Dr. Gladys Loder is considered a “norm” because her genetics have not mutated but she thinks she is just plain or ordinary because she has brown hair, brown eyes, and she’s skinny and tall. She wants to have a baby but her prospects are slim as she rarely meets anyone interested in her. She lives alone and spends most of her time treating mutants when they are sick or injured. Mutants have “evolved” genetics and are considered less than normal by the “normal” people. Many have been persecuted and arrested just because they are different. Jaz Scavenge is a mutant with dark red hair and bright red eyes. He can generate force fields and uses that talent to break into Gladys’s apartment to trick her into being one of his items for a scavenger hunt. He isn’t expecting to like Gladys and be attracted to her. Norms and mutants don’t mix but he wouldn’t turn her down if she insisted…

Savage Scavenge by MaryJanice Davidson is a cute story about prejudice. In this society the mutants are looked down upon and considered inferior by the “normal” people as a minority group often is. But the mutants are just as judgmental. Many mutants feel that the norms have been left behind genetically and are the ones who are inferior. Jaz doesn’t realize he is such a snob until he encounters Dr. Gladys Loder. She spends most of her time caring for mutants like him and yet isn’t welcome in their homes or to live in their neighborhoods. When he tricks her into going with him to win his scavenger hunt it never occurs to him that she might have feelings too and not want to just be an item on a list. Then he considers the idea of her being a quick “distraction” but he doesn’t consider her as someone to have a relationship with because she is just a norm. The story has this less-than-subtle message that if you stereotype people you may miss out on meeting someone special because people rarely fall neatly into a broad range of behaviors and thoughts like a stereotype would have you believe. I enjoyed Savage Scavenge and have never been disappointed in anything by MaryJanice Davidson. Her stories are always entertaining and often humorous and this one will not disappoint her fans!

Reviewed by: Stephanie B.