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karinlib's review
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
3.0
First book a 2, second book a 3, and the third book a 3.5.
being_b's review
2.0
Upon finishing it, all I can say is that I am thoroughly confused. Obviously an example of masterful world-building, but I felt it had a distressing tendency to tell me "This character is cool and will triumph" and then sit back and play out how... big surprise... that character acted cool and triumphed. I kept expecting something disastrous to happen and ruin Main Female Character's plans, and nothing ever did. It's definitely one of those "You wiggled your eyebrow at me significantly in that room full of important people, how dare you, now they've seen that and from that they will infer Very Complicated Thing and oh noes, paranoia, but you knew they would infer the Very Complicated Thing and what does it mean that you wanted them to infer the Very Complicated Thing from your raised eyebrow???" I find it stretches credulity to the limit to have a character as fully in control of all features of a situation the author paints as Very Complex Indeed spanning lots of people and lots of worlds (this being scifi) as the main character of Cyteen is portrayed as being. It doesn't seem like anybody grows or changes in that sort of situation because they never have to respond to the unexpected. Admittedly, I think Cyteen is more about worldbuilding and setting up a world in which Cherryh has subsequently written other novels (this being a guess, as I haven't read them) but it just didn't turn my crank. I did read all 600+ pages of it anyway, however, which might say something about the book's quality.
Cherryh is one of those authors who I keep trying to get into- she has a fantasy series I enjoyed and yet didn't- and I think the issue I have with her is that the way she believes people are capable of behaving and acting simply isn't within the parameters I understand for human behavior. Admittedly, none of her protagonists are strictly human- they're either incredible geniuses or golems or something- so perhaps she's just showing a genius for creating alien psychologies- but as a character-driven reader, I find her fiction difficult to work through and her resolutions unsastisfying.
Cherryh is one of those authors who I keep trying to get into- she has a fantasy series I enjoyed and yet didn't- and I think the issue I have with her is that the way she believes people are capable of behaving and acting simply isn't within the parameters I understand for human behavior. Admittedly, none of her protagonists are strictly human- they're either incredible geniuses or golems or something- so perhaps she's just showing a genius for creating alien psychologies- but as a character-driven reader, I find her fiction difficult to work through and her resolutions unsastisfying.
noranne's review
5.0
This is one of my absolute favorite books. I re-read it because someone asked me about my favorite books, and I mentioned Cyteen, but then realized I remembered almost nothing about it. Upon re-read (not my first re-read either!), yep, it still is. It's such a good book! A dark book, to be sure. Much of the plot hinges on a powerful older woman raping a teenage boy, so yeah. There is so much politics in this book--not modern politics, I mean, but a very realistic and in depth exploration of how the sausage gets made, so to speak.
I'm not sure there are any "heroes" or purely good people in this book. Most of them are despicable in one way or another and yet you find yourself understanding or empathizing even as you want to grab them through the page and shake them.
My only complaint is the ending is very sudden and leaves quite a few things ambiguous and, if I recall, the sequel (Regenesis) was not nearly as good. But it's a good book that leaves you so sad it's over, staring at the back cover and wishing there was just a bit more.
I'm not sure there are any "heroes" or purely good people in this book. Most of them are despicable in one way or another and yet you find yourself understanding or empathizing even as you want to grab them through the page and shake them.
My only complaint is the ending is very sudden and leaves quite a few things ambiguous and, if I recall, the sequel (Regenesis) was not nearly as good. But it's a good book that leaves you so sad it's over, staring at the back cover and wishing there was just a bit more.
tenaciousz's review
5.0
When I started this book a month ago, it was my second attempt at reading it. I just could not get going with it then. After reading two other books by CJ Cherryh this summer and fall however (HAMMERFALL and DOWNBELOW STATION)I had grown to enjoy her writing immensely: I was particularly excited about her Alliance-Union universe novels. I choose CYTEEN for the second time.
I think with this review I shall utilize a PROS/CONS formula, followed by concluding afterthoughts.
PROS:
CYTEEN is the closest thing I've read in science fiction to being the brainchild of Asimov's FOUNDATION and Herbert's DUNE. Think of it as the perfect combination of FOUNDATION's "psychohistory" and the grand socio-politics of the DUNE series (the "Golden Path"), albeit on a smaller, more focused scale. If you're a fan of either of those series, CYTEEN is a must-read (if you're experience is anything like mine, you know how hard it is to find a sci-fi book that lives up to sociological complexity of FOUNDATION and DUNE!)
This book stands out for another reason: the author's trademark narration style. Cherryh is known for her unique third-person/stream of consciousness-esque writing style, and it shines in this book full of Reseune and Union scientific/political jargon. This style is critical to all aspects of teh book's plot development, from charactization to pacing, even to the subtle information-dumping about the political events unfolding in the wider Alliance-Union universe at the time.
CONS:
Cherryh's narration style, fantastic as it is, at times is a barrier to this book, especially in the beginning. Minimal background information is given, minimum context is provided, and the reader is on their own for the first 50-100 pages, trying to settle into and become familiar with Union, Cyteen, Reseune, azi, and the main characters. In all honesty, this was probably what hampered me the first time with CYTEEN.
The only other CON I believe worth mentioning is that in some places, CYTEEN doesn't seem to wrap up plot threads adequately, or follow up on them later in the story. Granted, my opinion could be based partially on the disjointed manner in which I read the book (usually 2-3 hour late night stints over the period of a month, sometimes going a week without reading). I won't mention any spoilers, and I still STRONGLY recommend CYTEEN, but I thought the ending suffered a bit from this CON.
In conclusion, I will repeat that CYTEEN is a fantastic book, a true successor to the sociological sci-fi classics of Asimov and Herbert. Combined with Cherryh's unique and charged narration style, this book is a thrilling, if lengthy work of mature, sophisticated science fiction. Don't let the confusion of the first dozens of pages deter you, and DO NOT let my comments on unresolved/ partially resolved plot elements (i.e. the ending) scare you away: This is a Hugo-Award winning, original, and stunning work of science fiction!
I think with this review I shall utilize a PROS/CONS formula, followed by concluding afterthoughts.
PROS:
CYTEEN is the closest thing I've read in science fiction to being the brainchild of Asimov's FOUNDATION and Herbert's DUNE. Think of it as the perfect combination of FOUNDATION's "psychohistory" and the grand socio-politics of the DUNE series (the "Golden Path"), albeit on a smaller, more focused scale. If you're a fan of either of those series, CYTEEN is a must-read (if you're experience is anything like mine, you know how hard it is to find a sci-fi book that lives up to sociological complexity of FOUNDATION and DUNE!)
This book stands out for another reason: the author's trademark narration style. Cherryh is known for her unique third-person/stream of consciousness-esque writing style, and it shines in this book full of Reseune and Union scientific/political jargon. This style is critical to all aspects of teh book's plot development, from charactization to pacing, even to the subtle information-dumping about the political events unfolding in the wider Alliance-Union universe at the time.
CONS:
Cherryh's narration style, fantastic as it is, at times is a barrier to this book, especially in the beginning. Minimal background information is given, minimum context is provided, and the reader is on their own for the first 50-100 pages, trying to settle into and become familiar with Union, Cyteen, Reseune, azi, and the main characters. In all honesty, this was probably what hampered me the first time with CYTEEN.
The only other CON I believe worth mentioning is that in some places, CYTEEN doesn't seem to wrap up plot threads adequately, or follow up on them later in the story. Granted, my opinion could be based partially on the disjointed manner in which I read the book (usually 2-3 hour late night stints over the period of a month, sometimes going a week without reading). I won't mention any spoilers, and I still STRONGLY recommend CYTEEN, but I thought the ending suffered a bit from this CON.
In conclusion, I will repeat that CYTEEN is a fantastic book, a true successor to the sociological sci-fi classics of Asimov and Herbert. Combined with Cherryh's unique and charged narration style, this book is a thrilling, if lengthy work of mature, sophisticated science fiction. Don't let the confusion of the first dozens of pages deter you, and DO NOT let my comments on unresolved/ partially resolved plot elements (i.e. the ending) scare you away: This is a Hugo-Award winning, original, and stunning work of science fiction!
sadpear's review
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Over three decades and still one of the most interesting novels about what happens when humanity disperses into the stars and questions about what makes a person a person.
tanac's review
Got a few hundred pages in, had to quit. I am tired, tired, tired of plot/character via abuse of children/innocents, and having now read (or tried) two Cherryh books, both of them involving the abuse of innocents, I am just done.
matthewbrand's review
2.0
If you like 1000 pages of political infighting, clones, and sexual assault, this is the book for you. A thousand pages and nothing happened. I get that not all of the questions HAVE to be answered and it didn't need to be wrapped up in a nice little bow, but there was just so much left open.
manzabar's review
3.0
A challenging book with interesting characters and convoluted politicking. While the cover of this edition says it's complete in one volume; I found the ending to be both best part and also open enough for the story to continue on.