yvarg's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
3.25
Very stiff and awkward prose, but the conceptual interactions between two species trying to learn to communicate with each other were interesting.
kaine_'s review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
jpraska006's review against another edition
This book had many absolutely fascinating and novel concepts, interesting situations, and fresh ideas. There is a lot to love here, but for me the biggest detractor is that I simply struggled to find really any of the characters that likable.
kodermike's review
3.0
This book began with a great hook - an office bet on who can find the most interesting and unique ways to kill media darling, showman, and all around jerk to be around, Henri Kerlerec. Nobody foresaw the agency of his death (less than a dozen pages into the book) at the claws of the native Ilmatar, who naively dissect him thinking him an unintelligent animal.
And then the book trips over itself for a while. Cambias becomes lost in setting the stage, something he could have forgone without any loss to the story. Not helping the story is that our other space faring species, the Sholan, read more like a foreign culture than a foreign species. While there are some physiological differences noted, they feel like TV aliens with pointed ears and green blood - different, but only in culture. Otherwise they are just humans with rubber suits, bent on protecting us from repeating their own mistakes.
What really saves this book - from the portraying an alien species perspective - are the natives of the ocean depths themselves, the Ilmataran. It's not a fair analogy, but reading their POV is like being in the head of a sonar wielding lobster. I was reminded of Vinge's Spiders from A Deepness in the Sky, especially with the ease with which Cambias relates the world of a blind, ocean vent dwelling creature. Cambias really shines when dealing with the Ilmataran, and you get a sense of the potential here. As a first novel, it was good, and I look forward to seeing what else Cambias writes in the future.
The ARC of this novel was provided for review by Tor.
And then the book trips over itself for a while. Cambias becomes lost in setting the stage, something he could have forgone without any loss to the story. Not helping the story is that our other space faring species, the Sholan, read more like a foreign culture than a foreign species. While there are some physiological differences noted, they feel like TV aliens with pointed ears and green blood - different, but only in culture. Otherwise they are just humans with rubber suits, bent on protecting us from repeating their own mistakes.
What really saves this book - from the portraying an alien species perspective - are the natives of the ocean depths themselves, the Ilmataran. It's not a fair analogy, but reading their POV is like being in the head of a sonar wielding lobster. I was reminded of Vinge's Spiders from A Deepness in the Sky, especially with the ease with which Cambias relates the world of a blind, ocean vent dwelling creature. Cambias really shines when dealing with the Ilmataran, and you get a sense of the potential here. As a first novel, it was good, and I look forward to seeing what else Cambias writes in the future.
The ARC of this novel was provided for review by Tor.
mjfmjfmjf's review
4.0
Interest sf alien contact book. The aliens are pretty alien on the surface, unfortunately both sets of aliens are portrayed as fairly human. That said, doing alien aliens is hard and can be hard to read. The book seemed somewhat shallow but it got deeper as it went on and the pace picked up pretty well towards the end. Certainly this is the first set of aliens I've seen set in deep-water vents and their society was interestingly odd. The humans were a bit cardboard. 3.5 of 5.
missyreads's review against another edition
adventurous
3.0
Sci-fi about the interactions of humans with two alien species on an alien planet. I liked one alien character, Broadtail, but the overall conflict and the ways the humans and other advanced aliens reacted to things were frustrating. I think I prefer either a more optimistic take on alien relations or a more terrifying one.
taigafiend's review
2.0
cool concept progressively ruined as the book goes on. reaffirms my idea that the only remotely good sci-fi writers are drug addicts or eastern europeans
essinink's review
2.0
Meh... it was okay, I suppose.
Here's the thing, I like that it was a first contact novel, and the author has some great ideas. His actual writing has potential, he just needs to refine it.
For me, this book falls short on a number of levels.
The worldbuilding is a bit sloppy. There's a lot of great concepts here (Blind high-pressure evolved lobster people! Six-limbed sex-crazed space otters!) that just aren't followed through. The absurdity of the Ilmatarans behavior (which came across as humans in lobster suits) made it seem far more like being blind was a side feature, not an actual function of their species. Their behavior just didn't fit their body type. The Sholen have a similar problem.
In addition, for all the events of the book, it really didn't feel like it was tied to any sort of wider universe. What's with human-sholen relations? Why didn't the humans tell them to back off? Why is this outpost important? Why didn't anyone attempt to call for help? Etc.
It's not a bad book, but if the author really wanted to spend as much time as he did setting the stage for the actual story, he might have spent his words more wisely. Should he release another book, I look forward to seeing how he grows as a writer.
2.5/5. Won't be rereading, but I won't actively discourage anyone from trying it out. And if James Cambias feels like releasing another novel, I'd be willing to give it a chance.
Here's the thing, I like that it was a first contact novel, and the author has some great ideas. His actual writing has potential, he just needs to refine it.
For me, this book falls short on a number of levels.
The worldbuilding is a bit sloppy. There's a lot of great concepts here (Blind high-pressure evolved lobster people! Six-limbed sex-crazed space otters!) that just aren't followed through. The absurdity of the Ilmatarans behavior (which came across as humans in lobster suits) made it seem far more like being blind was a side feature, not an actual function of their species. Their behavior just didn't fit their body type. The Sholen have a similar problem.
In addition, for all the events of the book, it really didn't feel like it was tied to any sort of wider universe. What's with human-sholen relations? Why didn't the humans tell them to back off? Why is this outpost important? Why didn't anyone attempt to call for help? Etc.
It's not a bad book, but if the author really wanted to spend as much time as he did setting the stage for the actual story, he might have spent his words more wisely. Should he release another book, I look forward to seeing how he grows as a writer.
2.5/5. Won't be rereading, but I won't actively discourage anyone from trying it out. And if James Cambias feels like releasing another novel, I'd be willing to give it a chance.
stephilica's review
This was okay. I am a reader who likes puzzling through prose--I firmly believe novels should take full advantage of the medium and do something beautiful with it, the same way a filmmaker plays with shadow and color to not only convey the story but to do so with style. This book did not do the equivalent with its prose, which isn't an indictment so much as a statement of something that could have, but didn't, rescue the other parts of the novel.
The plot is the most interesting portion, and the development of a society of blind underwater aliens was also a point in the book's favor. Most characters, however, have little skin on their metaphorical bones and act stupidly to get the plot-ball rolling. None of them are particularly relatable, except Broadtail (though I am rather well-disposed towards characters who just want to Do the Science). I am convinced switching main character status from Rob, whose entire personality is cheesecake, pranks, and anime, to his girlfriend Alicia would have greatly improved the feeling of flat characters. She spends 99% of the book working to fix Rob's messes while he decides to commit further international (intergalactic?) incidents.
In all, the plot was neat even if characters and most of the setting (except the underwater aliens) were lacking, but in a way, that's damning it with faint praise.
The plot is the most interesting portion, and the development of a society of blind underwater aliens was also a point in the book's favor. Most characters, however, have little skin on their metaphorical bones and act stupidly to get the plot-ball rolling. None of them are particularly relatable, except Broadtail (though I am rather well-disposed towards characters who just want to Do the Science). I am convinced switching main character status from Rob, whose entire personality is cheesecake, pranks, and anime, to his girlfriend Alicia would have greatly improved the feeling of flat characters. She spends 99% of the book working to fix Rob's messes while he decides to commit further international (intergalactic?) incidents.
In all, the plot was neat even if characters and most of the setting (except the underwater aliens) were lacking, but in a way, that's damning it with faint praise.