Manuel Alfonseca's The History of the Earth-9 Colony is science fiction. It reminds me of Steinbeck's East of Eden, but in the future. Earth-9 Colony is an outer space colony trying to make another earth. But the same problems earth has, creates problems. The first couple, Adam and Eve, sorry, Adam and Evita have brought embryos to populate this colony. Unbeknownst to Adam and Evita, they are not alone. Serpentines, another species with intelligence, inhabit the same planet. The serpentines observe and they don't like what they see. The two adults aren't compatible and argue. Adam and Evita eat something they shouldn't and die. The serpentines nurse the embryos to life. The serpentines even educate these children.
But more adults come from earth and the children have to deal with them and the problems they create. At times, the children run to the woods and hide. They can live with the adults if they choose. Eventually, the problems divide the children and adults.
Israel is the leader of the children. He at times can be hard hearted. He is usually ready to fight. Aron is the most articulate of the children. Isha is Israel's favorite sister. Israel leads a large group of the children away from the settlement and live in the forest around the mountain. While there, they encounter evil. It's a monster.
At Israel's first encounter, the monster is small. But it grows. Only later when a Christ-like figure appears, is an explanation understood. The evil monster feeds on hate. The more division, the more fighting, the more hate that everyone on this colony feels, the bigger the monster grows. Kial, the Christ-like figure, saves the planet by giving up his life. Kial tried to explain how to live peacefully but people being people...well you know.
The novel is interesting. How Alfonseca introduces the familiar themes, people, and places into this futuristic Garden of Eden will keep the reader involved. As long as good triumphs over evil, we can have hope.
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