Natural History

Another complex, well-written book from the author who consistently demonstrates her command of futuristic fantasy, Natural History reveals a world whose inhabitants have created a present that is anything but natural. Here humanity has been able to engineer its own evolution, and the resulting combinations of technology, machinery and both animal and human forms have created a multi-layered society with much unhappiness. Forgeds, Unevolveds and Mekteks, amongst others, have reached out throughout the universe and made existence possible just about everywhere. But many escape when they can to Uluru, a virtual world also known as the Dreamtime, where Forged children live before being connected to the bodies that will be their only physical existence. Although the Forged have been engineered to be free of problems they are aware that they have been made wrong and Uluru remains a powerful and illegal addiction. When Isol, an interstellar voyager, collides with alien technology, she determines to claim a new planet as a free world for the Forged, and Unevolved archaeologist Zephyr is sent there to establish whether any life forms already there have a prior claim. Her discoveries reveal that the synthesis of the human race and its own technology is not the most advanced in the galaxy and that communication with the alien world could be the beginning of the end of life as they know it. The reader's imagination is transported to both real and virtual worlds where the possibilities of creature and technology combinations are vividly portrayed and form a fascinating backdrop to the political and civil conflicts. There is a poignancy about each of the main characters which invites a philosophical look at the very ancient natural history which they all share, and this adds even further to this entertaining and thoughtful read. (Kirkus UK)