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The Collective
Kerry Downing Book Review

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Plot Summary of The Collective
"The Collective, an alien race who has been engineering the climate on Earth for millions of years, decides it is time to establish contact with the human race. They choose Sam Masters, a middle-aged computer programmer from the Midwest, to be their ambassador.

Armed only with the output from the Collective's climate modification efforts, 100 percent accurate weather forecasts, Sam sets out to convince the population of Earth that the alien race exists. His journey takes him from coast to coast as he becomes a worldwide celebrity, but he finds that the problem confronting him is not convincing the rest of the world of the Collective's existence, it's the world's reaction to his news.
"

Kerry Downing, Resident Scholar




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Review Analysis of The Collective
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 30%




Tone of book - cynical or dry-wit
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Explore/1st contact/ enviro story Yes
Plotlets: - generally friendly contact with alien(s)
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
Which planet? - Mars - Jupiter - Saturn
Earth setting: - current (early 21st century)
Spaceship setting: - a space station
Takes place on Earth? Yes
Takes place in spaceship? Yes
Not Earth, in Solar System? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
scientific jargon? (SF only) - an average amount of scientific explanation
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
Most similar books to The Collective
Rogue in Space by Fredric Brown
2312: Rendezvous with Tetra by B.W. Berry
Alien Beach by A.R. Yngve
The Digital Dead by Bruce Balfour
Major Operation by James White


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