Reap the Wild Wind-Julie E. Czerneda

Reap the Wild Wind
Julie E. Czerneda
Daw, Sep 2007, $24.95
ISBN 9780756404567

On planet Cersi, the races of The Om’ray, Oud and Tikitik each possesses clearly marked territory; rarely except during the coming of age Passage does a member of one species trespass into the lands owned by the other two as that are key segments of the three principles that make up the planetary governance. The other criticality is that change is bad so nothing must transform on Cersi. Within the territory of the most privative of the three species, the Om’ray, are small tribal villages in which villagers except during the Passage never visit their neighboring villages as it has always been this way and will always be this way.

However aliens from the Trade Pact worlds of outer space arrive on Cersi. By their coming, they devastate the interrelationships between the species because regardless change has arrived from space. At the same time of the alien landing, an Om’ray female Arylis Sarc begins her rite of Passage trek by examining the outlawed M’hir power as she believes she can harness its usage, which will save her species from extinction as she fears the other two species and now this first contact outer space race will ultimately destroy them unless they embrace radical change.

Fans of the Trade Pact Universe trilogy will cherish the fabulous first act of the Stratification series, which is a prequel of the Clans when they still were planet bound. Although the story line provides a deep look into the three cultures especially the Om’ray, the action is non-stop as Julie E. Czerneda uses events for the audience to learn how the species lived before the first encounter and the beginning of the changes caused by the alien landing, which means Star Trek’s Prime Directive is an impossible sham. Their coming encourages Arylis Sarc to further explore the taboo M’hir. Thus REAP THE WILD WIND is a coming of age science fiction tale at a time when people must choose between maintaining the status quo of centuries of customs and tradition vs. reaping the benefits of progress.

Harriet Klausner