Perhaps it's because it's been awhile since I've read a real Science Fiction novel, or maybe it's the novel itself, but it took awhile for me to get into the flow of this novel. There was a lot of world building that Forrest had to do, both in regards to the futuristic (2199) Earth where some of the story took place, as well as major world building of the planet Maternas. And it did take me awhile to get the lingo of the novel down, but once I got into the meat of the story, it flowed like well oiled piece of spaghetti.

It's also an interesting book because of the multiple levels it works on. You can read it and simply read the words for what they are. Or, you can consider what was happening in and around the time that it was written/published. 1984. Or, there's also a depressing way to read it, to do it while you realize that not much has changed since then.

One thing that I thought was cool and unexpected to me (after all, read anything about the book pre-reading it and you'll know it's about women and a lot of women) was the awesome environmental message that's sprinkled throughout the book. If only we tried to treat our Earth with a quarter of the compassion that the citizens of Maternas did. (Although, I have to admit, I like meat, I really do). ( )

Awesomeness.This book is quite unlike anything I've read before.The basic premise is a race of women leaves Earth to start their own colony. But it's a society of women that you can't really recognize. I don't think it's anything anyone else could've ever imagined them as being. Certainly I couldn't have. And only because they're not entirely human can I buy into some aspects of them as people and as a society.And and and.. it's about relationships. And.. and stuff.It's hard to write a review of something you really liked, especially when you have very little to compare it to.But at one point it turns the whole concept of 'male astronauts land on planet of women' on its head. Which is awesome.There's a timelessness about it too. In that as I was reading, I wasn't conscious of it being old. Then at one point I did think.. was this written in the 70s? But it was 1984, actually. But I would not have been surprised to find it written any time in the last 60 years, honestly. PUBLISHED, that's another thing. Because it's very gay. Or, more accurately, very lesbian.Society of all women. Go figure.Anyway, it's like.. supercool and junk. And now I need to track down the sequel. ( )

best of the series ( )

Katherine Forrest's bestselling Daughters of a Coral Dawn first appeared in 1984 and became an instant classic. Through seven printings, including the 10th anniversary edition published in 1994, this story of women creating their own world after escaping an oppressive society has continued to gain fans and influence writers for 18 years.

Lyrical, erotic lesbian crack. Very body positive, somewhat anti-male. ( )