12/12/2022
In O’Doran’s provocative post-apocalyptic sci-fi debut, “the Song of the universe is sung on the single note of B flat, 57 octaves below middle C.” Only Earth’s cetaceans know the song, and they’re willing to share it, only if “those who walk on dry land” would be willing to listen. Unfortunately, a radical new Christian sect has spread throughout the now-impoverished world, and one of its core tenets is that animals exist only as labor or food sources; even pet animals are banned in America’s thinly veiled theocracy . The knowledge that sea mammals are intelligent enough to have their own religion would bring humanity to its knees, but two Catholic researchers believe the disclosure of this truth is crucial for the survival of life on Earth.
In addition to being an entertaining, fast-paced adventure, Singing the Voice of God serves as a provocative warning of the consequences of anthropocentrism for all of Earth’s inhabitants. As animal scientists Kate, a covert Catholic nun, and Liam, a discredited Catholic priest, join forces by way of government order at a military research facility in the Northwest, discovering how to communicate directly with a wild dolphin who laments the loss of its song in captivity, the story challenges readers to examine their own beliefs on the de facto hierarchy of species. Scenes in which they hatch a plan to escape the center, dolphin in tow, and collect their own data in the open seas stir page-turning tension.
Neither Kate nor Liam, for different reasons, can engage in physical touch, but their friendship and eventual romance develop regardless on the emotional and spiritual plane, along with their mutual reverence for the animal kingdom and its mysteries. O’Doran’s story also encourages readers to envision a future where humanity cherishes nature as indigenous cultures have for millennia—and to consider whether our non-human cohabitants can “think wonderful, self-aware thoughts,” and worship a spiritual entity.
Takeaway: A page-turner where Catholic scientists in a ravaged America communicate with dolphins.
Great for fans of: Octavia Butler, Ursula K. Le Guin
Production grades Cover: A Design and typography: A Illustrations: N/A Editing: A Marketing copy: B
