Howard V. Hendrix, Spears of God

Spears of God

Howard V. Hendrix

Del Rey, December 2006, $14.95

ISBN: 0345455983

In South America, scientists Dr. Michael Miskulin and biologist Professor Susan Yamada climb the Caacamuni by themselves, in search of ruins two billion years old that they believe hold the key to evolution. When they reach their destination, they find a remote isolated tepui and a scene out of a horror movie. An entire tribe, with the exception of four children has been eradicated by a militia using modern weaponry on these primitive people. Michael and Susan take the four survivors to Paul Larkin, whose sister Jacinta watched this same space-fungus worshipping tribe vanish through an apparent wormhole (see BETTER ANGELS).

However, the three young girls and lone boy appear to have enhanced mental powers, including the ability to telepathically communicate. Different groups want the kids and the meteorite that contains the space-fungus that the devastated tribe worshipped. NSA Director Jim Brescoll, Susan and Michael try to keep the kids safe while trying to prevent religious, government and military groups from stealing the meteorite in a global arms cold war that could turn hot. At the same time, Darla Pittman is shot several times in her lab as she studies the fungus; she lives because she touches the fungus.

SPEARS OF GOD is a complex, not easy to read science fiction thriller, as Howard V. Hendrix goes into incredible depths in the science, but at the cost at times of action; long stretches of the tale provide the scientific concepts as exposited mostly by Michael, Susan and Darla, but it is not easy to grasp by us scientifically-impaired. Readers who prefer the cerebral rather than the action will want to follow the escapades of a small band of mostly scientists battling against several power-grabbing groups.