Wells, Catherine
Entry updated 29 April 2023. Tagged: Author.
Working name of US author Catherine Jean Wells Dimenstein (1952- ) who began publishing sf with the tightly-woven Coconino sequence – comprising The Earth Is All That Lasts (1991), Children of the Earth (1992) and The Earth Saver (1993) – set aeons hence in a Ruined Earth devastated by Climate Change and other Disasters. In the first volume an embittered high-tech woman falls in love with a man from one of the tribes – Wells bases them on Native American models – whose lifestyle has placated the sentient being of Mother Earth (see Gaia), while simultaneously young Coconino must defend this world from interference from the stars. By the end of the sequence, Coconico, now aged, must deal with an offworld time traveller (see Time Travel) who needs his wisdom as Earth Saver to keep safe what must be saved.
Her later singletons include Mother Grimm (1997), another Ruined Earth tale whose protagonist escapes a domed Keep at the heart of a devastated city, after discovering that her ova are being extracted from her for purposes of research against a mysterious virus; and Beyond the Gates (1999), in which a fundamentalist sect of diasporan humans (see Religion), who exist Underground as the surface of Dray's Planet may be deadly (see Pocket Universe), must allow one of their members to the surface to deal with an enigmatic Alien. Stones of Destiny (2007) is a nonfantastic novel about MacBeth. [JC]
Catherine Jean Wells Dimenstein
born Los Angeles, California: 15 November 1952
works
series
Coconino
- The Earth Is All That Lasts (New York: Ballantine Books/Del Rey, 1991) [Coconino: pb/Richard Hescox]
- Children of the Earth (New York: Ballantine Books/Del Rey, 1992) [Coconino: pb/Richard Hescox]
- The Earth Saver (New York: Ballantine Books/Del Rey, 1993) [Coconino: pb/Bob Eggleton]
individual titles
- Mother Grimm (New York: Penguin/Roc, 1997) [pb/Jean Pierre Targete]
- Beyond the Gates (New York: Penguin/Roc, 1999) [pb/Paul Youll]
links
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