"Star Born" by Andre Norton

 As with a lot of classic science fiction, I often worry that the story will feel dated. And then I 
remember why I love science fiction and fantasy: the best of it could be written at anytime, for anyone. Star Born is the first Norton I’ve read, and trust me, it won’t be the last. There is a reason this woman is so famous.

An unknown number of generations in the future, “outlaw” groups fled Earth looking for a new home.  One of these groups landed on a planet called Astra, befriended the local seal-ish/ amphibian natives, and began a small colony. As generations went by in the Terran colony, each subsequent generation was born more in tune with Astra.  Through training and genetic mutation, the Terrans slowly learned from their native friends known as The People how to telepathically communicate with the lower life forms on the planet, such as birds and small mammals.

Dalgard, a Terran colony member, and his knife-brother Sssuri are journeying away from civilization. Dalgard is on his journey of manhood and hopes to expand the borders of the maps of the elders, and Sssuri accompanies him as friend and guide.  To Sssuri’s dismay, they are headed towards the ruins of a city that was once populated by a race that had enslaved Sssuri’s people and then nearly destroyed Astra through what is implied to be nuclear holocaust.

Suffice to say, this book doesn’t feel dated.   Although in one sense it does, as they just don’t write ’em like this anymore.

Meanwhile, the horrific governments on Terra have come and gone. The Pax is no longer and there is no need for outlaws to run. Humanity styles itself as kindler and gentler, and has a safer space program to explore the galaxy.  Where should the  science expedition land, but Astra?  The Terran expedition lands and are soon greeted by a race of slender creatures, who welcome them and offer to share technologies.

Norton keeps the high-tech alien race of Astra mysterious, and I liked that.  We have no idea what their intentions are, we don’t know if their technologies are helpful or harmful, or if they had some kind of nuclear disaster or if it was something else entirely. Perhaps they do see the Terrans as possible scientific partners. Or maybe they are seeing a new group to genetically modify and enslave, as they once did to Sssuri’s people.  They mystery element is subtle and highly enjoyable.

It’s not long before Dalgard and Sssuri end up in the ruins at the same time as the Terran expedition.  Now Dalgard has a choice to make.  Help the Terrans escape the aliens and return to their shape, in the process making contact and bringing his colony into up to speed with people of their own kind, or avoid contact and allow the humans living on Astra to develop at the pace their surroundings allow for.

This is the kind of young adult book I wish had been on the junior high school reading lists when I was a kid.  Dealing with issues young people should be exposed to – freedom, slavery, self sufficiency, contact with people less advanced, and that high tech civilizations aren’t automatically better than lower tech civilizations.  It’s not the most complicated story in the world, and the end isn’t entirely unpredictable. That said, Star Born was a wonderful book to read from start to finish.  Going back and forth between Dalgard and Sssuri’s points of view and the points of view of the Terran expedition, Star Born is fast paced, with a tension that builds slowly, drawing you in with every page.

A friend of mine lent me a bunch of Norton titles, and I lent him some Vandermeer and a Doctorow. I think I might have gotten the better end of the deal. (The Little Red Reviewer)