Gemsigns

Gemsigns is a rare bird for a number of different reasons. First, it’s an exceptionally good first novel. Too often, the author’s first published effort is deeply flawed and you wonder what the publisher was thinking when he or she agreed to bring this work to the reading public. Stephnie Saulter has, with one bound, jumped to the head of the queue for recognition as a fully-fledged author.

Secondly, this is an intelligent science fiction novel. Although we’re beyond the space opera that used to be the norm, many of the current crop of writers still produce adventure-style fiction. This has a very logical plot that works its way carefully through the issues and produces some entirely reasonable results.

Finally, it functions as an allegory. It’s not quite a Christian book but, in the way it explores what makes us human and the extent to which any individual deserves respect, it borrows some of the imagery and expectations of religion in the broad sense of the word. This is not the current form of conservative Christianity which is quick to condemn those who are different. Rather it’s a form of belief system that embraces difference and accepts people for who or what they are.