The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz is an epic sci-fi about people creating and exploring worlds. Destry is a part of the ERT, Environmental Rescue Team. The team is responsible for caring and protecting the planet while maintaining the young eco-system at optimal levels. Destry has followed the same path as her parents and grandparents. She has dedicated her life to the newly created planet Sask-E. She wants to ensure that the planet has everything it needs to thrive and prosper. As she begins her daily tasks, she notices an intruder on the planet. She decides to break protocol and deal with the problem as she feels is best for the planet. Little did she know she was going to set off a chain reaction that will change the trajectory of the planet and its inhabitants.
The book is split into three sections with each narrator connected to the previous narrator. I was on the fence with this novel. It was interesting reading about the different sci-fi elements and how different beings were considered “people”. However, I am at a loss as to what the actual point of the book is.
The author went into detail about the scenery and it’s vivid, but I had a hard time imagining some of the concepts. At times, the book was a bit boring and seemed pointless. The middle arc was about a group of researchers/explorers trying to find a way to create public transit to the planet. They go into detail about trivial things for pages with the point being so mundane that I kept yawning while reading. I was confused as to why corporations would create workers to maintain their worlds but then there were workers who weren’t owned. It was confusing on how the corporations hired some workers and created others. I felt more backstory was needed to explain certain aspects of this world. If you like reading about world building and epic sci fi novels, then you would enjoy this one.
