Last Flight from Earth

Summary

Planet Earth has been entirely engulfed by flood waters since global warming melted the polar ice. The small community of humans who were able to escape before the last mountain peak was overtopped has settled in a colony on Mars. Their Starloid hosts accept the troublesome refugees with some reluctance.

One young human, Jemima, mourns her parents and the young man she was growing to love, Imran. She soon discovers to her delight that her parents have survived as well, transported to the Mars colony by their friend Scott. Scott wants to marry Jemi. His agenda is supported by Jemimas parents, but not by Jemi herself. She has begun a tender relationship with a Starloid whom she calls Star. Jemi and Star face the special challenges of a cross-cultural — or in their case, an interplanetary — relationship.

A brutal rape and murder in the refugee colony sows panic among the humans. Evidence mounts that Scott is the criminal. Facing capture, he commits a suicidal atrocity, wiping out the entire colony. Jemi, traveling outside the colony with Star at the time of the genocide, and her visiting parents, are the only humans to survive the calamity. The entire future of human civilization depends on them, and on Star. Jemi makes a stunning discovery about him in the final pages of the novel.

Commentary

The novel Last Flight from Earth is Shahzad Rizvis first venture into science fiction. Despite being set on another planet and in a future time, however, the books themes will be familiar to his readers, particularly the yearning for romantic connection and the challenges of cross-cultural relationships. Add to those a concern for the future of the planet, and an imagining of the dire potential consequences of global warming.

Like all Rizvis novels, Last Flight from Earth is deeply romantic. Jemimas love relationships, on Earth with Imran and on Mars with Star, lie at the core of the plot. Because of its short length, this novella has fewer subplots and lively secondary characters than in most of this authors other work. The character Scott, however, is well developed, and certain passages, such as the description of the Mars moon resort, the dawn of doubts about Scott in Jemis parents, and the Starloids observing the re-creation of the Earth, are particularly richly drawn and imaginative.

Last Flight from Earth will appeal to readers who enjoy a romantic love story in an exotic futuristic setting, with elements of crime/mystery, dystopian fantasy, and science fiction as well.

Book Details

Volume: 112 pages
Publisher: Wordclay (Apr 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1604819758
ISBN-13: 978-1604819755
Dimensions: 6 x 9 x 0.2 inches
Editions: Kindle, Nook & Paperback

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