"Mr. McDevitt is one if this decades great world builders"
By 2230, humanity has known about the Omega Clouds for a
quarter of a century. They seem to hunt planets where
signs of civilization exist. When they find them, they
destroy all life forms and geometric shapes and angles.
Even though an omega cloud is due to pass Earth in nine
centuries, not much research has been done on them because
humanity believes they have plenty of time to find a way
of dealing with them. Time runs out when mankind discovers a sentient race of
humanoids, so much like us they could be our cousins. An
Omega cloud has diverted from its path when it finds the
world of Goompahs and the masses on Earth do not want them
killed. Linguists, scientists and socialists from all
over the galaxy race to the newly discovered civilized
world (technologically on a level with Ancient Rome) to
try to find a way of destroying the Omega. Failing that
they hope to convince the Goompah's to flee their cities
and seek higher ground so that they will survive the
coming catastrophe. It is great to watch a united galaxy use all its power to
save a newly discovered sentient race (a rare find in the
McDevitt universe) despite the danger they bring unto
themselves. The society of the Goombahs is examined in
such great depth that readers will feel they have actually
visited their planet. As more is learned about the
Omegas, mankind comes to believe they are not forces of
nature but things constructed by an unknown entity. Mr.
McDevitt is one if this decades great world builders. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted September 27, 2003
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