The Daughters Trilogy by Katherine V. Forrest

The Lesbrarian is in crunch time with grad school, so I am writing a doozy of a review of this trilogy for the entertainment and edification of whoever might be out there reading. Also, it took me four hours in total to read the last book, and probably not much longer for the first two (and that’s just because reading in the lunchroom can be hard, not because they’re any longer), so it just made sense to lump them all together into one review. 

Daughters of a Coral Dawn

Originally published by Naiad Press, 1984. Reprinted by Alyson Publications, 2002.

Overview: The first few chapters of this "lesbian cult classic" (so christened by the cover of its sequel) details the genesis of half-human/half-Vernan nonuplets (Wikipedia tells me that’s a word!), and the nine girls’ development into prodigies in various fields. Of course, each girl also has the time to give birth to a healthy number of offspring, and at the point where the story really takes off, the “Unity” has just over 6,000 members in 5 generations. Since they are a brilliant and attractive lot, and have the use of Estrova, which allows two women to produce female offspring without the help of men, nothing is stopping them from abandoning Earth for coral pastures on a planet they dub Maternas. Not all of them are willing to leave, of course, but around 2/3 of them do, and successfully develop a lesbian utopia.

My reaction: This book was a light, fun read for the most part, especially in comparison to its sequels. It sounds like a pretty nice place to live in general, but while I’m into really smart and sexy ladies and enjoy reading about them, the author’s treatment of the few men who enter the storyline was a real downer. While I am fully aware that some men are super sexist or through their inaction let SuperSexists make spaces unsafe for women, the contention that it is in their nature (at least as I read it)/a utopia could never include men really irked me. Also, this book wins for the Most Unnecessary Ellipses in a Sex Scene!! *applause* It’s not like they’re used to censor it—it goes on for pages in detail! Wet moss isn’t necessarily a sexy descriptor to me, but hey! It’s a fun read-aloud…;)

Daughters of an Amber Noon

Alyson Publications, 2002.

Overview: The sequel to Coral Dawn is really more of a parallel to it, as it follows the harrowing adventures of the Unity that remained on Earth. As a result of the rise of the dictator Theo Zedera—a.k.a. Zed or Premier Supreme—who represents his worldview instead of a country as he rises to power with the help of laser fire that can precisely annihilate entire cities without the poison that accompanies nuclear weapons. The Unity develops a pretty amazing subterranean society neighboring a volcano that they engineer, and we also see maybe a few too many meetings with the Premier Supreme/thoughts of his Supreme General.

My reaction: Okay, so this one was compelling enough that when I woke up in the middle of the night I couldn’t stop worrying about it for at least half an hour. (It felt like that, anyway!) There’s just something about fighting for survival in a dystopia that gets me every time. HOWEVER (without spoiling) the conclusion really disturbed me. If the gender essentialism of Coral Dawn was too much for you (and I confess, it wasn’t for me, just because I focused on the good parts and threw the rest out with a bowl of salt), then STOP DO NOT PASS GO DO NOT READ THIS BOOK. It makes me sad to say this, because on the whole the gripping sense of danger made it a good read, but ugh, the conclusion. It was well-executed, I guess, and tied the book together, but I did not like the idea.

Daughters of an Emerald Dusk

Alyson Publications, 2005.

Overview: The Unity is reunited on Maternas, but an inexplicable tragedy has been going on for the 30 years that happened for the 3 Terran years of Amber Noon: the third and fourth generations born on Maternas have refused to speak after age two, and then leave around age five to live in the rainforest like animals. Joss, whom we meet on Earth in Amber Noon, has multi-orgasmic adventures as she discovers why.

My reaction: In my opinion, this is the strongest book of the trilogy. Riveting mystery? Check. Human drama? Check. Lots of lesbian love (and sex)? Check! It also makes you think about the ecological impact of any large group of people, even if they are extremely conscientious about taking care of their environment. It’s a little weird at times, but that really goes with the territory of most sci-fi.