New novel steps out of the 'Shadow' of sci-fi implausibility
By Dawn Dziuba, Pulse Literary Critic
Bradley SCOUT, March 1, 1997
The recent discovery of past life on Mars has raised questions regarding whether the planet would be fit for human inhabitants.
Steven Burgauer explores the possibility of this in his new book "In the Shadow of Omen."
Modern thought assumes that man is the center of the universe, looking down from the top of nature's hierarchy.
But what would happen if we realized we weren't at the end of a long chain of evolutionary advances? This is what happens to Carina Matthews, a strong-willed, vibrant woman who believes she is carrying a set of "signature genes" that will lead to the development of a "newhuman" that is different from your average Homo sapien.
There are differences between newhumans and everyday humans. Newhumans have one less set of molars, a smaller appendix, and a large increase in their appetite for sex.
Carina's father, Sam, along with Fornax, a man who invented a ship that can make interplanetary trips across the galaxy in only a matter of hours, has been making regular ventures to Mars.
Carina decides a patch of the unsettled expanse of the planet is the perfect place for her to start a colony of these newhumans. Hence the colony is called Newton (short for newhuman town).
Carina hopes to maintain the genetic purity and increase the population of newhumans by isolating them from others who don't carry the "signature genes" present in the new species. She believes this is necessary if the new species is to survive.
Her philosophy counters that of Darwin in that she believes it is "survival of the luckiest," not "survival of the fittest" that determines evolution. Without separation, the new species could not compete with the masses of ordinary humans.
By separating her colony, Carina tries to create her own utopia. Newhumans live by a simple code that tells them to be hospitable, avenge harm done to their own, and be merciful. The town settles into order as women and men divide up the labor in a traditional manner. Carina believes her colony will prosper only if they are left alone.
But, of course, capitalists stand in the way of her socialistic plans. Other people want to use Mars's untouched resources. Oskar Schaefer fits the description of your average overweight, overly greedy capitalist.
He wants to use Mars as a base for mining expeditions. Carina is opposed to this, as she believes it could possibly interfere with her efforts to keep members of her colony separate from the original establishment, called Colony One, of regular humans who are primarily workers for Oskar's corporation.
Conflict is inevitable. Members of Newton are always suspicious of members of Colony One, and vice versa. After suspecting that some Newton tried to sabotage his company's operation, Oskar is able to bring in troops that he claims are necessary for protection.
These troops eventually put members of Newton into concentration camps, committing atrocities equivalent to those during the Holocaust. Carina is even placed under arrest. Newhumans are persecuted in the way members of any minority group have been persecuted in history.
What happens in "In the Shadow of Omen" confirms the age-old adage that those who do not learn from the past are condemned to repeat it. Burgauer shows that even in the 25th century, people still behave in the way they did in the 20th. Looking at the colonists' struggles reminds readers of the struggles of any settler of new and unexplored territories.
Burgauer even fills in the gaps, offering a plausible explanation of how the colonists are able to cope with the conditions. He goes into detail of how people are even able to live off the planet in the first place.
Perhaps the book's greatest attraction can be found in the character of Carina. She continuously questions the status quo and argues what she believes to be true. Not just a mere fighter, she is an intellectual rebel, though this does not exempt her from getting caught in sticky situations.
The other characters in the book have their obsessions, whether it be profit, power, sex, or etymology--Carina's father is like a walking history book, with a story for every word spoken.
This book will satisfy the typical science-fiction fan with its preciseness and plausibility. However, it also should be of interest to readers who like to examine the struggles between change and stasis, order and chaos, and valuing profits versus valuing people.