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A review by gossy
The Wounded Sky by Diane Duane
4.0
I remember adoring this book as a kid; it was one of my earlier finds of a book with aliens that took the extra step beyond “this species looks like X and fills Y role and their culture is like Z” and into “these species *exist* differently; they encounter the world through different modalities.” I also remember being absolutely enchanted by all the dreamlike sequences.
I was a bit less actively enchanted this time around, mostly because my suspension of disbelief was shakier. I wasn’t all that attached to most of the new characters, and some of the earlier philosophizing in the book failed to interest me.
That said, I still enjoyed it!
This book has several genuinely profound lines and moments, and I still felt swept along in many of the dreamlike cascades of rapid experiences; in the wonder found in profound purpose. Some of it was downright moving.
I also still enjoyed reading a Star Trek book that takes advantage of its format and leans into *diversity* in its aliens. The reminders were sometimes small but were also nearly constant, in every mention of crowds and side characters and crew. The whole book seems to be delighting in the possibilities of varied perspectives, and inviting the reader to share in that delight. For that alone, it’s easy to love this.
“Everything was the same size, really, until consciousness endowed that size with affect. If the “sea” seemed huge, and his vessel small, and the radiant Galaxy infinitely beautiful, it was because he saw them, and loved them, that way—”
I was a bit less actively enchanted this time around, mostly because my suspension of disbelief was shakier. I wasn’t all that attached to most of the new characters, and some of the earlier philosophizing in the book failed to interest me.
That said, I still enjoyed it!
This book has several genuinely profound lines and moments, and I still felt swept along in many of the dreamlike cascades of rapid experiences; in the wonder found in profound purpose. Some of it was downright moving.
I also still enjoyed reading a Star Trek book that takes advantage of its format and leans into *diversity* in its aliens. The reminders were sometimes small but were also nearly constant, in every mention of crowds and side characters and crew. The whole book seems to be delighting in the possibilities of varied perspectives, and inviting the reader to share in that delight. For that alone, it’s easy to love this.
“Everything was the same size, really, until consciousness endowed that size with affect. If the “sea” seemed huge, and his vessel small, and the radiant Galaxy infinitely beautiful, it was because he saw them, and loved them, that way—”