Seed Seeker

Returning to the world of Home, which humans colonized in 1983's Earthseed and where they split into two cultures in 2007's Farseed, Sargent continues exploring the nature of violence and rivalry. The farmers along the great lake and river lead low-tech lives, while the dome dwellers try to maintain the remaining bits of imported technology. Then the sentient Ship that planted the colony returns, triggering fear and suspicion. As the few mature dome dwellers try to repair their radio and keep their uncaring youngsters from rebelling, teens Bian and Arnagh make the journey north from the river to find out whether the dome dwellers have betrayed their agrarian brethren. With prose as spare as the unadorned clothes and tools of her characters, Sargent digs down to the raw emotional roots below the contentment of a materially satisfied life. (Nov.)