An adventure in colonization and conflict from acclaimed science fiction writer Pamela Sargent Several hundred years ago, Ship, a sentient starship, settled humans on the planet Home before leaving to colonize other worlds, promising to return one day. Over time, the colony on Home divided into those who live in the original domed buildings of the colony, who maintain the library and technology of Ship, and those who live by the river, farming and hunting to survive. The dome dwellers consider themselves the protectors of “true humanity” and the river people “contaminated,” and the two sides interact solely through ritualized trade: food and goods from the river people in exchange for repairs and recharges by the dome dwellers. Then a new light appears in the night sky. The river people believe it might be Ship, keeping its promise to return, but the dome dwellers, who have a radio to communicate with Ship, are silent. So Bian, a teenaged girl from a small village, travels upriver to learn what they know. As she travels through the colony of Home, gaining companions and gathering news, Bian ponders why the dome dwellers have said nothing. Has Ship commanded them to be silent, in preparation for some judgment on the river people? Or are the dome dwellers lying to Ship, turning Ship against their rivals? Whatever the answer, life is about to change radically on both sides of the divide.
Pamela Sargent is the author of many highly praised novels for young adults and adults, including Earthseed, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. She has won the Nebula and Locus awards and has been a finalist for the Hugo Award and the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award.
Amy Rubinate has narrated over 250 audiobooks and won multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards. Her books have been selected for AudioFile’s Best Romance of 2016 list; Booklist’s Top 10 Romance, Top 10 Historical Fiction, Editor’s Choice Media; and YALSA’s Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults. She has a degree in oral interpretation of literature and won state and national awards for poetry reading. A voice actor and singer for over a decade, Amy has narrated many interactive children’s books and provided character voices for toys and video games. Amy’s work has been featured in the New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, AudioFile magazine, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Library Journal.