Extreme Distance Genome Exchange: A Nonviolent Speculative Fiction Novel About Climate Cooling And Changes Coming In The Near Future [NOOK Book]

Overview

Life changes in the first third of the twenty-first century. Of all the possible global disruptions, the two most likely have dramatically changed our world. Epidemic and climate change have caused great disruptions. Earth's Edge describes the changes and what we do to live as best we can.

Some preparation for disruptive change is possible. The book portrays how a 'can do' attitude favors successful preparations. The story suggests that a sense of accomplishment can be emphasized and savored whenever preparations are established.

The human spirit and ability to adapt gets most of us through those twenty-first century challenges. As the people of earth are adapting to environmental changes, a message comes from a far off solar system. The message contains information that may be of monumental importance. We do our best to use that information to improve the human condition.

Scientists say that in the extreme distant future our sun will no longer sustain us. For humanity to survive we must leave this earth. In the twenty-first century, as our technology progresses and our understanding of genetics improves we see the opportunity for humanity to establish itself beyond the bounds seemly imposed by the laws of physics. There is another way for humanity to go to the stars.


From Slickditty:

EDGE has what makes science fiction good. The story demonstrates that attitude and perseverance bring about changes to improve mankind's future. Science and the human spirit are the elements that drive progress. We can expect setbacks and difficult times, but the human parade will march gallantly onward far into the future. And along the way there will be wonders to amaze us and propel our expectations of a bright future. That is the basic premise of Earth's Edge. It is a realistic portrayal of how some of the challenges we face might play out.

The tone of the story is more personal and intellectual than dramatic. There are no detailed descriptions of beam weapons, faster than light spaceships, inter gallactic warfare, or parasitic body invaders. There are personable characters with admirable strengths and forgivable flaws who interact with each other in ways that are at times endearing and always human. Mixed in is the wonder of some twenty-first century technology that is now just out of our reach.

The main themes are climate change, pandemic, and alien contact. The leading character adapts to changing conditions using self sufficiency and advance preparation. Claude is an educated orchard owner working in a government run facility that monitors radio frequencies for signals from possible extra terrestrial civilizations. He takes his job seriously but he also has other interests. The orchard business is failing. If he can genetically engineer an especially good tasting apple with luscious visual appeal, the orchard business handed down to him from his parents, will be saved. But there are many other concerns pulling his attention in other directions.

The alien being Lucy becomes part of Claude's life. Lucy is amazingly similar to humans and is also distinctively different. There is much that Claude wants to learn from Lucy. And there is much that humanity should learn from Lucy and the far off civilization in which Lucy's race evolved. Government officials realize this and put in place a program to learn as much as possible from the Quatsol race.

Genetics is a fast evolving science. It has a central roll in the story, and it will very likely have a central roll in humanity's future. Humanity's command of genetics might determine our civilization's fate.