Kane

Read Alliance/Union/Compact 1997 and Earlier First

Revisado: 02-21-21

If you are a fan of circular arguments and general repetition; if you enjoy feng shui or are a fan of The Sims, dive right into this book. Otherwise I suggest reading all the pre-1998 Alliance/Union/Compact novels first. A lack of assertive editing and some well-deserved end-of-career fantasy fulfillment will not stop you from reading absolutely anything Grand Master C.J. Cherryh puts out. Both Gene Wars books are good but save them for after Regenesis. Finally, read the Foreigner Series and save the Hinder Stars novel(s) for last.

I missed Gabra Zackman as the main narrator: she really made Cyteen quite special. While Jonathan Davis is a fine narrator in his own right, two vastly different production qualities are cobbled together into this volume; the effects are quite jarring. C.J. Cherryh and Jonathan Davis should insist that this novel be re-recorded.

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Mixed Feelings on this Omnibus

Revisado: 02-15-21

The outstanding premise and world-building of Laura Montgomery's Nwwwlf carried me through the ups and downs of this omnibus to the amazing finale that is Like A Continental Soldier, well worth the price all by itself. Sleeping Duty was quite enjoyable: 3 stars. Out of the Dell was quite painful to get through: 1 star, one could skip it entirely without losing much. Like a Continental Soldier: 5 stars.

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Get Through This First Book

Revisado: 02-03-21

Iduve ships of Hunter of Worlds did not seem to experience hyperspace like its primitive neighbors. I like to imagine that Earth's witness of the Knnn, particularly a certain free ride to Anuurn, gave it the political will to do some reverse engineering. I can also imagine that Earth would not allow such breakthroughs to reach Alliance/Union. C.J. Cherryh's Earth seems to have unlimited lives and resources to throw at a problem, the only limiting factor: politics.

Incessant circular worry does not make for good reading nor listening. However, get through this first book of the Foreigner Series and one is well rewarded with books 2-8. Deliverer begins a teenage drama.

I have always found distasteful Michael Whelan's fantasy depictions of Cherryh's aliens. His particularly egregious depictions of Atevi prevented me even attempting this first novel of the Foreigner series for a decade after I had finished all of Cherryh's Alliance-Union novels. It took over another decade to get past this first novel to the rest of this series, to this year in fact.

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Even-handed and Entertaining

Revisado: 11-11-17

Donna Brazile's gives a very even handed, pragmatic account of the 2016 election, contradicting hype from all three Cult reactions—Clinton, Sanders, Trump—to the POLITICO article. On top of that, it was actually entertaining.

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Jazz or Cacophony

Revisado: 11-08-17

I was tempted many times not to finish this book. While many of you quite enjoy an author taking three pages to describe the events of one minute, I generally find such padding to be a complete slog, especially in a volume of pointless episodes which seem to lead nowhere. It is hard to imagine any but the most ravenous idea-junkies making it through this book when it appeared in 1987. I personally only endured because so many have lauded the work of Iaian Banks. I was indeed rewarded at the end.

It seems the utter pointlessness was an intentional Samuel Becket-style device. The best Jazz is merely cacophony until skill is discerned and intention assured. I did not love this book, but I do look forward to trying more of Banks' work to see if it is intention or accident which guides him.

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Drivel

Revisado: 10-17-17

I quite enjoyed Old Man's War. Unfortunately every subsequent novel, including this one, has been regurgitation.

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Science Tutorial Interspersed with Excellent Pros

Revisado: 10-10-17

All Neal Stephenson books are as such; I happen to like that kind of thing. Will Damron's performance was pleasant enough. Mary Kowal, on the other hand, should never be permitted to do "voices."

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