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Cusp
Robert A. Metzger Book Review

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Plot Summary of Cusp
"

Ace, Jan 2005, 24.95, 528 pp.
ISBN 041012418

In the year 2031, two events change the earth as we have known it. The sun moves into a different position and two rings made of photonic energy encircle the earth from the north to south poles and around the equator. The geography of the earth changed as land bases are torn apart and sent into a sea that is vastly depleted due to the rings. Billions die.

By 2051, with food in short supply, much of the United States population is indentured to the agricultural collectives. Many of the remainder are Tools, people that are part machine. General Sutherland effectively runs the country and is responsible for integrating his daughter to CUSP (Controllable Universal Sentient Plasma) causing her to go post point (the next step in evolution). The general knows that the rings are firing up as is the jet in the sun so that the journey to alpha centaury can be made. The hope of earth surviving what is coming rests on the shoulder of a woman who is no longer human but something much more.

There is a lot of advanced science research used for some of the concepts in the book.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of Cusp
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
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 10%




Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Explore/1st contact/ enviro story Yes
Plotlets: - surviving a post environmental/nuclear disaster
Lifeform altered? Yes
Kind of alteration: - Scientifically turned into another lifeform
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Female
Profession/status: - champion of justice
Age: - 20's-30's
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Genius
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an above average amount
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Setting
Earth setting: - current (early 21st century)
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
scientific jargon? (SF only) - an average amount of scientific explanation
How much dialogue? - significantly more dialog than descript
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