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A review by samwreads
Ancestral Night by Elizabeth Bear
3.0
Weird book! But in a good way.
I love the story and imaginative world building. It's big and ambitious and the author actually does a pretty good job of creating a relevant and interesting backstory and tying it in with the current crisis-du-future-jour. I especially love the ethical questions posed (and contested) regarding mood/mind regulation. I know (or it certainly seems) that science fiction as a genre has long been a haven for libertarian fantasies, and to some degree one could argue that the ability to self-regulate one's own cognition and emotions in real-time is a form of individualist empowerment. But it's pitted against the also individualist and more romantic separatist pirate factions who eschew "right-minding" and instead advocate for the primacy and immediacy of emotional engagement. It's a fun thought experiment.
As for my issues with the book: first off, there are a few pacing issues with the plot. Not going to get into spoilers but there's a large section where two characters are trapped together that dragged a lot for me, and interrupted the larger "space opera" chase and mystery. Also the climax and denouement were only marginally satisfying for me. I feel like there was space for a lot more. Lastly, I'll admit that I struggled a fair amount with the degree to which Bear (the author) seemingly goes out of her way to incorporate technical jargon and information into the narrative. I get that this is an immersion thing and supposedly some people like it, but it is just not for me.
Recommended for people who are fans of "technical jargon-y" science fiction and great big space mysteries.
I love the story and imaginative world building. It's big and ambitious and the author actually does a pretty good job of creating a relevant and interesting backstory and tying it in with the current crisis-du-future-jour. I especially love the ethical questions posed (and contested) regarding mood/mind regulation. I know (or it certainly seems) that science fiction as a genre has long been a haven for libertarian fantasies, and to some degree one could argue that the ability to self-regulate one's own cognition and emotions in real-time is a form of individualist empowerment. But it's pitted against the also individualist and more romantic separatist pirate factions who eschew "right-minding" and instead advocate for the primacy and immediacy of emotional engagement. It's a fun thought experiment.
As for my issues with the book: first off, there are a few pacing issues with the plot. Not going to get into spoilers but there's a large section where two characters are trapped together that dragged a lot for me, and interrupted the larger "space opera" chase and mystery. Also the climax and denouement were only marginally satisfying for me. I feel like there was space for a lot more. Lastly, I'll admit that I struggled a fair amount with the degree to which Bear (the author) seemingly goes out of her way to incorporate technical jargon and information into the narrative. I get that this is an immersion thing and supposedly some people like it, but it is just not for me.
Recommended for people who are fans of "technical jargon-y" science fiction and great big space mysteries.