“Outpassage” is a fine example of
thoughtful, adventurous science fiction. For those of you who know
Janet Morris from “Thieves World” or the “Beyond” trilogy,
this book will reveal an exciting new facet of one of your favorite
authors. “Outpassage” isn’t written with the same lyrical,
bard-like prose she uses when detailing the exploits of Tempus
Thales, but such a choice wouldn’t be appropriate with a space
epic. In “Outpassage” the sentences are sharp and direct, and
bring life to a futuristic setting without losing any of the
craftsmanship she has displayed in her previous work. Essentially
she has simply updated her palate; instead of the greens and browns
of Sanctuary, “Outpassage” allows her to work with the silver and
black of space.
The story of “Outpassage” is
instantly gripping as well. A corporation is mining/settling a
planet only to discover alien life on the surface. Rather than view
this development as the scientific discovery of the age, the
corporation becomes concerned with the bottom line and decides to
“eliminate” the alien problem. We are introduced to Daniel “Det”
Cox, one of the rangers who is sent to the slaughter in a battle
against a force he truly knows nothing about.
The alien “problem” has been
developing for some time as Det is sent back to Earth for psych
evaluation. On a whim, he signs up for a dating service, and gets
set up with a high-ranking executive of the very corporation
embarking on the plan of alien genocide. In a semi-comical twist,
the two of them are shanghaied during their date, drugged, and sent
to a different planet which is also displaying signs of the same
alien problem. Det is commandeered because of his experience
fighting the aliens, where the corporate official, Paige, is put to
work in what is essentially a slave camp.
I found many of the space/future
touches of this work to be delightful. Det is an interesting
character because he’s so adaptive. Finding that he’s been
drugged and shanghaied to a foreign planet, his big concern is that
he didn’t black out any briefings because he doesn’t want to look
incompetent in front of the men he’s set to lead.
Paige is interesting too. There is a
tendency in literature to portray “corporate” folks as
incompetent to adapt to a labor setting. Paige’s introduction to
her new reality is rocky, but she quickly learns to climb the social
ladder among the laborers to achieve the highest status available to
her. She expresses moments of vulnerability which make her
appealing, though she’s always got her eye on her long term goals
and makes steady progress.
The scenario becomes more complicated
as the laborers begin to develop a complex religion that worships the
alien life form, and seems to bequeath the followers with the power
to resurrect themselves from death. However, you have to wonder how
much of the beings that come back are the original human, and how
much of them are alien.
All in all, “Outpassage” has all
the elements of a great science fiction novel. The space components
(space travel, warfare on foreign planets, aliens, etc.) are present
and expertly integrated into the plot. The writing is exemplary, and
the novel moves along at a quick pace leaving you wanting more. This
is a fantastic contribution by one of the best fantasy/sci-fi writers
working today. Don’t hesitate to give it a try!
Walter, thanks so much for your perceptive review.
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