Earth at first glance, but behave in unique ways. As described in Gillis’ novel, the world is home to gigantic bird-like creatures which are anything but friendly. The settlers call them "boids", which was Gillis’ term for the beasts in his novel. Boids are common in the grasslands around the new settlement. The remainder of Coyote tells of the adventures of Carlos Montero and Wendy Gunther along the banks of the equatorial river which stretches around Coyote. Characters Captain Robert E. Lee, the leader and Captain of the URSS Alabama Colonel Gill Reese, a URS soldier Leslie Gillis, the senior communications officer Eric Gunther, a URA agent Wendy Gunther, Eric Gunther's teenage daughter Jorge and Rita Montero, civilians who help to steal the Alabama Carlos Montero, the son of Jorge and Rita See also Lemarean Calendar Political ideas in science fiction Notes 2002 American novels 2002 science fiction novels 2070