"Masterful science fiction"
In the distant future, mankind has colonized many planets,
but it is the Nine Families of Vanar that control the
worms, artifacts made and abandoned by an ancient race that
enables female pilots to fly to three hundred systems
reducing interstellar distances. The Vanar take other ships
with them as they traverse the universe with their
monopoly. On the planet itself the women citizens are the
ruling class while the men are slaves needed to help
produce the next generation females. Ambitious botanist Nathan Crewe convinces a space pilot to
take him to Vanar where he plans to pick specimens to prove
his theory. The authorities catch him within an hour of
landing and inform him he will never leave. Nathan is
adopted by one of the powerful Nine Families and is forced
to marry into one of the Nine Families. Although he is less
than chattel, Nathan feels Vanar is home and begins a legal
fight to make changes to the social caste system. MASTER OF NONE is an in depth look at a society in which
women hold all power while men need permission to simply
leave the house, are unable to attend university, or hold a
job beyond breeder. Nathan coming from the outside thinks
initially the planet is backwoods, but begins to change his
mind as he gets to know people. Could he be suffering from
the Stockholm syndrome or just believe that Vanar is home?
He wants to make change so that his gender has rights
paralleling much of the civil rights movement. Women on
Varna are not evil or deliberately cruel; instead they have
been raised to believe they are superior. This is a
masterful science fiction tale that cleverly spotlights
social inequities. Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted August 15, 2004
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted January 25, 2007
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