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eb00kie's review
3.0
Female Sherlock Holmes in a sentient ship and a dead body mystery. Some Asian-like influences.
The one appeal arising from originality is the worldbuilding. Not much else new.
The one appeal arising from originality is the worldbuilding. Not much else new.
tehani's review against another edition
5.0
Though I've not read much Sherlock Holmes, I am a fan of all the new media versions over the past several years, and I really enjoyed this novella. It's a clever and well-devised offering, and one that makes me want to dive into more of de Bodard's work. My one complaint would be the misuse of "deduct" instead of "deduce" in several instances - I don't believe this is a regional variation, though I might be wrong, but it bothered me enough to highlight in my Kindle edition and kept knocking me out of the otherwise excellent reading experience! Regardless of this, I highly recommend the book.
kblincoln's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars, actually.
On first glance, this far future tale of an outpost on the edge of a "deep space" where currents of unreality can tear a human apart and the mind ships with their metal bodies and human hearts/minds can barely tolerate going would be like catnip to me. The repartee between The Shadow's Child (mind ship) and her client, Long Chau, should have been enough to keep me immersed. There is also the layered world of avatars in the station, the tea blends the mind ship makes to help humans survive deep space, and a corpse to be retrieved for "scientific study."
We get a lot of The Shadow Child's history, and uncover some of Long Chau's, but I felt like I was missing stuff most of the time. This is a connected story to other of the author's works, and I wonder if I might have "gotten" this story better if I read the others first. There seemed to be a kind of airy sense of vagueness to the story, and when I would pick it up again I would have to go back and reread several pages to remember what was happening and where they were.
I think that is what kept me from getting fully immersed in the story.
On first glance, this far future tale of an outpost on the edge of a "deep space" where currents of unreality can tear a human apart and the mind ships with their metal bodies and human hearts/minds can barely tolerate going would be like catnip to me. The repartee between The Shadow's Child (mind ship) and her client, Long Chau, should have been enough to keep me immersed. There is also the layered world of avatars in the station, the tea blends the mind ship makes to help humans survive deep space, and a corpse to be retrieved for "scientific study."
We get a lot of The Shadow Child's history, and uncover some of Long Chau's, but I felt like I was missing stuff most of the time. This is a connected story to other of the author's works, and I wonder if I might have "gotten" this story better if I read the others first. There seemed to be a kind of airy sense of vagueness to the story, and when I would pick it up again I would have to go back and reread several pages to remember what was happening and where they were.
I think that is what kept me from getting fully immersed in the story.
roadtripreader's review against another edition
5.0
I love a book that lingers so much I have to reread it within a couple of hours. I came away from this story feeling like I had just been dragged through a lucid dream or more like, tumbling headfirst into someone else's lucid dream where everything makes sense in a wonderfully warped way. It has a very cosmic, midnighty-blue with purple haze and shock white light kind of feeling. If you need a break from your heavier novels and you are partial to some mind-bending sci-fi, chemistry, and detective mysteries, this is right up that alley.
Too many things to like, so let's start with the only thing that could have been...more rounded:
1. Long Chau is obviously a reimagining of a Sherlockian character. Her abstract thinking and her detached nature bare all the hallmark characteristics of the world's beloved consulting detective. Yet, she seems very two dimensional and even with revelations within the book, I don't see her as more than a Sherlock standin - however, this reimagining works so well with the reluctant Dr Watson in the form of "The Shadow's Child"
Now, on to the stuff stood out:
A) At it's core, it is a story about grief, untreated post traumatic stress and the overcoming of fear whether at a snails pace or forced by the threat of imminent chaos - or death.
B) The names in this book are EPIC! Picture meeting someone called "The Shadow's Child" or "Pomegranates Buried In The Sand" I know I would grab a coffee and listen to the stories of someone named "The Sorrow of Gentlemen" and play chess with "Sharpening Steel Into Needles"
C) The concept of the shipmind was interesting to envision at first. To see the whole I first imagined this echo or mind then an apparition in almost solid form and then some sort futuristic ship. This shipmind in question is fragile, riddled with fear, sensitive and traumatized. An interesting take on a sentient AI.
D) Sherlock needs a good case: In this case, the outer space mystery is intriguing and chekov's gun appears not far into the story but it's drawn out really well and comes to an excellent climax. I honestly found myself jotting down my own theories about whodunnit and it was quite enjoyable.
E) Chemistry, Human Anatomy and Psychology, it was quite refreshing to read about the monumental task of space jumping and what the human body needs to be able to mentally and physically come out on the other side in one piece.
I read this as a standalone and it was so good, I'm adding the "Xuya Universe" to my reading list (On A Red Station, Drifting / The Citadel of Weeping Pearls)
Too many things to like, so let's start with the only thing that could have been...more rounded:
1. Long Chau is obviously a reimagining of a Sherlockian character. Her abstract thinking and her detached nature bare all the hallmark characteristics of the world's beloved consulting detective. Yet, she seems very two dimensional and even with revelations within the book, I don't see her as more than a Sherlock standin - however, this reimagining works so well with the reluctant Dr Watson in the form of "The Shadow's Child"
Now, on to the stuff stood out:
A) At it's core, it is a story about grief, untreated post traumatic stress and the overcoming of fear whether at a snails pace or forced by the threat of imminent chaos - or death.
B) The names in this book are EPIC! Picture meeting someone called "The Shadow's Child" or "Pomegranates Buried In The Sand" I know I would grab a coffee and listen to the stories of someone named "The Sorrow of Gentlemen" and play chess with "Sharpening Steel Into Needles"
C) The concept of the shipmind was interesting to envision at first. To see the whole I first imagined this echo or mind then an apparition in almost solid form and then some sort futuristic ship. This shipmind in question is fragile, riddled with fear, sensitive and traumatized. An interesting take on a sentient AI.
D) Sherlock needs a good case: In this case, the outer space mystery is intriguing and chekov's gun appears not far into the story but it's drawn out really well and comes to an excellent climax. I honestly found myself jotting down my own theories about whodunnit and it was quite enjoyable.
E) Chemistry, Human Anatomy and Psychology, it was quite refreshing to read about the monumental task of space jumping and what the human body needs to be able to mentally and physically come out on the other side in one piece.
I read this as a standalone and it was so good, I'm adding the "Xuya Universe" to my reading list (On A Red Station, Drifting / The Citadel of Weeping Pearls)
the_discworldian's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
doodlefox's review against another edition
5.0
A great start
This is an intriguing introduction to an interesting new world. I'm left with more questions than answers and am off to go find the next installment.
This is an intriguing introduction to an interesting new world. I'm left with more questions than answers and am off to go find the next installment.
plaidpladd's review against another edition
4.0
This was a cool world and a much closer Sherlock Holmes analogue than I was expecting.
tombomp's review against another edition
3.0
I think it's not BAD and it was basically enjoyable and yes I always love variations on Sherlock Holmes.. but so much of the writing was taken up by sci-fi scaffolding that ultimately didn't really add much to the story. It really feels like an introduction story to a series of short stories but it doesn't really give a hint at the workings of lots of stuff and the "mystery" such as it is is given short shrift.
I dunno, I'd probably say 2.5? I feel harsh giving it a 2 cause I wouldn't say it was bad it just felt like there wasn't much to it. The concept of a classical Chinese influenced space society where people drink tea to cope with space travel with Sherlock Holmes in it is a fun setting but it just doesn't get detailed enough to be interesting and the story part just feels a little weak.
I dunno, I'd probably say 2.5? I feel harsh giving it a 2 cause I wouldn't say it was bad it just felt like there wasn't much to it. The concept of a classical Chinese influenced space society where people drink tea to cope with space travel with Sherlock Holmes in it is a fun setting but it just doesn't get detailed enough to be interesting and the story part just feels a little weak.
titusfortner's review against another edition
3.0
It's nice to get a slightly longer story in this universe, and this is a good one. Unfortunately it feel apart for me a bit at the end. 3.5 stars rounded down.
markmtz's review against another edition
5.0
A captivating Sherlockian tale that takes us into deep spaces.