- Hardcover
- Publisher: MACDONALD SCIENCE FICTION; First Edition edition (1969)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0356028526
- ISBN-13: 978-0356028521
- Shipping Weight: 789 g
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Unfortunately, with the current competing tides of sensational occult fantasy and sensational fundamentalism, this title probably puts off potential readers of quality science fiction. (I believe the story was originally titled The Tuvela when a version of it was serialized in one of the older SF mags--Astounding? or SF&F?.)
One of the many things that Schmitz does well is to leave one's mind full of interesting ideas and challenging debates. What about those entertaining mutant otters that we get to see so little of, will they be given citizenship? Is humankind really innately dangerous? What sort of government would humanity need among the stars?
For those who enjoyed the complex and naturally hazardous ecosystem, you might also enjoy two of Alan Dean Foster's works: Midworld, and Sentenced to Prism. (Foster is a print chameleon, with several styles and subgenres to his credit, so I can't blanket-recommend his work. But these two are fascinatingly creative ecosystem-based stories.)