The Morphodite (Book Review) - Revision history

Michael Bard: Fixing categories

2008-04-20T17:42:05Z

Fixing categories

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	{{DEFAULTSORT:Morphodite, The}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Morphodite, The}}
	<poem>'''written by M. A. Foster'''		<poem>'''written by M. A. Foster'''

JonBuck: sort key

2008-03-07T05:54:13Z

sort key

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	<poem>'''written by M. A. Foster'''		<poem>'''written by M. A. Foster'''
	'''published by DAW Books Inc., 1981'''		'''published by DAW Books Inc., 1981'''

JonBuck at 05:51, 7 March 2008

2008-03-07T05:51:45Z

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	<poem>'''written by M. A. Foster'''		<poem>'''written by M. A. Foster'''
	'''published by DAW Books Inc., 1981'''		'''published by DAW Books Inc., 1981'''

JonBuck: The Morphodite moved to The Morphodite (Book Review)

2008-03-07T05:42:16Z

The Morphodite moved to The Morphodite (Book Review)

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:42, 7 March 2008
(No difference)

Michael Bard: New page: Category:Michael Bard Category:Story Review '''written by M. A. Foster''' '''published by DAW Books Inc., 1981''' '''ISBN 0879976691''' ''Sequels: Transformer, Preser...

2008-03-07T05:23:53Z

New page: Category:Michael Bard Category:Story Review <poem>'''written by M. A. Foster''' '''published by DAW Books Inc., 1981''' '''ISBN 0879976691'''</poem> ''Sequels: Transformer, Preser...

New page

[[Category:Michael Bard]]
[[Category:Story Review]]
<poem>'''written by M. A. Foster'''
'''published by DAW Books Inc., 1981'''
'''ISBN 0879976691'''</poem>

''Sequels: Transformer, Preserver''

'''The Morphodite''' is an interesting little book, based on the premise that a culture or group can be destroyed by killing one key individual at a specific point. This individual is not necessarily the obvious one. It then demonstrates the process on a planet where cultural evolution has been artificially frozen, and various power groups (or cults) want to re-link the planet with the rest of human culture elsewhere in the galaxy.

As to the Morphodite, he is a human who has been trained and tortured to gain special abilities. First among these is the set of skills derived from practical applications of a science that identifies a group's key individual (if such a science is possible), and second, the ability to induce a gender change to provide the perfect escape after one has assassinated said individual. As a side effect of the change, the Morphodite grows younger, and is also rendered sterile.

'''The Morphodite''' is an interesting book, with many plots. It's about culture, and the price of being static. It is about the costs of change, and it illustrates the truth of the adage 'be careful what you wish for, because you might get it'. And, above all, it is the story of the Morphodite himself, an innocent trained as an assassin, tortured to work out a new science, sold to do the destruction, and then betrayed and feared as something too dangerous to exist.

'''The Morphodite''' is not a happy story. Many people die, but the evil groups get their come-uppance, and the Morphodite finds him/herself and a purpose in life other than destruction.

Not quiet or fun, but definitely a good read.