soulfulsin's review against another edition
3.0
While certainly not as action packed as the previous books (mostly notably its immediate predecessor), Destroyer packs a punch nonetheless. Finally, we have a longer interaction with Barb and Toby and Cajeiri takes precedence. As always with the Foreigner series, there are long sections of stream of consciousness, interspersed with dialog and summary designed to keep the reader on their toes- this is not a book to read while you're tired. Much of the action takes place "behind the curtain" and it's up to the reader to follow what's going on through the complicated atevi machinations and the plot within a plot.
My one quibble with this book is that it seemed Bren spent an inordinate amount of time drifting off into thought and giving us more background on the atevi home world than seemed necessary at this point. It's enough to keep track of without Bren giving us *too* much information and also dragging out the plot.
Cherryh has obviously chosen a slightly different formula in this trilogy within a series- rather than conclude the plot and bring up something else related, she stretched it into three books, so there is no real immediate resolution. Speaking for myself, I would much rather have a longer book than have it stretched out over three, but whatever works, I suppose.
It's hard not to grow obsessed with this series and the intricacies within it. There are layers upon layers and although it's hard to get into (especially with the first book), the experience can be very rewarding.
I recommend this book to anyone who has been reading the series all along. If you haven't, start with Foreigner. This is not a series where you can jump in at any point. There is very little summation of other books and it grows shorter and shorter the further you delve into the series.
My one quibble with this book is that it seemed Bren spent an inordinate amount of time drifting off into thought and giving us more background on the atevi home world than seemed necessary at this point. It's enough to keep track of without Bren giving us *too* much information and also dragging out the plot.
Cherryh has obviously chosen a slightly different formula in this trilogy within a series- rather than conclude the plot and bring up something else related, she stretched it into three books, so there is no real immediate resolution. Speaking for myself, I would much rather have a longer book than have it stretched out over three, but whatever works, I suppose.
It's hard not to grow obsessed with this series and the intricacies within it. There are layers upon layers and although it's hard to get into (especially with the first book), the experience can be very rewarding.
I recommend this book to anyone who has been reading the series all along. If you haven't, start with Foreigner. This is not a series where you can jump in at any point. There is very little summation of other books and it grows shorter and shorter the further you delve into the series.
malmer's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
applequinn's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
mothwing's review
4.0
Even I was very relieved when we finally meet up with Tabini again, conditions on the planet being so disorderly. Ilisidi is as great as ever.
nanaofnaia's review
4.0
This is a transition book which is necessary to the plot.
I love the unexpected action in this book and the Reveal of dynamics in the staff as well as shifts in loyalty which are deeply moving.
Bren's failure of understanding seems like a trivial failure in communication. His staff's support for actions following from the misunderstanding make no sense--until one realizes that Bren's status in Atevi society had been changed by Tabini's act of making him a Lord, but that happened after he left the world and both his status and Tabini's return to power are very uncertain.
It's a good book. The issues simply do not speak to my soul the way the first six books do.
I love the unexpected action in this book and the Reveal of dynamics in the staff as well as shifts in loyalty which are deeply moving.
Bren's failure of understanding seems like a trivial failure in communication. His staff's support for actions following from the misunderstanding make no sense--until one realizes that Bren's status in Atevi society had been changed by Tabini's act of making him a Lord, but that happened after he left the world and both his status and Tabini's return to power are very uncertain.
It's a good book. The issues simply do not speak to my soul the way the first six books do.
kazen's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
After being stuck in one situation for several books Bren finally gets to move around, and does he ever! I loved the road trip aspect, as well as meeting characters we haven't seen in a while, along with the respective politics. It would have been four stars, but Cherryh's action scenes are so confusing and jumbled that the entire book ended on a '....?' note.
After being stuck in one situation for several books Bren finally gets to move around, and does he ever! I loved the road trip aspect, as well as meeting characters we haven't seen in a while, along with the respective politics. It would have been four stars, but Cherryh's action scenes are so confusing and jumbled that the entire book ended on a '....?' note.
kalanadi's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
suzjustsuz's review
4.0
4+
Every now and then Cherryh manages to coincidentally remind me that the aliens are "not like us" no matter how much they seem to be. Now, understand that she does manage to TELL you that quite a lot, but sometimes she stops telling you and lets you forget and then lets you get hit in the face with it within the course of the story. I like that. I got a lot of that with this entry.
It took six books for me to stop calling it first "world building" and then "court intrigue." Today I'd call this story strongly character driven court intrigue in space. It takes a long time to develop, but it's quite good once it does.
Every now and then Cherryh manages to coincidentally remind me that the aliens are "not like us" no matter how much they seem to be. Now, understand that she does manage to TELL you that quite a lot, but sometimes she stops telling you and lets you forget and then lets you get hit in the face with it within the course of the story. I like that. I got a lot of that with this entry.
It took six books for me to stop calling it first "world building" and then "court intrigue." Today I'd call this story strongly character driven court intrigue in space. It takes a long time to develop, but it's quite good once it does.
robinwalter's review
adventurous
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A great start to the third 3-book arc in the series. Less of Bren's handwringing and navel-gazing, more action