Avian Culture and Clone Utopia

A “not yet ready for prime time” space opera series.

Stories about the telepathic, avian Flock are the hardest to write, because their physiology, brain structure and culture are outside the range of humanity’s. I do my best to represent their perspective, building on C.J. Cherryh’s marvelous work in her “Chanur” series.

Yet my children still find the Flock evil , which means I need to do a better job either (i) opening their minds to ethical diversity, or (ii) enlisting readers’ sympathy with the Flock’s plight.

On the other hand, writing about the utopian clone society on the planet Casia is easy as pie: it is pure wish fulfillment on my part. Puzzlingly, my children find the Casian clones evil, too.

And then there’s the primary heroine of the series: traded by her parents for peace with the Casians, captured by the Flock. Amazing resiliency is not enough; she needs a sense of humor.