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Fantastically entertaining space opera, with well-drawn characters (some of whom are even female!) and a ridiculously audacious protagonist. For the first time in ages, I found myself thinking "just one more chapter", just to see exactly how Miles was going to pull himself out of this one, and how much farther in over his head he'd inevitably get in the process. It's not exactly a deep story (though there's bits of philosophical questioning here and there that keep it from being a complete soap opera), but it's damned enjoyable.
It was also interesting reading a story about a character whom (it's strongly implied) suffers from bipolar disorder in a culture where mental illness is unacknowledged (as it's considered tantamount to weakness). Speaking as a former psych major who's known several people living with bipolar disorder, his reactions and coping mechanisms felt quite authentic, as well as adding an interesting wrinkle into a plot that's otherwise perhaps straightforward to a fault.
My only real issue with it is kind of petty, but bothered me all through reading it anyway: Does anyone know how to file a complaint with the Regulatory Board of Cheesy 80s Sci-Fi Cover Art? I mean, seriously. Staunch Hero with his arm around Scantily Clad Woman! Starbase ripped straight from Star Trek II out the window! But it's not the cheese that bothers me so much as the ridiculous inaccuracy - one supposes that the central figures are the male and female leads, but the male lead is specifically described as small and frail and shorter than the female lead (who is never described as wearing anything particularly skimpy, but is in fact often described doing practical things that would require rather more practical clothing). Seriously, artists. Cheese is fine, even fun, but at least read the dang book before you start painting. A-
It was also interesting reading a story about a character whom (it's strongly implied) suffers from bipolar disorder in a culture where mental illness is unacknowledged (as it's considered tantamount to weakness). Speaking as a former psych major who's known several people living with bipolar disorder, his reactions and coping mechanisms felt quite authentic, as well as adding an interesting wrinkle into a plot that's otherwise perhaps straightforward to a fault.
My only real issue with it is kind of petty, but bothered me all through reading it anyway: Does anyone know how to file a complaint with the Regulatory Board of Cheesy 80s Sci-Fi Cover Art? I mean, seriously. Staunch Hero with his arm around Scantily Clad Woman! Starbase ripped straight from Star Trek II out the window! But it's not the cheese that bothers me so much as the ridiculous inaccuracy - one supposes that the central figures are the male and female leads, but the male lead is specifically described as small and frail and shorter than the female lead (who is never described as wearing anything particularly skimpy, but is in fact often described doing practical things that would require rather more practical clothing). Seriously, artists. Cheese is fine, even fun, but at least read the dang book before you start painting. A-
