‘Spiral’ will entertain Christian, sci-fi readers
Through Spiral Eyes. By Dawn Smit, Gardenia, $26.95/$16.95
Reviewed by PAUL ASAY The Gazette
It may be a dog-eat-dog world, but it’s a cat-eatcat universe. So writes Colorado Springs author Dawn Smit in her imaginative Christian science-fiction novel, "Through Spiral Eyes." In her debut book, Smit has created a galaxy filled with bipedal, genetically manipulated catlike creatures who are destined, it seems, to be converted to Christianity one cat at a time. These cats are called, collectively, Varan. These aren’t housecats, mind you: These towering creatures are far more tiger than tabby — only smarter, sneakier and much better armed. Though they’ve developed a complex, caste-ridden society, the Varan’s natural instinct to hunt and kill is barely suppressed. A Varan kitten isn’t allowed in the presence of adult male Varans for several years, for fear the kitten’s natural, pre-adolescent scent would drive the adult mad, resulting in the kitten’s quick and gruesome death. They fight one another in training rooms just for fun and can literally smell fear. These Varan are at the top of the galaxy’s food chain, and they make the most of it. They pretty much rule the place, using it as their own personal scratching post. But the kingdom is threatened by an obscure, subversive religion introduced by alien creatures Varans call "himmans" — though readers will recognize them as humans. The religion in question is undisguised Christianity, though Varans call it "the Way" and disciples "Wayfinders." Not that they talk about it much. The Way is outlawed throughout the Varan empire, even though high-ranking officials are secretly Wayfinders, and Kieransar, the crown prince, believes some strange god — unknown in the Varan pantheon of deities — is hunting him. Could it be the God of the Way wants to claim him? The emperor doesn’t wait to find out. He sends his son to learn from the empire’s official religious order, whose headquarters are across the galaxy. A couple of Wayfinders hitch a ride on the ship, hoping to teach the moody prince something about The Way before the ship reaches its destination. But in a curious wrenching of fate, the ship crashes on an unknown planet en route, populated in part by a colony of Wayfinding himmans and one very evil, very insane, exiled Varan sorcerer intent on becoming the empire’s own bothersome fur-ball. Varans and humans on the same planet? Coincidence? Some sci-fi remake of Gilligan’s Island? Neither: Smit suggests in "Spiral" that things happen for a reason, all guided by the unseen God of the Way. Smit does plenty of guiding of her own within "Spiral," directing an epic’s worth of characters through layers of plots, subplots and nefarious, evil plots hatched by the sorcerer, all the while leading them to a heart-jarring finale. The book has some weaknesses. The plot shows inconsistencies in places, and Kieransar — the main character throughout the first half of the book — becomes almost an afterthought in the second. Smit also goes to probably unneeded lengths to describe how Varans measure time and space. But "Spiral," at its soul, is a self-contained, pageturning adventure tale. It’s a Christian book, yes, but this one wasn’t written to convert you. It’s a story for Christians and science-fiction fans alike, capable of keeping both entertained. Smit seems to know her audience well. The details Colorado Springs author Dawn Smit will sign copies of her debut Christian science-fiction novel When: Noon to 2 p.m. Saturday Where: Author, Author!, 5975 N. Academy Blvd. She also will hold a signing at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 13 at The Chinook Bookshop, 210 N. Tejon St.
