Jack the Bodiless

In the year 2051, Earth stood on the brink of acceptance as full member of the Galactic Milieu, a confederation of worlds spread across the galaxy. Leading humanity was the powerful Remillard family, but somebody--or something--known only as “Fury” wanted them out of the way. Only Rogi Remillard, the chosen tool of the most powerful alien being in the Milieu, and his nephew Marc, the greatest metapsychic yet born on Earth, knew about Fury. But even they were powerless to stop it when it began to kill off Remillards and other metapsychic operants--and all the suspects were Remillards themselves. Meanwhile, a Remillard son was born, a boy who could represent the future of all humanity. His incredible mind was more powerful even than his brother Marc's--but he was destined to be desroyed by his own DNA…unless Fury got to him first!

### From Publishers Weekly

May's newest series, following from her two Intervention titles, begins by combining galactic-scale intrigue with the smaller but no less turbulent affairs of the powerful Remillard family. In the mid-21st century, earth's humanity, led by the mentally gifted Remillards, is awaiting acceptance into the vast Galactic Milieu, a political and telepathic alliance of alien races. But some beings on earth, even some among the Remillard clan, are wary of the aliens. At this delicate juncture, Teresa, wife of clan leader Paul Remillard, conceives a child who promises to be the most powerful mental talent ever, but whose genetic defects condemn him to death under Milieu law. Meanwhile, a demonic force calling itself Fury has begun to kill off Remillards and others with “metapsychic” powers, creating a chaos that threatens to delay humanity's admission to the Milieu. The plot is engaging and May's prose adequate to it, but the story is marred by its unbroken focus on elites, with no attention paid to ordinary people, and by its aliens, who seem too much like humans. Literary Guild's Science Fiction Book Club selection. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

### From Library Journal

As a consortium of five alien races stands ready to accept Earth as a full partner in the Galactic Milieu, the birth of a very special child heralds a new stage in human evolution. As in Intervention and “The Saga of Pliocene Exile” series, May combines a compelling vision of humanity's future with the drama and political intrigue surrounding the Remillard family, whose metapsychic powers and personal ambitions shape the destiny of the world. Familiarity with the earlier books is helpful in unraveling the complex relationships in this ambitious trilogy opener; nevertheless, the author's imagination and careful choreography make this title a necessary purchase for most sf collections. Highly recommended. Science Fiction Book Club main selection. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.