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libsbibs's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
As a disabled person I adore Anne’s forays into the universe where physical limitations bear no boundaries on capability or individual worth!! This story is romantic and encourages the reader to keep their own eyes open to the world around them, may we all see the hidden talents in ourselves and others.
skoglundk's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
tessisreading2's review against another edition
4.0
Four stars because this was a favorite of my adolescence, but I have to say re-reading it reminded me of an argument I got into with a middle-aged man, back in my misspent youth. He was proclaiming the virtues of a certain Golden Age science fiction writer (I won't say which) and how this man wrote great books for young girls who liked science fiction, to which I responded, in essence, "Maybe back in the day that was true, but in this age of Anne McCaffrey and Robin McKinley, no." Young me had better things to read, with heroines less trapped in hidebound gender roles and women of all ages doing interesting things - not just spunky preadolescent heroines who were inevitably going to age into simpering wives. Pegasus in Flight reminded me of that because, alas, I am kind of that old dude: the preadolescent girls of today shouldn't bother with it, not in this age of Katniss Everdeen and Hermione Granger. There are just too many false notes - the depictions of many of the colorful characters of Linear G are kind of racist to the modern eye; at one point the main characters state happily that a young woman of color can get married at sixteen because "they mature faster than we do" - and the villains are too cardboard-evil. That said, I loved it as a kid and it is not dreadful; it's not the kind of book that you have to hide at the back of your shelf because it's too racist or sexist or just plain horrible to admit you ever enjoyed. It's just that there's probably better out there for the modern kid. So, like I said, four stars, because happy childhood memories.
bethanyread's review against another edition
5.0
One of my favorite Anne McCaffrey's. Great story setting up her future series. Great characters, fun information about the moon and other planets.
hawkietta's review against another edition
2.0
I finished it, so I can't be too critical of this novel. I must divulge this is my first foray into the works of Anne Mccaffrey, so perhaps I am judging too quickly on what may be a fluke in a collection of excellent works. However, I have little good to say about Pegasus in Flight.
To start there are what feels like twenty recurring characters, far too many for a book which, while one in a series, is the only one in which most of these characters appear. I suppose the sheer amount of named characters are included in order to try and make up for the fact that almost none of these characters are delved into with any kind of depth beyond the surface level. Even those who should be main characters (Rhyssa, Peter, Sascha, Dave) feel distant, simply names on the page.
I won't even get started on the relationship development in this book. I'll just say that the first physical interaction between two main characters should not include one asking to marry the other. Totally out of left field. Makes one wonder what the author's point of reference is for romantic relationships. And it's not okay or normal for a middle aged man to be mentoring a 10 (?) year old, feel sexually attracted to her, and be waiting for her to grow up. That's just passed off in a paragraph toward the end, no explanation, just that's that.
I like space drama, that's my fantasy bread and butter, think Heinlein. For some this may be just your perfect brand of weird... I just kept waiting to get pulled in, waiting to get to know the characters. I was not rewarded for my sweating out this work. Two stars because I finished it... And future novels are cool.
To start there are what feels like twenty recurring characters, far too many for a book which, while one in a series, is the only one in which most of these characters appear. I suppose the sheer amount of named characters are included in order to try and make up for the fact that almost none of these characters are delved into with any kind of depth beyond the surface level. Even those who should be main characters (Rhyssa, Peter, Sascha, Dave) feel distant, simply names on the page.
I won't even get started on the relationship development in this book. I'll just say that the first physical interaction between two main characters should not include one asking to marry the other. Totally out of left field. Makes one wonder what the author's point of reference is for romantic relationships. And it's not okay or normal for a middle aged man to be mentoring a 10 (?) year old, feel sexually attracted to her, and be waiting for her to grow up. That's just passed off in a paragraph toward the end, no explanation, just that's that.
I like space drama, that's my fantasy bread and butter, think Heinlein. For some this may be just your perfect brand of weird... I just kept waiting to get pulled in, waiting to get to know the characters. I was not rewarded for my sweating out this work. Two stars because I finished it... And future novels are cool.
sdurr's review against another edition
4.0
This second book is a novel that combines the stories of two exceptional and unique Talented children. Picking up several years after Book #1, it deals with political manipulations and attempts by corrupt and greedy individuals to exploit Talent for personal gain. Sound familiar?
The setting is an Earth bursting with overpopulation and wide gaps between the haves and the have nots. But there are plans to build a platform for moving some of the human race into space. The Talent are to play a part in building that platform but the woman in charge fails to understand how her methods and her personality are harmful to Talent. This sets up part of the struggles Talent face throughout this book.
I like how the stories of Peter and Tirla start separately, intertwine, and merge with each other the story of the development of space travel. The adults who guide their training are also interesting and have their own stories as well. Some of the names will sound familiar from The Talent #1, sort of "the next generation."
You will see some these names return in subsequent books about The Talent as they move beyond Earth.
The setting is an Earth bursting with overpopulation and wide gaps between the haves and the have nots. But there are plans to build a platform for moving some of the human race into space. The Talent are to play a part in building that platform but the woman in charge fails to understand how her methods and her personality are harmful to Talent. This sets up part of the struggles Talent face throughout this book.
I like how the stories of Peter and Tirla start separately, intertwine, and merge with each other the story of the development of space travel. The adults who guide their training are also interesting and have their own stories as well. Some of the names will sound familiar from The Talent #1, sort of "the next generation."
You will see some these names return in subsequent books about The Talent as they move beyond Earth.
alys's review against another edition
adventurous
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
"[Near Eastern] girls ripen faster than us Northern or Occidental types" and therefore the adult man (whose age is never stated, but his twin brother is the Police Commissioner, so I'd say 30 AT LEAST) should wait "four years" before making a move on the now 12 year old, future 16 year old.
I remembered being a little weirded out by the age thing when I read this years ago (at around 12 myself), but at the time I glossed right over the casual racism of the statement. And the casual racism of pretty much the entirety of the book. I hadn't picked this book up in over twenty years, so when I wanted a fun breezy re-read I was not prepared for cringing through huge swaths of the book. From disparaging comments about "the ethnics" to the casual way that even the "good" characters who are shocked (shocked I tell you!) that Tirla would be surprised at the idea that illegal children have some rights later go on to clarify that the reason the city commisioner is upset that a group of kids have been kidnapped is that some of the kids were legal. Because obviously when it was just a bunch of illegal "subbies" people thought it was a problem, but it wasn't A PROBLEM until legal kids were involved. There were offhand remarks about how all of the "ethnic" kids will, given even half a chance "tart it up just like their mothers", or that every single woman with illegal kids was having them with the full intention of selling the children (there is not mention of even one mother who just....wanted lots of kids. During the scene were the illegal children were being forcibly removed to live in an orphanage, it was made very clear that exactly zero of the women were upset because they were losing THEIR CHILDREN, but rather because they were missing out on an opportunity to make a profit.)
Really, there were so many times I was catapulted out of the story by the casual racism on display. It was clearly not intentional, a way of building out a complex character or making a subtle point about "the good guys" being imperfect themselves - the author clearly intended the audience to be nodding their heads along in agreement.
When I was a young teenager I loved this book (largely because I loved Tirla) and the way that it exalted the Special Outsiders who were misunderstood and mistreated by the clearly inferior majority, but I'm no longer in middle school.
I remembered being a little weirded out by the age thing when I read this years ago (at around 12 myself), but at the time I glossed right over the casual racism of the statement. And the casual racism of pretty much the entirety of the book. I hadn't picked this book up in over twenty years, so when I wanted a fun breezy re-read I was not prepared for cringing through huge swaths of the book. From disparaging comments about "the ethnics" to the casual way that even the "good" characters who are shocked (shocked I tell you!) that Tirla would be surprised at the idea that illegal children have some rights later go on to clarify that the reason the city commisioner is upset that a group of kids have been kidnapped is that some of the kids were legal. Because obviously when it was just a bunch of illegal "subbies" people thought it was a problem, but it wasn't A PROBLEM until legal kids were involved. There were offhand remarks about how all of the "ethnic" kids will, given even half a chance "tart it up just like their mothers", or that every single woman with illegal kids was having them with the full intention of selling the children (there is not mention of even one mother who just....wanted lots of kids. During the scene were the illegal children were being forcibly removed to live in an orphanage, it was made very clear that exactly zero of the women were upset because they were losing THEIR CHILDREN, but rather because they were missing out on an opportunity to make a profit.)
Really, there were so many times I was catapulted out of the story by the casual racism on display. It was clearly not intentional, a way of building out a complex character or making a subtle point about "the good guys" being imperfect themselves - the author clearly intended the audience to be nodding their heads along in agreement.
When I was a young teenager I loved this book (largely because I loved Tirla) and the way that it exalted the Special Outsiders who were misunderstood and mistreated by the clearly inferior majority, but I'm no longer in middle school.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infertility, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Trafficking, and Kidnapping