Point of View

The Engines of God by Jack McDevitt is a novel told in a first-person narrative from the perspective of the main character, Priscilla Hutchins or Hutch. There is also a fair amount of omniscient narrative with the author describing the thoughts and feelings of the remaining primary characters. The result is a wonderfully rich blend of storytelling where the protagonist who in this case is Hutch by virtue of her lead role against the antagonist who would be played by the Omega Cloud. In an effort to understand the forces that guide and control the Omega Cloud, a small group of adventurers risk their lives, and some lose their lives in places that are far from the familiarity of home. Also playing the part of antagonist on a smaller scale are the crustaceans found on Beta Pacifica III who display intelligence and organizational skills as the...