Some conversations with a friend about the (few) early women in science fiction led me to pick up one of Catherine Moore's books—they don't get much earlier. She was one of my favorites when I was younger, both her standalone stuff and her collaborations with her husband, Henry Kuttner.

The Tree of Life is one of her books featuring the anti-hero, Northwest Smith. Like many of her works, it's technically science fiction but edges into horror. I enjoyed it, though not as much as her most famous with that protagonist, "Shambleau".

It feels quite dated, so I'd only recommend it if you're a hardcore fan of the genre and nostalgic for a bit of 1950s fare. ( )