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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
I would give this more stars if the ebook version I read hadn't been so full of OCR conversion typos that it made the book hard to read (ebook version from SF Gateway).
The story is slow to start, but once it gets going you don't want to put it down. It's also quite dark and brutal and not what I wanted to read at the time. Interesting comments on those who seek power being corrupted by it, and the feelings of those who are unwillingly dedicated to religions.
The only reason I purchased this book was because it was highly recommended as one of the best SF books of all time. It's certainly interesting, and it's nice to read a woman centred story, but I don't know if I'd put it in my top 100.
The story is slow to start, but once it gets going you don't want to put it down. It's also quite dark and brutal and not what I wanted to read at the time. Interesting comments on those who seek power being corrupted by it, and the feelings of those who are unwillingly dedicated to religions.
The only reason I purchased this book was because it was highly recommended as one of the best SF books of all time. It's certainly interesting, and it's nice to read a woman centred story, but I don't know if I'd put it in my top 100.
This book made me realize how much of my morality has been founded on science fiction books.
This book had some interesting aliens and conceptions of morality. What is good? What is evil? Why is good destroyed?
challenging
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Pseudo-aristocrats raping unconscious girls, alien horses mind-raping teenaged girls, alien bestiality...
80's were wild, huh.
(What am I doing with my life.)
80's were wild, huh.
(What am I doing with my life.)
Well-written story on the nature of community.
I was initially drawn in by the mention of alien fox hunting with enormous, intelligent creatures on a planet covered entirely by grassland - and I wasn’t disappointed on that front, but there’s so much more to Grass than that. Tepper’s descriptions of the planet are beautiful and made me wish I could gallop across it myself, though not on a Hippai, who are NOT horses, nor are the Foxen anything like Earth’s foxes.
I really liked Margerie as a character - at times I could feel the frustration and claustrophobia of her marriage and situation and I appreciated her being consistently intelligent and logical. Reego I hated. He was self-centered and immature and DENSE as a brick shithouse. He’s a terrible person, an even worse husband, and I hope he ends up alone back on Terra.
I liked the mystery aspects of trying to find an origin and cure for the plague, discovering what happened to the Arbai, and learning about the different species and ecosystem of Grass itself. The idea of a metamorphosis based life cycle was super interesting. I haven’t seen anything like that in a sci-fi before.
I even liked the religious themes and how they were handled in the book, though it might only be because Tepper’s commentary and general opinions seemed to line up well with mine. I especially liked Margerie’s brief conversation with God, which was humorous and thought provoking rather than irritating and exclusive.
My only very minor complaint is about the few horse-centric passages and it only bothers me because I have so much personal experience in that subject. It’s one of those times where you can tell someone who doesn’t ride horses is trying to describe riding horses and they get very close, but still miss the mark. First, Puissance jumping is NOT an Olympic sport. It’s more of a special event sometimes held at big venues. Second, no one in their right mind would start a breeding program with a random assortment of different breeds of any animal. That’s like trying to breed an exceptional Siamese cat from a bunch of strays at the local shelter. You might be able to do it, but it would take 100,000 years. If you wanted to actually accomplish something with a breeding program you’d take exceptional individuals of a breed already suited to your purpose and breed for specific traits within that breed, only introducing an individual of another breed if they are already similar in standards and only rarely. Third, letting horses drink water (of any temperature and amount) after intense physical exertion will NOT make them sick. Their bodies NEED that water to rehydrate, regulate temperature, and recover. To say otherwise is dangerous misinformation. I know Grass was written in 1989, but even then this was known to be a myth.
I really liked Margerie as a character - at times I could feel the frustration and claustrophobia of her marriage and situation and I appreciated her being consistently intelligent and logical. Reego I hated. He was self-centered and immature and DENSE as a brick shithouse. He’s a terrible person, an even worse husband, and I hope he ends up alone back on Terra.
I liked the mystery aspects of trying to find an origin and cure for the plague, discovering what happened to the Arbai, and learning about the different species and ecosystem of Grass itself. The idea of a metamorphosis based life cycle was super interesting. I haven’t seen anything like that in a sci-fi before.
I even liked the religious themes and how they were handled in the book, though it might only be because Tepper’s commentary and general opinions seemed to line up well with mine. I especially liked Margerie’s brief conversation with God, which was humorous and thought provoking rather than irritating and exclusive.
My only very minor complaint is about the few horse-centric passages and it only bothers me because I have so much personal experience in that subject. It’s one of those times where you can tell someone who doesn’t ride horses is trying to describe riding horses and they get very close, but still miss the mark. First, Puissance jumping is NOT an Olympic sport. It’s more of a special event sometimes held at big venues. Second, no one in their right mind would start a breeding program with a random assortment of different breeds of any animal. That’s like trying to breed an exceptional Siamese cat from a bunch of strays at the local shelter. You might be able to do it, but it would take 100,000 years. If you wanted to actually accomplish something with a breeding program you’d take exceptional individuals of a breed already suited to your purpose and breed for specific traits within that breed, only introducing an individual of another breed if they are already similar in standards and only rarely. Third, letting horses drink water (of any temperature and amount) after intense physical exertion will NOT make them sick. Their bodies NEED that water to rehydrate, regulate temperature, and recover. To say otherwise is dangerous misinformation. I know Grass was written in 1989, but even then this was known to be a myth.
Another nostalgia-influenced read - I think I was in my late teens when I read everything of Tepper's I could get my hands on. Really enjoyed revisiting "Grass" - it was unfamiliar enough to be freshly shocking. Tepper does visceral alien horror so well.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The planet of Grass was incredibly well described and fascinating, especially through the prologue, establishing the differences between Terra/Earth and Grass. I loved the contradicting of the normal stereotype, as here the aristocratic bons are the ones who are backwards, technologically deficient and know little about their own planet, being used by the Hippae for their own ends. The description of the first hunt with Diamante was chilling and built up tension and expectations well.
I thought the religious discussions and themes explored were interesting, even though Sanctity was almost comically over the top evil, and I feel like their internal collapse at the end is a bit too neat. But, speaking of, I liked the happy but ambiguously hopeful end- it suited the overall tone of the novel and it’s nice that Marjorie finally feels free of both Rigo and the demands of Old Catholicism.
The alien/animal dream sex was… yeah. Bit odd really
I thought the religious discussions and themes explored were interesting, even though Sanctity was almost comically over the top evil, and I feel like their internal collapse at the end is a bit too neat. But, speaking of, I liked the happy but ambiguously hopeful end- it suited the overall tone of the novel and it’s nice that Marjorie finally feels free of both Rigo and the demands of Old Catholicism.
The alien/animal dream sex was… yeah. Bit odd really