Song of Scarabaeus

Starred review from March 22, 2010
This brilliantly conceived debut heralds a significant new talent. The secretive interstellar government called the Crib unleashed its “biocyph” terraforming technology on the planet Scarabaeus, but something went very wrong. Only sensitive, talented Edie Sha'nim, an orphan raised by the Crib and taught to program biocyph seeds, knows what happened. Rebel Fringe colonies, determined to escape the Crib's clutches, send freedom fighters to kidnap Edie, telepathically link her to handsome thug Finn, and promise her liberty if she shows them how to prevent the biocyph seeds' annual deactivation. Edie wants to trust Finn and help the rebels, but she doesn't dare explain her part in Scarabaeus's transformation into a planet of horrifying death. Creasy's convincing scientific speculation, appealing characterizations, and eerie alien landscapes make this science fiction romance deeply satisfying.