The Last Colony
Eden-7 was supposed to be humanity's second chance. When Earth became uninhabitable, twelve colony ships were launched to distant stars, each carrying ten thousand colonists in cryo-sleep. Only one ship arrived. Captain Amara Diallo wakes from cryo to find that Eden-7 is not the paradise the mission planners promised. The planet is alive in ways no one anticipated, and the colonists who woke before her have split into warring factions. One group wants to terraform the planet to make it Earth-like. The other believes they should adapt to the planet instead. And the planet itself seems to have opinions about both plans. As Amara tries to unite the fractured colony, she discovers that Eden-7 was not uninhabited when they arrived, and the original inhabitants are not happy about their new neighbors. The colony has thirty days before the planet enters its deadly storm season, and survival is not guaranteed.
📖 Story Synopsis
Eden-7 was supposed to be humanity's second chance. When Earth became uninhabitable, twelve colony ships were launched to distant stars, each carrying ten thousand colonists in cryo-sleep. Only one ship arrived. Captain Amara Diallo wakes from cryo to find that Eden-7 is not the paradise the mission planners promised. The planet is alive in ways no one anticipated, and the colonists who woke before her have split into warring factions. One group wants to terraform the planet to make it Earth-like. The other believes they should adapt to the planet instead. And the planet itself seems to have opinions about both plans. As Amara tries to unite the fractured colony, she discovers that Eden-7 was not uninhabited when they arrived, and the original inhabitants are not happy about their new neighbors. The colony has thirty days before the planet enters its deadly storm season, and survival is not guaranteed.
✎ Editor's Review
Adaeze Okafor's colony novel tackles big questions about environmental adaptation, colonialism, and coexistence with intelligence and nuance. The planet of Eden-7 is a character in its own right, beautiful and dangerous in equal measure. Amara is a superb leader whose struggle to unite competing factions feels grounded in real political complexity. The alien ecosystem is creative and well-realized. A thoughtful, gripping sci-fi that earns its emotional payoff.
