Powers That Be is a sci-fi book only in as much as the framework upon which the story is built is futuristic. The same story could easily have been written in the colonial era or the modern capitalist era. The main focus of the book is on its characters and its themes - themes of power, responsibility, community, and faith in something that, though it is not completely understood, is connected to us at the deepest level.
Petaybee is an arctic planet that was teraformed and colonized (we get the impression of involuntary colonists of Inuit/Irish descent) by "The Company" - a vast economic/social/military organization that seems to own all the rights of its "employees" and the worlds they live on. Now Petaybee has been discovered to have valuable minerals The Company wants - but its scientific teams have been disappearing and inexplicable reports of new animals/strange sights have been received.
Enter Major Yanaba Maddock - medically retired from The Company's military due to severely damaged lungs. The Company wants her to figure out what's going on. However as she gets to know and becomes integrated into the close, caring and nurturing community on Petaybee she discovers that the Petaybeans, rather than being part of a rebellion as The Company suspects, have something a little different going on that The Company cannot accept.
It's really the characters and community that make this book work for me - the plot is a little on the weaker side. I do think the whole premise of The Company is fascinating, if not totally original. Also much of the faith theme resonated with me. An enjoyable read though.
I'd give it 7.5 out of 10 on the Jason scale :-).
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