Beowulf's Children

Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, Steven Barnes

Over twenty-five years earlier humans had left Earth and colonized a new planet they named Avalon. They settled on an island named Camelot. They discovered a lifeform already on the planet, the grendels. The grendels are carnivores and eat any meat they come across, including human. The Great Grendel Wars were fought before humans could finally settle into their new home. But they are only safe on their own island.

Now their children want to claim the rest of the planet. They know they have to be extremely careful of the grendels; they know they can kill the grendels. They are ready to face the dangers on the continental masses. They cannot return to Earth. Avalon is their new and permanent home. Against their elders' wishes they start exploration. They have no idea there are other dangers besides the grendels.

Avalon holds more deadly surprises. Unfortunately, not all the dangers are from the planet. There is danger within the human colonists as well. Factions form. Families turn against each other. Can they reunite to save their colony and inhabit their new planet?

This book is the sequel to Niven and Pourneele's The Legacy of Heorot. The elders are the characters who fought the grendel wars in the first novel. This book carries on the story to the next generation. The humans claimed the planet when then landed all those years before. Now it is time to start making it into their home. The authors have a rich world described here. Avalon with all its dangers sound realistic. The age old struggle of the young adults breaking out into their own world is depicted well. The characters did not always come to life but were believable. I still have trouble with the concept of speed, but it is an effective component. The end throws in unexpected twists. The ending of the epilogue troubles me, but I still can recommend this book.

Notice: Suggestive dialogue or situations