Mankind explores Venus for signs of life, and an abandoned alien outpost is discovered. Dr. Veronica Hatch is sent to investigate, and she discovers an alien race escaped its dying planet and colonized Venus. When news reaches Earth, humans fear the aliens will invade and conquer the solar system, and they prepare for war.
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When scientists discover an alien artifact on Venus, intrigues and conflicts proliferate. Dr. Helen Failia struggles to transform her disdained research station into a permanent Venus colony. Dr. Veronica Hatch fights to restore her lost reputation and communicate with the mysterious aliens. An ambitious chemist protects a dark secret by any means necessary. An incognito radical seeks to rekindle Mars's failed rebellion on Venus. The U.N. will do anything to control its space colonies. And the aliens have agendas of their own--not to mention far more advanced and dangerous technologies.
In addition to The Quiet Invasion, Sarah Zettel has written the critically acclaimed SF novels Reclamation (winner of the Locus Award for Best First Novel and a Philip K. Dick Award finalist), Fool's War (a New York Times Notable Book of 1997), and Playing God. --Cynthia Ward END --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Publishers Weekly
Zettel (Fool's War, etc.) has a gift for creating fascinating aliens with rich cultures and radically different, though still comprehensible, mindsets. She's somewhat less successful at portraying intergalactic politics, though in this novel she valiantly struggles--and almost succeeds--in generating a realistic future where a nearly omnipotent United Nations on Earth controls what happens to the colonies on Mars, the Moon and, especially, Venus. The Venus colony is the life's work of Dr. Helen Failia, who has done everything possible to make the base a self-sufficient outpost rather than a temporary research station. Just as Helen is about to lose funding for her beloved city, the surface of Venus sprouts what appears to be an alien artifact. Closely monitoring the humans' discovery of the artifact are aliens from another planet, who are looking to claim Venus as their new home. These aliens are in dire straits because their ancient, living cities are falling ill and dying. Their complicated belief system dictates that they cannot colonize Venus if humans have a legitimate claim to the planet, but if they judge the humans insane, they can destroy them like weeds. While Zettel's humans plod through the fairly pedestrian plotting, her aliens soar forward in unexpected and wonderful ways, making this a first-contact novel worth reading and relishing. (Feb.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
By Amit Sivron
Format:Mass Market Paperback
First, I must say I gave up after about 300 pages, so I can only refer to what I read.
The main problem of this book to me was that it just was not interesting enough. There are many characters, both human and alien, but you do not get to care for any of them. All along the book I felt as if the author tried hard to get the story moving, but it just does not go anywhere. I'd think that a book that deals with the first meeting between humans & aliens cannot spend 70% of it's pages before the actual meeting happens. Besides, There is no reference (at least up to the point where I abandoned the book) to explain the physical qualities that enable the aliens to live and prosper on Venus. What are their bodies made of? Titanium?
The main problem of this book to me was that it just was not interesting enough. There are many characters, both human and alien, but you do not get to care for any of them. All along the book I felt as if the author tried hard to get the story moving, but it just does not go anywhere. I'd think that a book that deals with the first meeting between humans & aliens cannot spend 70% of it's pages before the actual meeting happens. Besides, There is no reference (at least up to the point where I abandoned the book) to explain the physical qualities that enable the aliens to live and prosper on Venus. What are their bodies made of? Titanium?
I really wanted to like this book. The cover is so beautiful..Sorry, maybe next time.
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Helen Failia has almost singlehandedly created Venera, a scientific research base in the atmosphere of Venus, but as with so many research facilities, its survival hinges on precarious funding. Meanwhile, aliens who call themselves "The People" are looking into colonizing the planet-to them, its hot, high-pressure atmosphere provides a haven from their dying planet. But The People have environmentalism almost instinctively drilled into them, and the presence of humans gives them cause to stay away.
After a dramatic first encounter, conflicts rage on both sides: the pragmatic representatives of The People want to take what is theirs and to hell with the humans, who (without the ecological sensitivities of their race) are morally suspect already, while the more idealistic members try to do what is right while terrified that they me damning their race to extinction. Meanwhile, some humans embrace the arrival of the aliens, particularly those on Venera, for whom the arrival of the aliens has been a godsend in terms of ensuring the base's survival. Others see contact with the aliens as something to fight for, while yet others are fearful.
Decisions need to be made and they need to be the right ones, else one or both races might perish or go to war with one another. But the situation is complex and both sides persist in misunderstanding one another, often wrongly assuming a monolithic unanimity from the alien parties that simply doesn't exist, risking catastrophic consequences.
This may be Sarah Z.'s best novel yet. She has once again created an alien species that is almost more believable than her humans, and she has set up a gripping, page-turning conflict that I can't talk too much about for fear of giving things away. An excellent book.
Format:Mass Market Paperback
When human explorers meet alien refugees on another planet, dire decisions are made from old prejudices & the planet humans named after the goddess of love becomes ground zero for an all out interstellar war.
This author's emphasis on the parallels between possible cultures & the misunderstandings that arise when those cultures clash are written with stunning clarity.
I fully recommend her work & would encourage any reader of science fiction to search her out & experience the worlds she creates. They are wonderful!
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3.3 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Incredible
The Quiet Invasion is an absolutely wonderful novel. The alien race is portrayed realistically, with their own agendas that come in conflict with the people colonizing Venus. Read more
Published on Sep 1 2001 by Howard D. Fisher
1.0 out of 5 stars
Valley Girl Aliens
Zettel's attempts to create aliens are what you might expect from a junior high school girl. There is nothing alien about them. Read more
Published on Aug 18 2001 by Poet/Naturalist
3.0 out of 5 stars
Unanswered Questions
Sarah Zettel's fourth novel underscores her talent for the invention of alternative cultures, just as the previous 2 novels have done. Read more
Published on Jun 15 2001 by "l1127susan"
2.0 out of 5 stars
A good, but flawed, effort.
Sarah Zettel's "The Quiet Invasion" is a mixed blessing, with some fine writing and ideas mixed with poor plot devices. Read more
Published on April 19 2001 by SJG
4.0 out of 5 stars
A novel idea
Dr. Helen Failia refuses to accept that her dream of a permanent colony on Venus seems doomed especially after the difficult but successful establishment of Venera. Read more
Published on Mar 2 2001 by Harriet Klausner
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not much of an invasion
This story of first contact leaves much to be desired. Our initial introduction to The People is not very clear. Read more
Published on Feb 17 2001 by L. O'Connell
3.0 out of 5 stars
A good book, but not more than that.
Dr. Helen Failia is the founder of Venera, an orbital city designed to provide a research base for investigating Venus. Read more
Published on Sep 13 2000 by Kurt A. Johnson
3.0 out of 5 stars
The Quiet Invasion
Kinda silly alien\human contact story. It was particulary difficult to get into the long winded interactions of the weird aliens. Trying to remember alien names is a pain. Read more
Published on July 6 2000 by Weeder
2.0 out of 5 stars
A Mental Struggle
I read about one-third of The Quiet Invasion and finally decided I didn't enjoy it enough to finish it. Read more
Published on July 1 2000 by James R. Harrington
3.0 out of 5 stars
Great buildup to a disappointing conclusion
I devoured this book. It's rare to find a writer who is so adept at inventing new civilizations with large and *interesting* casts of characters. Read more
Published on May 10 2000 by Elizabeth Klisiewicz
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