Horizons » (Reprint)

A Hugo Award finalist and winner of the Asimov's Readers Award, MARY ROSENBLUM lives in the Pacific Northwest.

Ahni Huang is hunting for her brother's killer. As a class 9 empath with advanced biogenetic augmentations, she has complete mental and physical control of her body, and can read other people's intentions before they can even think them. Ahni soon finds though, that there are deceptions behind deceptions, and in the middle of it lies the fate of her brother.

Earth is in the midst of a political struggle between the World Council, which governs humankind, and the Platforms, which orbit high above Earth. On the Platform New York Up, "upsider" life is different. They have their own culture, values, and ambitions—and now they want their independence from Earth. One upsider leader, Dane Nilson, is determined to accomplish this goal, but he has a secret, one that could condemn him to death.

When Ahni stumbles upon Dane during her quest for vengeance, her fate becomes inextricably linked to his. Together they must delve beyond the intrigue and manipulative schemes to get to the core of truth; a truth that will shape the future of the Platforms and shatter any preconceived notions of what defines the human race.

Publishers Weekly

In this well-done tale of politics in near-Earth orbit from Rosenblum (The Stone Garden), Ahni Huang, a class nine empath, cyborg and daughter of the ruler of Taiwan, has been sent up the space elevator to the synchronous platform New York Up to avenge the supposed murder of her brother. There she finds herself enmeshed in a complex web of political intrigue as various factions struggle for control of the platform's future. She also meets Dane Nilson, New York Up's charismatic chief agronomist, who sees himself as the midwife to humanity's next evolutionary step, and Koi, who may well be that next step. The major plot threads--a space colony's attempt to gain freedom from a domineering Earth government, human distrust of the Other, the importance of balancing the environment--aren't particularly new, but the author uses them nicely to create an entertaining tale. Rosenblum, who also writes mysteries as Mary Freeman, provides a fascinating picture of how humanity might develop in zero gravity. (Oct.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.