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lushr's review against another edition
5.0
Recommended to me by Penny Syber of the Windsor book shop - a woman who's read everything under the sun and I said "I'm sick of male protagonists and no fricken character development" and she was right to give me this. The woman's antidote to cardboard cutout scifi.
jovvijo's review against another edition
5.0
Wow did the book blow my wee teen brain the first time I read it!
(I can't remember when that was so it must have been such a brain storm! :P)
I loved the ship who sang and her adventures!
It's something to imagine being a "brain" in a ship, still a human, but something so much more as well!
Really it was utterly brilliant!
Recommended for Sci-fi junkies and also, curiously, just people who like people in exceptional circumstances! (Bonus if you're both!)
(I can't remember when that was so it must have been such a brain storm! :P)
I loved the ship who sang and her adventures!
It's something to imagine being a "brain" in a ship, still a human, but something so much more as well!
Really it was utterly brilliant!
Recommended for Sci-fi junkies and also, curiously, just people who like people in exceptional circumstances! (Bonus if you're both!)
queer_fantastic's review against another edition
4.0
Intriguing and well-executed concept. Enjoyed the character of Helva a great deal, and found all the other characters also complex and, for the majority, likable (apart from those who were not meant to be--looking at you, "Juliet"). The formatting was very episodic, which allowed for the premise to be utilized in interesting and different ways.
The lack of a fifth star is simply because, as is often the case with classic science fiction literature, I felt more distant from the story than is my preference. In all other respects I thoroughly enjoyed this read!
The lack of a fifth star is simply because, as is often the case with classic science fiction literature, I felt more distant from the story than is my preference. In all other respects I thoroughly enjoyed this read!
stephengrahamking's review against another edition
5.0
Another of the classic SF books that is like an old friend. Interconnected stories that welcome me in. One of those books I need to read every so often, just to visit a character that I love so very much.
endoria's review against another edition
2.0
Interesting concept and decent writing, but it is still only a collection of short stories and it got boring pretty fast. It is an OK book, but I think there is more captivating sci-fi to read.
oblomov's review against another edition
5.0
Year of New Authors
Born with a severe bodily disability, Helva's parents are given two options: allow their child to become a literal ghost in the machine and integrate her body into a space vessel (with a choice of human brawn companion and a secure job performing missions to pay off the ship she would call her body); or just straight up kill her, I guess.
Having not been born to arsehole Spartans, Helva's life obviously goes the former route and we follow her epic journey across space to deal with religious fanatics, strange diseases, alien life forms and toxic masculinity (because even in the age of space travel we ain't gonna clear up that shit, it seems), and our sentient ship sings beautifully all the way.
I loved this, I adored every glorious moment of it, bury me with this book.
Our protagonist is perfect; a kind, flawed, relentless, short and soft tempered badass.
The episodic chapters are brilliant, ranging from the profound, the heartbreaking, the funny and the just down right horrific. At absolute worst they can slightly drag, but have an iron grip on your throat at their best.
The side characters are great, each a perfect balance for Helva, whether that be to force her empathy, push her boundaries or emphasise her competence by their own failures and prejudice.
The writing is superb; vivid, visceral and at times achingly painful with suspense.
Any flaws? Well, as great as it is to see a disabled female character at the helm of a story in the 1960s, there are some cringeworthy descriptions of her original body that feel very uncomfortable in the modern day, like when Helva is described as 'born a thing' to give one example. These uneasy moments are thankfully rare, and she's always presented as an actual thinking, feeling, competent person, rather than a mind in a box trying to prove to the reader they're an actual person, if you understand me.
Queasy moments aside, this is thoroughly recommended, I utterly loved it, will be reading the absolute shite out of the rest of this series and you should read this immediately.
Side note, for so great a story this book's plagued with terrible cover art. E.g:
The rather dull:
The 'artist wished he was working on Barbarella instead':
The 'Space Lada':
The bloody stupid:
And the 'Oh Christ, what was in those edibles?':
Born with a severe bodily disability, Helva's parents are given two options: allow their child to become a literal ghost in the machine and integrate her body into a space vessel (with a choice of human brawn companion and a secure job performing missions to pay off the ship she would call her body); or just straight up kill her, I guess.
Having not been born to arsehole Spartans, Helva's life obviously goes the former route and we follow her epic journey across space to deal with religious fanatics, strange diseases, alien life forms and toxic masculinity (because even in the age of space travel we ain't gonna clear up that shit, it seems), and our sentient ship sings beautifully all the way.
I loved this, I adored every glorious moment of it, bury me with this book.
Our protagonist is perfect; a kind, flawed, relentless, short and soft tempered badass.
The episodic chapters are brilliant, ranging from the profound, the heartbreaking, the funny and the just down right horrific. At absolute worst they can slightly drag, but have an iron grip on your throat at their best.
The side characters are great, each a perfect balance for Helva, whether that be to force her empathy, push her boundaries or emphasise her competence by their own failures and prejudice.
The writing is superb; vivid, visceral and at times achingly painful with suspense.
Any flaws? Well, as great as it is to see a disabled female character at the helm of a story in the 1960s, there are some cringeworthy descriptions of her original body that feel very uncomfortable in the modern day, like when Helva is described as 'born a thing' to give one example. These uneasy moments are thankfully rare, and she's always presented as an actual thinking, feeling, competent person, rather than a mind in a box trying to prove to the reader they're an actual person, if you understand me.
Queasy moments aside, this is thoroughly recommended, I utterly loved it, will be reading the absolute shite out of the rest of this series and you should read this immediately.
Side note, for so great a story this book's plagued with terrible cover art. E.g:
The rather dull:
The 'artist wished he was working on Barbarella instead':
The 'Space Lada':
The bloody stupid:
And the 'Oh Christ, what was in those edibles?':
swarmofbees's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
bookcrazylady45's review against another edition
5.0
Another beloved book that has been read at least 20 times since 1977. Never palls. Always leaves me wishing for more. Heart aches for more Helva.
cathepsut's review against another edition
3.0
Anne McCaffrey, the dragon lady, does Sci-Fi. Fantasy in space. It was ok.