TERRAN TOMORROW makes for a satisfying conclusion to Nancy Kress's Yesterday's Kin trilogy, by which I mean to say she's unerringly consistent in voice, tone, characterization, and world-building. All three books are, on some level, about engaging with the Other and reconciling the Other with existing social structures, and this book is no different. As with the previous installments, I found myself drifting rather quickly through the middling portions, as reliant as they are on play-by-plays of uninflected dialogue (everyone who's followed me for a while will know that dialogue is my archnemesis). On the flip side, there was something deeply appealing to me, here, in Kress's return to the postapocalyptic. She sees the post-civilization future as lush and verdant and abundant in nature, as well as other humans trying to kill us. It would make a good pairing with THE 100 (especially the first few seasons of the television series). I appreciated the ever-evolving and ever-more-complicated relationships in which Kress entangles her characters, as well. Worth a look if you liked the first two books in the series!

Terran Tomorrow follows If Tomorrow Comes as the third in Nancy Kress's Yesterday's Kin trilogy, starring genetics researcher Dr. Marianne Jenner.

In the first book, aliens landed in New York harbor, warning the UN of an approaching spore cloud, carrying death. The Denebs, originally seeded from Earth to a more benign planet, evolved a much more cooperative society. As well as issuing their warning, the Denebs sought humans close to them genetically. As a result, Marianne's son Noah and others left with the aliens, when they returned to Kindred.

Ten years later, in If Tomorrow Comes, humans launched a ship, Friendship, carrying Marianne and others to Kindred. They were shocked to find that their fellows would age thirty years while they were gone, and also that the Denebs were not the advanced race they expected. They raced to find a cure to the spore cloud virus, and ultimately flew back to Earth (on another, older ship).

Returning, as Terran Tomorrow opens, accompanied by several Denebs, they're again shocked, finding an Earth shattered by biological and nuclear wars, that left only a few million isolated - and warring - survivors. Two of Marianne's grandchildren lead two groups of survivors. Though they have conflicting goals, they do work together in the interest of survival.

Another good read in an intriguing trilogy!

Terran Tomorrow is the third book in Nancy Kress’ new trilogy. I have been a fan of her other novels for many years because of her intricate plots, well written characters and the thought experiments that drive the plots.

In book two, If Tomorrow Comes, much of the plot occurs on World- a planet circling a distant where other humans live in peaceful harmony with their environment. Earth humans come to visit and share scientific knowledge but bring along a military escort. It could have been a simplistic utopian state contrasted to a militaristic one, but Kress is too wise in the ways of humanity to make this happen.

In the final book, back on earth, I felt this theme was a bit more of the story than suited me. But this is not the main point and there in lies Kress’ “what if” experiment.

Saying much more really would be saying too much, but the final twist was satisfying, as was the hard biological science described throughout the book. Love it was scientists are the heros!! Really close to a 4 star rating.

I have had mixed feeling about this series from the start. I loved the novella Yesterday Kin. Was less than thrilled with the first book and felt more of the same about book two. Terran Tomorrow was not at all what I expected. Nancy Kress is good at throwing curve balls in her plots and she threw more than one in this final book of the trilogy. That is all I an going to say as anything else would have to include spoilers.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Ahoy me mateys!  Grab your grog!  On Wednesday, I reviewed book one.  Yesterday, I reviewed book two.  Here be book 3, the conclusion, of the sixth installment of the 3 Bells trilogy showcase!  Also, I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  So here be me honest musings . . .

terran tomorrow (Nancy Kress)

Title: terran tomorrow

Author: Nancy Kress

Publisher: Macmillian-Tor/Forge

Publication Date: November 13, 2018! (hardcover/e-book)

ISBN: 978-0765390356

Source: NetGalley

While book two remains me favourite, I had to admit that this was a satisfying ending to the trilogy.  Marianne and gang are back on Earth.  However, the Earth they come back to doesn't resemble the one that they left behind all those years ago.  I have to admit that it was quite a jolt for me as much as it was for the characters.  A believable change even if drastic.  I mean look at what happened to the ecology of Earth in book one.  If that could reasonably happen then so could the beginning of this book.  But it did take some getting used to.

In this story, the story focuses mostly on Marianne's grandson Jason, an alien named Jane who is serving as a translator, and on a researcher named Zack.  Other perspectives are sprinkled in.  While I love Jane, I wasn't as drawn into Jason or Zack's stories.  That could be because so much of the inner dialogue of those two seemed to be directed by indecision, fear, or angst.  It was interesting that the women seemed to be driving force behind the scenes even if they weren't the center of the plot.  I would have liked more of their perspectives.  Personal preference.

It took me a while to get into this book because there wasn't a ton of action.  And a lot of the science was repetitive.  I bought the circumstances for books one and two but would have preferred a different tack in this one.  It seemed like some of the same elements of the previous books were recycled into this one.  But eventually I was drawn into the narrative.

The ideas about the conflicts between the civilians and military are what eventually took center stage for me.  I also enjoyed the conflict between those who didn't want technology and those who needed it.  With everyone confined in a tight space, I felt that these struggles for balance between the groups are where the true action lay.  Add in a sickness in tight quarters and the whole situation was a mess.  I needed to know how it was resolved.

And like I said, the ending satisfied.  I particularly enjoyed the ramifications of the illness.  So thanks to the publisher for giving me the third book in the trilogy so I would have to read the first two first!  Arrr!

Normally I would post the blurb here . . . but not this time because of spoilers!

To visit the author’s website go to:

Nancy Kress – Author

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terran tomorrow – Book

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Previous Log Entries for this Author

tomorrow's kin (3 Bells - Sci-Fi)

if tomorrow comes (3 Bells - Sci-Fi)

Nancy Kress is a masterful writer, nailing Point of View and character with the depth and succinctness we expect in literary, not speculative, fiction. Not that I'm one of those who think science fiction cannot be literary.

This novel tends more toward "literary" than space opera, which means for me that it doesn't have the taut pacing and suspense of "Yesterday's Kin," a masterpiece. I love that novella. The mother and her three offspring hits close to home for me, a mother of three, no two of them alike, and you wonder how apples can fall so far from the proverbial tree.

My Kindle is packed with highlights, but because this is an ARC, I can't hit "share" and copy and paste my favorites. Typing word for word is time-consuming.

"Yesterday's Kin" is tightly written and well crafted. This novel is good, but not quite in the same league. And the political messages are more overt, with a bigger emphasis on humanity being so undeserving of a place in the universe, because we wreck everything.

Still, I recommend this series, and I always recommend Nancy Kress. If only authors of any genre wrote with her insights and wit!

Right, if you haven't read the other books it may not work. However- I read the first book, enjoyed it and this was interesting enough to hold my attention. My hesitation is all based on my exhaustion with humans being the enemy. I completely agree with the environmental decimation that we contribute to but it gets a bit heavy handed, even though I agree..