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subversivegrrl's review against another edition
3.0
I was a little disappointed by this book toward the middle, but it came together as it went along and I was pretty satisfied by the end.
It's set on a world called Windhaven that is largely ocean, with widely-scattered islands. Long ago settled by star-farers from Earth, its remote pockets of population are kept in contact by a caste of flyers, who soar the air currents on wings made out of the indestructible fabric from the original ship's solar wind sail, flying between the islands to share news and vital messages. Their irreplaceable wings have been handed down through the generations from parent to eldest child, or in cases where a flyer dies without issue they may be passed on to another flyer by the Landsman who rules a given island. On some islands, the flyers are members of a priestly caste, and on others the flyers are the ruling elite, but everywhere flyers are treated as aristocrats, supported by the Land-bound (non-Flyers) in return for their valuable skills.
Maris was born to a Land-bound family, but dreamed of flying from the time she was a tiny child. On the death of her parents, she is adopted by Russ, a childless Flyer, and as her skills blossom she believes she will always have the right to live in her beloved skies. But the late birth of a child of Russ's own means her foster-brother Coll will be the one to claim his father's wings when he comes of age - whether or not that is his choice. As Coll's 13th birthday approaches, Maris embarks on a radical scheme to change the way her world operates: to allow anyone to train and compete for the right to become a Flyer, regardless of their birth. She has no way of anticipating, though, the ramifications of such a change, as the Flyer community resists the undermining of their historical entitlements - and how those consequences will ripple throughout Windhaven's society for years to come.
It's set on a world called Windhaven that is largely ocean, with widely-scattered islands. Long ago settled by star-farers from Earth, its remote pockets of population are kept in contact by a caste of flyers, who soar the air currents on wings made out of the indestructible fabric from the original ship's solar wind sail, flying between the islands to share news and vital messages. Their irreplaceable wings have been handed down through the generations from parent to eldest child, or in cases where a flyer dies without issue they may be passed on to another flyer by the Landsman who rules a given island. On some islands, the flyers are members of a priestly caste, and on others the flyers are the ruling elite, but everywhere flyers are treated as aristocrats, supported by the Land-bound (non-Flyers) in return for their valuable skills.
Maris was born to a Land-bound family, but dreamed of flying from the time she was a tiny child. On the death of her parents, she is adopted by Russ, a childless Flyer, and as her skills blossom she believes she will always have the right to live in her beloved skies. But the late birth of a child of Russ's own means her foster-brother Coll will be the one to claim his father's wings when he comes of age - whether or not that is his choice. As Coll's 13th birthday approaches, Maris embarks on a radical scheme to change the way her world operates: to allow anyone to train and compete for the right to become a Flyer, regardless of their birth. She has no way of anticipating, though, the ramifications of such a change, as the Flyer community resists the undermining of their historical entitlements - and how those consequences will ripple throughout Windhaven's society for years to come.
nquinlan's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
spydre's review against another edition
5.0
One of the rare stories that I introduced to our family lore, Windhaven takes place on a distant planet with a never-resting, thick atmosphere, where a few select families pass down wings made of materials scavenged from their colony ship.
I even wrote a song for it, because songs are so important to the story AND IT HAS NONE IN IT! My son sings it better than I do, and I would have loved to present it to Lisa Tuttle.
On the planet of Windhaven, the atmosphere is thick and the winds (almost) never stop. The colonists who settled here scavenged their ship for usable parts, and a lot of it went into the manufacture of sturdy, lightweight wings. The current level of technology can't reproduce them, and they are handed down within families.
The book follows the life of Maris, a little orphan child who was semi-adopted by a Flyer. He even taught her to use the wings, and then, when his son by blood comes of age, they are snatched away from her. The original short story ends when she manages to get the laws changed, and wins her wings back. The rest of the book shows that changing the law doesn't change people's attitudes.
I even wrote a song for it, because songs are so important to the story AND IT HAS NONE IN IT! My son sings it better than I do, and I would have loved to present it to Lisa Tuttle.
On the planet of Windhaven, the atmosphere is thick and the winds (almost) never stop. The colonists who settled here scavenged their ship for usable parts, and a lot of it went into the manufacture of sturdy, lightweight wings. The current level of technology can't reproduce them, and they are handed down within families.
The book follows the life of Maris, a little orphan child who was semi-adopted by a Flyer. He even taught her to use the wings, and then, when his son by blood comes of age, they are snatched away from her. The original short story ends when she manages to get the laws changed, and wins her wings back. The rest of the book shows that changing the law doesn't change people's attitudes.
bookaneer's review against another edition
3.0
Finished this in one seating. Beautiful and harrowing. Just what I expected from a master storyteller and his partner.
However I am still unsure whether this is fantasy or scifi. Or maybe both like the Pern series?
However I am still unsure whether this is fantasy or scifi. Or maybe both like the Pern series?
emagee's review against another edition
3.0
Meh. It was alright. Interesting while reading, but ultimately not memorable.
darkosaur's review against another edition
2.0
Poco Martin y mucha Tuttle, para mi desgracia. El mundo es interesante y los personajes tienen su punto en el que son curiosos y dan pie a desarrollo. De hecho, al primera de las tres partes de este libro esta bastante bien. Después el segundo libro es una mierda y el tercero medio meh, medio malo. Los personajes son planos, no avanzan (o lo hacen aun ritmo estupidamente lento) y le dan la vuelta a las mismas cosas todo el rato. Además, dejan de explorar cosas por hablarte del puto mensaje con menos sutileza que nada. Decepcionante
adj1920's review against another edition
4.0
I never read this because for some reason I thought it was part of a series. I love Martin's writing but I wasn't going to sign myself up for another lifelong wait like with "A Song of Ice & Fire." This is a standalone novel but it still makes quite an impression. It's a beautiful piece of science fiction that draws on universal themes of growing up, finding your passion and purpose, confronting harmful traditions, and how to go on when you have to live your passion in a different way than you imagined. It's an easy read but a deep one that I will probably revisit.
theorooney's review against another edition
4.5
I loved this. I went from thinking it was a decent sci-fi/fantasy story in the first half to being completely blown away in the final act. GRRM and Tuttle both do an incredible job. Obviously we know what GRRM went on to do but I definitely want to check out some more of Tuttle’s work after this.
It’s really fun reading GRRM’s early work as well just because there are so many little pre-ASOIAF Easter eggs to find. There are like 10 location names in this book that basically got exported to Westeros. God I wish the man did some more writing.
It’s really fun reading GRRM’s early work as well just because there are so many little pre-ASOIAF Easter eggs to find. There are like 10 location names in this book that basically got exported to Westeros. God I wish the man did some more writing.
wctracy's review against another edition
4.0
This book shows of Martin's engaging writing style, but without as much emotional trauma as the Song of Ice and Fire. I found myself reading "just a few more pages" despite the dense text. An enjoyable Sci-Fi about a colony world where humans are able to fly with wings between island outcrops in a vast sea.
roulettegirl's review against another edition
4.0
I did really like this book, though it wasn't what I was expecting. I thought I'd follow Maris through a briefer, but more intense struggle, rather than through her long life. But that doesn't make it a bad book - quite the contrary. Seeing the world change around the actions of one woman was fascinating - not that she caused everything, but rather she was a catalyst for change throughout her life. At the end, I wish we'd been able to follow Windhaven past Maris' death, to see the changes that continue to occur. But I enjoyed the book, and the characters, and now I know I like GRRM for things besides Westeros!