Scott Mackay, Tides

Tides

Scott Mackay

PYR (Prometheus), Nov 2005, $25.00

ISBN: 1591023343

The two moons make the water rich planet seem like two different worlds, as tidal conditions do not allow travel beyond the imaginary barrier, the equator that divides the orb in half. On both sides of the watery "line" lie great continents with each containing an intelligent species unbeknownst to one another.

Renowned sea captain Hab Miquay has made it to the "edge" of the world and returned safely. He has recently learned of a theory from a volcanologist studying ash, that there must be another great land mass besides Paras on the other side of the giant tides. Miquay is euphoric as he plans an expedition to crash through the great tides to the other side. Called foolhardy with few backers, he risks his fortune to fund the quest. Miquay and a few courageous yet foolish souls survive the perilous trek crossing the impregnable barrier, and indeed find the other continent, Ortok, a volcanic pocked wasteland inhabited by intelligent devious reptiles. One of them, drillmaster Ortok, uses the naive Miquay to help him with his plans to hop the tidal barrier to the Golden Land beyond.

Though the action is non-stop and fast-paced, it is the planet and its two dominant species that make for a stupendous science fiction thriller. Hab is a fabulous protagonist who enjoys exploring the unknown, but will learn some things are best left alone once he understands how deceitfully wily Ortok and his species are. Scott Mackay provides a strong science fiction thriller in which his age of reason humans and his sentient reptile race seem real perhaps the latter because of the stereotyping, starting with Genesis, but more likely due to the actions of the star performers.

Harriet Klausner