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esteinmetz's review
4.0
Neat. I especially like the mixing of future tech into the old tech world. It was ALMOST viewed as magic, but was present enough that the locals tried to use it themselves.
branch_c's review
4.0
After a recent reread of Icerigger, I decided that the current winter weather would be a fitting time to move on to the sequel. First read 40 (!) ish years ago, this has long been a sentimental favorite of mine, from the time when I was just getting into science fiction and developing a taste for certain styles. Foster's style, with its straightforward adventuring in unique future settings, holds up remarkably well after all this time.
Sure, as I said about Icerigger, not everything is believable, but it doesn't really have to be in order for this to be an enjoyable story. I'll mention a couple of quibbles this time around: I commented favorably on Icerigger that Foster had managed to avoid the obvious blunders of non-sailors writing about sailing - this time he didn't do quite as well, committing the cardinal error of mistaking sheets for sails, as well as mixing up some other terminology. I've definitely seen worse though! And then there's the big revelation about the Golden Saia and the history of Tran-ky-ky. It may have been original at the time; I'm not sure. But this time it struck me as a bit anticlimactic.
Anyway these are minor issues; and the book is worth reading for anyone who enjoys hard SF with a fairly light tone and a dash of swashbuckle. It easily retains my four star rating for nostalgic reasons if nothing else.
Sure, as I said about Icerigger, not everything is believable, but it doesn't really have to be in order for this to be an enjoyable story. I'll mention a couple of quibbles this time around: I commented favorably on Icerigger that Foster had managed to avoid the obvious blunders of non-sailors writing about sailing - this time he didn't do quite as well, committing the cardinal error of mistaking sheets for sails, as well as mixing up some other terminology. I've definitely seen worse though! And then there's the big revelation about the Golden Saia and the history of Tran-ky-ky. It may have been original at the time; I'm not sure. But this time it struck me as a bit anticlimactic.
Anyway these are minor issues; and the book is worth reading for anyone who enjoys hard SF with a fairly light tone and a dash of swashbuckle. It easily retains my four star rating for nostalgic reasons if nothing else.
manwithanagenda's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
After finishing 'Mission to Moulokin', I'm having trouble remembering anything that happens in 'The Deluge Drivers', because a lot happens here.
'Icerigger' was primarily an adventure story with some natives that just happened to be giant ice-skating cats with underarm webbing. This cover begs me to add 'pirates', but, alas, one book can't have everything. 'Mission' begins with the Slanderskree carrying our human survivors and their friends to the Humanx Commonwealth outpost a year and a half after they crashed on Tran-ky-ky's surface.
Brass Monkey isn't what they thought it would be, however. If you're familiar with any interactions between a technologically advanced civilization and a resource-rich "primitive" one, you know what's going on there. The local authorities, both Tran and Humanx, seem eager to get the survivors off-planet as soon as possible, but with the exception of the superb Collette du Kane and her father, who have business to get back to, they decide to help the Tran establish a more equal and protected relationship with the Commonwealth. Until the scattered, warring city-states and nomadic sacking tribes can form some kind of unified government they're vulnerable.
While dodging the sabotage-efforts of the corrupt authorities the crew of the Slanderskree make some important discoveries.
Icerigger Trilogy
Next: 'The Deluge Drivers'
Previous: 'Icerigger'
'Icerigger' was primarily an adventure story with some natives that just happened to be giant ice-skating cats with underarm webbing. This cover begs me to add 'pirates', but, alas, one book can't have everything. 'Mission' begins with the Slanderskree carrying our human survivors and their friends to the Humanx Commonwealth outpost a year and a half after they crashed on Tran-ky-ky's surface.
Brass Monkey isn't what they thought it would be, however. If you're familiar with any interactions between a technologically advanced civilization and a resource-rich "primitive" one, you know what's going on there. The local authorities, both Tran and Humanx, seem eager to get the survivors off-planet as soon as possible, but with the exception of the superb Collette du Kane and her father, who have business to get back to, they decide to help the Tran establish a more equal and protected relationship with the Commonwealth. Until the scattered, warring city-states and nomadic sacking tribes can form some kind of unified government they're vulnerable.
While dodging the sabotage-efforts of the corrupt authorities the crew of the Slanderskree make some important discoveries.
Icerigger Trilogy
Next: 'The Deluge Drivers'
Previous: 'Icerigger'
bzedan's review
4.0
The first of the trilogy is always going to be my favourite, but all the books are hella boss. Oh Foster, you crazy bio-nerd and your sociological ambitions.
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