Catherine is a soldier. Fast, strong, lethal, she is the ultimate in military technology. Bred by scientists, indoctrinated by the government, she and her sisters will win this war, no matter the cost.
And the costs are high. The life span of these genetic soldiers is short, and they become unstable as they age. Then on their eighteenth birthday, when their duty is fulfilled, they are discharged – lined up and shot.
But the truth is, Catherine and her sisters may not be strictly human, but they aren’t animals either. Catherine may have only known death, but she dreams of life – and is prepared to pay any price to get it.
And the costs are high. The life span of these genetic soldiers is short, and they become unstable as they age. Then on their eighteenth birthday, when their duty is fulfilled, they are discharged – lined up and shot.
But the truth is, Catherine and her sisters may not be strictly human, but they aren’t animals either. Catherine may have only known death, but she dreams of life – and is prepared to pay any price to get it.
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Reviews
A standalone tale that encompasses theology and existentialism in its story of a genetically engineered warrior discovering her own path . . . Although the novel takes place in the midst of a war and involves a number of battles, it's less a war story than a rumination on identity and faith, anchored by a protagonist who brings surprising and moving depths to familiar science-fiction concepts.This exciting and thoughtful story marks McCarthy as one of sci-fi's most promising new talents, and bodes well for the series' forthcoming third installment.
The conclusion is simultaneously heartbreaking and triumphant, and utterly appropriate for the brutal, bloody, and magnificent story
