Drylands End
By Felice Picano
Set so far in the future that the exact location of the home planet of the Humes (humans) isn’t remembered, this book examines relationships between the sexes, and between species from a new perspective and with more than a touch of levity. The ruling class of women in much of the galaxy, the Matriarchy, in power for several millennia, is suddenly facing challenges on many fronts, not the least of which is a rebellion of the Cybers (android like machines and computers) who have a designed a virus that could wipe out hume-kind.
Ay’r Kerry Sanqq, a virtual orphan in a society that valorizes Motherhood, is sent in search of his father, a biologist who was banned from research and disappeared shortly after Ay’r birth. His avocation (no one has a job per se just interests they pursue) as a Species Ethologist, allows Ay’r the background he needs to engage the indigenous people on the planet Pelagia –over 90 percent ocean –where his father is rumored to be.
In the meanwhile, pitched battles are fought intrigues are developed, and treachery abounds in the rest of the galaxy as entire species face extinction. New alliances sometimes surprising, are formed, as the stultified social order begins to collapse. With its subjects of cloning and genetic manipulation, same sex marriages and other controversial issues, Dryland’s End remains as pertinent today as when it was first published.
In full-fledged sci-fi form, Picano has created entirely new civilizations, species, even new language forms for his society. A phenomenally well-written book.
--Virginia Gazette