Fool's War by Sarah Zettel

[snugglekitty]

Title: Fool's War
Author: Sarah Zettel
Genre: Sci fi, toward the "hard" end of the scale.
Setting: A farflung spacegoing empire that has not been able to forget its old prejudices, even while it acquires new ones.
Reason for Reading: I found this in a used book store while mrpet and I were in Michigan.
Finished In: Weeks. It was very engrossing but also very dense.
Pages: 455
Copyright Date: 1997, though some of the cultural stuff reads like it was written after 9/11.
Cover: An androgynous figure juggles planets while floating in front of a spaceship hatch.
First line: "Curran watched the man whose life he required settle onto one of the faux leather couches scattered around the station's reception modules."
Best part: It made me think.
Worst part: At times there were too many characters to keep track of.
Imaginary Theme Song: "The Rodney King Song" by Fred Small
Grade: A-. Definitely a genre-changer.
Recommended for: Any fans of sci fi should give this one a look.
Related Reads: Galatea 2.2. by Richard Powers. The Remarkables by Robert Reed.

Every first-class spaceship needs two things - a great chef and a fool. Good food and humor help keep tempers from fraying on long voyages. But every fool has a secret. And the secret that Master Fool Evelyn Dobbs is holding could be fatal. For her and for everyone she holds dear.

I haven't read a lot of first-class books this year, but this was one. I particularly enjoyed the two female main characters, one of whom is Muslim. The portrayal of cultural intersections as humans expand into new worlds was amazing. Highly recommended.

Comments

[catya.livejournal.com]

Requested!

[catya.livejournal.com]

(re: too many characters - i think some of that was the switch from first name to last name all the time.)

[geeksdoitbetter.livejournal.com]

i've just finished

wow

very pleased i didn't read the blurb on the back - so many nice twists in the first 150 pages, totally given way