The Charon Covenant

Brenda Munday Gifford
PublishAmerica (2008)
ISBN 9781424187867
Reviewed by Leslie Granier for Reader Views (5/08)


A great war occurred on Earth, leaving it unlivable because of depleted resources.  As a result, some people were taken to the moon to set up a new civilization.  Among these people are Chess and Dara Drew, a young couple who are expecting their first child.  After delivering a seemingly perfect baby, the Drews are told their son had developed complications and died.  Dara is unable to accept this and suspects something strange is going on at the hospital.  Sightings of suspicious activities lead Dara and her friends to investigate further into what is happening in this new world.  After finally realizing that over the years they have slowly been losing all of their freedoms, they formulate a plan to escape from the moon and see if they can find someplace on Earth that is still habitable.

Science-fiction fans will enjoy the concept of a futuristic society.  Some of the advancements made were quite interesting.  The rapid transport system that allowed people to travel great distances in a matter of minutes was incredible.  Hydroponic food growth was another great stride.  However, the ability of those in charge to instantly track where anyone is at any given time is a little disturbing.

The idea for the plot was great.  It was enlightening to watch the characters piece together small bits of information to see the big picture.  I would have liked the author to have included a short prologue about the specific events that led to the Earth’s demise.  I also think an epilogue could have been included because the reader was left wondering what became of the major characters.
                                                
As stated in the front of the book, the publishing company respected the author’s wish for no editorial input.  The author should reconsider this and do a second printing.  There were numerous misspelled words, run-on sentences, and paragraphs seemed to jump to new topics without warning.  There were also three instances I noted in which the wrong character’s name was used.  I found the above-mentioned issues distracted my attention from the author's intended message.

“The Charon Covenant” is a good story that allows the reader to use his imagination about how life would be on other planets.  It also provides an opportunity for thought on how our present society may be in years to come.

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