Prophets: Apotheosis: Book One

by S. Andrew Swann

Book Overview

It's been nearly 200 years since the collapse of the Confederacy, the last government to claim humanity's colonies. So when signals come in revealing lost human colonies that could shift the power balance, the race is on between the Caliphate ships and a small team of scientists and mercenaries. But what awaits them all is a threat far beyond the scope of any human government.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B004LZI6VK
• ISBN13: 9780756405410
• Release Date: March 2009
• Publisher: Daw Books
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 4.2" x 6.7"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Space Opera Without a Bad Note

This novel has just about everything I want in a space opera: lost colonies, political intrigues (here the Caliphate and Roman Catholic Church vying for control and influence in the worlds of human space - a space that includes the human/animal chimeras called moreaus), vividly described violence, forbidden technologies (genetic engineering of humans, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence), espionage, and subversion. Swann's style strikes just the right balance with his physical descriptions - cinematic but not too long to slow the plot down. And I liked every chapter having an epigraph from sources historical and fictitious. This is a continuation of Swann's work in his moreau/Confederation universe and is chronologically the latest story but don't worry. Swann provides enough background explication so that, if you've never read the Moreau Omnibus (Daw Book Collectors) or the Hostile takeover Trilogy - or, like me, it's just been a long time since you read them, you won't be lost. Actually this novel reminded me a lot of a stripped down version of Peter Hamilton's Commonwealth Saga: a human political order with its internecine squabbles is threatened by an invading force willing to do anything to alter that order. However, Swann's universe is never as utopian as Hamilton's world.

Great explosive start to another trilogy in the Moreau Universe

If you havent read the Moreau and Hostile Takeover trilogies, I'd recommend you do so before picking up this book. You'll still be able to get into the book, but it helps gel everything together if you read them first. S Andrew Swann continues his sci fi novels with this book, the latest in his Moreau universe. This time, it is set in the year 2525 and begins with two competing religious groups vying for influence and control of some previously unknown human colonies beyond known space, and a Race AI called Mosasa, who has detected anomalous signals from that region of space and decides to investigate as well. I always enjoy books which have ties to characters in previous books. Prophets brings back Mosasa, Tetsani, an offspring of Rajastan, and an egg. Those who have read his previous books will understand what I mean by the egg. Explaining more may give away the story but suffice it to say- it's another good book from Swann. The one thing I am wary of however is the revelation of the enemy towards the end. I fear it may be too technologically advanced for the humans and have some doubt over how the enemy was able to create it in the first place. Swann may have backed himself into a corner and there may be a finale which is unrealistic (unrealistic for this book's premises I mean) If you made it this far, thank you for reading.

Intriguing return to one of sci-fi's coolest universes

In a universe of many religions, one of the oldest remaining AI gets up and goes on expedition. Beyond man's known boundaries, to explore what is there and what is upsetting the patterns he sees. The departure of his expedition leaves the universe in turmoil. And when they arrive, the surprise waiting for them is not a pleasant one. It's clear that Andrew prepared well for our return to Bakunin, the planet of systemic anarchism. He places his characters well, with quite a few dramatic tensions between them. The universe he created in his Moreau books, as well as in the Hostile Turnover, is great to return to. It was brilliant, in either one of these series. Hopefully this exciting return will turn into a wonderful series too. It's a bit of a slow starter, this book. Putting the characters in play reads pleasantly, yet the story actually only really starts at the very end. Andrew throws in yet another stimulating variation (as in his previous books). I'm definitely looking forward to #2 in this series!

action-packed futuristic science fiction

By 2525, two centuries have past since the collapse of the Confederacy civilization. From those ruins two major rivals form: The Roman Catholic Church and the Eridani Caliphate compete for dominance on earth and on other planets in other solar systems. Both groups believe there are lost colonies in space who prefer not to belong to either power; instead they keep low profiles hoping nether empire find the needle in the haystack. However, a super intelligent AI who can pass as human has noticed an anomaly in the star Xi Virginis sector. The AI Tjele Mosasa is headquartered on the planet Bakunin. Since an AI is banned in most places as are self-replicating nanotech and genetically engineered sentient beings, Masassa arranges to have mercenaries Nikolai the descendent of genetically engineered tigers and Julia Kugara, a genetically engineered human, as well as Father Francis Mallory join his expedition to Xi Virginis; there he plans to investigate the anomaly. When they arrive at their destination, they are greeted by the vanishing of the star and a saboteur's explosion on board their ship cripples the vessel. The survivors make an emergency landing on the xenophobic planet Salmagundi. The first book in the Apotheosis saga sets the slope for the next tale Heretics while containing an action-packed futuristic science fiction. The story line is told from many viewpoints so readers obtain a 360 degree perspective of what is happening though that somewhat subtracts from character development yet enables the audience to understand how different factions perceive reality. S. Andrew Swann provides an intriguing look into life a half millennium from now. Harriet Klausner