The Annunciate

by Severna Park

Book Overview

In a dark new age, technologically advanced humans have crossed vast stretches of space-yet have remained brutally, imperfectly human. In the star system ThreeSys, three members of the elite human... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0380977370
• ISBN13: 9780380977376
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Avon Books
• Length: 294 Pages
• Weight: 1.08 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.0" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Between the Layers...

Fantastic book.It wavers on the edge of DUNE or perhaps THE MATRIX. The constant idea that the world we live in is barely separated from the world we could live in if only we knew how to tap into that world. The ideas of control, of classes in society and what happens when the barriers between classes disintegrate, the two sides of drug addiction from the perspectives of the users and the suppliers... Creationism ideas too that borrow from Adam/Eve yet take their own peculiar twist. Give it a go.

highly recommended

The Annunciate is really an exceptional book because it combines a fascinating and original SF universe with complex characterizations that are problematic in our own world. Although I'm a fan of Nicole Griffith and other writers who emphasize gender issues, Severna Park assumes most of these issues as a starting point and doesn't shrink from the honest appraisal of the most anguished and perhaps insoluable dilemmas in personal relationships among any gender. While this book is well worth reading simply for the surface fiction, I find its underlying psychological aspect to be its most fascinating aspect.

A real "you are there" feel!

Park's prose really pull you into the story. You get a real sense of feeling the cold wind biting into your skin, the dirt on your hands, etc. You end up so inside the skin of Eve, the viewpoint character, that you react to everything that happens to her in a very visceral way. It makes for a wild ride as the plot snakes through a dark and harrowing path. This novel is one that you'll recall years later, almost like something that actually happened to you.

Entertaining dark SF

Humans have traveled throughout the galaxy, but in spite of some incredible technical achievements, Homo Sapiens live in a caste system consisting of the Meshed, Jacked, and Jackless. Technology is the divisor. The Meshed uses nanomachines to link with the sensory and information Net. The Jacked works with a simple computer. The Jackless has no access. The Meshed is the most powerful and envied of the triad. However, many of the Meshed selfishly and malevolently flaunt their powers by using them for personal gain regardless of the cost to others. The other groups use computer viruses to hunt down the Meshed. Three of the more evil Meshed (Eve, Corey, and AnnMarie) flee to the ThreeSys where they begin to peddle an elixir to end aggressive actions. They actually sell the addictive drug Staze that leaves the user inside an euphoric dream state. The trio finally heads to the planet Paradise where THE ANNUNCIATE and the original Mesh live. Awaiting their arrival is an essence that does not require mechanical means to break down the barrier between reality and virtual reality. THE ANNUNCIATE is a dark look at the future of humanity and in the fertile mind of Severna Park it appears very bleak. The story line is fast-paced yet thought provoking. The main characters are unappealing including Eve even after she breaks away from Corey and Annmarie. However, that characterization is essential to the overall theme of galaxy growing gloomier wherever mankind is. Not for everyone, Ms. Park is one of the new talents that have energized the SF genre with this novel and the HAND OF PROPHECY.

A fascinating story with many layers

This story explores many kinds of relationships, such as lover, mother/child, teacher/student, prophet/seeker, predator/prey. It also explores the effects of need and addiction on these relationships. The main character, Eve, is stuck in an unfulfilling relationship of appeasement with drug suppliers Annmarie and Corey, whose motives in controlling addicted populations go beyond just survival. Eve is desperate for something else in her life (and she's not the only one), and her attempts to change her life without being overwhelmed by what she finds are at the center of the story.