An interesting science fiction thriller/mystery novel. Walker has a gift for (future) world-building, and her writing is very good. However, the overall pace of the novel was a bit plodding - often, excellent prose can make up for this, but I felt it needed a bit of a boost.

An interesting novel, however, and worth checking out if you're interested in novels about humanity's quest to relocate to another planet.

This book was not what I expected. It is set on seed ship that is nearly ready to leave Earth forever. However, a death sends the leaders of the ship in a bit of a spiral to figure out why/how it happened before the ship leaves. I was expecting more science fiction, but this book ended up being more of a whodunit style book. There is also a weird romance that is part of the whole plot. And the ending? Meh. What it does do well is show how cultures and societies are built and that human nature will always be around to mess things up.

Sage Walker's "The Man in the Tree" is a most unusual and thought provoking combination of science fiction and mystery.

Earth is on its last legs and seedship Kybele is being readied to carry thirty thousand colonists on a multi-generational journey to a distant planet. With only weeks left before launch, a man is found dead - suicide or murder?