A highly acclaimed author, Valerie Freireich has won First Prize in the 1990 Spring Writers of the Future Awards. She has already written a number of short stories, and made her debut as a novelist with Becoming Human. She is a practicing lawyer, and lives in the Chicago area.
I like Freireich's books because they present fresh and original ideas in Science Fiction. The head characters of her four published books are most sympathetic and agreeable, which is one of the main things that makes her books very enjoyable. Since most of her major characters are male, I find that Freireich has done a good job in portraying them. The Polite Harmony of Worlds series are set in the same world, but each of the three books can be read independently from eachother without confusing the reader.
Becoming Human
The Polite Harmony of Worlds series, Book One.
First Published in 1995.
Synopsis
August, a sub-human spy probe, is an important intelligence source in the interplanetary political arena, and for this reason his services are fought over by two rival politicians. Coming towards the end of his artificial life-span, shortened by an internal programming of the life-systems of spy probes, August is tempted to use the highly sensitive information he has gathered to barter for a prolonged life. The rival politicians won't refrain from any methods, such as false promises, threats, and lies, to have him disclose dangerous information. Consequently, he finds himself in a very difficult situation when he has to make decisions on what, or who, to trust and what information to reveal, or not, in order to prevent an alien attack and annihilation of a whole planet and its inhabitants, who are considered less than human because of their being altered humans.
The Polite Harmony of Worlds series, Book Three.
First Published in 1997.
Synopsis
"Simply because he is genetically altered, an academic researcher is banished to the unknown enemy worlds of the Emiratesła place of barbaric culture ruled by the Sons, descendants of human men and holy Houris. Pursued by those who would use his gift towards their own ends, he desperately attempts to find a way back." (Excerpt from bn.com)
