Rating: 
Summary: Not Recommended
Review: Phylogenesis looks like it was put together to fill a contract for the Commonwaelth books by the author. It has a modest plot and I did not find either of the two main characters particularly interesting. I kept hoping that it would get better and then it ended. Apparently the author had reached the agreed upon number of words in the contract and it was time to stop writing. It could have been a good book if the Author had cared about it.
Rating:
Summary: Not Recommended
Review: Phylogenesis tells the story of the founding of the Humanx Commonwealth, which is the setting for quite a few of his other novels (most of which I have read). The story itself is relatively intriguing as we learn how the thranx view the humans and to a much lesser extent, how humans view the thranx. There is also an element of mystery as both the protagonists, one human and one thranx are essentially evading authorities. The problem I have with Phylogenesis is that they are both evading authority because they are both criminals. It almost seems like Foster is trying to assert that one can (and must) do anything they want to achieve their goals, even if that means lying and even killing. If you can get past that fact, the story is just as readable as any of Foster's others.
Rating: 
Summary: Foster asserts one can do anything to accomplish their goals
Review: Phylogenesis tells the story of the founding of the Humanx Commonwealth, which is the setting for quite a few of his other novels (most of which I have read). The story itself is relatively intriguing as we learn how the thranx view the humans and to a much lesser extent, how humans view the thranx. There is also an element of mystery as both the protagonists, one human and one thranx are essentially evading authorities. The problem I have with Phylogenesis is that they are both evading authority because they are both criminals. It almost seems like Foster is trying to assert that one can (and must) do anything they want to achieve their goals, even if that means lying and even killing. If you can get past that fact, the story is just as readable as any of Foster's others.
Rating:
Summary: A good pre Humanx commonwealth story
Review: This book explors the relationship between humans and thranx in Fosters humanx universe. Glimpse at the events and pressures which started(or should I way jumpstarted) the amalgemation of Humans and thranx into a single multi-star system civilization after their first contact(shown in 'Nor crystal tears'). The charecters are not heroic types and you get a good sense of their frustration and desperation.
Rating:
Summary: Very weak and uneven
Review: This is not up to the standards set in "Nor Crystal Tears" or "Into the Out Of". The structure is poor and I cared more about the secondary characters than the 2 "heros". I kept on reading, thinking "It'll get better next chapter", but it didn't.
Rating:
Summary: Very weak and uneven
Review: This is not up to the standards set in "Nor Crystal Tears" or "Into the Out Of". The structure is poor and I cared more about the secondary characters than the 2 "heros". I kept on reading, thinking "It'll get better next chapter", but it didn't.
Rating: 
Summary: Not the ADF style I had hoped
Review: Well written, with a good eye for wit and humor as usual by ADF, but I couldn't seem to care for either Cheelo or Des, there is not really an effort by ADF to make you like them...
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