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lyleblosser's review
4.0
A unique (in my experience) take on language and how it underpins culture, both alien and human.
mikime's review
4.0
Quite an interesting collection of stories, focusing on the language experts in this future scifi setting. They are organised in a guild and make use of a connection to an artificial intelligence and specific types of drugs to study, learn and translate the alien languages as necessary for their job. The linguistic theories behind some of the stories seem shaky or contradictory but I still really enjoyed the language-centred plots (though not all the stories hinge on that) and the memorable tales of characters struggling with communication issues in general, as well as the weird possibilities and challenges of alien languages and the universe built around them. I'll look for more writing by this author.
abroadwell's review
3.0
How would the world deal with the languages of alien species? With a new profession -- xenolinguist. Intriguing premise, but I thought the actual plots of the stories in this book were rather mundane and there's not very much that is interesting about what these alien languages are like.
summer33's review
4.0
Very creative. I loved reading and thinking about these stories. The cover is hideous, and, were it not for my book club, I would NEVER have picked it up. But I'm so glad I did!
omnibozo22's review
5.0
The stories in this collection center around a guild of linguists that continue to develop methods for accurately communicating with sentient beings from other planets in the MilkyWay. Strict Guild rules train students to eliminate emotion from their work, so that the translations are not tainted by "irrelevant" data. That, of course, frequently leads to unintended misunderstanding and disaster. While Chomsky's Universal Language idea is a basis for the book, the stories illuminate translation challenges located firmly here on Earth.
ederwin's review
3.0
I am confident that I read this book before the year 2000. Not sure the exact year. But I remember being so interested in the concept that I ordered the hardback version online and read it and was a little disappointed.
However, this book was published in 2007 and contains some stories published after 2000. I cannot explain how I was able to purchase and read it before 2000, and yet I did.
However, this book was published in 2007 and contains some stories published after 2000. I cannot explain how I was able to purchase and read it before 2000, and yet I did.
scherzo's review
1.0
If you catch an inspired idea, you're supposed to help it grow and glow not stomp all over it with your muddy cliches.
Yes, after the first story, I too wanted to fling this book across the room. I could only manage to read one story a day and often had to set the book aside for several days before trying again. There is little evidence in these stories that Sheila Finch has studied linguistics or is capable of teaching creative writing.
According to the acknowledgments, she got help "...to rub off the rough edges and think the next thought." YEAH, RIGHT!
Every story is full of irritating rough edges: Confusing overuse of pronouns; weird non-sequitors; blatant ignorance of scientific facts; on and on.
Instead of a "next thought" all the stories re-tread the same ground.
Yes, after the first story, I too wanted to fling this book across the room. I could only manage to read one story a day and often had to set the book aside for several days before trying again. There is little evidence in these stories that Sheila Finch has studied linguistics or is capable of teaching creative writing.
According to the acknowledgments, she got help "...to rub off the rough edges and think the next thought." YEAH, RIGHT!
Every story is full of irritating rough edges: Confusing overuse of pronouns; weird non-sequitors; blatant ignorance of scientific facts; on and on.
Instead of a "next thought" all the stories re-tread the same ground.
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