The Winds of Altair
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
3 journalers for this copy...
I got this from a friend and can't wait to read it!
SURVIVAL... AT ALL COSTS?
Earth is an old planet, and her teeming masses are running out of resources... .. and time. A path to the stars seems the only answer and it is up to men such as Jeff Holman to discover a haven for Earth's millions of people. Altair VI is one such planet, and Holman is determined to transform this world into one where the human race can survive.
But in a terraforming the planet, Holman discovers that Altair VI holds a terrible secret, and now he is faced with a soul-renching decision.. .. for to make Altair VI habitable for humans, all native life must die.
Including a race that is as intelligent as man.
I loved this book! This book is the reason why I read science fiction in the first place! The characters are genuine, and you can feel the tension!
Earth is an old planet, and her teeming masses are running out of resources... .. and time. A path to the stars seems the only answer and it is up to men such as Jeff Holman to discover a haven for Earth's millions of people. Altair VI is one such planet, and Holman is determined to transform this world into one where the human race can survive.
But in a terraforming the planet, Holman discovers that Altair VI holds a terrible secret, and now he is faced with a soul-renching decision.. .. for to make Altair VI habitable for humans, all native life must die.
Including a race that is as intelligent as man.
I loved this book! This book is the reason why I read science fiction in the first place! The characters are genuine, and you can feel the tension!
Journal Entry 3 by bookchick88 at Post Office swap shelf, 56 Whiting St. in Plainville, Connecticut USA on Tuesday, November 8, 2005
Released 18 yrs ago (11/8/2005 UTC) at Post Office swap shelf, 56 Whiting St. in Plainville, Connecticut USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
sending off to phantomreader42 as a surprise!
Enjoy!
:D
sending off to phantomreader42 as a surprise!
Enjoy!
:D
Another early birthday present from RainDrop! This book looks fascinating. Thanks.
As those who know a bit about me may expect, I find myself identifying with the animal on the cover more than the man. Perhaps the full moon tonight is a factor. *howls*
As those who know a bit about me may expect, I find myself identifying with the animal on the cover more than the man. Perhaps the full moon tonight is a factor. *howls*
I finally got to this one, and it was a pleasant surprise. Many thanks, RainDrop!
I run across Bova's books from time to time, and they're always satisfying. This is a particularly good one.
The Earth is crowded, teeming with starving people by the millions, without the room or resources to sustain them. Their only hope is to expand into space. The Church of Nirvan has sponsored a mission to terraform and colonize the planet Altair VI. But the planet is so alien that the only way to work there is to make use of the native life-forms. All attempts to control these creatures failed, sometimes disastrously, until a young student named Jeff Holman forged a connection with the mind of a wolfcat named Crown. He does not merely control Crown, he becomes Crown. On Crown's paws, he travels across the planet, seeing all through the eyes of the immense six-legged predator. With Crown's claws, he leads the charge to make the planet hospitable for human life, knowing full well that success will mean the death of all native life. And through Crown's mind, he learns the secret of the planet also known as Windsong. A planet inhabited by a race as intelligent as man. A race that must be exterminated if the human colonists are to survive.
The question is, if one must choose between the deaths of millions or billions of starving humans, or an entire race of intelligent aliens, which is the moral choice? And is there another way?
The neuro-electric stimulator is a device with disturbing implications in its own right. It can pacify criminals, but not solve the problems that cause crime. It cannot solve the true problems of mankind, but can only sweep them under the rug. I've read of such devices before, but rarely from the perspective of a remorseful inventor. The Church of Nirvan seems like a naive idea, basically a mixture of the various religious traditions on Earth today, which doesn't look all that likely, given the bitter disagreements between those religions now. It's nice to think about the possibility though.
The book is all over the place at times, but it brings everything together well. I loved it, and not just because I found myself wanting to be Crown. :)
Books by Ben Bova:
Cyberbooks
Empire Builders
Sam Gunn Forever
The Winds Of Altair
I run across Bova's books from time to time, and they're always satisfying. This is a particularly good one.
The Earth is crowded, teeming with starving people by the millions, without the room or resources to sustain them. Their only hope is to expand into space. The Church of Nirvan has sponsored a mission to terraform and colonize the planet Altair VI. But the planet is so alien that the only way to work there is to make use of the native life-forms. All attempts to control these creatures failed, sometimes disastrously, until a young student named Jeff Holman forged a connection with the mind of a wolfcat named Crown. He does not merely control Crown, he becomes Crown. On Crown's paws, he travels across the planet, seeing all through the eyes of the immense six-legged predator. With Crown's claws, he leads the charge to make the planet hospitable for human life, knowing full well that success will mean the death of all native life. And through Crown's mind, he learns the secret of the planet also known as Windsong. A planet inhabited by a race as intelligent as man. A race that must be exterminated if the human colonists are to survive.
The question is, if one must choose between the deaths of millions or billions of starving humans, or an entire race of intelligent aliens, which is the moral choice? And is there another way?
The neuro-electric stimulator is a device with disturbing implications in its own right. It can pacify criminals, but not solve the problems that cause crime. It cannot solve the true problems of mankind, but can only sweep them under the rug. I've read of such devices before, but rarely from the perspective of a remorseful inventor. The Church of Nirvan seems like a naive idea, basically a mixture of the various religious traditions on Earth today, which doesn't look all that likely, given the bitter disagreements between those religions now. It's nice to think about the possibility though.
The book is all over the place at times, but it brings everything together well. I loved it, and not just because I found myself wanting to be Crown. :)
Books by Ben Bova:
Cyberbooks
Empire Builders
Sam Gunn Forever
The Winds Of Altair
Packing up some books to send to a friend:
The Burnt House
Devil's Plaything
Lords & Ladies
Old Man's War
The Winds of Altair
The Burnt House
Devil's Plaything
Lords & Ladies
Old Man's War
The Winds of Altair
Thank you for the book!
As much as I have enjoyed Ben Bova in the past, this one was a bit lacking. Honestly I think it was the way it ended; wanting more. I did enjoy it though.
As much as I have enjoyed Ben Bova in the past, this one was a bit lacking. Honestly I think it was the way it ended; wanting more. I did enjoy it though.
Journal Entry 8 by SasquatchCycle at Sasquatch Cycle Service in South Shore, Kentucky USA on Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Released 10 yrs ago (2/25/2014 UTC) at Sasquatch Cycle Service in South Shore, Kentucky USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Left by the front door on the bookshelf.
