Family Tree by Sheri S. Tepper

Some authors are like composers, arranging lines of melody into a musical whole. Some are like weavers, working the threads over and under for a complex and subtle pattern. Sheri S. Tepper is a painter-- vivid, stylized, bold and brave. Her style is unmistakable; after becoming familiar with her work, you could recognize her from a paragraph, even a sentence.

The Family Tree is one of Tepper's many science fiction books. It reads like a fairy tale, with a deceptively simple tone. Dora Henry, a police officer recently separated from her husband, is investigating the deaths of three geneticists when the world changes. Mother Nature is rebelling against humanity's dominion; plant life of all kind seems determined to reclaim the earth. Henry finds that the murdered geneticists were involved with experiments that have shattered life as we know it. She ends up with more power than she expects, and a terrible choice that will affect the whole world.

Tepper's work always has strongly stated and illustrated themes, which is part of what makes it enjoyable; her storylines are entertaining enough that even if you don't agree with her viewpoint, you'll want to know the whole story. If you enjoy apocalyptic science fiction, environmental or feminist themes, or modern fairytales, and you want to try a writer with a distinctive voice, check out The Family Tree or one of Tepper's other science fiction works.