Once Humans Volume 2 of the Daimones Trilogy by Massimo Marino
Reviewed by Geoff Nelder
Kindle ASIN: B00DJL3B9O
Paperback: 316 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (July 9, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1490395636
ISBN-13: 978-1490395630
Element of spoiler in this review but only to entice.
Dan Amenta and his family awoke to find everyone had died suddenly – except themselves. A shocking discovery gripping the reader in book 1 even when other survivors are found. The reveal at the end of the first book is that it wasn’t a religious answer as such but the arrival of an alien species called the Moirai on Earth. In volume 2 we learn that they needed to cull humans except for a tiny number of ‘Selected’ who have been enhanced and a larger number of ‘spared’. Dan has been `selected’ by the Moirai and given special powers. Along with Dan, I eagerly read on to find why he in particular has been Selected to be special – he grows older much more slowly than Mary, his wife – upsetting for both. Among other enhancements, he develops a kind of telepathy with others of similar attributes as long as he uses a special gadget called the Palladium.
I enjoyed the first book more because it followed the experiences of Dan and his family in the post apocalyptic near future in Europe. A terrifying struggle of intelligent survival, but would I enjoy this sequel as much? Would it answer my questions the first book raised?
Yes and no.
Dan and his new Moirai friends have a few problems in the Shangri-La world of their small community of survivors. Sabotage incidents point to some ‘spared’ being led by another group of aliens at war with the Moirais and taking their battle to Earth. There is still suspicion about why so many humans had to die. An explanation that it was a kind of natural extinction event raised more questions than it answered. Finally, Dan, while being made even more enhanced by the Moirai, who suggest that Dan is even more special than they realized, discovers that the aliens need human brains (a clue is the image on the back cover) to create a special drug. Not quite as drastic as the aliens sucking out brains in the Skyline film (2010) it is a credit to the author that this preposterous premise comes over in a reasonable way. One use is enhance a Moirai to be at one with a spaceship. Yes, other novelists have pilots that become their own spaceships – Liz Williams and the late Iain M Banks, but in Once Humans, we know how this can be achieved.
Will Dan and his friends, defeat the enemies of the Moirai, and find out why he was chosen? Maybe, but along the way we are treated to some neat philosophical arguments on the nature of what it is to be a human, what is justifiable even in war and even a touch of Wittgenstein in “If you can control the meaning of words, you control the people who use them.” And listen to this quote: “… I could hear her sobbing and feel her broken heart across the walls, across time and space.” Whoever said science fiction can’t be literary clearly hasn’t read Massimo Marino.
Paperback http://www.amazon.com/Daimones-Massimo-Marino/dp/1478347104/
Kindle http://www.amazon.com/Once-Humans-Daimones-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00DJL3B9O/
Nelder News
I wrote the last word on the ARIA Trilogy last week and it felt good, and bad. Still going through the BSFA critique group and then on to the publishers where one of their editors will remove most of my commas, then on their proofreader where the commas will return.
Meanwhile you can buy and read the first two books
Jon Courtenay Grimwood – “Geoff Nelder inhabits Science Fiction the way other people inhabit their clothes.”
Robert J Sawyer calls ARIA a “fascinating project”.
“Geoff Nelder’s ARIA has the right stuff. He makes us ask the most important question in science fiction–the one about the true limits of personal responsibility.” – Brad Linaweaver.
“ARIA has an intriguing premise, and is written in a very accessible style.” – Mike Resnick.
Kindle – Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/ARIA-Left-Luggage-ebook/dp/B008RADGYC/
Paperback Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/ARIA-Left-Luggage-Volume-1/dp/1905091958/
Kindle – UK – http://www.amazon.co.uk/ARIA-Left-Luggage-ebook/dp/B008RADGYC/
Paperback UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/ARIA-Left-Luggage-Geoff-Nelder/dp/1905091958/
For ARIA: Returning Left Luggage
UK Kindle http://www.amazon.co.uk/ARIA-Returning-Luggage-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00D7TW2D4/
US Kindle http://www.amazon.com/ARIA-Returning-Luggage-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00D7TW2D4/
Paperback
US http://www.amazon.com/Aria-Returning-Left-Luggage-Trilogy/dp/095747265X/
UK paperback http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aria-Returning-Left-Luggage-Trilogy/dp/095747265X/
Publisher’s website with more details and formats. http://www.ll-publications.com/leftluggage.html
