Browsing Area Book of the Week, October 17, 2011.

The Quiet War by Paul McAuley. Library Call Number: PR6063.C29Q54 2009.

          Earth in the 23^rd century has been decimated by ecological catastrophe. Dissidents fleeing the corporate nations of the home planet have long ago terraformed and colonized the far corners of the solar system and reaped huge benefits through biogenetic alterations to the human body.  The corporations, complete with their own governments and military forces, are beginning to look at the “Outers” as increasingly foreign, possibly no longer even part of the human race.  Already they’ve had to deal harshly with a rebellion on Mars.  The people of Earth also desire the riches promised by the innovators of the outer planets. The corporations believe they own the colonies on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, on Neptune and even faraway Pluto.  But the colonists have their own ideas of freedom and many would like nothing better than to cut all ties with Earth. Something has to be done; the ruling Earth families begin small provocations, ratcheting up the pressure, beginning a quiet war.