Children of God (novel)

Children of God

Author	Mary Doria Russell
Language	English
Genre	Science fiction novel
Publisher	Villard
Publication date	March 24, 1998
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (Hardcover & Paperback)
Pages	436 pp
ISBN	ISBN 978-0679456353
Preceded by	The Sparrow

Children of God is the second book, and the second science fiction novel, written by author Mary Doria Russell. It is the sequel to the award-winning novel, The Sparrow.

Plot Summary

It begins with Sandoz healing. He is exposed to Vincenzo Giuliani's Mafia family, the Camorra, as they are called in Naples. He meets Celestina, a lovely four year old. Despite Celestina's determination to marry Emilio, he regretfully declines, citing his age. Celestina impertinently suggests that her mother, Gina, a divorcee, is of an adequate age to marry Emilio. Emilio is let out of the priesthood, with delays from the Jesuits. He trains the second Jesuit expedition, composed of Sean Fein, Danny Iron Horse, and John Candotti, in K'San and Ruanja, but refuses to go. Father Iron Horse goads Sandoz by pointing out that he could have carried an alien disease, the reason for Emilio's lack of weight. Despite having undergone rigorous medical tests, he still fears that he has one. He pushes away Celestina and Gina until he is certain that he does not have an alien disease. He plans to marry Gina after she goes on vacation.

Unfortunately, while Gina is on vacation, he is beaten and kidnapped by Carlo, Gina's charming and handsome ex-husband and Celestina's father. Emilio is kept in a constantly drugged state on the Giordano Bruno, Carlo's ship, under the influence of Quell, a theoretical medicine used for prison riots, allowing cognition but suppressing emotion.

Meanwhile, back on Rakhat, Sofia has been hidden from the Jana'ata patrols. Emilio thought that she was dead; he was wrong, as proven by the packets of information that she sent back to the Stella Maris in 2047. She has her baby alone, and Isaac, a baby with blue eyes, is autistic. He has a compulsion to do everything to completion. Everything is done suddenly; talking one day, walking one day, and typing one day. He hates noise and is enamored with music and Sofia's tablet computer. He likes doing everything with regularity.

Supaari has a child. He is told that it is deformed, and he must kill it. He recognizes that it is not deformed, but the child has already been confirmed as born with a twisted foot. He leaves behind everything and goes to his family. There, he recognizes that he has no place among the Jana'ata. He swears hasta'akala to the Runa, understanding what it means; the Runa will sacrifice their bodies for him and the child to eat. The child he has is named after Anne: Ha'anala.

Ha'anala and Isaac regard Sofia as a mother. Supaari is gone, a spy for the Jana'ata, aiding in the extermination of his own species. One day, Isaac leaves. Ha'anala finds him, but recognizes that he will not go back. They stumble upon a group of people in the mountains. Ha'anala mates and/or weds with Shetri and has many children, one of whom is named Sofi'ala.

Hlevin Reshtar seizes the Paramountcy, the highest office in Inbrokar, by killing his entire family, because they would be in the way of his inheritance; he is only a third-born. He says that Supaari has killed them, and puts out a death warrant for Supaari and the child. He hears of an extraordinary Jana'ata female, Suukmel. She advises him; he wants her, but she refuses to give him more than the chance to foster a child with her. The child is Rukuei.

Hlevin fights Supaari without armor. He wins, but they both die. Suukmel then leaves to the mountains. She finds Ha'anala's compound, a placed based on the principle of Jana'ata not needing to eat Runa. Rukuei is also there, and there comes a time for him to understand his history, the reason that Ha'anala is his cousin but doesn't wear clothes like the other Jana'ata.

Emilio returns to Rakhat with the Giordano Bruno. Carlo Giuliani finds the yasapa flowers make him go into anaphylactic shock. Carlo imports yasapa brandy, certain that this is the alien good that will make him rich. However, the yasapa brandy tastes terrible, and thus a deal is struck with the Giordano Bruno and the landing party.

Sofia talks to Emilio. When the party takes out their GPS transponders, she becomes very upset. The Giordano Bruno follows the one transponder that is still active, Nico's. Because of Nico's unwitting treachery, the N'Jarr Valley is found and Sofia sends troops there, convinced that Ha'anala is keeping Isaac, now 40, captive. Ha'anala dies in childbirth. Emilio saves the baby by encouraging its first breath.

In the end, Nico and Emilio go back on the Giordano Bruno with the last shipment that the landing party sends after the yasapa brandy disaster. Sofia dies. Suukmel, Sean, John, and Danny stay in the N'Jarr valley.

Emilio comes home. Gina is dead. He goes to her gravesite and is greeted by the name of Padre by a young woman named Ariane Fiore. She reveals herself as Gina's second daughter, Emilio's daughter. She has a baby, Tommaso.

Awards and nominations

• Children of God was a nominee for the 1999 Hugo award.
• The Sparrow and Children of God together were Finalists in the 2001 Gaylactic Spectrum Hall of Fame.

Publication History

• 1998, USA, Villard ISBN 978-0679456353, Pub Date 24 March 1998, Hardcover
• 1999, USA, Ballantine Books, ISBN 978-0449004838, Pub Date 2 February 1999, Paperback
• 1999, UK, Black Swan, ISBN 9780552998116, Pub Date Feb 1999, Paperback

Sources, references, external links, quotations

• Infinity Plus Interview with Mary Doria Russell where she discusses Children of God.
• Mary Doria Russell personal website.