Jacqueline Lichtenberg Books

Anyone reading the Unity Trilogy SC for the very first time will be amazed at just how incredibly fantastic it all is. But for those who are more familiar with her writings there should be no real surprise. Anything by Jacqueline Lichtenberg is always ranked among the very best in fantasy and science fiction.

Jacqueline has been a professional author and member of the Science Fiction Writers of America for many years. Her vivid imagination has taken readers to places well beyond wherever most other sci fi can only pretend to. Her Sime~Gen works are just such wonderous reading.

There are always curious twists and turns along the plotlines, as well as a wide array of interesting characters. Even for those who are not fanatical sci fi enthusiasts, the Unity Trilogy will still hold interest. Jacqueline always includes a wide scenereo of sub-plots, highly believable relationships, and endless difficulties to overcome.

The reader finishes the book always wanting more, but nevertheless having enjoyed it thoroughly. And, perhaps best of all, actually having learned much. But don't just stop with this work, by all means go on to any and all other Lichtenberg books. There's many more surprises in store. And the educational adventure, combined with the entertainment value, never fails.

You definitely won't be disappointed.

{:-) Jeff Redmond
redmondjeff@hotmail.com
www.erdabooks.net

When you open the cover, you first "see" (visualize) two army professionals nervously awaiting a meeting with some type of spy. As yet, there is little hint that you have entered a world where emotions become real flaring beacons, where actually destroying the people you love the best is a literal possibility, and where philosophical questions take on a new depth of tangibility and beauty. The characterization brought me to these books the first time, and kept me reading as I struggled through the trick of reasoning within an alien world (a mental challenge that is incredibly attractive to science fiction readers). House of Zeor (the first book in the trilogy) has a point of view character who is also unfamiliar with the key concepts, so it makes a good starting place, and I caught on just by reading. There is a world of incredible beauty and fascination between these covers. They remain some of my favorite books (over five years after my first introduction to House of Zeor), and I am very pleased that they are finally republished. Keep on reading even through the alien words like "zlin" and "field gradient" --trust me, it's worth it. You meet people like Klyd Farris, who has a "brittle strength" and more courage than I can fathom; Risa Tigue, who says the funniest things; Muryin and Virena, two girls who come from almost opposite interpretations--and you unveil philosophical questions that seem so simple at first glance, but continue to develop and deepen, and finally remain unresolved--but tantalizing and invigorating. I would highly recommend this trilogy--probably because I still read it!

I just finished House of Zeor from Sime~Gen and loved it! I look forward to finishing the other two stories. I have actually spent my entire night reading - it's now 5:36am and I have had no sleep. Shame on Jacqueline Lichtenberg for writing such a captivating story! What a brilliant feat to create the Sime~Gen world. It is hard to believe this is her first novel published in 1974. It is not dated at all. I look forward to loosing more sleep.

The Unity Trilogy is a book that landed in my lap -- nearly literally! I swear, I showed up one night for the writers' group I'm in and my friend Alan was there with a white box. "Hey, remember how I mentioned we could maybe use you as a proofreader?" he asked, before handing over the box. Inside were three manuscripts, since it was a trilogy being republished as an omnibus by Meisha Merlin. A couple of weeks later, I went to start proofing and boom, I was totally hooked by the first page!

So what is Sime~Gen about?

Let see... Set some centuries in the future, Sime~Gen has the human race divided (through either evolution or genetic manipulation, nobody knows) into two groups: Simes and Gens. Both groups basically look the same, but there is one big difference which dominates all goings-on between them: Simes have tentacles on their arms and need selyn to survive, while Gens don't have tentacles and produce selyn. Selyn isn't any type of bodily fluid but an invisible life force almost like chi, which builds up naturally in Gens but whose absence in Simes will kill them if they go more than a month.

Ever since the mutation divided the species, Simes and Gens have understandably been at war. In Sime-controlled territories, Gens are raised in pens like animals and bought and sold like they're food - stripped of their selyn and tossed away. In Gen-dominated territories, by contrast, there is a saying that "The only good Sime is a dead Sime." And what makes it scary is that Gens can have Sime children and vice versa - nobody knows until they hit puberty. If Gens have Sime children, they kill them, and when Simes have them, they can of course kill them or sell them to Gen dealers.

This is the basic set up of the trilogy and the plot, as it develop, involves efforts on part of Simes and Gens to overcome all the prejudice and enmity and achieve unity. After all, if Simes kill all the Gens, they'll die, and it's already a given than Gens can't kill all the Simes.

None of this is explained in boring history lessons, but laid out in the stories of individuals. In House of Zeor the story centers of a Gen named Hugh Valleroy, who goes on a dangerous, secret assignment into Sime territory in order to rescue an important Gen official who also happens to be his girlfriend. (Yes, this sounds cheesy and it sort of is.) Hugh doesn't infiltrate Sime territory on his own, however, but instead is paired up with Klyd Farris, head of the titular House of Zeor. Even though Hugh has actually grown up as a Sime sympathizer (who expected he'd "changeover" at puberty), he's never been to Sime territory and arrives completely unprepared for what he finds.

House of Zeor is a "householding" which, running again most prevailing laws and attitudes, is a community where Simes and Gens live in harmony. Harmony is achieved by a special kind of Sime called a Channel. Unlike regular Simes, Channels don't need to kill Gens to get the selyn they need. Channels have two "selyn transport systems" and can collect selyn from dozens of Gens, just like milking cows almost, and then go to Simes, who then take the selyn - instead of killing Gens. Channels also have selyn needs of their own, of course, and for that reason, and because they're just so important to householdings, each Channel has a Companion. Companions, Hugh learns, are Gens who produce an extraordinarily large quantity of selyn and are able to give their selyn freely to serve the appetite of the Channel. Little does Hugh know that he's natural Companion material - for Klyd, the head channel of House of Zeor!

There's an awful lot of plot over the course of these three books. House of Zeor is a dive into the world of Simes and Gens and follows the story of Hugh and Klyd, while the middle book, Ambrov Keon, takes place in another part of the world. It centers on another householding, Keon, starting with the arrival of Risa Tigue, a "junct" (killing) Sime who stumbles upon a householding and learns she is a Channel. Risa has a lot to learn and although she fights it, she ends up being a big part of bringing her corner of the world towards unity. The final book, Zelerod's Doom, brings Hugh and Klyd together with the cast of of Ambrov Keon for a battle that eventually achieves the beginning of what gets to be called Unity - the day Simes and Gens begin to forge a truce. This story gets deeper into some of the relationships, in particular Hugh and Klyd's, and reveals a race struggling to figure out what they are about and how they can survive.

One thing I'll say about these books is that although I did enjoy them quite a lot, the writing style, plotting and other bits of it can get to sounding cheesy. It certainly isn't the sort of rich descriptive narrative I'm used to reading (Storm Constantine, Ursula Le Guin). Instead, it's more the kind of writing you'd find in a Star Trek book, which makes a lot of sense since the authors are huge Star Trek fans and have, in fact, written Star Trek novels. This doesn't stop the books from being enjoyable, but I think it is something that needs to be noted, in case a reader is expecting great literature.

Since reading Sime~Gen I have found myself wanting to read more and luckily, there is more to read, not only more books, which Meisha Merlin will be publishing over the next few years, but whole novels already online and a huge load of fan fiction, which the authors are OK with and even host on their own web site. I am so glad Alan handed me that white box!

Background. Humanity evolved into two species following the cataclysm. On the surface the only obvious physical difference is the arms of the Sime. However, in reality, the Simes were much bigger, faster, and deadlier than the Gens. The Sime need selyn to survive while the Gens contain that energy source within their bodies. Over time the Sime began drugging and herding the Gen into pens so that they could suck dry selyn from its source leaving the Gen dead.

"House of Zeor". Gen intelligence operative Hugh Valleroy is considerably distraught over his beloved Aisha being apparently abducted by the Sime. He plans to risk his life to bring her home, but to do so he must meet with Klyd, a Sime. Klyd is a new type of Sime. He serves as a channel between the species, killing no one but providing nutrients for his race. Both are little regarded amongst their respective people. Hugh is considered a Sime lover because he speaks the language, which he learned from his Sime expatriate mother. Klyd and his House of Zeor are considered lunatics because the Gens are a source of food and death is a by-product of that feeding frenzy. Neither trusts the other. Yet if they fail to cooperate, they not only will falter on their quest to save Aisha, but they will also destroy any hope of peaceful coexistence as dreamed of by both men.

"Ambrov Keon". Simes Morgan Tigue and his daughter Risa were sailing home on the Mizipi River when the storm suddenly hit killing the father. Risa barely survives, but to do so drains much of her internal supply of life energy selyn. She must find herself a Gen so that she can replenish her source of life-energy. Risa meets Gen Sergi ambrov Keon, who has the uncanny ability to provide selyn yet control the Sime so as to give enough for the feeder to live yet not die in the process. Sergi offers shelter and selyn to Risa. Having just failed to keep alive a channel, he hopes she is the one that along with him will prove they can live in harmony. Sergi believes she has that ability, but can he persuade her to stop the killing.

"Zelerod's Doom". The end times have arrived for both species of the human race. To survive the life giving Gens and the feeder Simes must find a way to cooperate with channels being the obvious avenue. Failure to do so means the end of the Gens, which mathematically implies the termination of the Simes. Most Gens never heard of channels while most Simes think these renegades are depraved lunatics. Humanity is on the brink of extinction unless the two species stop the animosity and prejudice to reunite the human race into one people. Together in harmony all live, but divided in discord all die.

The Sime-Gen novels are some of the best post apocalypse books written and to see this reprinting in one volume will bring plenty of pleasure to genre fans. The tales focus on the Gen-Sime relationship, but the key to these three books is that the two species seem real regardless of whether Jacqueline Lichtenberg or Jean Lorrah or both wrote the tale. Readers will be caught up in the action, but will appreciate the depth to the prime cast members such as Hugh and Risa. Whether the player is a Sime or a Gen they seem genuine and stay true to their people. Fans of vampire tales in a different setting than Transylvania or London will clearly want to read the great Unity Trilogy novels rolled together in one superb collection.

Harriet Klausner

The Teleod and the Metaji are at war each blaming the other for destroying the fabric of space-time that make such travel possible. Kyllikki, a high-ranking telepath from an elite Teleod family, has become an outlaw amongst her people as she has deserted them to join the Metaji Empire in an effort to stop the war from destroying the galaxy

As her vessel is destroyed the renegade telepath teams up with Zuchmul the Luren (intergalactic vampires) and Idom the Guide (astrogator). Together the trio rescues earthling Elias the Dreamer, who was illegally abducted and unlawfully bonded to Kyllikki's cousin, Zimor head of the Teleod. As they learn more about what is happening to the space-time fabric, the quartet concludes that they must destroy Zimor, but they don't even have a decent space ship and each question whether they can trust any of the other three allies.

Set in the same Lichtenberg galaxy as THOSE OF MY BLOOD, this exciting space opera can stand alone though readers would enjoy the first tale that furbishes further detail about several of the species especially the Luren. The story line is Star Wars in that it is basically a Good vs. evil plot. However, what makes this tale very special (and all of Ms. Lichtenberg's novels - see the Sime-Gen universe) is the intricate information provided on each species interwoven cleverly into the plot so that readers learn and understand cultures like the Luren, Teleod, and Metaji . Comparative anthropology inside an action packed outer space thriller means a fabulous time and adventure for fans.

Harriet Klausner

This book is very captivating. It's an action adventure, romance, drama that includes psychics and vampires as well as various alien races. A very cool and fun read.

When I picked up the first Sime-Gen book in 1973 it really spoke to me. Despite the cover artwork, it wasn't just some slashy teen sci-fi popcorn paperback. Every book spoke to me of the differences in the human condition, and the struggle to come to terms with those differences. The parallels it drew... the Simes versus the Gens. Predator & prey. Of how there could be a peaceful solution to the often violent clash of the usual power-struggles. The erotic undercurrent of need, the surprise of finding compassion & understanding where there's usually fear & hatred... and the all-too often fatal consequences of prejudice. These were issues then and now, and this book talked about them intelligently in a science-fiction setting. I see the present civil-rights struggles of GLBT people today reflected in the pages of the Sime-Gen series. And I can't wait to share my copies of those wonderful books with my own daughter.

Perhaps the strongest of the Sim/Gen series, which had a strong following during the 70's. Fans of the Vampire filled with angst over the nature of his existance will love this. The series is set in the unspecified future when the human race has split into two species, the Sim who require a monthly feeding of the Energy produced by the Gen. Children are born neither, and at the onset of puberty, become one or the other. When the series opens the Sim and Gen are split into separate nations, with the Sim killing the Gen when they take their energy. However the population will be domed to extinction, unless a way can be found to take the energy required by the Sim from the Gen without harming them. This installment deals with the struggles of the house of Zeor to establish trust between the Sim and Gen and try to spread their solution of a Channel - a special Sim who can energy from Gens without harming them and then transfer it to other Sims

After a mysterious mutation divided the human race into Simes and Gens, the two kinds have lived in a deadly embrace of fear and hatred. To live, each Sime must kill a Gen every month, stripping this human being of vital life energy. Gens, being human, object and band together to keep the Simes from killing, while the Simes work together to capture and enslave Gens. Neither see the other as real people.

But there is another way, by which specially talented Simes can safely take life energy from willing Gens and give it to other Simes. Yet these channels are reviled by the bulk of Sime society as perverts, and are not even known by the free Gens.

However, a crisis is coming. Civilized Simes are outrunning their ability to raise Gens in captivity for the kill. A leading mathematician has demonstrated that it is impossible for civilization to continue to be based upon monthly kills -- and died trying to live on channel's transfer, convinced that he had to back his theory with his life. Some killer Simes are following his example and turning to the channels, but not quickly enough. It's decision time for all humanity -- embrace channel's transfer, or become extinct.

This novel has been out of print and almost impossible to find for far too long. But it's finally being reprinted as part of the Unity Trilogy by Meisha Merlin. If you missed out on the original printing, or your copy is crumbling like mine is, don't miss out on the chance to get this omnibus reissue, along with Ambrov Keon and House of Zeor.

The planet that these people live on has a mutated humanity, split into two dominant forms, the Simes and the Gens.

The former exists as a type of energy vampire, using the others as a food and energy source.

When a wealthy young man's girlfriend turns into a Gen, he realises that something is wrong, and tries to save her rather than sell her into slavery, basically.

First Channel covers the beginnings of a new way of cooperation in a future world of impossible strifes and distrusts. When Rimon discovers his girl has 'turned out wrong', he risks his life to save her - and finds out that she is the one capable of saving him. How they work out a new life in a hostile land, gather around them a few others who prefer cooperation over killing, and found a new way of life is a good read on many levels: frontier adventure, relationship adventure , and learning to challenge old assumptions.

I read it about twice a year, just for the joy of it.

The Sime-Gens Novels were the most innovative I have ever read. i wish they would return to print so that I could give them to others to read

I first read this novel in high school, and it left quite an impression. The world of Sime/Gen is split into two groups. The dominant Simes who must kill and drain the energy fields of Gens to survive, and Gens, who are bred like cattle. Both Races are humanoid, except Simes have tentacle like appendages which come from their forearms when they are 'hungry.'

Rimon Farris is a son of a Gen breeder, a man who breeds and 'harvests's Gens to sell on the Sime market. When Rimon's girlfriend Kadi matures and develops Gen characteristics, Rimon will do anything to save her from the auction block.

This is an excellent series, sure to delight fans of science fiction and character-driven drama. The Sime/Gen conflict is interesting and creates believable tension throughout. Don't miss this one!

I also read these books in years past. Both the channel series and the dashau series. I would like to get my hands on copies again and reread. They were inventive,with great character development.