Deucalion (novel) facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Brian Caswell |
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| Cover artist | Hans De Haas |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Young adult, science fiction |
| Publisher | UQP |
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Publication date
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1 September 1995 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 216 (first edition) |
| ISBN | 0-7022-2865-6 |
| Followed by | The View from Ararat |
Deucalion is an exciting science fiction book written by Brian Caswell in 1995. It's a story for young adults about people who travel far across space. They want to build a new life on a planet called Deucalion. But the planet already has its own people, the Elokoi. Their future becomes uncertain when the new settlers arrive.
Contents
About the Book
Deucalion was first released in Australia on September 1, 1995. It was published by the University of Queensland Press. Later, in 1996, you could listen to it as an audiobook. It was also released in the United Kingdom in 2002.
This book won an important award! Deucalion tied with Garth Nix's book Sabriel for the 1995 Aurealis Award for Best Young-Adult Novel. It was also nominated for the 1996 Children's Book Council of Australia: Book of the Year award for older readers.
Where the Story Happens
The story of Deucalion takes place in the late 23rd century. By this time, humans have explored many light-years into space. But they have only found one planet where people can live. This planet is called Deucalion.
Deucalion is very far away, about 34 light-years from Earth. It has one big continent and a large inland sea. The planet also has its own intelligent people, called the Elokoi. They live a simple life, similar to the Stone Age.
Both humans and the Elokoi live on the east coast of the continent. However, human settlers have made the Elokoi live in special areas called reservations. The main human city is named New Geneva.
Even though humans have spaceships that can travel between stars, these ships can only go as fast as the speed of light. This means it still takes 34 years to reach Deucalion! Because the journey is so long, passengers on the ships have to be frozen in a special way to survive the trip.
What Happens in the Story
The book is divided into two main parts.
Part One: Colony
This part of the story focuses on the early days of the human settlement on Deucalion. It explores the challenges the settlers face. It also shows how they interact with the native Elokoi people.
Part Two: Republic
In the second part, the story continues to develop. It looks at how the human colony grows and changes. It also explores the ongoing relationship and conflicts between the humans and the Elokoi.
