tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post7188994982442477880..comments2023-10-25T04:17:22.699-04:00Comments on Fantasy Cafe: Review of The Radiant SeasKristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700004253248186101noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post-55973168966156117742008-07-15T18:36:00.000-04:002008-07-15T18:36:00.000-04:00Anastasia,I loved all those moments too. Kurj's c...Anastasia,<BR/><BR/>I loved all those moments too. Kurj's character was great; it was nice to see he wasn't as heartless as he seemed in <I>Primary Inversion</I>. Soz was amazing later in the book. I didn't see the part with Jaibriol's mother coming either. I really wanted to read another book in this series when I was done with it. (Just got <I>Skyfall</I> and <I>The Moon's Shadow</I> in the mail yesterday.)<BR/><BR/>I loved <I>Barrayar</I> too. I have yet to read the other books in the series (almost started on <I>Young Miles</I> next but decided I wanted to see how <I>Revelation Space</I> was instead). Cordelia was a fantastic character, especially in <I>Barrayar</I>, which was of course far better with the extra writing experience Bujold had at that point.Kristenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01700004253248186101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post-85337310003354715032008-07-14T23:45:00.000-04:002008-07-14T23:45:00.000-04:00Radiant Seas is one of very few books I've reread,...<I>Radiant Seas</I> is one of very few books I've reread, and it stands up very well to that. Unlike <I>Primary Inversion</I>, this novel isn't character-focused, and all the extra parts - interstellar wars, battles, more character viewpoints, more hard scifi - were all more of the things I love, and thus only a bonus. <BR/><BR/>Favorite moments:<BR/><BR/>~ Some SPOILERS~<BR/><BR/>- Soz coming back. Everything seems lost and on the bring of despair, and then the terminals start lighting up... Soz is a force of nature in this book, a bit inhuman in her abilities, a woman possessed.<BR/><BR/>- Kurj's character arc, deftly done. He became a surpringly sympathetic character, admirable even. The visit to the anscestral planet with his mother is one of my favorite scenes, low-key as it is, because you genuinely get scared. <BR/><BR/>- The sacrifice for the planet and the refugee ships. Probably my top favorite moment, I totally get chocked up when I read, "And then the refugee ships started coming in." <BR/><BR/>- Jabriol's mother at the end of the book. Didn't see that coming, it was surprising and moving. <BR/><BR/>- On the very last page, the comment about how long it takes to learn empathy. Great twist, powerful, and also gave me a bit of a mental "aha!" - there's a possibility for reconciliation, for redemption.<BR/><BR/>On a sidenote, I read some Lois Mcmaster Bujold this weekend. Finished <I>Shards of Honor</I>, read and LOVED <I>Barrayar</I>, read <I>Mirror Dance</I>. She also had some neat turns of phrase that got me chocked up: "poured out honor like a fountain," and the very last paragraph in <I>Barrayar</I> - "Live live live" - floored me. <BR/><BR/>Anyway, Cordelia reminded me of Sauscony a lot. :-)Anastasiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08926851236991461553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post-51331113889906032642008-07-12T19:49:00.000-04:002008-07-12T19:49:00.000-04:00Thanks, Thrinidir. :)Yes, she did win a Nebula for...Thanks, Thrinidir. :)<BR/><BR/>Yes, she did win a Nebula for <I>Quantum Rose</I>, one of the other books in the series that I have yet to read. Catherine Asaro has also been (or maybe still is) both a ballerina and a physicist, which I found interesting. It sounds like she has a lot of talents!Kristenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01700004253248186101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146259764837045872.post-82427691982439094352008-07-12T18:29:00.000-04:002008-07-12T18:29:00.000-04:00I must admit that I wasn't aware of Catherine Asar...I must admit that I wasn't aware of Catherine Asaro prior to reading this review at all (I googled her and not only does she have a long and prolific carrer; she won a Nebula for best novel in 2001 for a book of the same series you are reviewing). Thanks for pointing a mirror so I can properly face my ignorance :). Great review anway :pThRiNiDiRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11235487104345529619noreply@blogger.com