Sunrise Alley

Rating:
Summary: crosses Frankenstein with Philip Dick
Review: By 2033, biomech research scientist Samantha Bryton tasted success with the development of "forma" androids, but has fled to Northern California to reconsider her values as the wealth and fame she has accrued feels wrong. A badly injured male washes up onto Sam's beachfront property. She helps this humanoid flotsam as he heals. Turner Pascal explains that renegade scientist Charon converted him from a dying human into a forma with unique powers. He can slightly modify his appearance and he can communicate directly with machines hooked to the world wide "mesh".

As Sam ponders the rights of this unique soul, Charon and his thugs come to repossess his property. The only hope for this duo on the run from a brilliant criminal and his minions as well as the military and Feds lies in Sunrise Alley, legendary home of free AI androids. If they succeed, will a human and a former human be accepted especially since Charon's reach runs deep into Sunrise Alley and just think of what he may have planted inside Turner before the humanoid android washed ashore.

Though Charon's reach seems mighty far, readers will appreciate this action-packed science fiction thriller that crosses Frankenstein with Philip Dick asking the same question of what is essentially a human. Sam is a terrific heroine and Charon a wonderful villain, but the tale belongs to Turner. When he was a purebred human he lazily loped through life without a care, but his resurrection as a forma includes powers that can either be abused or be responsibly and accountably used for bettering society. Still the bottom line remains does a former human turned android dream of real sheep or forma sheep?

Harriet Klausner


Rating:
Summary: Same old, same old
Review: Look, I loved the Radiant Seas as much as anyone, but, man, Asaro is running her themes into the dirt with this book. we have:

-a character who murkies the line between what is human and what is mechanical
...
-a dominant female rescuing an endangered, endearing male
-and much, much more.

some of the characters in this book are dead ringers for players in her Skolian Empire saga, and the relationship between the sexes is as formulaic as ever. Can we see something new here? I'd like to read Catherine Asaro's take on some other social issues...