Admiral Diana - The Most Unique Sci Fi Story Ever

By Ruggero Ricordi

Arguably one of the most unique novels ever written, sci-fi or otherwise, "Admiral Diana" by Anthony Anchor gives us humans a chance to examine our relationship with God by presenting a third party's (neither God's nor our own) view of the matter.

The story's plot revolves around a three-way conflict between the Originals (that would be us), Clones, and the Creator (who is not shown, nor heard, but whose presence is definitely felt throughout).

The story goes like this (I don't think I'll spoil much for other readers by revealing a few points, the book is really full of interesting turns and twists, and fascinating characters) -
Sometime in the future, human cloning reached a certain advanced stage, after which a global ban on it was enforced everywhere except Australia. When the ban was finally ratified in Australia as well, a colony of human Clones was already in place there. They were intelligent, logical, calculating, and looked like Greek gods, all of them.

Some time passed. It was established that Clones and Originals were psychologically incompatible. There was no room for both on one planet. The Clones took the initiative. With the help of the Originals, they built spaceships capable of quantum leaps (banned on Earth), using Unified Field technology (also banned). They discovered a planet suitable for colonization and took off - all of them.

They colonized the planet. They built cities. They altered the atmosphere and the climate to make living comfortable.

Their own genetic research went on. Eventually, they discovered the code responsible for the psychological differences between men and women. The next generation Clones achieved true gender equality. Then catastrophe struck.

The new generation Clone men turned out to be incomplete. They could only conceive one child, very early in life, after which their semen would mutate. By the time they were forty, they were old and impotent, and died shortly after.

The Clone civilization was on the brink of extinction.
Attempts were made to reverse the process, and to restore the initial code - to no avail. Clone women were healthy and lived long. Clone men weren't and didn't.

The Planetary Council came up with the idea that the one thing they lacked in their scientific research was human genius. In theory, geniuses only existed among the Originals. The plan was to get a few brilliant Original scientists to help the Clones with the problem.

The problem with THAT was that the two civilizations had not been in touch for three hundred years.

And that's where the story begins.
An enormous space liner (carrying two full-sized spaceships in its hangars, and a crew of nearly two hundred) travels over to planet Earth - to seek help. The one in charge is Admiral Diana - a stunning-looking woman of thirty-seven (but then, all Clone women are stunning-looking, and all young Clone men, too). On board, they have scientists, psychologists, historians, military people, physicists, astronomers, etc. They are determined to get help at any cost. They have weapons capable of annihilating entire planets (Unified Field technology).

Just outside Pluto's orbit, they meet with an Earth sentinel ship, captained by Elizabeth Kern, a feisty, intelligent woman married to a younger man named Fred. Negotiations begin. With the approval of the Earth Council (with which the sentinel ship is in radio contact, even though the signal takes up to twelve ours to get to Earth and back), the two space vessels exchange ambassadors - and Fred is appointed to be the Earth's ambassador.

The Clones are surprised to learn about the changes that have taken place on Earth in their absence. One of the changes is, the entire population of the planet is now thoroughly religious. There is a VERY good reason for it, though (explained in the book).

At one point, the destiny of the Clone's planet becomes dependent on the affair Admiral Diana is having with Fred. However, the moral dimension is foever present, on both sides. The Originals might WANT to help the Clones (the Clones think of them as illogical, silly, irresponsible, undecisive, etc, and are annoyed) - and yet they have doubts or the moral/religious order. At one point one of the Clones shouts, "I've had it with those hypocrites! They might BELIEVE in the existence of their Creator; but we KNOW who created US!"

And it shows. When Diana finds she is inclined to actually WORSHIP her creators, especially one of them, in a way that has NOTHING to do with ordinary human love, she becomes frightened - and very, very determined. She has to save her planet and her kind.

Rugero T. Ricordi is the founder of Mighty Niche, an independent publishing house and online bookstore.

Anthony Achor's Admiral Diana can be purchased from Mighty Niche Bookstore in both electronic and traditional formats. The page for this product includes a very generous exerpt.