289 pages
English language
Published April 10, 2005 by Ace Books.
An unidentified artifact, found seven miles below the surface of the sea, stumps the scientists examining it but calls out to the two immortal creatures who have wandered the Earth for centuries, never crossing paths until now.
Joe Haldeman's prose is spare and clean, always. This book suffered from a "huh?" love subplot and an abrupt ending, but otherwise it was solid.
This is a simple narrative, nothing too complicated not hard to figure out. But very well told.
We get two journeys of discovery in one. As well as coming of age. We have an Alien getting to know humanity and a science team trying to figure out an alien artifact. Two of my favorite SF tropes.
The only drawback is the women characters, why do they all have to be sexy. We are introduced to a new woman character and guess what she's sexy.
Even for a coming of age story, the role of sex in the advancement of the narrative is exaggerated. There are allot of glittery hoohas as well as golden penises.
Yes I am being influenced by the Galactic Suburbia Podcast.
