The Children of Atwar

Steven Lehman teaches English at John Abbot College in Montreal.

This is one of the most distinctive post-holocaust novels you are likely
to discover. Genetic mutation has given rise to a race of hairy
bicephaloids whose emotional sensitivity compensates for a loss of
mental power. Humanity has bequeathed them certain machines and
operating instructions before following the dodo into extinction. The
survivors attempt to deal with this legacy, and then with the troubling
reappearance of homo sapiens.

Beyond the obvious themes, such a bizarre extension of bilateral
symmetry provides a fascinating perspective on the nature of individual
identity. Spears’s incredible future is fully drawn and compelling; it
comes complete with its own language, for which a dictionary is even
provided.

The second instalment of a trilogy, The Children of Atwar stands by
itself, though some readers might prefer to start at the beginning with
Moonfall. Wherever you decide to take the plunge, be prepared for a
unique submersion. It probably will not appeal to everyone, but this
book is an imaginative sally of rare distinction.