This is a Sci-fi novel set in the future. Elspin is born without a nervous system; a brain with no connection to the world. She is locked within her dreams in an infinite universe of inner space. She should have withered into nothing but against all the odds she prospered…
A Sci-fi novel set in the future.
Elspin is born without a nervous system; a brain with no connection to the world. She is locked within her dreams. She should have withered into nothing but against all the odds she prospered.
Politicians and Business-people are at each others throats. The world is in crisis. The Greens are split into factions. Passions are explosive.
They find a way of contacting Elspin. What happens when universes clash?
Will the world survive?
Green: Amazon.co.uk: Forsythe, Ron: 9798648134003: Books
Opher Goodwin writing as Ron Forsythe
Reviews for Green
4.0 out of 5 stars Sci-Fi succcess
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 July 2016
I’m not normally that enthused to read Sci-Fi books, but, having read other books by Opher – In Search of Captain Beefheart and Ebola in the Garden of Eden, I decided to give this a go. I was pleased and surprised how engrossed I became, and am sure fans of Sci-Fi will greatly enjoy it, too.
HelpfulReport
5.0 out of 5 stars Green But Wise
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 August 2016
Harrowing, timely and thrilling. An astute observation, written as fiction, into the potentially disastrous environmental impact of our present way of treating the planet. Set in the future, abounding in wonderful gizmos, women presidents, and disaffected terrorists, it is part philosophical text, part detective novel and all rip-roaring action adventure.
Highly recommended.
HelpfulReport
4.0 out of 5 stars A great beginning
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 August 2016
As the planet’s environment collapses, Planetary President Jane Muller is having a hard time controlling the LPL environmental terrorist group.
Jael Haverland, the LPL’s spokesperson, brings all its factions together, but Elizabeth Dippravit (Dippa) hopes to release a virus which will destroy all mankind. Earl Broady wants to delay or stop her; policeman Harry Grizzani tries. The government starts to detain the entire LPL, and eventually Muller takes absolute power and declares martial law in an attempt to fix the planet’s ecology.
In a separate thread, Jarvid and Mohoebe Murked honeymooned on the twin-mooned planet of Diaphorous. On their return journey, a hyperspatial travel accident causes newly-conceived daughter Elspin to be born without a nervous system. Gynaecologist Winston Stagg is obsessed by her genius brain activity, however, and determines to communicate with her.
This is a near future pre-apocalyptic scenario in which various environmental terrorist groups have combined to hold the world to ransom, but are outmanoeuvred by the politicians. I’ve not read anything like this before and, although it does get a bit bleak at times, there is some hope for mankind towards the end. The story about Elspin is slightly incongruous; I presume Goodwin plans to finish it in another book (hint).
Goodwin writes a good story, and I’d really like to see him try his hand at a police procedural because his attention to detail is exemplary. There is also a tightness of style about ‘tec fiction that he needs, because there are times when this book gets rather wordy; a more ruthless editor could enhance the readability. And a good publisher would bring Opher to the wider audience he deserves; I hope to see him on the bookstore shelves very soon!
HelpfulReport
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 May 2016
What a breath of fresh air, a new science fiction writer. I approached this with some trepidation as I’ve been let down before with unknown writers but I knew from the first couple of pages this was different. Opher’s style was so refreshing his storytelling held my attention from moment I started reading. The way he developed the story and the characters in it revealed great maturity for a new writer. I can recommend this to anyone who may be a little hesitant in trying something new.
HelpfulReport
5.0 out of 5 stars A great clever read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 July 2016
A great clever read. very thought provoking. Another good book from this new and prodigious writer. I look forward to the next book.
HelpfulReport
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 May 2016
I loved this book, very much of today’s zeitgeist. The author has a very individual style of writing that sweeps you right into his world.
HelpfulReport
5.0 out of 5 stars Well worth a read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 May 2016
A well written and fascinating novel that kept me engrossed throughout. Well worth checking out this and other books from this author.
HelpfulReport
5.0 out of 5 stars I am so pleased that I discovered Opher Goodwin’s Sci Fi books
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 June 2016
I am so pleased that I discovered Opher Goodwin’s Sci Fi books. I only enjoy Sci Fi if it is of good quality and well written, and Opher’s books are up there with the best of them. I have now read several, and found them all to be great reads – and ‘Green’ is no exception. It is very well written and is so imaginative – I don’t know where Opher gets all his ideas from, but there are lots of great, thought provoking moments in this book. If you are looking for some top quality Sci Fi, something a little different and more importantly original, I can really recommend this book. I loved it, and feel sure that it will inspire lots more discerning readers to read Opher’s other books as well.
HelpfulReport
Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Green but wise
Reviewed in the United States on 4 August 2016
Harrowing, timely and thrilling. An astute observation, written as fiction, into the potentially disastrous environmental impact of our present way of treating the planet. Set in the future, abounding in wonderful gizmos, women presidents, and disaffected terrorists, it is part philosophical text, part detective novel and all rip-roaring action adventure.
Highly recommended.
Chapter 1
The sun broke through the London gloom bringing a burst of warmth. The brightness lit up the fancy brickwork façade on the old main block of the Queen Mary Imperial College, one of the many jewels of London University. On campus students were sprawled on the grass talking. Some were reluctantly strolling along the paths towards the many modern buildings that housed their lectures. It was one of those hot summer days in which nobody had any desire to be inside, indeed, nobody had any desire to do anything, except to loll about in the sun and talk.
But inside the Blizard Hall the Perrin lecture theatre was packed. It seated four hundred, but there was standing room only. They had come to hear Roger Comstock give one of his renowned talks on human evolution. He was the main man and could always be relied on to provide an interesting, lively exposition, with a few quirky controversial ideas thrown in for good measure. It made him extremely popular and well worth forsaking the pleasures of the languid summer heat.
Roger was coming to the end of his lecture.
‘And then there is the mystery of the Neanderthal man,’ Roger shrugged. ‘I feel very close to the Neanderthal,’ he explained with a broad smile. ‘Probably because, as a European, I always carry a bit of Neanderthal around with me. Up to 4% of our genome is made up of Neanderthal genes. They live on in us.’
There was a murmur of asides with some titters of laughter.
‘At one time we coexisted with the Neanderthal. We even bred with them. But then that isn’t so very unusual,’ he cocked his head and chuckled, ‘I’m sure we are all aware of some people who would try to bred with any species they could get their hands on.’
A louder chortle went round the lecture theatre.
‘Now I know some of you purists out there will be a bit sceptical here. Were Neanderthals really a separate species of humans? Surely if they were, by definition, they could not successfully interbreed. Well that is certainly open to debate. Perhaps we should technically regard them as a subspecies? It is a moot point. The truth of the matter is that these people were a distinct second group of humans with genetically different genomes and we did somehow manage to successfully interbreed with them.’
‘Just imagine what it would be like if we shared this planet with other species of man – human beings of a different kind with many characteristics that were not the same. Intelligent people like us but yet dissimilar. How would that affect our psychology?’
He allowed his audience to dwell on that for a moment or two.
‘Perhaps their thought patterns would be very divergent to ours. They might have novel ideas and views on life.’
‘Just think what an impact that might have on the way we behave if we weren’t the only intelligent beings on this planet.’
‘We’d probably wipe them out!’ One bold student called out.
‘hmmf – We probably did,’ Roger replied, peering into the dim vicinity from where the voice had come. He chuckled again. ‘We probably did.’
Turning back to address the auditorium. ‘At one point in our evolution, back in Africa, we did share the planet with other species of humans. There were at least four species of early man who coexisted on that continent. Would it affect our religious outlook? Our view of ourselves? Our social aims? Or our politics? I ask you, would we be different people if we shared this planet with other species of intelligent human beings? Perhaps humans who were more intelligent than ourselves? Would we see ourselves another way if we did not regard ourselves as the pinnacle of evolution?’
Roger paused and looked down at the floor as if in contemplation before looking back up at his audience.
‘When they dug up those early fossils in the Neander Valley near Dusseldorf, there was a lot of controversy. To start with there was this huge brain capacity. Neanderthals had considerably bigger brains than us. Their capacity was up to 1,600 cm3 as compared to our modest 1,200 to 1,450 cm3. We certainly couldn’t be having that now could we? It might well indicate that they were a good deal brighter than we were.’
There was another murmur.
‘Of course, brain size doesn’t necessarily equate with intelligence, does it? The sperm whale has a brain that is greatly bigger than humans, as does the elephant. Does that mean they are more intelligent?’
‘Neither of them have to work for a living,’ the same wag called out.
‘No, that is certainly true,’ Roger said smiling broadly, looking round towards the direction of the voice. ‘They don’t have to work. But they do get hunted and killed and none of them have yet developed any technology.’
‘Is developing hydrogen bombs a sign of intelligence?’ the discorporate voice called out.