Yesterday's Kin

Yesterday's Kin

Nebula Award Winner Locus Award Winner Aliens have landed in New York. After several months of no explanations, they finally reveal the reason for their arrival. The news is not good. Geneticist Marianne Jenner is having a career breakthrough, yet her family is tearing itself apart. Her children Elizabeth and Ryan constantly bicker, agreeing only that an alien conspiracy is in play. Her youngest, Noah, is addicted to a drug that keeps temporarily changing his identity. The Jenner family could not be further apart. But between the four of them, the course of human history will be forever altered. Earth’s most elite scientists have ten months to prevent a disaster—and not everyone is willing to wait. Praise for Yesterday's Kin “Aliens arrive and set up a research station in New York, offering their friendship and aid. There’s a cloud of spores heading for Earth, and the aliens (dubbed Denebs despite coming from another star entirely) have firsthand experience dealing with it. In exchange for the technology that made their interstellar travel possible, the aliens want human help in curing the plague caused by the spores that have already destroyed two of their own colony worlds. Geneticist Marianne Jenner is one of the scientists who have been asked aboard the alien station, but even among her own family there is a difference of opinion about whether these extraterrestrials can be trusted. Verdict: Kress has proven that she can pack a huge amount of story into a small container (as with 2013’s title After the Fall Before the Fall, During the Fall ), and here the author expertly explores one family’s experience of alien visitation.” ― Library Journal “In the middle of receiving accolades for her work discovering that all humans are descended from a common female ancestor, Marianne is yanked away by the government. She's one of a handful of scientists who have been issued a special invitation to venture inside the alien spaceship. While turmoil rages around the globe about how to deal with the aliens, inside the spaceship, the visitors bring news of a far greater threat to human existence. Their intentions are unclear, but one thing is certain: They have a disturbing interest in Marianne’s work. Kress ( After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall , 2012, etc.) spins an eminently readable tale revolving around Marianne and her children: Elizabeth, the suspicious border patrol agent; Ryan, the charming botanist who studies invasive species; and Noah, the lovable drug addict who can’t figure out who he is. Each of them has a very different idea about what it will take to save humanity, but while the family and the rest of the world are embroiled in arguments, the clock keeps ticking. Kress keeps her science understandable and her plot complex, rounding everything out with a healthy dose of practical philosophy delivered in clear, precise language. While the story zooms along at breakneck speed, Kress skimps on character development and buildup. As a result, events seem to explode out of nowhere rather than unfolding organically, and eventually they stop packing an emotional punch. Even though the book would benefit from another hundred pages, more is at stake than an entertaining read. The political turmoil created by Kress’ aliens is a warning for the reader to pay more attention to how modern-day conflicts are handled. “Science-fiction fans will luxuriate in the dystopian madness, while even nonfans will find an artful critique of humanity’s ability to cooperate in the face of a greater threat.” ― Kirkus “Nancy Kress has always written stories as accessible to the novice as to the seasoned fan, and Yesterday's Kin gets my vote as this summer's most inviting introduction to science fiction for new readers.” ―Gary K. Wolfe, Chicago Tribune “Nancy Kress delivers one of the strongest stories of the year to date.... As with all of Kress’s work, this is very nicely crafted, with well-paced prose that carries you through the story, complex human characters, a compelling and conflict-driven human story, a clever twist partway through, and an even cleverer twist at the end.” ―Gardner Dozois, editor of The Year’s Best Science Fiction series “ Clear prose and deft strokes of character” ― Locus “Kress combines intriguing scientific speculation with strong human drama to create a finely crafted story that should appeal to a wide range of readers” ― Asimov’s Science Fiction A Fantasy Café Best Book of 2014 “ Yesterday’s Kin is a wonderful example of why Nancy Kress is such an acclaimed science fiction author. It’s hard science fiction with a big focus on scientific research and discovery but it’s never bogged down by explanation, remaining equally focused on the characters and story. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down!” ― Fantasy Café “Sparely constructed and cleverly resolved, “Yesterday’s Kin” provides everything readers need for an immersive plunge into a frightening