CROSSING INFINITY

by Karen Haber

Struggling with the conflicting emotions and urges of adolescence, sixteen-year-old Jasmine "Jaz" Andrews finds her life transformed forever by an encounter with Coriolas, sent to Earth as a refugee from a civil war on a distant planet, who possesses the unique ability to morph back and forth between genders.

Genres: Science Fiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2005

About the author

Karen Haber is the author of nine novels including Star Trek Voyager: Bless the Beasts, and co-author of Science of the X-Men. In 2001 she was nominated for a Hugo for Meditations on Middle Earth, an essay collection celebrating J.R.R. Tolkien. With her husband, Robert Silverberg, she co-edited Best Science Fiction of 2001, 2002, and the Best Fantasy of 2001 and 2002 for ibooks and later, co-edited the series with Jonathan Strahan through 2004.

Her recent work includes Crossing Infinity, a science fiction novel of gender identity and confusions. Other publications include Exploring the Matrix: Visions of the Cyber Present, a collection of essays by leading science fiction writers and artists, Kong Unbound: an original anthology, an essay in The Unauthorized X-Men edited by Len Wein, and Transitions: Todd Lockwood, a retrospective of the artist's work.

Her short fiction has appeared in Asimov's Science Fiction magazine, the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, and many anthologies. She reviews art books for LOCUS magazine and profiles artists for various publications including Realms of Fantasy. She is currently at work on a major survey of fantasy and science fiction artists to be published in 2011.

Reviews

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty cool book. Light read, but interesting.

[Mark Tier · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully constructed story. I was quite surprised how much I enjoyed it: rather than the regular science fiction novel I anticipated I was absorbed in one that might fit better in the “young adult romance” category. Just the same, I had to stay up way past my bedtime to finish it.

As a writer, I’m jealous of Karen Haber’s sparing use of words and scenes. Only an inspired editor could find anything to cut. The characters’ reactions are short, sharp, and almost always emotional rather than physical (i.e., violent).

This is the first Haber novel I’ve read; it won’t be the last!!

[Phair · Rating 1 out of 5]

Only marginally science fiction- more toward paranormal. In a near future when kids mostly zone out to pod casts, etc Jaz finds an unconscious boy (girl?) who claims to be a refugee. Turns out he's an alien- his people are neither male nor female but can morph, or "phase" appearance. This ended up seeming a lot like the TV series Roswell with the girl falling for the alien only 'he' has a betrothed from back 'home' who is really his enemy and out to get him. Didn't really go anywhere- disappointing