Title: From Earth to Umbria: A Science Fiction Novel
Author: Patricia Howell
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1-5434-2771-4
Pages: 154
Genre: Science Fiction
Reviewed by: Matt Hurd
Pacific Book Review Star
Awarded to Books of Excellent Merit
From Earth to Umbria is a story of hope, humanity, and the ties, which bind the universe together. Much science fiction concerns humanity reaching for the stars, but in Patricia Howell’s novel, the stars reach for us. This is the story of the planet Umbria and its inhabitants, an alien race that discovers the disaster that awaits Earth…the Sun is going to explode, and take most of the Milky Way galaxy with it. What the Umbrian planet chooses to do next will change the fate of Earth, and the cosmos.
Howell’s novel draws on the Star Trek model of science fiction: one fueled by a hope for a better tomorrow. The Umbrians, and especially their leaders, do not seek to control or harm humanity; they seek to help them in the face of eradication. The novel is equal parts biographical, travelogue, and sci-fi, as the writer weaves it all together with a clear, strong voice.
All the characters in this story sacrifice something – relationships, health, and time on their own planet – for a greater good, for the survival of the human race. The Umbrians are presented as the noble leaders of their planet, welcoming the chosen survivors of Earth without delay. No one here has special powers that make them immune from the struggles life brings with it. That is not what matters. What matters in the world of this story is what people do in the face of struggle. Some (the Umbrians) leave their own home for an uncertain journey that spans years of their lives. Others (the humans) form trust and relationships with the aliens who arrive on their planet, and, rather than fighting them or turning them away, accept their help.
Howell’s writing follows in the vein of writers such as J.R.R. Tolkien, particularly his history The Silmarillion, taking a very specific, almost historical perspective on the events that occur. Again, this is a style that reinforces the main theme of the book: this isn’t a story of heroes and villains, of aliens and humans…it’s a story of hope, potential, and the journeys we must take to meet the future together.
In a world and time as divided as ours, From Earth to Umbria is a breath of fresh air. Free from war, conflict, and darkness. This is a story of light, a story of a future in which hope isn’t a dirty word – it’s the true core of existence. Sci-Fi and fantasy fans won’t want to miss this one.
