First-Rate From Beginning To End

• Date: 04.03.2009
• Book: Omega
• Author: plappen

Review

Omega, Jack McDevitt, 2003, ISBN 0441010466

Set a couple of centuries from now, after mankind has begun to explore the galaxy, this novel is about deadly clouds of energy called omegas. Their purpose seems to be to wipe out any civilization they encounter. A cloud is heading for Earth, but it won’t arrive for another 900 years. While research continues into what makes omegas tick, it’s a problem for future humans. It becomes an immediate crisis when a survey ship reports that the cloud has turned, and is heading for a previously unexplored system. It just happens to contain a thriving, pre-industrial civilization, and the cloud will arrive in a few months.

In many years of diligent searching, mankind has found a number of dead civilizations, but only two living ones, neither of whom are interested in Contact with anyone. Saving this civilization suddenly becomes Top Priority. An exploration ship already in the area is able to sneak on to the surface, and the personnel plants many audio and video pickups, beaming language to a ship full of linguists, already in transit. Their ship, in bad need of an overhaul, is pressed into service too early, and breaks down before reaching the planet. A supply ship is able to join the exploration ship, and an attempt is made to fool with the planet’s weather, hiding the cities under thick clouds. All attempts to stop the cloud, or alter its course, fail.

For the humans already in orbit, how do they tell the inhabitants that they must immediately flee their cities? Who do they tell? Will their warnings be heeded? How do they do it without violating the Noninterference Directive?

As usual with McDevitt, this story is first-rate from beginning to end. It has good characters, and few, if any, wasted words. It does a fine job of holding the attention of the reader.