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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
Ah, the Skolian Empire! Where the women are all kick-ass, the men all gorgeous, the architecture stunning, the sexual tension thick, the politics complex, the psions fascinating, the enemies deliciously evil, the technology actually useful.... It's impossible to convey how fun Catherine Asaro's books are, on every level—world-building, character, dialogue, plot, action, romance, technology. I'm quite a bit behind on the series, but when I had the chance to get this review copy of the first book featuring a new character, I pounced. Then I gulped it down with a giant gleeful grin on my face. Undercity follows a female (and kick-ass, natch) ex-military P.I. tasked to recover the runaway-or-kidnapped cloistered son of a aristocratic family. It's not deeply intertwined with all of the complex politics and family relations of the rest of the series, so, if you're unfamiliar with the universe, it's a great place to start. And if you're not already reading Asaro—you should definitely start.
SAMPLE PARAGRAPH
I set the gun on the ground. "You have guts." What an incredible understatement. He had just bluffed one of the most brutal criminals on the entire planet with a water pistol.
***
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted text has not been double-checked against the published book because it is not yet available.
This review originally appeared on my blog, This Space Intentionally Left Blank.
SAMPLE PARAGRAPH
I set the gun on the ground. "You have guts." What an incredible understatement. He had just bluffed one of the most brutal criminals on the entire planet with a water pistol.
***
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted text has not been double-checked against the published book because it is not yet available.
This review originally appeared on my blog, This Space Intentionally Left Blank.
Pretty fun. I liked the idea behind the setting, though the human society could use some worldbuilding. The scifi tech was cool too. (Though why did Bhaaj have so much better tech than everyone else, even the supposed cyber-runners/hackers?) Some obv logical flaws in the plot but still, a fun read.
Great but does not compare to Skolian Empire series
I gave it four stars because it is a good story. However there were a few things that were not quite there. The character development could have been better. The relationship between the main character and Jak was wham bam let's pick up where we left off. I understand there was history between them but as a reader I would have liked to see some of the development and growth of that relationship. As far as the culture she was trying to develop I found it very interesting but at sometimes confusing, what I thought was a whole society was later described as a small group of forty to later becoming more. I just felt it needed a bit more description. Beyond that it was interesting seeing the lives and rich culture of people forgotten by the world and later seeing their reintegration into society, while trying to preserve the culture. A good interesting read.
I gave it four stars because it is a good story. However there were a few things that were not quite there. The character development could have been better. The relationship between the main character and Jak was wham bam let's pick up where we left off. I understand there was history between them but as a reader I would have liked to see some of the development and growth of that relationship. As far as the culture she was trying to develop I found it very interesting but at sometimes confusing, what I thought was a whole society was later described as a small group of forty to later becoming more. I just felt it needed a bit more description. Beyond that it was interesting seeing the lives and rich culture of people forgotten by the world and later seeing their reintegration into society, while trying to preserve the culture. A good interesting read.
I gave it four stars because it is a good story. However there were a few things that were not quite there. The character development could have been better. The relationship between the main character and Jak was wham bam let's pick up where we left off. I understand there was history between them but as a reader I would have liked to see some of the development and growth of that relationship. As far as the culture she was trying to develop I found it very interesting but at sometimes confusing, what I thought was a whole society was later described as a small group of forty to later becoming more. I just felt it needed a bit more description. Beyond that it was interesting seeing the lives and rich culture of people forgotten by the world and later seeing their reintegration into society, while trying to preserve the culture. A good interesting read.
I really wanted to like this book, because a nice lady popped out of nowhere and started recommending SF books to me. This was her first suggestion (and I have another one she recommended) and ... ugh. I ... didn't really enjoy reading it.
As other reviewers have noted, the protagonist ran away from the orphanage at *3*. Also all of these poverty-stricken, starving children would never accept free food or water, because of their culture? I couldn't get past that. Have you ever gone hungry? Try it for a couple months and see if you're not ready to accept some free food.
There was some attempt at interesting with gender role reversal, (and a hunky! loyal! wonderful! man from the past), but reading it felt like work, which is the opposite of what I want from my recreational reading. It's either going to be a high 2 or a low 3 stars, I've changed it twice already.
As other reviewers have noted, the protagonist ran away from the orphanage at *3*. Also all of these poverty-stricken, starving children would never accept free food or water, because of their culture? I couldn't get past that. Have you ever gone hungry? Try it for a couple months and see if you're not ready to accept some free food.
There was some attempt at interesting with gender role reversal, (and a hunky! loyal! wonderful! man from the past), but reading it felt like work, which is the opposite of what I want from my recreational reading. It's either going to be a high 2 or a low 3 stars, I've changed it twice already.
I have to be honest and say that I went into this book with less than stellar expectations. Having to read it for work, I wasn't expecting much but once I started I thought, "huh, this isn't half bad!" The universe this is set in is pretty straight forward and Major Bhaajan is a likeable character. She's someone who's worked her way up from the bottom and is now a private investigator for the empire. In the beginning we get a lot of backstory about the empire and where humanity stands as a foundation for the rest of the book. Anyways, Major Bhaajan is called upon to investigate the disappearance of a Majda prince on her home planet. She is initially reluctant to return after making a life away from her humble beginnings but after coming back & renewing old friendships, she is embroiled in a much larger conflict than she had realized. While listening/reading this book, I found elements in it that I've seen in countless other books about orphans or down on their luck persons working their way up with nothing but their boot straps and then starting something they never imagined would happen. Pretty standard but all in all, this was a good book. Better than I realized.
I enjoyed these storylines for the most part. Some sentiments expressed by the protagonist felt repetitive—sometimes I felt hammered by them as I listened.
It was part sci-fi police procedural, part social justice essay. Even in the future we humans haven’t worked out how to practice inclusion and equity and compassion—how to thrive without exploiting others.
It was part sci-fi police procedural, part social justice essay. Even in the future we humans haven’t worked out how to practice inclusion and equity and compassion—how to thrive without exploiting others.
I first read Catherine Asaro in the 1990s and gobbled up her novels soon after they were published until the early 2000s. Then, probably because I hadn't liked "Quantum Rose" as much, I stopped.
It appears that was a mistake.
Prompted by a recommendation (thank you, Nobilis Reed!) I tried "Undercity" and found it thoroughly enjoyable from the first page to the closing sentence. It's far-future science fiction with psi powers. The heroine is Major Bhaajan, an ex-military P.I. who grew up in the eponymous undercity. Down in that undercity, a vibrant underclass live on the edge, while in the above-city powerful women cherish cloistered princes. It's a book cast in bright contrasts. Not subtle, not high art, but I found it as likable as its heroine and plan to binge-read the rest of the series.
I don't hold it against the book, but I note that the copyediting is surprisingly poor for a major publisher (Baen). It looks sadly as if they ran the manuscript through a spellchecker, but didn't look for other forms of typos. Hey ho.
Four out of five summer-fun stars.
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).
It appears that was a mistake.
Prompted by a recommendation (thank you, Nobilis Reed!) I tried "Undercity" and found it thoroughly enjoyable from the first page to the closing sentence. It's far-future science fiction with psi powers. The heroine is Major Bhaajan, an ex-military P.I. who grew up in the eponymous undercity. Down in that undercity, a vibrant underclass live on the edge, while in the above-city powerful women cherish cloistered princes. It's a book cast in bright contrasts. Not subtle, not high art, but I found it as likable as its heroine and plan to binge-read the rest of the series.
I don't hold it against the book, but I note that the copyediting is surprisingly poor for a major publisher (Baen). It looks sadly as if they ran the manuscript through a spellchecker, but didn't look for other forms of typos. Hey ho.
Four out of five summer-fun stars.
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).
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
fast-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