A review by mdpenguin
Burning Bright by Melissa Scott

adventurous tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

I suspect that the original idea for this may have been to base it on Key Largo but that it grew into something completely different. As with Scott's other book that I read, the world-building was excellent. I love that there is plot-independent art and that her characters are interested in seeing it. It's something that is very much a part of most human cultures but that's neglected in a lot of science fiction. The story itself was excellent, too: I liked the idea of a VR AD&D-style GM getting drawn into politics and bringing gaming geeks to bear on the situation. I think, however, that the story wasn't complicated enough to warrant the complicated telling. I think that it would have been stronger if it had been told from just two perspectives rather than four, but I can see why it would be hard to get all of the emotions right, so I can't say that I blame the author. Having to introduce so much through so many different perspectives made the first half kind of weak, but the overall effect was good and, overall, I enjoyed it.