(Found) return to earth that jump drive destroyed

[Telemachus]

Must be 20 years ago now.

First half of the book centers on a recurring debate among a human colony to return to earth that was destroyed when the colony's ship deployed it's jump drive too close. They live amongst peaceful aliens (kinder-kin or something like that) that are amazed humans can walk upright without a tail.

The main character is a boy whose mind was broken when he fell from the top of the dome ceiling during his father's debate to return to earth.

The boy despite his slowed speach finally wins the debate.

Second half of book is the return to earth where only a secret society guards the truth of how the planet was destroyed.

 

[Telemachus]

Must be 20 years ago now.

First half of the book centers on a recurring debate among a human colony to return to earth that was destroyed when the colony's ship deployed it's jump drive too close. They live amongst peaceful aliens (kinder-kin or something like that) that are amazed humans can walk upright without a tail.

The main character is a boy whose mind was broken when he fell from the top of the dome ceiling during his father's debate to return to earth.

The boy despite his slowed speach finally wins the debate.

Second half of book is the return to earth where only a secret society guards the truth of how the planet was destroyed.

No one with any thoughts on this?

 

[Danny McG]

never noticed this query even though I recently worked my way right through book search. the bit about the boy falling in the dome is familiar. think a mate of mine mentioned one of his collection so will discuss next time I see him

 

[Telemachus]

Thanks. It was not a particularly good book, but the lack of remembrance of the title is driving me batty...

 

[Danny McG]

sorry. ..I saw him today but it turned out that it had been HIM who was asking ME a while ago about a boy falling in a dome and getting brain damage - I think he'd saw your query when he was looking online for something else. sorry again

 

[Telemachus]

Once again I struggle to recall the name of this book. The alien race are called "kinder" something and one of them is a female in love with the protagonist. Many times, it is commented that she is amazed that humans can walk without a tail. She is a lab assistant of the father of the boy.

Every year the colony has the same debate about going back to Earth. The boys father was just about to win the debate for the first time when the boy crashes from the ceiling of the debate hall/dome. His injuries are severe and his speech is broken throughout the whole novel.

But somehow he is able to convince them to go back to Earth in a future debate.

When they get back to Earth, they are amazed to see that people are alive, and pretty much nobody knows what happened to cause the Apocalypse. The boy is horrified when he finds a secret religious Society who hides the truth that it was caused by the boy's Colony when they left.

 

[Telemachus]

Bump again. It really was a decent book. It's driving me mad!

 

[tachyon]

This looks to be Legacies by Alison Sinclair. The plot described matches, but by the descriptions the home planet wasn't Earth.

Legacies | Alison Sinclair

search terms: "aliens" "kinder" "colony" scifi "novel"

 

[Ravensquawk]

Bumping every 2.5 years is not a bad idea.
Got no answers for this one, but it's the first time I've seen the question!

 

[Telemachus]

This looks to be Legacies by Alison Sinclair. The plot described matches, but by the descriptions the home planet wasn't Earth.

Legacies | Alison Sinclair

search terms: "aliens" "kinder" "colony" scifi "novel"

I used to chatGPT open AI to see if it could help me find the book I have been looking for for years. It kept spitting out the plot I gave it with random titles and authors, including one by buzz aldrin. It was really quite hilarious.

But then I see that you found the book for me the same day I asked. I don't know why I never saw that until now.

Thanks so much! That has got to be it.

I see the search terms that you use, but where did you search them to find this?? I have been trying to find this for over 8 years

 

[tachyon]

This was a google search, I assume in the time since that google's databases (or whatever they use!) have updated so the results aren't the same anymore but as I recall Sinclair's site was one of the top 10 or so results.

Repeating the search today, I no longer find the author's site but this review is the 3rd result: All Aliens: Alison Sinclair’s Legacies

 

[Telemachus]

I think you had a lucky roll of the dice. I am pretty good at Google searching and I had the plot down pretty well in my head (except for the home planet, apparently).

Again, thank you.

But reading reviews of the book I don't know if I even want to read it again now.

 

[Matteo]

Could be a new thread... Books found by Book Search but no longer want to read.

 

[Orcadian]

This looks to be Legacies by Alison Sinclair. The plot described matches, but by the descriptions the home planet wasn't Earth.
Legacies | Alison Sinclair search terms: "aliens" "kinder" "colony" scifi "novel"

This was a google search, I assume in the time since that google's databases (or whatever they use!) have updated so the results aren't the same anymore but as I recall Sinclair's site was one of the top 10 or so results. Repeating the search today, I no longer find the author's site but this review is the 3rd result: All Aliens: Alison Sinclair’s Legacies

Both of @tachyon 's Legacies links make me really want to read (listen to) this book and I've asked some contacts if they know whether it's been recorded as an audiobook.

 

[Telemachus]

Both of @tachyon 's Legacies links make me really want to read (listen to) this book and I've asked some contacts if they know whether it's been recorded as an audiobook.

Now that might tempt me to revisit this book. The main character has a speech impediment that was extremely hard to read, and oftentimes thoughts were never even finished. That and the book was quite slowly paced.

An incredible narrator could bring that book back to life.

 

[Ravensquawk]

Both of @tachyon 's Legacies links make me really want to read (listen to) this book and I've asked some contacts if they know whether it's been recorded as an audiobook.

I searched, and found it on Open Library, but when I clicked on the headset icon it just opened up the print book in Internet Archive.

It's there to read for all the people who don't want to read it now, ha.

But I'm still sad.
Damn.

 

[Telemachus]

Unfortunately, I already ruined the plot.

 

[Orcadian]

Unfortunately, I already ruined the plot.

@Telemachus : Thinking I'd like to listen to this book, I've avoided reading most of your synopsis! But if you're concerned, you could ask an Admin to mark certain parts 'Spoiler'?

 

[Ravensquawk]

@Telemachus : Thinking I'd like to listen to this book, I've avoided reading most of your synopsis! But if you're concerned, you could ask an Admin to mark certain parts 'Spoiler'?

It's even easier!

Above the reply with the menu options to select adding a link, a quote, bold, italics, and so on, just select the "..." which is "More options..." and select the "hidden looksee eyeball" for typing your spoiler text.

You can give it a title like I tried below, or not. Then type your "spoiler" text in between the "spoiler" and "/spoiler" code.

Then the reader has to hover over the spoiler title to see the cue to click on it, and has to click on it to view and read the denouement.

Not having tried it before, and having had minor fixit problems learning how much spacing takes text out of a blockquote, I'm gonna try it now:

Spoiler: That book the aliens wrote titled "To Serve Man"

It's a cookbook.

There. It worked!

 

[Orcadian]

It's even easier! Above the reply with the menu options to select adding a link, a quote, bold, italics, and so on, just select the "..." which is "More options..." and select the "hidden looksee eyeball" for typing your spoiler text.

Ah, but can you do this later, after the editing period has elapsed?