Product Description
After the first human contact with the Siwannese ended in a mass suicide, the Terran government made a law that no further contact with sentient aliens would be allowed. But since their own planet was overcrowed, they looked to colonize Doona--until they found the Hrubbans. Their choice was simple but dangerous. They could kill the cat-like Hrubbans, or for the first time in history, learn to to coexist with an alien race....
From the Inside Flap
After the first human contact with the Siwannese ended in a mass suicide, the Terran government made a law that no further contact with sentient aliens would be allowed. But since their own planet was overcrowed, they looked to colonize Doona--until they found the Hrubbans. Their choice was simple but dangerous. They could kill the cat-like Hrubbans, or for the first time in history, learn to to coexist with an alien race....
Imagine a world so overpopulated that the worst insult you can give is to tell someone to "Sweat it." When even the length of your stride and the speed of your walk is regulated. When flatulence is not a social faux pas, it's a prosecutable offense. When you must make a reservation years in advance for just the hope of being able to walk in your local Square Mile of open ground. Ken Reeves and his family have been existing in this world. However, all that changes when Ken receives word that they have been selected to colonize the planet of Doona. A new future dawns for Ken, his wife Patricia, daughter Ilsa and over-active son Todd.
Secure in the knowledge that the planet has been thoroughly checked out and deemed habitable and unoccupied prior to their arrival, the men have been sent as the advance wave to prepare the planet over the long winter months for their families' imminent arrival. The colonists' dismay is great when signs are found of another intelligent, cat-like species on the planet. The Principle of Non-Cohabitation decrees that man may not share a planet with another native species, due to a tragic incident that took place early in their space-faring days. Unfortunately, a rule that looks good on paper isn't as easy to keep in real life, especially when Todd arrives on the planet and immediately befriends members of the new species.
McCaffrey has chosen an interesting concept for this novel. The ever-exuberant Todd plays a crucial role in her story and the alien Hrubbans are as mysterious as their cat-like looks seem to imply. McCaffrey makes it very clear that the rules decreed back on Earth may not be workable, or even necessary, on this new planet. She makes a very good case for the importance of being flexible and maintaining an open mind when faced with new situations. Written back in 1969, this is a short, quick read compared to the S/F novels of today. Although some of the characterization is a bit weak and possibly dated by current standards, I found that the plot kept my attention. Overall, I thought this was an enjoyable novel. Since Decision at Doona is the first in a trilogy, you can be sure that there is more to learn about Doona and the Hrubbans.
Imagine a world so overpopulated that the worst insult you can give is to tell someone to "Sweat it." When even the length of your stride and the speed of your walk is regulated. When flatulence is not a social faux pas, it's a prosecutable offense. When you must make a reservation years in advance for just the hope of being able to walk in your local Square Mile of open ground. Ken Reeves and his family have been existing in this world. However, all that changes when Ken receives word that they have been selected to colonize the planet of Doona. A new future dawns for Ken, his wife Patricia, daughter Ilsa and over-active son Todd.
Secure in the knowledge that the planet has been thoroughly checked out and deemed habitable and unoccupied prior to their arrival, the men have been sent as the advance wave to prepare the planet over the long winter months for their families' imminent arrival. The colonists' dismay is great when signs are found of another intelligent, cat-like species on the planet. The Principle of Non-Cohabitation decrees that man may not share a planet with another native species, due to a tragic incident that took place early in their space-faring days. Unfortunately, a rule that looks good on paper isn't as easy to keep in real life, especially when Todd arrives on the planet and immediately befriends members of the new species.
McCaffrey has chosen an interesting concept for this novel. The ever-exuberant Todd plays a crucial role in her story and the alien Hrubbans are as mysterious as their cat-like looks seem to imply. McCaffrey makes it very clear that the rules decreed back on Earth may not be workable, or even necessary, on this new planet. She makes a very good case for the importance of being flexible and maintaining an open mind when faced with new situations. Written back in 1969, this is a short, quick read compared to the S/F novels of today. Although some of the characterization is a bit weak and possibly dated by current standards, I found that the plot kept my attention. Overall, I thought this was an enjoyable novel. Since Decision at Doona is the first in a trilogy, you can be sure that there is more to learn about Doona and the Hrubbans.
After the first human contact with the Siwannese ended in a mass suicide, the Terran government made a law that no further contact with sentient aliens would be allowed. But since their own planet was overcrowed, they looked to colonize Doona--until they found the Hrubbans. Their choice was simple but dangerous. They could kill the cat-like Hrubbans, or for the first time in history, learn to to coexist with an alien race....
From the Inside Flap
After the first human contact with the Siwannese ended in a mass suicide, the Terran government made a law that no further contact with sentient aliens would be allowed. But since their own planet was overcrowed, they looked to colonize Doona--until they found the Hrubbans. Their choice was simple but dangerous. They could kill the cat-like Hrubbans, or for the first time in history, learn to to coexist with an alien race....
Imagine a world so overpopulated that the worst insult you can give is to tell someone to "Sweat it." When even the length of your stride and the speed of your walk is regulated. When flatulence is not a social faux pas, it's a prosecutable offense. When you must make a reservation years in advance for just the hope of being able to walk in your local Square Mile of open ground. Ken Reeves and his family have been existing in this world. However, all that changes when Ken receives word that they have been selected to colonize the planet of Doona. A new future dawns for Ken, his wife Patricia, daughter Ilsa and over-active son Todd.
Secure in the knowledge that the planet has been thoroughly checked out and deemed habitable and unoccupied prior to their arrival, the men have been sent as the advance wave to prepare the planet over the long winter months for their families' imminent arrival. The colonists' dismay is great when signs are found of another intelligent, cat-like species on the planet. The Principle of Non-Cohabitation decrees that man may not share a planet with another native species, due to a tragic incident that took place early in their space-faring days. Unfortunately, a rule that looks good on paper isn't as easy to keep in real life, especially when Todd arrives on the planet and immediately befriends members of the new species.
McCaffrey has chosen an interesting concept for this novel. The ever-exuberant Todd plays a crucial role in her story and the alien Hrubbans are as mysterious as their cat-like looks seem to imply. McCaffrey makes it very clear that the rules decreed back on Earth may not be workable, or even necessary, on this new planet. She makes a very good case for the importance of being flexible and maintaining an open mind when faced with new situations. Written back in 1969, this is a short, quick read compared to the S/F novels of today. Although some of the characterization is a bit weak and possibly dated by current standards, I found that the plot kept my attention. Overall, I thought this was an enjoyable novel. Since Decision at Doona is the first in a trilogy, you can be sure that there is more to learn about Doona and the Hrubbans.
Imagine a world so overpopulated that the worst insult you can give is to tell someone to "Sweat it." When even the length of your stride and the speed of your walk is regulated. When flatulence is not a social faux pas, it's a prosecutable offense. When you must make a reservation years in advance for just the hope of being able to walk in your local Square Mile of open ground. Ken Reeves and his family have been existing in this world. However, all that changes when Ken receives word that they have been selected to colonize the planet of Doona. A new future dawns for Ken, his wife Patricia, daughter Ilsa and over-active son Todd.
Secure in the knowledge that the planet has been thoroughly checked out and deemed habitable and unoccupied prior to their arrival, the men have been sent as the advance wave to prepare the planet over the long winter months for their families' imminent arrival. The colonists' dismay is great when signs are found of another intelligent, cat-like species on the planet. The Principle of Non-Cohabitation decrees that man may not share a planet with another native species, due to a tragic incident that took place early in their space-faring days. Unfortunately, a rule that looks good on paper isn't as easy to keep in real life, especially when Todd arrives on the planet and immediately befriends members of the new species.
McCaffrey has chosen an interesting concept for this novel. The ever-exuberant Todd plays a crucial role in her story and the alien Hrubbans are as mysterious as their cat-like looks seem to imply. McCaffrey makes it very clear that the rules decreed back on Earth may not be workable, or even necessary, on this new planet. She makes a very good case for the importance of being flexible and maintaining an open mind when faced with new situations. Written back in 1969, this is a short, quick read compared to the S/F novels of today. Although some of the characterization is a bit weak and possibly dated by current standards, I found that the plot kept my attention. Overall, I thought this was an enjoyable novel. Since Decision at Doona is the first in a trilogy, you can be sure that there is more to learn about Doona and the Hrubbans.
