Book Review: Damia’s Children

Damia’s Children by Anne McCaffrey

Publisher: Corgi

Category: Sci-fi

Synopsis: Damia’s Children follows the three oldest of Damia and Afra’s children: Laria, Thian and Rojer as they become working Primes. We get to see the problems they encounter on their different jobs but also their small joys.

My Thoughts: Occasionally I need to dip into one of my comfort reads. You know, the kind of books that you know, that are familiar and that never fail to entertain you. One such series is Anne McCaffrey’s Tower and the Hive series. And that is actually really strange, because the Tower and the Hive is a Sci-fi series which is very far from my normal comfort reads. But this series is so much more to me.

Damia’s Children is the third book in the five book series. It is preceded by The Rowan and Damia. I’ve never liked these two books as much as I do the last three books in the series and since I was looking for comfort I bypassed them. One day I might re-read them and review them, but for now know that they exist and it is probably a good idea to read them first, although it isn’t necessary.

The series shows the life of the talented, that is those who have the ability to use telepathy and telekinesis to move things and talk to others across the vastness of space. These talents come in different strengths with the strongest being referred to as Primes. At the end of Damia an alien species known as Dini’s contact Damia and other talents in order form an alliance against a common enemy.

Although this book sometimes feels a bit cursory, it really works as a bridge between Damia and Lyon’s Pride it still shows the tight bonds between the siblings, parents and their Dini’s. It really shows the pressure we can put on very young people and how they can rise to meet this pressure. It also shows the courage it takes to stand up to people who are more senior than you.

Although I am not in any way, shape, or form talented in the way the characters in the book are I did feel a certain kinship with the three teens when I was growing up. And to a certain extent I still do. We are often thrust into situations that feel completely alien to us and how we deal with it is a big part of whom we are. I often wish I was more like Laria and Thian.

In addition to this the series discusses larger moral issues regarding destroying entire civilisations and what constitutes honour. These sorts of philosophical debates always interest me.

I do have one problem with these books and that is the many editorial mistakes in it. Characters, especially the Dinis and their ships can change names, often  on the same page. This makes for very confusing reading at times.

This is a series of books that I recommend to anyone interested in sci-fi and or political debates (if you like BSG you’ll enjoy these books).

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