K. D. McAdams

When a band of travelers jump a time warp to escape an Earth destroyed by a man-made killer virus, they crash land on a planet capable of sustaining human life. Seamus Robinson, the teen would-be scientist, comes into his own in this book. His method of working out problems in a scientific manner soon puts him on a par with the real scientists who have come along on this journey. As Seamus, his family, and the other refugees set about building the rudiments of their new lives they are forced to deal with high radiation from this sun, acid rain clouds, and days that are equivalent to multiple Earth days. The planet, named Locus by Seamus’s dad, seems to be friendly but lurking nearby are sounds and movements that give the explorers reason to fear. Soon there is a small colony and the women begin the process of procreation. Seamus and Sofie, his sometime girlfriend, finally settle down together and become a couple. At the core of this book is the way in which everyone pulls together. When one of the government scientists insist that a leader of the coloy be named, a vote is taken. The new leader, Seamus’s pregnant mother, agrees to take on the job but only for a short while. Then they must all vote again for a successor. The entire book can be summed up in the phrase uttered by not only Seamus but also by his mother: “We have the chance to build a new civilization based on trust and respect”. What remains to be seen is whether or not their dreams become a reality and how these space travelers adapt to their new surroundings? Will they adapt and flourish? Or will they succumb to the hardships of life on this new planet?

Colonization is the continuation of The Seamus Chronicles, a very plausible scenario of how our world is killed by a man-made virus and how this small band of refugees is determined that mankind as we know it should not pass into extinction. Having survived the post-apocalyptic chaos of Earth, the tribulations of finding and settling a new planet that is partially hospitable to Earthlings takes its toll on the survivors. But they persevere and soon a small colony is created. Author K.D. McAdams draws a fine picture of what the new planet and its new inhabitants face. We delve even deeper into the psyche of a cross-section of humans as we make ourselves at home on the new planet called Locus.

I thoroughly enjoyed Colonization as I did the first two books of The Seamus Chronicles. Author McAdams has a fine voice in the science-fiction genre and his technical details are well-researched. A believable scenario of how mankind can adapt and survive beyond anything I’ve read. The coming-of-age of a teen-aged Seamus has the twist of living on another planet and facing challenges that no teen today could dream of. The interactions of Seamus and the other members of his family have a different dynamic as they all must accept equal responsibiities in their new lives.

The Seamus Chronicles – Annihilation, Evacuation, and Colonization – combine to provide an enjoyable escape from life here on Earth. A must-read for science fiction lovers. Looking forward to the next installment.… (mais)

In EVACUATION, we continue the story of Seamus Robinson and his family as they move among a small band of survivors on Planet Earth’s last days. The ‘killer cold’ virus has wiped out 99.9% of earth’s population. The survivors had been chosen by the powers that be for their knowledge; add to that some folks naturally immune to the virus and you have this little rag-tag band of people looking to keep civilization alive. We join them five months after the apocalyptic event.

The survivors learn that the virus has the power to mutate in order to render the small amount of vaccine left to become useless. The scientists among the group determine that the only way to make Earth habitable once again is to vacate the planet and create a nuclear winter thus killing everything – plants, animals, vegetation – in order to kill the virus. They work feverishly to build an interplanetary craft and identify the nearest habitable planet. Each person spends nearly all their time working to make sure they have everything they need to survive and to re-establish life back on Earth when they return. But then two of their members get sick and die – causing the timetable to be shortened. The virus will not be denied. Will this group be ready in time to avoid certain death? What lies before them? Will they survive the time warp jump that has never before been attempted?

I must admit that like Annihilation (Book 1), this book kept me on the edge of my seat from the opening sentence to the final word. The story is easy to follow, easy to read, and flows from one page to the next. The characters are well-rounded without being too complex. This book, along with the others in The Seamus Chronicles, would be terrific for the entire family. It will appeal to teens, young adults, moms and dads, and those especially interested in post-apocalyptic events.

The moral of this story is that one can never be over-educated – who knows when you might be called upon to save humanity.

Suitable for all ages. Great as a vacation read for the entire family.… (mais)

Told from the perspective on a teen-aged boy who harbors a physicist deep within him, this post-apocalyptic tale stems from the premise that almost everyone has died from a fast-spreading ‘killer cold’. Somehow, Seamus and his New Hampshire based family have survived – thanks to his mother who is currently attending a scientific conference in San Diego. When Seamus’s father decides to pack up the kids (there are two more besides Seamus) and set out for San Diego they run into people and events that make their trip more difficult. At last the family is reunited but that is where the set up for Book 2 takes over.

I found Annihilation to be a well-written, fast moving story. I liked the protagonist being a teen-aged boy who is torn from his basement lab where he lives to work on his physics project; he is thrust into those social situations that his father has been telling him he needs to experience to live in the real world. Not only is Seamus thrust into the real world but he is quickly thrust into the role of adult when he steps in to help his father during their trip westward. We are given enough information about the characters in the Robinson family to flesh them out but not to make them complex. The action is always moving in the right direction to bring the reader to the story’s end.

I enjoyed this book immensely. It is well-written and imaginative. I look forward to reading the second in the series.… (mais)