Growing up on Big Muddy

"Growing Up on Big Muddy" by Charles V. De Vet is a science fiction story focusing on Kaiser, a space explorer whose scout ship crashes, leaving him stranded on a strange planet he calls Big Muddy. The book dives into the complex ideas of survival and what it means to be human as Kaiser faces his new life and the unusual creatures that live on the planet. The story follows Kaiser as he struggles to fix his ship while fighting the effects of a life form that has taken over his body. At first, Kaiser is confused by his changing body and behavior, which make him act and talk like a child, but he realizes the symbiote is changing him to fit the planet. As Kaiser gets to know the seal-like locals, he notices they are becoming smarter, and he is changing too, which forces him to make a big decision about who he is and what it means to be human. With adventure, De Vet’s story asks readers to think about the limits of the self and the importance of connection.