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waclements7's review
4.0
I first read this trilogy when I was in my twenties. Thirty years later, it still holds up as a really great trilogy. It’s not too sci-fi to be unapproachable as hard-core, but the technology of the engines is really cool. The characters are good and the story is really intriguing. Highly recommended.
wunder's review
4.0
Better than the second, not as good as the first, but I still love the space travel by metaphorical voidmarks. And I like that the characters aren't superhuman. When they get bruised, they hurt for a while.
kaa's review
4.0
This may be the only trilogy I've ever read where the second book was my favorite, but I still really enjoyed this last installment, and thought the series as a whole was wonderful. The Empress of the Earth builds on some of the feminist threads that emerged in the second book, while also giving the reader much more time with Julie and Denis. This was the first book that Silence's two husbands felt like characters in their own right, not just seen through her perspective. The plot worked to a satisfying conclusion for both the smaller story of this book and the overarching story of the trilogy.
tikimoof's review
3.0
Well, that was the end to a fun trilogy. Here's some immediate thoughts in case I don't come back for a better review.
First, a brief lol at Pluto being a planet. It isn't a bad thing, just funny.
Second, building in the inherent differences in thinking between scientific and alchemic thinking. This has been present in the whole series, but I liked how everybody wanted to keep their trades secret, which is very occultic thinking. It was a nice touch.
I also continue to enjoy Silence's learned misogyny presenting itself and her having to confront it. It was a great bit of humanity. Scott isn't at Bujold's level, but I also very much enjoyed the women being in positions of great power and not always having to sacrifice their femininity or all of their cultural mores to gain it.
Balthazar was a bit more of a human character, but Chase Mago wasn't. Alas. And I have no idea if it was standard for 80s sci-fi to be so sexless. It really wasn't a bad thing and I hope it made the trilogy more readable to people 30 years ago. The same part - where the triad just happens and isn't really discussed - makes it mesh much better in universe anyway. It's simply a thing that exists; there's nothing to get offended by. In the end I think it's a strength of the series.
An extended traveling through Purgatory scene, then nothing. Sadface.
I wouldn't say this was all groundbreaking, but it was a fun romp.
First, a brief lol at Pluto being a planet. It isn't a bad thing, just funny.
Second, building in the inherent differences in thinking between scientific and alchemic thinking. This has been present in the whole series, but I liked how everybody wanted to keep their trades secret, which is very occultic thinking. It was a nice touch.
I also continue to enjoy Silence's learned misogyny presenting itself and her having to confront it. It was a great bit of humanity. Scott isn't at Bujold's level, but I also very much enjoyed the women being in positions of great power and not always having to sacrifice their femininity or all of their cultural mores to gain it.
Balthazar was a bit more of a human character, but Chase Mago wasn't. Alas. And I have no idea if it was standard for 80s sci-fi to be so sexless. It really wasn't a bad thing and I hope it made the trilogy more readable to people 30 years ago. The same part - where the triad just happens and isn't really discussed - makes it mesh much better in universe anyway. It's simply a thing that exists; there's nothing to get offended by. In the end I think it's a strength of the series.
An extended traveling through Purgatory scene, then nothing. Sadface.
I wouldn't say this was all groundbreaking, but it was a fun romp.
eowyn's review
4.0
Melissa Scott was one of the newish science fiction authors I discovered after graduating from college and having time to read for pleasure again in the early 90s. This is the last book in a trilogy from the mid-80s that is new to me and is pure space opera with a strong female lead, faster than light travel that is like magic with harmonics and sound and tarot-like symbols, some fun supporting characters and a fight against a patriarchal Hegeomy. Nice escapist sci-fi.
eachuisgereads's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
A fun 80s space opera, with some adventure but mostly about the internal world building, including how space travel is accomplished and the magic system. Silence is a great character, and I love Denis and Julie as her supportive husbands.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
rhodered's review
3.0
The final section of this book is so powerful in my imagination that it dominated my memory of the book from whenever I read it last (at least a couple of times since its first publication date). I was surprised to find, on rereading this time, that that section wasn't 2/3 of the book, but really just maybe 15 pages.
The premise is confusing, I never really understand the politics behind the plot - why the Rose Worlds have been hiding Earth from everyone else. Earth itself, harmonic resonances and metaphors aside, does not come off terribly impressively. And despite the main character's backgrounds as rebels against the Hegemon, they seem improbably comfortable now with being its chiefest allies. This is especially unpleasant when you consider how much more sexist the Hegemon is compared to other political options.
Most of the book is close to dull...the Earth population are fairly stock characters - back-to-land folks, factory workers, inner city gang members. We progress through train rides, various confrontations with natives, bits of magi business, all leading up to the final scenes I remembered so well.
In this book, the heroine becomes so dominant that her two husbands/companions are reduced to the status of an occasionally handy entourage. I like a kick ass heroine, but I prefer a strong partnership of equals. I've become fond of both men through the series and didn't understand why Silence has to be the point person for everything. Sure, she's a magi, but why does that mean she has to be the one who figures out how to buy train tickets?
Lastly, it seems very improbable that with less than a year's worth of formal magi schooling, that she would be as knowledgable and skilled as she is. Talent is one thing, those chops seem like they would require more years of experience.
The premise is confusing, I never really understand the politics behind the plot - why the Rose Worlds have been hiding Earth from everyone else. Earth itself, harmonic resonances and metaphors aside, does not come off terribly impressively. And despite the main character's backgrounds as rebels against the Hegemon, they seem improbably comfortable now with being its chiefest allies. This is especially unpleasant when you consider how much more sexist the Hegemon is compared to other political options.
Most of the book is close to dull...the Earth population are fairly stock characters - back-to-land folks, factory workers, inner city gang members. We progress through train rides, various confrontations with natives, bits of magi business, all leading up to the final scenes I remembered so well.
In this book, the heroine becomes so dominant that her two husbands/companions are reduced to the status of an occasionally handy entourage. I like a kick ass heroine, but I prefer a strong partnership of equals. I've become fond of both men through the series and didn't understand why Silence has to be the point person for everything. Sure, she's a magi, but why does that mean she has to be the one who figures out how to buy train tickets?
Lastly, it seems very improbable that with less than a year's worth of formal magi schooling, that she would be as knowledgable and skilled as she is. Talent is one thing, those chops seem like they would require more years of experience.
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