Review: Exotic, Socratic
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 11, 2014
Interspersed throughout the fantastic descriptions of the places the Veda goes as it joins divisions of human colonists headed for deep space, the characters come to life between the pages of "I, Human" -- such as the captain who meditates and is able to astrally project himself to different dimensions to explore the different levels of consciousness within those dimensions.The author gives us nearly tactile mental images of some of the exotic races and landscapes the crew of the Veda encounter:The physically immense but kindly and genial Fortis... The Ingentum of Gigas with skins marked in spirals of fractals in hues of gold, orange and blue who express entire thoughts squeezed into syllables and whose cities -- with their buildings made of crystal arranged in pleasing geometric shapes -- create jewel-like cities.Amidst all of this color and compelling, strange beauty, the Chaplain and the android, Vlen, engage in a surprisingly passionate and Socratic discussion about what traits make humans human and what traits androids share with them that make them so very nearly human...Vito Veii creates, not only one incredible world but many upon which we may ponder and dream as we accompany the captain, the chaplain, the android and the many others accompanying them through the Veda's fascinating ports-of-call...