Synopsis
After settlement negotiations between humanity and the alien Tarsalans go horribly wrong, the Earth is engulfed in a mysterious green sphere-blocking all sunlight from reaching the surface. Only two scientists-one isolated on the Moon's lunar colony, the other trapped on a dying Earth-possess the minds and the means to destroy the sphere before it renders the world completely barren...
Reviews
Mackay (Tides) manages to breathe life into the tired alien-invasion genre, deftly juggling hard sci-fi and a bleak tale of postapocalyptic survival. In the far future, an advanced, alien race called the Tarsalans, having failed to gain immigration rights from Earth's government, make a last-ditch effort to control negotiations by blanketing the planet in a mysterious shroud that blocks out all sunlight. On the Moon, scientist Gerry Thorndike, a recovering alcoholic, seeks a way to reverse the so-called phytosphere and save his estranged, Earth-bound family. Back on Earth, Gerry's Nobel Prize–winning brother, Neil, scientific adviser to the president, launches a rival crusade to destroy the alien shroud. Meanwhile, Gerry's wife, Glenda, struggles to protect her family as perpetual darkness decimates crops and plant life, inspiring violence among neighbors desperate for food. Neil and Gerry's prolonged, dispassionate debates over the task at hand teem with intriguing concepts, but often eclipse any sense of urgency over their imperiled loved ones. Luckily, Glenda's tale, peppered throughout, drips with claustrophobic suspense and ruthless antagonists: corrupt lawmen, starving predators and the Tarsalans themselves. While the resolution is anything but unexpected, Mackay churns up enough high-tech intrigue and old-fashioned suspense to make a fresh read. (June)
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For nine years, the alien Tarsalans have orbited Earth, negotiating immigration rights. When negotiations fail, they surround Earth with the phytosphere, which blocks the sun's light. As Earth darkens and cools, plant life dies, and worldwide panic reigns. Riots, looting, blackouts, and the breakdown of once trustworthy systems firefighting, police, hospitals, media characterize the new Earth. The Tarsalans consider the phytosphere a teaching tool; Earth considers it war. Scientist Gerry Thorndike spearheads a ragtag group from the colonized moon to investigate the phytosphere. His brother Neil, scientific advisor to the U.S. president and Gerry's rival, leads an effort to destroy it. Meanwhile, Gerry's wife, Glenda, and their children struggle to survive in worsening conditions, in which other people are the greatest threat. This hard-hitting apocalyptic thriller has a strong emotional core. The characters are believable and sympathetic, and while the humans are easy to root for, the Tarsalans aren't so easy to hate. The science is lucid and delivered with finesse, yet Mackay never forgets that his story is ultimately about what makes us human. Hutley, Krista
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