Noise

I believe this was science fiction writer Hal Clement's final book, and it was a good one. True to his unique approach to sci-fi, Clement has given us one final world where the rules of physics and chemistry which we take so for granted on earth are subtly different due to differences of gravity, heat, and other fascinating variables. He always had fun working out how human beings -- and others --always rational and well-intentioned creatures, would solve the physical problems such worlds set them. In "Noise," humans deal with a water world to interesting and instructive effect. As usual with Clement, expect no sex, violence or destruction, but anticipate an interesting journey all the same.

The twin planets Kainui and Kaihapa are covered by water and orbit a binary star system. Polynesians settled on Kainui, a planet with deep oceans and a poisoned atmosphere. The horrendous climatic conditions include a horrific noise way over acceptable decibel levels requiring special equipments to survive the racket and the pollution. The inhabitants of this watery orb live on floating cities developed by biotechnology.Maori Earthling Mike Hoani arrives on Kainui to study the changes in language since colonization. Trader Captain Wanaka accompanied by her husband and a ten-year-old apprentice takes the off-worlder on her boat. Their boat becomes damaged and soon they drift towards the South Pole. There on the edge of the frozen realm they encounter inhabitants of an ice city. Neither race knew of the existence of the other, but confrontation is the reaction.Upfront the story line seems a bit weak as the novel feels more like an exciting anthropologic study tale than an action adventure science fiction thriller. The Kainui environs are superbly drawn so that the audience has a feel for the floating culture and to a lesser degree the civilization of the ice men. Fans who appreciate a strange different realm will enjoy this water world tale.Harriet Klausner