Altaterra

McClenning (Rebel Earth) sets this ambitious but uneven sci-fi outing on a distant planet where human colonists eke out a pioneerlike existence as their ancestors’ technology falls into disrepair and uselessness. Against this backdrop, two disparate narratives unfold; unfortunately, they never quite coalesce. Shortly after reclusive peacekeeper Kaitja finishes training his new apprentice, Xitano, the two are called to escort an exploratory expedition from the colony’s capital city over the nearby mountains in search of useful metal ores to repair their failing Earth tech. Meanwhile, young Atami of the Ox clan, a tribe of hunter-gatherers working with stone age technology, comes of age, taking a bride and assuming an unexpected new role among the clan following conflict with another tribe. When the scientific expedition and the Ox clan meet, it threatens to upset everything either thought they knew about their world and its origins. Unfortunately, this exciting point of connection comes too little, too late, and the slow moving, unfocused plot leading up to that point will frustrate readers. The careful attention to setting and detailed descriptions of everyday activities and lifestyles on this alien planet can’t quite make up for shallow characterizations and the lack of narrative cohesion. Still, McClenning’s worldbuilding has potential. Readers will hope for more adventure in future volumes. (Aug.)