The Return

WOW! Survival, space travel, dimension crossing, time travel, alien contact, and coming-of-age, all in a sprawling, adventure-packed novel!On the Future Earth known as Prime, humanity is dying. People self-terminate, few children are being born, and the transplanted people on Darwin don't seem interested in emigrating to Prime.The Futurists decide they must do more, send two of their very few children to Darwin's World. But Darwin is still wilderness, roamed by mammoths, sabertooth cats, dire wolves, and humans who recognize no law.If the children survive, they may provide what Prime needs: an infusion of human drive and determination to survive.If.The Futurists do have one advantage; Bear, a child born on Darwin, has spent years on Prime, educating himself. Task completed, he intends to return to Darwin soon. He can train the youngsters to survive, can't he? And after they reach Darwin, there will be others to help. No problem!But...among the helpers are three sisters. Teenagers, Titian-haired, triplets. And trouble. Bear is JUST what they've been looking for! Poor Bear; you just know he's going to have his hands full!And there's more; what of the sentient computer net called Central? And a visitor from another dimension. Human. Who reveals that his version of Earth needs Prime's help.They've been attacked by an extra-terrestrial ship that asked no questions, simply opened fire. Killed the scouting party and took their bodies, as well as their dimension-crossing jumper.But what can the largely-pacifistic population of the version of Earth known as Prime do? They want to help, but to risk the few people they have left?Still, something must be done...Fans of Robert A. Heinlein, Andre Norton, and S. M. Stirling will enjoy this book!...an extraordinary tale of mystery, artificial intelligence that may or may not be all it seems to be, interdimensional and time travel and, of course, the ongoing challenges of life on the new world--Blair Howard++...the bears are still fierce, and Central gets hinky... a whopping good format for telling stories about people having adventures. That's ALWAYS happening on Darwin's World--Pat Patterson++...delves into the deeper questions facing humanity...makes you think about larger issues. Knapp has a strong narrative voice and that is readily apparent in this novel.--Mike BillingtonBoy Howdy ! The ending shook me--Cecile Croghan