COLONY EARTH by Regina M Joseph

COLONY EARTH by Regina M Joseph

Lil and his guardsmen were sent to primitive Earth to oversee the mining and scientific exploration of the planet for their home world, Alterra. While there, they observe the different tribes and societies living on Earth. The Alterran’s consider the earthlings savages and only a step above animals. Losing contact with Alterra, Lil is forced to realize that they are stranded on Earth. Going against his strict upbringing to one day be ruler, his father Anu, the current leader, and the Supreme Council, he makes plans to adapt to a life on Earth.

The story reminds me of Jean Auel’s CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR, but thanks goodness, not all that overly descriptive claptrap. The plot advances along very well, and you can feel Lil’s dilemma over his duty as the next Supreme Leader and trying to save his race. And then Alana’s uncertainty about aligning her people with Lil’s.  The author does a very good job of bringing to life Alterra’s culture and how Lil’s clan of En came into power. Makes me see how we’re falling into that same type of trap in real life.

She is also knowledgeable in the effects of solar weather on the planetary core and mantle, causing earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. I like her reference to Atlantis and how any surviving residents would have been taken in by the more primitive tribes. My only point of contention was that the earthlings seemed to adapt and not question the technology that Lil’s people used. Like Maya picking up the binoculars to look through. How would she know how to look out of them let along how to adjust them? Also, their vocabulary is too far advanced for people living in huts made with animal skins and bones and using bones and stone for knives.

There were a lot of characters introduced throughout the story with some very strange names.  I did get confused over the names Yamin, one of the guardsmen, and Yanni, one of Alana’s tribe.  The rest of names fell into place with the people they represented.

I enjoyed the writing style and the author left enough questions at the end to want to read the next book. I did find several proofreading errors, like missing words or misspelled words. Also, some of the paragraphs could have been formatted better. Some conversations were not separated by paragraphs.

I really liked the book and would highly recommend. I give this book 4 feathers.