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A review by shadowcas
Psion by Joan D. Vinge
4.0
I had read the sequel, Catspaw, many years ago before realizing that it was even a sequel. Catspaw will always be one of the first books that snared me into the sci-fi world and Psion did not disappoint either. Cat, our half-breed anti-hero, is a character that you can't help but love. He's tenacious, broken, vulnerable, and steel-tough. He gets dealt a crappy hand time and time again but still maintains a semblance of humanity, despite - or because of - his Hydran half. And while Cat's own experiences may be a bit hard to relate to, the hits that he keeps taking seem to make him a character that you can not only identify with but also cheer on.
Psion is a book that, for me, epitomizes the standard for sci-fi novels. It contains a tough anti-hero with a heart of gold, xenophobia (against non-humans of course), and a lot more liveable planets than you would expect. Sure, it seems a bit of a cliche novel. It does follow the basic mold for science fiction. But Vinge as a beauty to her writing that keeps you enthralled to the final period at the back of the book. I couldn't put it down. The story flowed off the pages and I was enraptured by every word.
I don't really have any complaints. Like I said, I had read Catspaw almost a decade ago. At the time, I was relatively new to sci-fi and I fell in love. Psion renewed that love. It was refreshing after such a dry spell for decent novels, to finally read something that delivered what was promised.
Also, this is the way telepathy is written. It was so easy to follow along with and so attention grabbing. It was definitely one of the best parts of the book. My only complaint is that it came nearly halfway into the actual story.
The build up is a particularly slow read. Having already read the sequel, it did not pose a hindrance on my pacing but I can understand the complaints of others. Vinge throws a lot more plot building and background dumping early on, while character building takes somewhat of a backseat. I don't agree that a boring first half can be made up for by a terrific second half, but I do caution against not finishing this one. It's really a wonderful read!
4 out of 5 stars
Psion is a book that, for me, epitomizes the standard for sci-fi novels. It contains a tough anti-hero with a heart of gold, xenophobia (against non-humans of course), and a lot more liveable planets than you would expect. Sure, it seems a bit of a cliche novel. It does follow the basic mold for science fiction. But Vinge as a beauty to her writing that keeps you enthralled to the final period at the back of the book. I couldn't put it down. The story flowed off the pages and I was enraptured by every word.
I don't really have any complaints. Like I said, I had read Catspaw almost a decade ago. At the time, I was relatively new to sci-fi and I fell in love. Psion renewed that love. It was refreshing after such a dry spell for decent novels, to finally read something that delivered what was promised.
Also, this is the way telepathy is written. It was so easy to follow along with and so attention grabbing. It was definitely one of the best parts of the book. My only complaint is that it came nearly halfway into the actual story.
The build up is a particularly slow read. Having already read the sequel, it did not pose a hindrance on my pacing but I can understand the complaints of others. Vinge throws a lot more plot building and background dumping early on, while character building takes somewhat of a backseat. I don't agree that a boring first half can be made up for by a terrific second half, but I do caution against not finishing this one. It's really a wonderful read!
4 out of 5 stars