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Forbidden Cargo, by Rebecca K. Rowe

Mark Graham, Special to the News

Published November 16, 2006 at midnight

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• Fiction. By Rebecca K. Rowe. Edge, $14.95.Grade: B

Plot in a nutshell: Local author Rebecca Rowe's debut novel takes place in 2110, first on Mars, then in space and, finally, in a futuristic and unrecognizable Denver.

Despite amazing technological advances, including the Molecular Advantage Machine, through which any person has access to all knowledge, there is a ban against tampering with the human genome. But for decades a secret Martian laboratory has been developing a strain of individuals called Imagofas who combine human and artificial chromosomes. These Imagofas would appear to be the next step in evolution and are the focal point of tension between the two governing organizations on Earth, the Order and the Council.

The Order is behind the Martian experiment. So when the Council discovers that the first Imofagas are reaching adulthood, it hires a sleazy spaceship captain to kidnap one and bring her back to Earth.

Meanwhile, a wealthy crime family would love to have an Imagofas as a trophy and guinea pig, so the captain snatches two of these hybrids.

During their abduction, flight to Earth and subsequent escape, the two Imagofas discover abilities even they were unaware of. Yet everything seems stacked against them. In an explosion when the ship lands on the moon, the two are separated, and much of the novel follows their attempts to find each other. As the story progresses, several subplots, involving government intrigue, romance, gaming and religion weave their way through the narrative.

Sample of prose: "As an Imagofas, Sashimu belonged to Mars. She watched the storm sweep toward her, all too conscious that she and her fellow Imagofas must become the guardians of their planet . . . It was their destiny to infuse their barren world with life."

Pros: Rowe extrapolates current technology into a believable future. If you like melodrama, the heroes save the damsels several times.

Cons: Too many subplots cause confusion. And if you don't like melodrama, all the last-minute heroics might seem silly.

Final word: Despite some flaws, this is an impressive first novel. Rowe is a name to watch in science fiction.