Survival

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“A creative voice and a distinctive vision. A writer to watch.”

—C.J. Cherryh, Hugo Award winning author of
Downbelow Station
and
Explorer.

 

“Czerneda opens the Species Imperative series with a somewhat original variation on the theme of alien invasion. Czerneda has created convincing future Earth and space cultures, and her characters, though archetypal, pass muster.”—
Booklist

 

“Julie Czerneda delights and challenges readers, offering great stories with a depth of characterization; at the same time, her work examines themes of what it means to be human that raise questions both thoughtful and provocative.”

—Catherine Asaro, Nebula-award-winning author of
Quantum Rose
and
Skyfall.

 

“Plain and simple: This is Czerneda's best work to date.”—
The Barnes & Noble Review

 

“A rousing mystery set in the far future. Czerneda takes us down a crooked path, with style and subtlety.”

—Jack McDevitt, author of
Omega

 

“This novel bears the hallmarks of Czerneda's earlier books: strong, complex, and appealing characters and a thoughtful, intricate plot. Czerneda creates an original and terrific alien species, and Brymn—large, blue, and given to wearing sequined eyeliner—is no exception. The pace picks up once off-planet, and the plot is packed with vivid images and events. Czerneda is a masterful storyteller and one of the best of the recent voices in science fiction.”—
Voya

Novels by

available from DAW Books:

 

 

IN THE COMPANY OF OTHERS

SURVIVAL
MIGRATION

BEHOLDER'S EYE
CHANGING VISION
HIDDEN IN SIGHT

A THOUSAND WORDS FOR STRANGER
TIES OF POWER
TO TRADE THE STARS

Copyright ©2004 by Julie E. Czerneda.

All rights reserved.

 

 

DAW Books Collectors No. 1292.

 

DAW Books are distributed by the Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

 

All characters and events in this book are fictitious.
All resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental.

 

The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal, and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author's rights is appreciated.

First Paperback Printing, May 2005
DAW TRADEMARK REGISTERED
U.S. PAT. OFF. AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES
—MARCA REGISTRADA
HECHO EN U.S.A.
.S.A.

eISBN : 978-1-101-01087-7

- Acknowledgments -

My first hardcover release. An awe-inspiring, spine-tingling, totally wonderful event—for me, at least. Thank you, Sheila Gilbert, for moving my work up to the next, albeit scary, level. Isn't it gorgeous? All due to the creative talents of Luis Royo (wow), G-Force Design, and all those at DAW.

I take great care with my facts. While some places are fictitious, and this story is an extrapolation into an imagined future, I've done my utmost to reflect what is known now, from shorelines to eye sockets. My thanks to the following individuals for letting me pick their brains: Erin Kenny, Kaila Krayewski, staff of Nahanni River Adventures, and Dr. Isaac Szpindel. Any factual errors in this book are mine. (If I've forgotten anyone who helped answer my endless questions, you may smack me with a salmon.)

The final version of this book I owe to the insightful comments of my editor, Sheila Gilbert, as well as those of colleagues who kindly read it in first draft. Thank you, Doranna Durgin, Kristen Britain, Nalo Hopkinson, Jack McDevitt, and Jana Paniccia, for wanting more.

There are real people whose names appear in this story, each for good reason: Professor Jabulani Sithole, as a gift from my Jennifer, who values what she learned from you so highly. John Ward and Lee Fyock, from me to thee, gentlemen, for your friendship and support.