Relics of Andromeda begins the story of Anka and her quest to deal with an alien artifact in accordance with the customs of her people. Jonathan Michael Erickson’s first installment in the Song of Ancients series, is set several hundred years in the future when a cataclysm destroys the man-made pathway between the Andromeda and Milky Way galaxies. Those left in Andromeda have to find a way to exist without the near-term possibility of a return to Earth. The relics of an incredibly advanced ancient race, the Dokaber, are scattered throughout Andromeda and prove perilous when mishandled by humans. Anka’s troubles escalate when the agreements between her tribe and the technology-enhanced are no longer being honored. Somehow, she has to navigate between all interested parties, whose designs range from quarantine, theft, or experimenting on the relics for technological advances. The seemingly sentient relics may have an agenda of their own however.
Jonathan Michael Erickson does a fine job of kicking this series off with a compelling universe, consistently presented throughout. I particularly enjoyed the dynamics of how corrupting absolute power can be, even to the best of friends. There are layers upon layers to the story, so many moving parts it can be a challenge to keep it all straight. Much is made clearer with the handy lexicon provided at the end of the text. This installment ends fairly abruptly, without resolution of many major issues, but it has to end somewhere. What is there, however, admirably sets a full stage for the Relics of Andromeda sequel.
