Alien nanotechnology spores crash-land into equatorial Africa, spawning a weird ecosystem that eats hydrocarbons and slowly advances across the globe. The United Nations mobilises all the First World's military and scientific resources in an attempt to halt and quarantine the Chaga, while criminal groups take advantage of the environmental chaos. An Irish reporter travels to Africa to witness the Chaga firsthand. But when Gaby McAslan starts asking too many awkward questions, she finds herself trapped between all sides in a complex power struggle, in which the alien invader transforming Earth may be the least of her dangers.

An intelligent but sometimes meandering first-contact story which is interesting mainly because of its African background and oodles of atmosphere. It closes leaving many plot threads dangling and set up for a sequel (1998's 'Kirinya' and the upcoming 'Ananda'). The Chaga is just a bit too all-powerful for my liking, but it's certainly spectacular.