Novel where “sub-standard” humans are sent to perform space exploration
When I was in my early teens, I read a science fiction novel I have since lost track of, and can remember neither the title nor the author. I can remember only a few details about the novel, but perhaps they'll jog someone's memory.
The basic concept seemed to be that only so-called "sub-standard" humans were sent on exploratory missions into space, so our heroine is a young woman who has a mutation of the face -- I seem to recall it as a sort of huge raw patch that often oozed. She is employed on a spaceship full of others like her, though the only other character I can remember with any accuracy is a young man whose face was a golden pharaonic-style mask; he was described as promiscuous and very attractive. The planet they eventually reach is populated by (I believe) dinosaurs or something very like them, and I vaguely remember a scene in which our heroine flees from aliens resembling raptors. There may also have been archaeology involved.
Many searches over the years have failed to turn up the title of this book, which I believe was the first in a series. Ringing any bells?
story-identification science space space-exploration mutant
edited Sep 19 '12 at 23:50
Paul T.
451417
asked Aug 16 '12 at 23:02
AlamarisAlamaris
461
add a comment |
When I was in my early teens, I read a science fiction novel I have since lost track of, and can remember neither the title nor the author. I can remember only a few details about the novel, but perhaps they'll jog someone's memory.
The basic concept seemed to be that only so-called "sub-standard" humans were sent on exploratory missions into space, so our heroine is a young woman who has a mutation of the face -- I seem to recall it as a sort of huge raw patch that often oozed. She is employed on a spaceship full of others like her, though the only other character I can remember with any accuracy is a young man whose face was a golden pharaonic-style mask; he was described as promiscuous and very attractive. The planet they eventually reach is populated by (I believe) dinosaurs or something very like them, and I vaguely remember a scene in which our heroine flees from aliens resembling raptors. There may also have been archaeology involved.
Many searches over the years have failed to turn up the title of this book, which I believe was the first in a series. Ringing any bells?
story-identification science space space-exploration mutant
edited Sep 19 '12 at 23:50
Paul T.
451417
asked Aug 16 '12 at 23:02
AlamarisAlamaris
461
2
You say you read it in your teens, does this mean it was classed as a Young Adult book? Also, when were you in your teens (what year)?
– Megan Walker
Aug 16 '12 at 23:43
add a comment |
When I was in my early teens, I read a science fiction novel I have since lost track of, and can remember neither the title nor the author. I can remember only a few details about the novel, but perhaps they'll jog someone's memory.
The basic concept seemed to be that only so-called "sub-standard" humans were sent on exploratory missions into space, so our heroine is a young woman who has a mutation of the face -- I seem to recall it as a sort of huge raw patch that often oozed. She is employed on a spaceship full of others like her, though the only other character I can remember with any accuracy is a young man whose face was a golden pharaonic-style mask; he was described as promiscuous and very attractive. The planet they eventually reach is populated by (I believe) dinosaurs or something very like them, and I vaguely remember a scene in which our heroine flees from aliens resembling raptors. There may also have been archaeology involved.
Many searches over the years have failed to turn up the title of this book, which I believe was the first in a series. Ringing any bells?
story-identification science space space-exploration mutant
edited Sep 19 '12 at 23:50
Paul T.
451417
asked Aug 16 '12 at 23:02
AlamarisAlamaris
461
When I was in my early teens, I read a science fiction novel I have since lost track of, and can remember neither the title nor the author. I can remember only a few details about the novel, but perhaps they'll jog someone's memory.
The basic concept seemed to be that only so-called "sub-standard" humans were sent on exploratory missions into space, so our heroine is a young woman who has a mutation of the face -- I seem to recall it as a sort of huge raw patch that often oozed. She is employed on a spaceship full of others like her, though the only other character I can remember with any accuracy is a young man whose face was a golden pharaonic-style mask; he was described as promiscuous and very attractive. The planet they eventually reach is populated by (I believe) dinosaurs or something very like them, and I vaguely remember a scene in which our heroine flees from aliens resembling raptors. There may also have been archaeology involved.
Many searches over the years have failed to turn up the title of this book, which I believe was the first in a series. Ringing any bells?
story-identification science space space-exploration mutant
story-identification science space space-exploration mutant
edited Sep 19 '12 at 23:50
Paul T.
451417
asked Aug 16 '12 at 23:02
AlamarisAlamaris
461
edited Sep 19 '12 at 23:50
Paul T.
451417
asked Aug 16 '12 at 23:02
AlamarisAlamaris
461
edited Sep 19 '12 at 23:50
Paul T.
451417
edited Sep 19 '12 at 23:50
Paul T.
451417
edited Sep 19 '12 at 23:50
Paul T.
451417
451417
asked Aug 16 '12 at 23:02
AlamarisAlamaris
461
asked Aug 16 '12 at 23:02
AlamarisAlamaris
461
asked Aug 16 '12 at 23:02
AlamarisAlamaris
461
461
2
You say you read it in your teens, does this mean it was classed as a Young Adult book? Also, when were you in your teens (what year)?
– Megan Walker
Aug 16 '12 at 23:43
add a comment |
2
You say you read it in your teens, does this mean it was classed as a Young Adult book? Also, when were you in your teens (what year)?
– Megan Walker
Aug 16 '12 at 23:43
2
2
You say you read it in your teens, does this mean it was classed as a Young Adult book? Also, when were you in your teens (what year)?
– Megan Walker
Aug 16 '12 at 23:43
You say you read it in your teens, does this mean it was classed as a Young Adult book? Also, when were you in your teens (what year)?
– Megan Walker
Aug 16 '12 at 23:43
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
This sounds like Expendable by James Alan Gardner. It's been a while since I've read it and I don't remember it that well, but it definitely:
- Features explorers who are societal misfits in some way, and so deemed expendable.
- Has a main character who is a woman with a large birthmark on her face.
- Is the first in a series.
ETA: My girlfriend says that Radiant, from the same series, has a young woman with an oozing facial deformity (whereas the birthmark in Expendable is more prosaic), and also has a guy in a pharaoh mask. So it's probably that.
answered Aug 17 '12 at 0:37
MicahMicah
19.2k483109
There are raptors too amazon.com/gp/aw/cr/B000BOB2ZW/n=2/…
– Francesco
Aug 17 '12 at 4:10
add a comment |
There is a sub plot in Hitchhiker's where all the middle people in society are on a ship. You knowhairdressers, lawyers, telephone sanitisers, and other such "worthless jobs".
answered 57 mins ago
Taylor KendallTaylor Kendall
1
New contributor
Taylor Kendall is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
An edit (quote, further explanation, etc) would improve that answer, by showing how it matches what OP remembered. Especially since this is most likely a partial answer only; mutated oozy woman and pharaoh's don't remind me of HHGTTG)
– Jenayah
25 mins ago
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
This sounds like Expendable by James Alan Gardner. It's been a while since I've read it and I don't remember it that well, but it definitely:
- Features explorers who are societal misfits in some way, and so deemed expendable.
- Has a main character who is a woman with a large birthmark on her face.
- Is the first in a series.
ETA: My girlfriend says that Radiant, from the same series, has a young woman with an oozing facial deformity (whereas the birthmark in Expendable is more prosaic), and also has a guy in a pharaoh mask. So it's probably that.
answered Aug 17 '12 at 0:37
MicahMicah
19.2k483109
There are raptors too amazon.com/gp/aw/cr/B000BOB2ZW/n=2/…
– Francesco
Aug 17 '12 at 4:10
add a comment |
This sounds like Expendable by James Alan Gardner. It's been a while since I've read it and I don't remember it that well, but it definitely:
- Features explorers who are societal misfits in some way, and so deemed expendable.
- Has a main character who is a woman with a large birthmark on her face.
- Is the first in a series.
ETA: My girlfriend says that Radiant, from the same series, has a young woman with an oozing facial deformity (whereas the birthmark in Expendable is more prosaic), and also has a guy in a pharaoh mask. So it's probably that.
answered Aug 17 '12 at 0:37
MicahMicah
19.2k483109
There are raptors too amazon.com/gp/aw/cr/B000BOB2ZW/n=2/…
– Francesco
Aug 17 '12 at 4:10
add a comment |
This sounds like Expendable by James Alan Gardner. It's been a while since I've read it and I don't remember it that well, but it definitely:
- Features explorers who are societal misfits in some way, and so deemed expendable.
- Has a main character who is a woman with a large birthmark on her face.
- Is the first in a series.
ETA: My girlfriend says that Radiant, from the same series, has a young woman with an oozing facial deformity (whereas the birthmark in Expendable is more prosaic), and also has a guy in a pharaoh mask. So it's probably that.
answered Aug 17 '12 at 0:37
MicahMicah
19.2k483109
This sounds like Expendable by James Alan Gardner. It's been a while since I've read it and I don't remember it that well, but it definitely:
- Features explorers who are societal misfits in some way, and so deemed expendable.
- Has a main character who is a woman with a large birthmark on her face.
- Is the first in a series.
ETA: My girlfriend says that Radiant, from the same series, has a young woman with an oozing facial deformity (whereas the birthmark in Expendable is more prosaic), and also has a guy in a pharaoh mask. So it's probably that.
answered Aug 17 '12 at 0:37
MicahMicah
19.2k483109
edited Aug 17 '12 at 1:10
answered Aug 17 '12 at 0:37
MicahMicah
19.2k483109
answered Aug 17 '12 at 0:37
MicahMicah
19.2k483109
answered Aug 17 '12 at 0:37
MicahMicah
19.2k483109
19.2k483109
There are raptors too amazon.com/gp/aw/cr/B000BOB2ZW/n=2/…
– Francesco
Aug 17 '12 at 4:10
add a comment |
There are raptors too amazon.com/gp/aw/cr/B000BOB2ZW/n=2/…
– Francesco
Aug 17 '12 at 4:10
There are raptors too amazon.com/gp/aw/cr/B000BOB2ZW/n=2/…
– Francesco
Aug 17 '12 at 4:10
There are raptors too amazon.com/gp/aw/cr/B000BOB2ZW/n=2/…
– Francesco
Aug 17 '12 at 4:10
add a comment |
There is a sub plot in Hitchhiker's where all the middle people in society are on a ship. You knowhairdressers, lawyers, telephone sanitisers, and other such "worthless jobs".
answered 57 mins ago
Taylor KendallTaylor Kendall
1
New contributor
Taylor Kendall is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
An edit (quote, further explanation, etc) would improve that answer, by showing how it matches what OP remembered. Especially since this is most likely a partial answer only; mutated oozy woman and pharaoh's don't remind me of HHGTTG)
– Jenayah
25 mins ago
add a comment |
There is a sub plot in Hitchhiker's where all the middle people in society are on a ship. You knowhairdressers, lawyers, telephone sanitisers, and other such "worthless jobs".
answered 57 mins ago
Taylor KendallTaylor Kendall
1
New contributor
Taylor Kendall is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
An edit (quote, further explanation, etc) would improve that answer, by showing how it matches what OP remembered. Especially since this is most likely a partial answer only; mutated oozy woman and pharaoh's don't remind me of HHGTTG)
– Jenayah
25 mins ago
add a comment |
There is a sub plot in Hitchhiker's where all the middle people in society are on a ship. You knowhairdressers, lawyers, telephone sanitisers, and other such "worthless jobs".
answered 57 mins ago
Taylor KendallTaylor Kendall
1
New contributor
Taylor Kendall is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
There is a sub plot in Hitchhiker's where all the middle people in society are on a ship. You knowhairdressers, lawyers, telephone sanitisers, and other such "worthless jobs".
answered 57 mins ago
Taylor KendallTaylor Kendall
1
New contributor
Taylor Kendall is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 57 mins ago
Taylor KendallTaylor Kendall
1
New contributor
Taylor Kendall is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 57 mins ago
Taylor KendallTaylor Kendall
1
answered 57 mins ago
Taylor KendallTaylor Kendall
1
1
New contributor
Taylor Kendall is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Taylor Kendall is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Taylor Kendall is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
An edit (quote, further explanation, etc) would improve that answer, by showing how it matches what OP remembered. Especially since this is most likely a partial answer only; mutated oozy woman and pharaoh's don't remind me of HHGTTG)
– Jenayah
25 mins ago
add a comment |
An edit (quote, further explanation, etc) would improve that answer, by showing how it matches what OP remembered. Especially since this is most likely a partial answer only; mutated oozy woman and pharaoh's don't remind me of HHGTTG)
– Jenayah
25 mins ago
An edit (quote, further explanation, etc) would improve that answer, by showing how it matches what OP remembered. Especially since this is most likely a partial answer only; mutated oozy woman and pharaoh's don't remind me of HHGTTG)
– Jenayah
25 mins ago
An edit (quote, further explanation, etc) would improve that answer, by showing how it matches what OP remembered. Especially since this is most likely a partial answer only; mutated oozy woman and pharaoh's don't remind me of HHGTTG)
– Jenayah
25 mins ago
add a comment |
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2
You say you read it in your teens, does this mean it was classed as a Young Adult book? Also, when were you in your teens (what year)?
– Megan Walker
Aug 16 '12 at 23:43