Maelstrom (The Twins of Petaybee #2)

Maelstrom (2006) is the second SF novel in the Twins of Petaybee series, following Changelings. In the previous volume, Murel and Ronan barely saved the sacred Honu from Dr. Mabo and then immediately returned to Petaybee. Their father had gone missing and Madame Algemeine shipped a load of helicopters, small submarines and other rescue equipment to search their planet. Ke-ola and the Honu were also coming with them. Back on Petaybee, the twins soon recovered their father, alive and well, but without any memory of his ordeal. Later, the Petaybeans took Ke-ola and the Honu into the communion cave and there they received a message from the planet. Petaybee wanted to invite Ke-ola, the Honu and their people to come live on the new landmass and the twins have been selected as planetary emissaries. In this novel, the selkie twins and Sky Otter leave their homeworld to deliver the invitation. On the outward journey, the captain of the Piaf, Johnny Green, arranges for them to learn various ship functions. They never really have time to get bored. After reaching the Halau system, the Piaf encounters the Intergalactic Enterprises Company Corps carrier George Armstrong Custer, Colonel Zachariah Cally commanding. The Intergal crew orders them to leave, but Marmion uses her rank and reputation -- and an outright lie -- to overrule the order and land on the planet. There they find Ke-ola's hometown deserted and full of craters from meteorites. Although the situation looks hopeless, the Honu informs them that there are survivors underground. After the surviving villagers and Honus are found, Colonel Cally asserts that there are no more survivors. Yet the Honus guide them to another nearby village where other survivors of the bombardment have also gone underground. But the twins soon discover that this village has Manos -- sharks -- as their aumakuas instead of sea-turtles. After considerable argument and with some rationing, the Piaf returns with these survivors to Petaybee. Since the spaceport is far from the sea, the Petaybeans make arrangements to transport the Manos -- with their able-bodied people -- to the ocean. Meanwhile, the young and elderly remain aboard the Piaf, but with better meals and other supplies. In this story, the twins and Sky have another encounter with the sea otters. Then Sky casually mentions that the sea otters have told him that the deep sea otters are still alive, despite indications that a volcano had destroyed their city. Since nobody else knows that these otters exist, the twins decide to warn them about the sharks. Murel and Ronan head out to the new island forming in the sea where the deep sea otter city had been located. The twins also encounter a number of other creatures in the sea, including a pod of Orcas, some sea seals, and the newly arrived Manos. Murel and the Orcas have a confrontation that isn't entirely one-sided. The sea seals are helpful, but a little domineering until they meet Sean and

Anne McCaffrey has long been known for her excellent science-fiction books and this combines excellent sci-fi with a touch of enviornmental concerns and fantasy. I enjoyed it immensely and you will too.

Although this may be a simplier plot than usual for Ann McCaffrey, it is in perfect tune with the story thus far and an absolute joy to read. I am looking forward to the next part in these characters lives. These two authors complement each other wonderfully! It is so refreshing to read a great story that adults and children alike can relate to and enjoy.

Readers of the former CHANGELINGS who enjoyed the authors' return to the sentient planet Petaybeee will also want MAELSTROM, the ongoing saga which tells of a planet's formation of a new island to harbor a group of new refugees. Murel and Ronan decide to persuade the refugees to take shelter on the island - and face conflicts between two very different beings that could turn the resettlement rescue plans to disaster. Excellent, fast-paced action marks a story hard to put down: fans of either McCaffrey, Scarborough or their previous books on the topic will all be enthusiastic readers of MAELSTROM.

Twins Muriel and Ronan Shongili have the honor of living on the only known sentient planet in the universe Petaybee. Like their father Sean, the Shongili twins turn into seals when their bodies are immersed in water. Since anyone who lives on Petaybee past puberty can't leave the planet, Muriel and Ronan are going to perform an important mission that will save the people of Halau and their totem animals, sharks and sea turtle because the terraforming that was performed on their planet is falling apart. When they arrive aboard the luxurious spaceship that belong to a Powers That Be Marmian de Revers Algemeine, an ally of Petaybee and its people they find the planet being bombarded by meteors. They want to look for survivors but company man Colonel Cally wants to leave before more meteors hit them. Marmian and company are determined to rescue the survivors, even the sharks and bring them back to Petaybee. The Shongili twins discover alien beings living on the bottom of the ocean of Petaybee when they return, the first natives of Petaybee who can help them defeat the Powers That Be who want to take over the planet and arrest the people in power. The question is will the aliens help them. Two science fiction greats create a trilogy that focuses on the second generation of the Shongili family. This is space opera at its finest and the underwater scenes are so vividly described that readers can easily visualize them. Young adults and older will enjoy this action oriented character driven tale starring two preadolescents who get into the heart of the matter and develop a course of action that will keep their planet safe for their parents and friends from the Powers That Be. Harriet Klausner