Sydney J. Van Scyoc, like the recently discussed Michael Bishop, was an American science fiction writer who passed away last year. She wrote short stories during the 60s and 70s, and moved into novels during the late 70s and early 80s. One gets the impression from her Wikipedia entry that science fiction was something she did for fun, and that her main source of income was the jewelry she made in San Francisco.
Like the recently reviewed Eyes of Fire, Darkchild is another book centered around both a clone and the idea of extrasensory perception. In the case of Darkchild this clone is a juvenile visitor deposited on a very medieval world, a planet replete with queens, castles and magical beings.
Unlike Eyes of Fire, which is a more anthropological take on alien civilizations, Darkchild is a more introspective affair, focused on the inner conflicts of a modest number of characters. At the forefront of the narrative is Khira, a young princess in line for her mother's throne. In the course of a lonely winter Khira meets the titular Darkchild, a clone sent to her world on a surveillance mission. There's also Khadura, Khira's telepathic grandmother, who helps Darkchild understand his mysterious past.
The interplay between Khira and Darkchild reminded me a bit of Wuthering Heights, but this isn't to say that the novel is derivative in any way. It's a surprisingly well written book by an author I was previously unfamiliar with, and I enjoyed its various twists and turns. It's rare to find a science fiction novel this inward-looking, and a more "feminine" take on the genre was very welcome. It's not a perfect book, but I think it was very, very well done.
I only have two issues with the story, these being the use of "magic" as a plot device and Khira's state of indecision throughout the book. The inclusion of magic halfway through the novel in some ways undermines the scientific basis upon which it proceeds, and Khira's extreme moodiness throughout her and Darkchild's adventures grows a bit tiresome. Sure, she's 12 and a certain level of moodiness is to be expected, but toning this aspect of her personality down would have made her easier to empathize with.
But these are small complaints. If you can locate a copy of Darkchild I highly recommend it. It's a thoroughly conceived novel that holds up well. It would, for that matter, make a good movie.
I'll be moving on to Cloudcry, another book by the same author, after this one. If it's even half as good as Darkchild I'm sure I'll enjoy it.
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