Rebel Ice

Stardoc #6

by S.L. Viehl

In this new Stardoc novel, Dr. Cherijo Torin, living on the ice-covered world of Akkabarr for the last two years with no memory of her past, is caught in the middle of a war between the slaves and their masters, while her husband desperately searches for her. Original.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Space Opera, Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Romance, Aliens

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 3, 2006

About the author

Also see Lynn Viehl, Gena Hale, Jessica Hall and Rebecca Kelly.

Reviews

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was one of these books where the author took a big detour to keep the series going longer. I didn't care about the planet or the battles, but the mystery of the two women kept me interested. I'm still not quite sure about the resolution to that though, there's a major coincidence that seems too unlikely, unless further explanation is provided in the future.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

From what I have read online not alot of folks like this book simply because it takes the main character in a different direction courtesy of amnesia (to be fair amnesia as the result of head trauma and then 2 gun shot wounds to the head... if your gonna go amnesia don't make it lame "oh I bumped my head" amnesia). Well I can say it was a different book that the last ones and in 3rd person no less which really is essential in this book for the sake of creating a mystery about Cherijo's identity. Anyway the only problem I had was mostly just vocabulary based, there was a lot of Iisleg jargon you gotta get down at the beginning but once you got that down then it's your regular amount of intrigue, suspense, action, romance. It wasn't my favorite but it was still a good addition to the story. Technically if you sotpped at the last book "Eternity Row" then you can have your happy ending but if you want to know more about Cherijo and her origins and the alien Maggie's then you kinda gotta soldier on through this one. I know some might skip this one but really if you go on with the series you really should read this one too.

[**** · Rating 2 out of 5]

In the end who was who was not clarified well at all. This is another example of books that spend way too much time on the details of preparing food and other daily tasks and skip completely over the real issues that the book is supposedly about. The point was that he was looking for his wife. The description says that she's been there forever already, he finds her (it makes it sound like that happens almost immediately on the opening of the book), and he spends forever trying to get her to remember (like the war might just be a background for it). Instead it's all about her doppelganger's daily life and the war, which I do kind of prefer, but I dislike when people are looking for people and keep running all over the place not finding them when they're RIGHT THERE. It is ridiculously annoying when that happens.

[Lucy Takeda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read A LOT! This book left me confused. Dozens of characters that keep changing names, titles, and faces. I did order that first book in the series to see if it would make more sense with background info. Ice planet, evil emperor, tribes that harvest the skin of people that die in crashes due to the horrendous winds to sell back to families as a major economy of the planet, women trained to be absolutely subservient, and lots of aliens involved in a rebellion.

[Becky Hoffman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't too fond of this book, and it was upsetting since her series was so good. It seemed like in the series, Viehl started to dislike the sometimes mean and ornery attitude of Cherijo and did a complete 180. I had a hard time following this book and didn't really care for the ending. I took a long break after this book before I even considered picking up the next one.

[Kellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know some readers didn't like the huge shift, but I enjoyed it. This book focuses more on the cultural development of a species on a planet than individual characters. My main frustration is that I wanted more details on the culture and societal structure. I get that this was a narrative device though as two of the characters we were following had severe memory loss.

[Kendra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Long, and godawful confusing. I got to the end, and still feel like I missed something. Hopefully the next book is better.

[B.E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hadn't read this one yet, even though I've read several after it. So now I know what happened to Cherijo to make her so not herself. I'm glad I went back. This was important to the overall story arc, and it was a very good read. I mean, once I got past the different approach and everything. Before that, I had to read it like it wasn't part of the StarDoc series because trying to meld it into what I knew from before was weirding me out. It all worked out in the middle somewhere and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

[C.A. Knutsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting. Continues to shape cultures on other planets. Some of the worlds like the one in the book treat women and children terribly. That's hard to read through. The action in this one was exciting and the resolution at the end was creative.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this book from the library yesterday, and started reading it this morning. So far it's just reinforcing my opinion that the Stardoc books are on an exponential track downward.

While I get the interest of the culture she's meeting here, this book is again unnecessarily brutal. It also feels like a diversion of the original plot arc.

I'm disappointed by how Ms Viehl seems unable to keep herself from adding 'amusing' little details to her stories just for the sake of having them there.

===

After finishing the book I have a couple of additional thoughts:

- This story was faster-paced than many of the others.
- At least we got away from the terrible 'I am Cherijo, everyone's out to get me, but I'm going to ignore it, oh no - actually I'm going to get all dramatic about it!' drama for a while.
- Ms Veihl's editor needs to do a more complete job. There were a couple of word choices that were more immature than the writing in the rest of the book and really stood out.
- I had to reread a portion of the ending to understand what had happened. Probably a bad sign - that conversation should have been much clearer.
- Another 'we didn't know each other were each other! oh my!' story like Endurance.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to say that I did not enjoy this book nearly as much as the previous books in this series. The beginning of the book was very confusing as we are plopped down on a whole new world and it was somewhat difficult to understand the politics/dynamics of the various groups involved in the story.

The book got better about half way through when some of the bits and pieces started coming together, but overall I did not really like the guessing game of who Resa and Jarn really were. I did not like the 'new' Cherijo and I did not like the way that the book ended.

But I do love the series and I am very much looking forward to continuing it with the hopes that Ms. Viehl will redeem herself with the next installment.

[Carolyn F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's like Cherijo is a whole different person and I'm starting over again. She's crash landed on a planet and then was shot in the head. With no memory after she survives, she takes on the persona of the planet's inhabitants. There's also another woman from Earth that I move back and forth trying to figure out which one is the real Cherijo. I felt so sorry for Reever. He just cannot live without her.

This book has not received very favorable ratings, but I liked it. I just ordered the next book from the library!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cherijo Torin has been missing, presumed dead, for more than two years. Her husband, Duncan Reever, senses that she is alive and will move all of space to find her and restore her to their daughter, Marel. Slight problem: Cherijo has sustained a head injury and does not know who she is, or remember anything about their lives together.

This is #6 in the StarDoc series. All that I have read so far have been excellent, and this one upholds the tradition. There was a twist in the last couple of chapters that I did not foresee but it did not spoil the ending.

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, perhaps more than many of the others in the stardoc series so far.
It was refreshing to NOT have her brutally attacked and nearly killed, etc; and not nearly magically coming in and saving the day.
I enjoyed the twists and turns and the way everything was worked together and resolved (as well as could be so far).

[Red Haircrow · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another example of extreme sterotyping employed by the author this time for gay or bisexual male characters. Again every negative stereotype possible to use was employed. For me the only redeeming aspect was the 3rd person writing style used instead of the usual first person.

[Αἰκατερίνη · Rating 3 out of 5]

A unique twist at the ending that I didn't even guess was coming. I read this book without having read any of the other books in the series. I enjoyed it and will probably read more books in the series.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good Stardoc book, but different than the others. Cherijo crashlands on a remote planet and looses her memory. The book is full of mysteries: will Duncan find her? where is this planet? Who is she? The trick ending had me compleatly suprized - I thought I'd figured it out.

[Erotic Horizon]

Rebel Ice: A Stardoc Novel (Stardoc) by S.L. Viehl (2006)

[Lesli · Rating 3 out of 5]

At this point, you either love the series or can't stand to not finish it.

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best part of this series is the hero, the heroine is so self centered that this book just lost it for me finally.

[Ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series is less fun than it used to be; I'm not sure if that's because of it or because of me. At any rate, I will now be giving up on future books in the series with a clear conscience.

[Steph · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not a fan of irksome guessing games... neat alien cultures though, as usual.

[Tasula · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Stardoc series with Healer Cherijo Torin, her clan and husband Duncan Reever. This was a vivid adventure on an ice planet with interesting characters and lots of action.

[Fangtasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amnesia is never fun especially when you think Resa is Cherijo....or not? Glad the ending was kinda okay...

[Ab · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cousin of Jack London meets Stardoc novels. There were a mystery and medics, but no medical mystery and not much of the scifi/space opera.

[Karen Desmond · Rating 2 out of 5]

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