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ellaf56's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
gilles's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
timinbc's review against another edition
4.0
This is not especially well-written, and the general idea is not new, but I award the stars for a creative application of the sentient-plants theme, a good use of the often-bobbled "slices of time" approach to a slow development, and a main non-human character that was interesting.
I also liked that the "people" in more than one group didn't get along or agree any more than they do here now, often to their own disadvantage.
And the reminder that the other entity may be able to communicate with you, but it won't always want what you want or think as you do.
Many of the plot details, and probably some of the bio stuff, might not stand up to close scrutiny–but I think this book clearly declares itself as one that is going to take a less rigorous path on which to entertain and explore ideas.
Added 2023 after an accidental partial re-read: The biggest problem with the stranded-colonists theme is that they all have to have the same first 200 pages. Not enough this, an accident, a key tool breaks, people die, crops fail, oh noes we're not viable. The author's only way through this is to use it as a frame to introduce the characters. I'd like to see an author try opening with "Sixty years in, we have survived most of the usual challenges, and now we are..."
I also liked that the "people" in more than one group didn't get along or agree any more than they do here now, often to their own disadvantage.
And the reminder that the other entity may be able to communicate with you, but it won't always want what you want or think as you do.
Many of the plot details, and probably some of the bio stuff, might not stand up to close scrutiny–but I think this book clearly declares itself as one that is going to take a less rigorous path on which to entertain and explore ideas.
Added 2023 after an accidental partial re-read: The biggest problem with the stranded-colonists theme is that they all have to have the same first 200 pages. Not enough this, an accident, a key tool breaks, people die, crops fail, oh noes we're not viable. The author's only way through this is to use it as a frame to introduce the characters. I'd like to see an author try opening with "Sixty years in, we have survived most of the usual challenges, and now we are..."
nikki42m's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
captlychee's review against another edition
5.0
I first read a related story by this author, ‘Spiders’ in [b:Year's Best SF 14|5226016|Year's Best SF 14|David G. Hartwell|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347610384s/5226016.jpg|5293288] in 2009 and I was able to find out that this story was part of a proposed novel due out in 2018. What fascinated me in the short story was that it mentioned a city with a population of 200 people.
How cold that be?
I’m glad to say that this novel answers that question in an entertaining way. It doesn’t spend any time at all on questions of economics and population, but concentrates a lot on languages and character.
There are some great short stories on the nature of how humans would fit in to an alien ecology, such as James H Schmitz’s ’Balanced Ecology’ and Robert Abernathy’s Pyramid, but this shows adaptation and inclusion into the ecology over several generations, mostly narrated by a long-lived sentient plant. The introduction to the idea that plants can be intelligent is logically handled but still came as a surprise – which it may not be for you.
There’s marvellous attention to the development of language over the time period of the story, and while I might disagree that the language would change so much so fast over a short time, the sophistication and nuance of the humans’ language reflects their social and technological progress through the story. The evolution of the narrating plant’s language into a cute pidgin is quite engaging, too.
Fortunately, the reader isn’t beaten over the head with notions of alien assimilation and semiosis, and the novbel ends with room for a sequel, which I will certainly buy.
How cold that be?
I’m glad to say that this novel answers that question in an entertaining way. It doesn’t spend any time at all on questions of economics and population, but concentrates a lot on languages and character.
There are some great short stories on the nature of how humans would fit in to an alien ecology, such as James H Schmitz’s ’Balanced Ecology’ and Robert Abernathy’s Pyramid, but this shows adaptation and inclusion into the ecology over several generations, mostly narrated by a long-lived sentient plant. The introduction to the idea that plants can be intelligent is logically handled but still came as a surprise – which it may not be for you.
There’s marvellous attention to the development of language over the time period of the story, and while I might disagree that the language would change so much so fast over a short time, the sophistication and nuance of the humans’ language reflects their social and technological progress through the story. The evolution of the narrating plant’s language into a cute pidgin is quite engaging, too.
Fortunately, the reader isn’t beaten over the head with notions of alien assimilation and semiosis, and the novbel ends with room for a sequel, which I will certainly buy.
birbboi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
technicallysam's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
pennym_'s review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
i appreciate what this book wanted to do, but it did a lot of things that bugged me. for one, its just too long. its hard to connect to characters when we are only spending one chapter with each generation. i also found the petty drama among the pax colonists really frustrating, especially considering their intentions with the settlement. this concept can be done well, but it wasnt the focus in this book and so i felt it was just filler.
the concept of communicating with a more advanced alien plant is so cool!! but in the end the plant doesnt really feel like an alien. i wish the author had gone farther with it.
its definitely worth checking out as a truly unique scifi! but it didnt do what i hoped it would
the concept of communicating with a more advanced alien plant is so cool!! but in the end the plant doesnt really feel like an alien. i wish the author had gone farther with it.
its definitely worth checking out as a truly unique scifi! but it didnt do what i hoped it would
mushroomqueen's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Death
Moderate: Torture