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willowmariemanning's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-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? No
4.5
annkniggendorf's review
adventurous
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
nonesensed's review against another edition
5.0
With a spaceship in orbit and cut off from his government, Bren Cameron has a challenge ahead no other paidhi has had to face - having a third party to negotiate with, outside of his home island state and the atevi. The situation is further complicated by his replacement being in atevi territory, breaking the agreement that only one human at the time should be on the mainland at the time. It's more than a bit of a mess. Especially if you're in a lot of pain due to still healing broken bones.
I adore this series already! The aliens are so wonderfully alien while still being juuuust this side of human to be understandable at times. I feel just as Bren, like I'm almost understanding and predicting what the atevi characters in the story might do, and yet not quite. It's wonderful! Can't wait to read the next book in the series!
I adore this series already! The aliens are so wonderfully alien while still being juuuust this side of human to be understandable at times. I feel just as Bren, like I'm almost understanding and predicting what the atevi characters in the story might do, and yet not quite. It's wonderful! Can't wait to read the next book in the series!
phobis837's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
noranne's review against another edition
3.0
Decent book, but nothing earth shattering. I continue to like Bren although he is rather bland overall. I'm totally rooting for him and Jago. =) Have been since book 1!
mary_soon_lee's review against another edition
5.0
This is the second book in a long-running science fiction series and resumes the action soon after the end of book one (Foreigner). Both books center on Bren Cameron, a human translator/mediator amid a fascinating alien civilization. As with the first book, I found Bren hugely likable and his detailed viewpoint highly immersive. Having looked at some other readers' reviews, I see that opinion is split over whether the level of detail makes the text engaging or glacial. For me, it was a thorough page-turning pleasure. I mean to proceed to book three in short order. Highly recommended. 4.5 out of 5 hook-line-and-sinker stars.
6/14/2021 update: just finished re-reading this. I enjoyed it immensely, possibly even more than the first time around.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
6/14/2021 update: just finished re-reading this. I enjoyed it immensely, possibly even more than the first time around.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
fantasticraccoon's review against another edition
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
jabarkas's review against another edition
3.0
These books are some of the most frustrating fiction I have ever read. Not because they are bad, but because about half the time they are insensibly boring and the other half of the time they're pretty damn fantastic. At her best Cherryh crafts tales of unique and thrilling intrigue, set in a world that really does feel alien and dangerous. At her worst she has this amazing trick of setting up a few really interesting characters...and then spending most of the book avoiding those characters in order to focus bland and often insufferable protagonist. In the middle, these stories often come across as Shogun in space. Not a bad thing, but not exactly transcendent either. When I was about 1/3 of the way through this installment I decided I wasn't going to read the next book I decided I wasn't going to finish the series. By the end, she'd convinced me to at least give the next one a try. Damn this woman, and damn how many hours of my time she's already taken up.
petealdin's review against another edition
3.0
Found this a little harder to get into than the first one. Terrific writing, though, and a vividly different world. Worth taking a look at the series.