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casella's review against another edition
2.0
An okay space adventure that feels weirdly dated, and unfortunately doesn't do much with its very promising setting. Full review at the Chicago Review of Books: https://chireviewofbooks.com/2020/10/22/this-virtual-night/
joyco68's review against another edition
3.0
As always, it's a pleasure to read C.S. Friedman. Her writing is clear and evocative, and often snarky (a characteristic that I enjoy in prose).
That being said, this was not my favorite of her works; nor do I feel, as strong at "This Alien Shore," which is the novel that introduced us to this future (far future) universe. This was just too short (the hardcover is only 448 pages). It started off as a novel but ended as a novella. I was very surprised to realize that I was already 75% finished but felt like I had just completed the intro and set up to the novel. The last 25% felt rushed and ultimately superficial. The ending was too pat and everything wrapped up too neatly.
That being said, this was not my favorite of her works; nor do I feel, as strong at "This Alien Shore," which is the novel that introduced us to this future (far future) universe. This was just too short (the hardcover is only 448 pages). It started off as a novel but ended as a novella. I was very surprised to realize that I was already 75% finished but felt like I had just completed the intro and set up to the novel. The last 25% felt rushed and ultimately superficial. The ending was too pat and everything wrapped up too neatly.
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