Science Fiction

The Petaybee trilogy of Anne McCaffrey/Elizabeth Ann Scarborough novels was a welcome 1990s addition to a massive corpus of work. Working with characters of less-than-familiar ethnic heritage, set in a Universe familiar to her readers, it introduced a protagonist of global (literally) proportions – the sentient planet. The Twins of Petaybee picks up the story of native-born, shape shifting ‘changelings’ whose genetic code the planet itself has re-written. Although tending to the sentimental, and highlighting familiar themes, these are competently plotted, but not as sophisticated as some prior work.

Alone or in collaboration, McCaffrey hews to SF’s principle of launching from the known into the only imaginable. As previously, she explores human adaptation under startlingly divergent environmental pressures. Here, Petaybee’s colonists struggle to come to terms with their inexplicable planet, and the all-powerful Company.

Peoples of the circumpolar region, the Pacific islands, and Ireland are unlikely ethnic ingredients here. McCaffrey and Scarborough show sensitivity and humor in projecting the cultural evolution of this odd assortment. Long-time readers will recognize favorite ideas. Vocal music, animals, good food, hidden powers, a suspicion of institutional religion, and an insistence on not infantilizing young people, are all visible. The Irish element allows song-filled gatherings based on ceilis, big cats, otters, and other animals feature prominently, and the population seems happily unencumbered by their ancestral religions.

The Twins’ stories are warm and upbeat, affirming humankind’s capacity to grow as a species. The trilogy is well worth reading as well as writing a critical writing essay and even custom writing papers about, albeit with limited expectations.