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lindentea's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
The fuck lol. The crazy wild ride that the premise implies, but with all the emphasis put in the wrong places. Like why is there so much about sieges?? Bring back my king Brother Parvus trying to figure out if these aliens have souls or not!!!! And btw as you can tell I thought Brother Parvus as the narrator kinda ate but soooo many of the people around him were boring af, and more a satire of 20th century medievalism than actual medieval figures right down to Feudalism being the solution to any and every problem, which is weird because like Parvus WAS a lot more, like, normal for what he would be as a Franciscan monk. If i had to choose an alternate medieval cast to initiate first contact w aliens it would probably be the monastery from The Name of the Rose but also i think they could get eviscerated. Idk. Anyway I really think this is trying to say Something about Colonialism or the Space Race or Both but I genuinely cannot figure out what. It was entertaining I'll give you that!! But i was also like "tess... why are we reading this"
mmehdi_auteur's review
Didn't like it... too slow and predictable sorry. Third time I'm trying to read Poul Story but I don't like his stories even if his ideas are good :/
chia_s's review
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
stephab4's review against another edition
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
2.0
zare_i's review
5.0
What happens when highly advanced civilization makes a wrong decision and invades a world of pretty practical, sharp and witty species that is so good with metal and pointy thingies?
Well, aliens lose their empire, that is for sure :) While entire story is pretty much tongue in cheek (nothing can stop hones Englishmen eh :) statements about Frenchmen made me giggle like a child) it balances pretty good on the very border of comedy and birth of the space-civilization story. In these days where people generally tend to act as herd and want to live in some nebulous realms, it is truly refreshing to read adventure story of old where practicality is the skill that pays off best - be it learning languages, learning how to cope with ever changing environment and opposition.
Just reading about various characters that are so out of their comfort zone and their actions and yearnings (to keep this epic author introduces a lot of internal strife and even tragedy) will make you laugh - from clergy that slowly become scientists (ah, parallels, parallels), public servants like executioner who try to keep the business up and running, to lords and ladies that are feeling terribly inconvenienced because crusade in Holy Land is interrupted by this side quest :) And finale is something to remember, meeting between old and new breed from the same world :)
Message is the eternal one - having advanced technology does not mean advanced abilities or ability to make correct decisions. Something to keep in mind at all times.
Highly recommended to fans of old fashioned adventure stories and good laugh.
Well, aliens lose their empire, that is for sure :) While entire story is pretty much tongue in cheek (nothing can stop hones Englishmen eh :) statements about Frenchmen made me giggle like a child) it balances pretty good on the very border of comedy and birth of the space-civilization story. In these days where people generally tend to act as herd and want to live in some nebulous realms, it is truly refreshing to read adventure story of old where practicality is the skill that pays off best - be it learning languages, learning how to cope with ever changing environment and opposition.
Just reading about various characters that are so out of their comfort zone and their actions and yearnings (to keep this epic author introduces a lot of internal strife and even tragedy) will make you laugh - from clergy that slowly become scientists (ah, parallels, parallels), public servants like executioner who try to keep the business up and running, to lords and ladies that are feeling terribly inconvenienced because crusade in Holy Land is interrupted by this side quest :) And finale is something to remember, meeting between old and new breed from the same world :)
Message is the eternal one - having advanced technology does not mean advanced abilities or ability to make correct decisions. Something to keep in mind at all times.
Highly recommended to fans of old fashioned adventure stories and good laugh.
suzemo's review
4.0
This book is absolutely silly and fun and a rollicking good time.
Is it high-literature spread with awesome twisty ideas and going to change the way you see the world?
Absolutely not.
Will you laugh your metaphorical ass off?
Maybe, I did chuckle a few times out loud while reading it (especially the "negotiation" tent scenes.
Aliens land on a field outside a Medieval village. Shit happens. And we discover what could happen when the SCA runs amok at a sci-fi convention.
Under the excellent and hilarious leadership of the local lord, and entire village packs up, and takes off in a stolen alien craft. They run amok of the alien race when the ship autopilots (with the help of a duplicitous captured-hostile). The "advanced" aliens learn that superior technology doesn't always win, and guerrilla warfare can be rather trying.
There was a little bit of seriousness with the political and economic business of trying to run a medieval-star-spread empire, but even that was light and kept the book fun.
Sure the story is dated and a little cheesy, but if you can read a story with you tongue firmly implanted in your cheek and enjoy yourself, then you'd like this book.
Is it high-literature spread with awesome twisty ideas and going to change the way you see the world?
Absolutely not.
Will you laugh your metaphorical ass off?
Maybe, I did chuckle a few times out loud while reading it (especially the "negotiation" tent scenes.
Aliens land on a field outside a Medieval village. Shit happens. And we discover what could happen when the SCA runs amok at a sci-fi convention.
Under the excellent and hilarious leadership of the local lord, and entire village packs up, and takes off in a stolen alien craft. They run amok of the alien race when the ship autopilots (with the help of a duplicitous captured-hostile). The "advanced" aliens learn that superior technology doesn't always win, and guerrilla warfare can be rather trying.
There was a little bit of seriousness with the political and economic business of trying to run a medieval-star-spread empire, but even that was light and kept the book fun.
Sure the story is dated and a little cheesy, but if you can read a story with you tongue firmly implanted in your cheek and enjoy yourself, then you'd like this book.
loonyboi's review
4.0
This was really fun. I'm surprised it's not more well-known. Highly recommended.
johnnyforeign's review against another edition
3.0
This is a relatively short novel. It essentially revolves around a single, epic plot twist--a very clever one--which, I believe, could have been arrived at in much quicker order. Such being the case, I think it would have worked better as a short story. It was an entertaining read, in any event.
aaronreadabook's review
3.0
In 1345, as a Lincolnshire village prepares to head to France to fight in the Hundred Years War, an alien scout ship lands on their own mission of conquest. Although superior in technology, they underestimate the fighting spirit of merry old England.
This is a very playful and silly novel, which surprised me as the previous Poul Anderson novel I read was a quite hard sci-fi physics type book. The guy obviously has a lot of range. This was a fun short little thing. It reminded me a bit of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom stories.
This is a very playful and silly novel, which surprised me as the previous Poul Anderson novel I read was a quite hard sci-fi physics type book. The guy obviously has a lot of range. This was a fun short little thing. It reminded me a bit of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom stories.