Reviewed by DragonHawk

I don't read much science fiction these days. It's either too high tech for me or it's the same ole story told again...and again...and again. I began reading science fiction at a very young age, starting out with the masters like Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Robert Heinlein, and then moving on to enjoy later writers like David Brin and Orson Scott Card. I like "fresh" science fiction that I can understand and relate to, and usually, that calls for more emphasis on character and relationships. Oh, and I like to be able to laugh occasionally during the read.

MotherShip gave me all of that: laughter, endearing characters, and moving relationships. The story is fast moving, keeps your interest peaked, and though at times you wonder "WHY did they do THAT?!"...later on, you will ultimately respond, "OH YEA, that makes sense! Good show!"

The story, in a nutshell, starts out rather like a cliche: Earth is destroyed, only a handful of survivors make it out, and their chances are pretty slim for continuing the race. Enter MotherShip. No, not the book, the SHIP! A ship with "artificial intelligence" that becomes, in many ways, the children's mother. Their quests and adventures, under MotherShip's watchful gaze, are absolutely incredible. Those of us who are Goddess-worshippers will LOVE the female energy of MotherShip, her ability to "understand" and "sense" what the children need, and her undying loyalty to ensure their survival. In a way, MotherShip is the only remnant left of the female, maternal energy that we all know and call Mother Earth or Gaia.

And yes, MotherShip, in addition to being one of the pioneers in a new genre of classic science fiction, does have a message as well, and it's a universtal one: a Mother's love never dies.

Go pick it up in ebook format or you can wait for the paperback, which comes out in August 2001.

MotherShip is available in Palm Pilot, Rocket, Microsoft Reader, Adobe Acrobat PDF, Adobe eBook Reader, Softbook, Glassbook and HTML formats from: SynergyEbooks, BookBooters, CyberRead, www.enovel.com, and www.ebookhome.com

For more information, please visit www.tonychandler.com