“The Terrans” eBook was published in 2015 (July) and was written by Jean Johnson (http://www.jeanjohnson.net). Ms. Johnson has written more than 20 novels, this being the first of her “First Salik War” series.
I obtained a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I would categorize this novel as ‘PG’ as there are minor instances of Violence. This Science Fiction novel is set in a future 150+ years from now where Earth has colonizing other planets in our solar system. Psychic ability has developed over the past century or so and an increasing number of precognitive visions indicate that Terrans will soon meet others and be faced with a war of survival.
Several ships are dispatched to explore space and try to make contact. The Aloha 9 encounters a Salik ship that is holding human prisoners. The crew of the Aloha 9 are able to free the prisoners and escape. The humans are from V’Dan and are genetically linked to Terrans.
The bulk of the story looks at Major Jacaranda MacKenzie, who is a high level psychic and the ships communications officer, and Captain Li’eth Ma’an-uq’en, Captain of the V’Dan ship captured by the Salik, as well as other Terrans and V’Dan as they work to learn each other’s cultures. The process is easier from some points of view because Ma’an-uq’en also has psychic abilities, though poorly developed.
The novel tells the story of how the the two cultures learn about one another and the problems that they encounter. While both sides see the need to join forces to fight the Salik, there are large cultural differences to overcome. Things get complicated as Ma’an-uq’en and MacKenzie discover that they are forming Gestalt pair – through psychic connections as well as romantic feelings towards one another.
I enjoyed the more than 12 hours I spent with this novel. it reminds me in some ways of Harry Turtledove’s ‘Colonization’ series. It was not an ‘edge-of-your-seat story, but I did enjoy it. I did find the Terran society and government described in the novel to be very idealistic. That said, I do look forward to more in the series.
I give this novel a 4.7 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.
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John's Notes 