival.
The storyline is complex and intriguing in a way that hooks you in and holds you hostage.
A definite read for those who love reading books where humans aren’t top dog.
January 21, 2025
This was. DNF for me.
Great concept but when compared to other books it was seriously lacking: no visceral emotions, vivid setting details or little internal dialogue or it was too predictable.
It’s a shame because it had so much potential but it didn’t draw me in n enough to car much for the characters or feel lost in the story because it was surface deep. If your on an alien world I need more details than what it gave which made it feel earth with weird alien fungus problems.
Great concept but when compared to other books it was seriously lacking: no visceral emotions, vivid setting details or little internal dialogue or it was too predictable.
It’s a shame because it had so much potential but it didn’t draw me in n enough to car much for the characters or feel lost in the story because it was surface deep. If your on an alien world I need more details than what it gave which made it feel earth with weird alien fungus problems.
February 4, 2025
Very interesting. I like most of the characters. I would absolutely hate to live on that planet 🤣🤣🤣
The pacing is a little bit rushed. There were parts that felt like they were going in fast forward. And the book doesn't tie up anything. At all. It's definitely a part 1, and I hate when a book in a series doesn't have its own arc that feels complete at the end.
Overall I enjoyed it a lot though. Definitely reading the next part.
The pacing is a little bit rushed. There were parts that felt like they were going in fast forward. And the book doesn't tie up anything. At all. It's definitely a part 1, and I hate when a book in a series doesn't have its own arc that feels complete at the end.
Overall I enjoyed it a lot though. Definitely reading the next part.
October 9, 2022
3.5 Stars
An entertaining colonisation story. Love the idea of the Biomass and was intrigued by the stratification of the human society.
We follow quite a few named characters over an extended period of time and given the relatively short page count left me feeling a little detached from them.
Despite this enjoyed the story overall and will read the second once it comes out.
An entertaining colonisation story. Love the idea of the Biomass and was intrigued by the stratification of the human society.
We follow quite a few named characters over an extended period of time and given the relatively short page count left me feeling a little detached from them.
Despite this enjoyed the story overall and will read the second once it comes out.
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June 5, 2023Pronouns of all characters given in the front of the book. That makes it a hard pass for me. If an author can’t convey the gender of the character in the story then I’m betting your writing is not going to impress me. Either that or you’re currently on the woke train and that’s a ride I refuse to take.
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