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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
This is the sixth of thirteen installments in The Human Division, a serial novel by John Scalzi. New installments are released on Tuesdays, though the entire book will be released, as well. As much as it might frustrate a reader to jump around between installments all at once, we're almost at the halfway point, which may be too much for some to catch up on.
This episode introduces members of the Conclave, a group of alien races allied for common benefit. Apparently they've encountered humans before, and came out far worse for the confrontation. They lost ships, while the humans lost nothing. Understandably, they're wary about facing them head-on.
The story is told mostly through the perspective of Hafte Sorvahl, a very tall and imposing alien woman, who's sent to encourage the Colonial Union to remove its "wildcat" colonies (colonies who happen to have CDF officers among them) from unauthorized worlds before it starts a diplomatic incident. Along the way, she eats some churros and negotiates with some white supremacist types.
The human who speaks to Sorvahl has shown up in previous installments, and I'm starting to wonder where he stands. His actions in this episode serve the greater good of the CU and all sentient races, but he's involved in so much that I can't imagine his ability to keep secrets hasn't come in handy in other ways.
We'll see.
I listened to the audio version of this episode, as with all the previous ones, and found no change in the quality of narration or sound. If you're an Audible member, these actually turn out to be less expensive on audio than on ebook, and they're a quick listen. If you do want to catch up, I recommend you pick up the audio versions.
This episode introduces members of the Conclave, a group of alien races allied for common benefit. Apparently they've encountered humans before, and came out far worse for the confrontation. They lost ships, while the humans lost nothing. Understandably, they're wary about facing them head-on.
The story is told mostly through the perspective of Hafte Sorvahl, a very tall and imposing alien woman, who's sent to encourage the Colonial Union to remove its "wildcat" colonies (colonies who happen to have CDF officers among them) from unauthorized worlds before it starts a diplomatic incident. Along the way, she eats some churros and negotiates with some white supremacist types.
The human who speaks to Sorvahl has shown up in previous installments, and I'm starting to wonder where he stands. His actions in this episode serve the greater good of the CU and all sentient races, but he's involved in so much that I can't imagine his ability to keep secrets hasn't come in handy in other ways.
We'll see.
I listened to the audio version of this episode, as with all the previous ones, and found no change in the quality of narration or sound. If you're an Audible member, these actually turn out to be less expensive on audio than on ebook, and they're a quick listen. If you do want to catch up, I recommend you pick up the audio versions.
I am still enjoying this story, although I think I'm going to wish I had just waited and got them all together. If nothing else, it means all this short fiction is pumping up my book count for the year!
This was a very important episode to the plot, but it required a lot more attention than I was in the mood for. Took me rewinding three times to get the whole thing read. But the ending made up for the rough beginning. Not my favorite but I did enjoy the finish.
I really think the best part of this story series, and eventually this novel, is that we get a chance to see what's going on from all sorts of different points of view. This story is especially interesting because it's from the point of view of the generally accepted bad guy, though of course he's not as bad as people make him out to be.
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The sixth weekly instalment of this story. This one introduces a new perspective on the events while still maintaining the continuity. There is a really compelling story building here, and I wish it wasn't due in several more weekly instalments. I want to know what happens sooner than that!
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
You get a BrainPal! And You get a BrainPal! Everybody gets - no. Nope. Not true. Urrghh thats the thing with future tech - it's all hurry up and imagine this was real and then it's hurry up and wait for plausible "today" tech to merge with fantastical tech and mad scientist/inventor in order to become a reality.
But; I'm not losing hope. I shall have a BrainPal every time I open one of these short stories and then I'll graduate to Old Man's War series. BrainPals for everyone!
Plot/Storyline/Themes:
Ah yes, feels like just yesterday Wilson was dealing with "fake earthlings", the Cubs centuries drought in the World Series finally ending and just being an all round standup CDF dude - with a BrainPal in his skull. Okay okay I'll shut up about the BrainPal. NOT.
Anyway - none of that happens here. We are finally inside the Conclave. About damn time - I was getting curious about this Big Bad on the other side of the galaxy.
Character Development/Favorite Character:
Politics and Beauracracy is well, politics and beaurcracy regardless of the species behind the desk. Having just spent time unravelling a plot by Rigney and Egan in the Colonial Union - the Conclave Alien species own plots and ploys seemed so familiar I forgot they were alien until they mentioned eradicating the human race and then I was like ... well yeah we are a bit of a plague arent we? But no, no eradication just yet.
Sorvalh and Gau are the Rigney and Egan of the Conclave.
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Scene::
Gau and Sorvalh talk turkey.
"The real question is not whether the humans—the Colonial Union—could attack and possibly destroy the Conclave, if pressed. The real question is why they haven’t tried to do it since Roanoke.”
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Quotes:
🖤“ “The humans know they are in a bad position, Hafte. They are dangerous animals on the best of days. Poking at them right now is going to go poorly for everyone involved.” (Gau on Sorvalh next task)
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Concepts:
■ Conclave, a federation of 400 races/species
■BrainPal. Brain Pal. Brain. Pal.
■ Wildcat colonies are baaaack! This is no bueno.
■ Humans as the galaxy's main colonizing sociopath🤷🏻♀️
■CDF humans, Green and young all over again.
StoryGraph Challenge: 1800 Books by 2025
Challenge Prompt: 150 Short Stories by 2025
But; I'm not losing hope. I shall have a BrainPal every time I open one of these short stories and then I'll graduate to Old Man's War series. BrainPals for everyone!
Plot/Storyline/Themes:
Ah yes, feels like just yesterday Wilson was dealing with "fake earthlings", the Cubs centuries drought in the World Series finally ending and just being an all round standup CDF dude - with a BrainPal in his skull. Okay okay I'll shut up about the BrainPal. NOT.
Anyway - none of that happens here. We are finally inside the Conclave. About damn time - I was getting curious about this Big Bad on the other side of the galaxy.
Character Development/Favorite Character:
Politics and Beauracracy is well, politics and beaurcracy regardless of the species behind the desk. Having just spent time unravelling a plot by Rigney and Egan in the Colonial Union - the Conclave Alien species own plots and ploys seemed so familiar I forgot they were alien until they mentioned eradicating the human race and then I was like ... well yeah we are a bit of a plague arent we? But no, no eradication just yet.
Sorvalh and Gau are the Rigney and Egan of the Conclave.
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Scene::
Gau and Sorvalh talk turkey.
"The real question is not whether the humans—the Colonial Union—could attack and possibly destroy the Conclave, if pressed. The real question is why they haven’t tried to do it since Roanoke.”
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Quotes:
🖤“ “The humans know they are in a bad position, Hafte. They are dangerous animals on the best of days. Poking at them right now is going to go poorly for everyone involved.” (Gau on Sorvalh next task)
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Concepts:
■ Conclave, a federation of 400 races/species
■BrainPal. Brain Pal. Brain. Pal.
■ Wildcat colonies are baaaack! This is no bueno.
■ Humans as the galaxy's main colonizing sociopath🤷🏻♀️
■CDF humans, Green and young all over again.
StoryGraph Challenge: 1800 Books by 2025
Challenge Prompt: 150 Short Stories by 2025
Almost half way through Scalzi's 13 episode tale. It feels like a t.v. show where each episode has a different POV, a different style, a different purpose. Very cool.
This one takes us to the POV of the Conclave and it's nice to remember that both the good guys in a book and the bad guys both believe they are right if you look at things from their point of view.
Bring on the next one - this is good stuff.
This one takes us to the POV of the Conclave and it's nice to remember that both the good guys in a book and the bad guys both believe they are right if you look at things from their point of view.
Bring on the next one - this is good stuff.
Finally an episode that feels a bit more like a part of something than a contained story. Well almost anyway. It still felt everything had to be nice and resolved by the last page. My biggest fear for the human division is that even when it is all grouped together it still will not feel like one book. But this installment was fun and did much to reassure me that at the very least, my weekly short stories will remain enjoyable.