Book Review: Acorna's World

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Acorna's World     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Anne McCaffrey , Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
Class/Genre:   SF AND Fantasy
Series: Acorna # 4
HarperCollins Eos, Aug 2000, $24.00, 306 pp.

On board the space traveling Condor, Acorna The Unicorn Girl feels safe from the insect race the Khleevi who dine on their own geriatrics and delight in eating other races. The Khleevi remain a major threat to Acorna’s people, the Linyaari because the insect race has no qualms about genocide, as other species are fodder to them.

Accompanying Acorna on the salvage ship is Captain Becker, first mate Road Kill, and Khleevi escapee Aari. When they receive an SOS from a nearby planet, the foursome feel impelled to help. There they discover the Khleevi has caused another massacre that leaves Acorna and her companions fighting to save two races before further slaughter leaves them extinct.

The fourth Acorna tale is an entertaining young adult science fiction tale. The story line is filled with action and a growing attraction between Acorna and Aari. Late into the tale, Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough provide an entertaining, cleverly designed critique on how the young devour the elderly in free market society. Erudite fans will dine on Margaret Ball’s linguistic interpretation that intelligently spoofs the plot’s action-packed space opera with a small but serious thesis. Though lacking depth to any of the key players except in an overall generalization of the traits of the various races, ACORNA’S WORLD is a fun to read work of science fiction.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner