A review by hoppy500
A Beautiful Friendship by David Weber
3.0
A Beautiful Friendship by David Weber
A Beautiful Friendship is a revision and expansion of a novella published in 1998. It is a work of young adult fiction by an author who usually specializes in more mature military science fiction.
The Manticore star system has only been colonized by humans for a short time, and twelve-year-old Stephanie Harrington has moved there with her parents. The planet Sphinx has seasons lasting several terrestrial years, high gravity, a coldish climate, unfamiliar flora and fauna, and few human settlers.
Stephanie's parents forbid her to explore the bush on her own, since dangerous creatures roam the areas unfrequented by humans. But precocious Stephanie is determined to investigate a mystery that piques her curiosity, and this leads her to discover a hitherto unknown sentient species. The first treecat Stephanie meets forges an empathic bond with her, and this semi-telepathic link is what drives many of the plot elements as the novel progresses.
Of course, the discovery of a tool-using sentient species on Sphinx threatens certain business interests and investments. In addition, a greedy pet dealer arrives from outside the Manticore system because he sees the potential for huge profits from the capture and sale of treecats.
A Beautiful Friendship is a competently written and readable book, but I fear some of the young adults it is aimed at would not appreciate all of the lengthy conversations and infodumps which the reader has to plow through. The impression left in my mind is of a book which has a couple of very engaging high points separated by much more tedious sections. The best part is undoubtedly Stephanie's second meeting with the treecat Climbs Quickly (Lionheart), at which their friendship is cemented in a dramatic and moving way. The description of treecat culture and society is also very imaginative. I found the defeat of the unscrupulous dealer in the final part entertaining but somewhat cliched and predictable. Overall, A Beautiful Friendship was enjoyable and memorable, but not to the point that I feel compelled to go on to read the sequels.
A Beautiful Friendship is a revision and expansion of a novella published in 1998. It is a work of young adult fiction by an author who usually specializes in more mature military science fiction.
The Manticore star system has only been colonized by humans for a short time, and twelve-year-old Stephanie Harrington has moved there with her parents. The planet Sphinx has seasons lasting several terrestrial years, high gravity, a coldish climate, unfamiliar flora and fauna, and few human settlers.
Stephanie's parents forbid her to explore the bush on her own, since dangerous creatures roam the areas unfrequented by humans. But precocious Stephanie is determined to investigate a mystery that piques her curiosity, and this leads her to discover a hitherto unknown sentient species. The first treecat Stephanie meets forges an empathic bond with her, and this semi-telepathic link is what drives many of the plot elements as the novel progresses.
Of course, the discovery of a tool-using sentient species on Sphinx threatens certain business interests and investments. In addition, a greedy pet dealer arrives from outside the Manticore system because he sees the potential for huge profits from the capture and sale of treecats.
A Beautiful Friendship is a competently written and readable book, but I fear some of the young adults it is aimed at would not appreciate all of the lengthy conversations and infodumps which the reader has to plow through. The impression left in my mind is of a book which has a couple of very engaging high points separated by much more tedious sections. The best part is undoubtedly Stephanie's second meeting with the treecat Climbs Quickly (Lionheart), at which their friendship is cemented in a dramatic and moving way. The description of treecat culture and society is also very imaginative. I found the defeat of the unscrupulous dealer in the final part entertaining but somewhat cliched and predictable. Overall, A Beautiful Friendship was enjoyable and memorable, but not to the point that I feel compelled to go on to read the sequels.