The Silver Ship and the Sea

Wow, this is her first full length book, I am very impressed. And the main character was very real to me - love science fiction that focus on the impact of advanced science on society, not on guns and gadgets.

Brenda Cooper has written a strong and engaging book. I found her characterizations credible because she used no blatant archetypes: I probably know someone like almost everyone in the book, including the "altered" teens. There is no arch-villain, instead the teens face prejudice from influential adults. She deftly handles the questions of "who do you trust," "who do you love," and "who do you tolerate." I found the pacing of the story kept me reading. There is very little physical violence, as in real life the question of how one survives is much more complicated than that. It is no wonder the book won the 2008 Endeavour Award for science fiction literature.

My reason for buying this book was that I read the excellent novel (Building Harlequins' Moon) A project between Brenda Cooper and Larry Niven. Larry Niven is one of the greatest S.F. authors of all time. I can't say I have read "EVERYTHING" he has ever written,,but it is on my list of things to do before I die! Brenda Cooper is an author to watch! I expect great things from her. As great as Larry? (Maybe!) This novel is her first solo effort. It is a solid one! If I could write a novel half as good as this I could die a happy man! (Now For some criticism!) The character development is a bit off. There are too many characters to keep track of in the beginning. That is one thing that bothers me,,"25 characters all introduced in the first 2 pages that you have to keep track of or you will become lost! Or at least you will have to flip back and find out where you read that name before! I had to flip back a few times! I agree with some of the other reviews that the story is a bit Slow/Flat at times. Overall it is a good story. It has a lot of emotion. I think Cooper has a lot of potential. I am looking forward to her next book!

An engrossing planetary adventure. I am looking forward to Ms. Cooper's next novel.

The planet Fremont was considered a dangerous place for colonization due to its odd lethal flora and fauna as much as from the meteorites that crash on its surface and it's volcanic and quake activity. However, in spite of a need to cooperate twelve years ago war exploded between the original human settlers and the second group bioengineered to fit the orb. Near Artistos, the only town on the planet, is the deadly Grass Plains and in its center lays the single silver spaceship that humans fear. Six altered children left orphaned by the hostilities and unwanted by the purebreds except as slaves, dream of freedom. Abetting their hopes is the last altered adult Jenna the crazy woman as Chelo Lee leads the other five on a quest to find either escape from the planet via the abandoned ship or establish a new home where they can live free. This coming of age science fiction is a fun lighthearted read. The story line focuses on the children as they seek their own way in hostile environs made worse by rampant prejudice towards their kind. However, though fun to follow their exploits in search of freedom, Chelo and her comrades fail to show the impact of being raised by people who fear them while wanting to use (and abuse) their altered gifts. Still this is a fine tale of six courageous youths on a quest for freedom. Harriet Klausner