Note to self

[alias_sqbr]

Yes, you are bored of physics and maths based scifi because you're familiar with all the tropes and know more maths and physics than most scifi authors.

Yes, biological science based scifi can be more engaging, since biology is a science you find interesting but know very little about.

But biological science based scifi also FREAKS YOU THE HELL OUT. Especially when the book turns out to be the first in a trilogy so there's no resolution at the end, and the Big Bad is an inexorably expanding mindless biological threat, eg ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST SQUICKS (zombies are an especially common subsquick)

Ahhhhhhhh. This is why I read romance novels /o\ /o\

The book in question is "Survival" by Julie E Czerneda. And it was mostly a fun, thrilling story about a female scientist who just wants to get back to studying salmon before the season ends but gets caught up in intergalactic affairs despite herself, I especially liked the relationship with her female best friend. A bit like a cross between Larry Niven and Connie Willis, if not quite as good as either.

But....the goo D: D: THE MOUTHS D: D:

(This isn't a spoiler, the first chapter is all about the goo and the mouths. As are every fourth or fith chapter after that. Nnnnnnnng)

I double checked on goodreads to make sure that the third book really is a conclusion to the series, and it is. So I guess I'll read the rest of the trilogy. But I may distract myself between times with regency romances where NOONE GETS DISSOLVED AND EATEN.

Comments

[kerravonsen]

Julie E Czerneda does tend to be creative in her SF biology, especially biological imperatives. But I didn't even want to start reading "Survival" because it sounded too... scary?

The first novel of hers that I read was "A Thousand Words For Stranger" because the title caught my attention, and it sounded interesting. And it was. And then I went and read the rest of the trilogy. And then the "web shifters" trilogy. And "In The Company of Others", which I think is the only book she's written so far that isn't part of a trilogy.

[alias_sqbr]

IF ONLY I HAD BEEN SO WISE.

But dissolving aside I have been quite enjoying it, so will definitely check out her other books.

[kerravonsen]

I don't recall there being any goo or mouths or dissolving in "A Thousand Words for Stranger" or its sequels.

The "Web Shifters" trilogy might be considered to have goo in it, since the main character is a shape-shifting glob of goo... (grin)

[alias_sqbr]

Friendly goo that doesn't eat people is fine :)

[willow]

Uhmmm.... by the time you finish the series, you'll have plucked your head bald and cried a lot. Warning now.

[alias_sqbr]

YAY. Thanks, good to know.