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Promised Land
The coauthors of Water Witch create an unusual combination of frontier romance and science fiction in which a woman returns to her family farm on the planet Keramos and finds herself involved in an arranged marriage. Reprint.
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
46 people are currently reading
613 people want to read
About the author
Connie Willis
256 books4,679 followersConstance Elaine Trimmer Willis is an American science fiction writer. She is one of the most honored science fiction writers of the 1980s and 1990s.
She has won, among other awards, ten Hugo Awards and six Nebula Awards. Willis most recently won a Hugo Award for All Seated on the Ground (August 2008). She was the 2011 recipient of the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award from the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA).
She lives in Greeley, Colorado with her husband Courtney Willis, a professor of physics at the University of Northern Colorado. She also has one daughter, Cordelia.
Willis is known for her accessible prose and likable characters. She has written several pieces involving time travel by history students and faculty of the future University of Oxford. These pieces include her Hugo Award-winning novels Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog and the short story "Fire Watch," found in the short story collection of the same name.
Willis tends to the comedy of manners style of writing. Her protagonists are typically beset by single-minded people pursuing illogical agendas, such as attempting to organize a bell-ringing session in the middle of a deadly epidemic (Doomsday Book), or frustrating efforts to analyze near-death experiences by putting words in the mouths of interviewees (Passage).
She has won, among other awards, ten Hugo Awards and six Nebula Awards. Willis most recently won a Hugo Award for All Seated on the Ground (August 2008). She was the 2011 recipient of the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award from the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA).
She lives in Greeley, Colorado with her husband Courtney Willis, a professor of physics at the University of Northern Colorado. She also has one daughter, Cordelia.
Willis is known for her accessible prose and likable characters. She has written several pieces involving time travel by history students and faculty of the future University of Oxford. These pieces include her Hugo Award-winning novels Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog and the short story "Fire Watch," found in the short story collection of the same name.
Willis tends to the comedy of manners style of writing. Her protagonists are typically beset by single-minded people pursuing illogical agendas, such as attempting to organize a bell-ringing session in the middle of a deadly epidemic (Doomsday Book), or frustrating efforts to analyze near-death experiences by putting words in the mouths of interviewees (Passage).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
August 7, 2008
Fluff, a prairie romance sf story - with pets! The charm definetely works on me, and I can admire how well the plot is established, how credible the universe is. A masterpiece cream puff of a cake, so well done and so delicious, just don´t complain it´s not a steak.
December 1, 2025
11/23/25: I read this aloud to my dyslexic daughter. We both love it more than it technically deserves. Not because it's light and not very demanding, because sometimes that's what it needs. No, I'm talking about the many flaws that I think were a product of the two authors collaborating and having formatting or versioning errors. One big one: the cabin on the homestead is described as having two rooms joined by a fireplace so you can see through from one room to the other. This detail is either forgotten or ditched unceremoniously in later scenes, where the main character gets changed in the bedroom while people are moving around in the kitchen. But it's sweet, and fun, and it does what it sets out to do.
11/4/18: This is just what I was in the mood for. Very light, very different, with just the right amount of romance. This time I felt less sympathetic toward Delanna, whose reaction to learning she's stuck on the backwater world of Keramos is maybe a little too hostile to make her look good, but she recovers quickly. Very fun.
9/21/12: It's a romance novel that looks like science fiction but is really a Western/frontier book. No, really. It's light and fluffy and very enjoyable, and I feel cheerful every time I read it.
11/4/18: This is just what I was in the mood for. Very light, very different, with just the right amount of romance. This time I felt less sympathetic toward Delanna, whose reaction to learning she's stuck on the backwater world of Keramos is maybe a little too hostile to make her look good, but she recovers quickly. Very fun.
9/21/12: It's a romance novel that looks like science fiction but is really a Western/frontier book. No, really. It's light and fluffy and very enjoyable, and I feel cheerful every time I read it.
November 25, 2018
I found this almost totally predictable SF romance highly enjoyable. In part this must be because Connie Willis is co-writer (I nearly always enjoy her style) and because of the vividness of character and place. I did think the plot resolution was rather weak (quite possibly it was the only part of the plot that wasn't predictable), . I just found something deeply homely and satisfying about the novel, in particular despite the fact that when all's said and done, it consists of tropes and plot devices that are well-worn and expected.
March 8, 2016
I was a bit taken aback when I first realized that part of this book was actually a "space romance". I bought Promised Land because it's one of the very few Connie Willis I hadn't yet read and since I'm such a fan of hers I never bothered to read the book synopsis;)
Once I got over my initial surprise, I did end up enjoying the book quite a lot. Granted, it's not one of Willis' most accomplished novels (because of the collaboration with Cynthia Felice?). The characters are a bit superficial and the plot isn't very thick but the book is still a charming and very entertaining read. I particularly liked the "SF meets the Frontier" aspect of the novel and the world that Willis and Felice created in the book. I enjoyed the descriptions of Keramos and of life in the Frontier-like lanzies. Cleo and the fire monkeys were also a nice addition to the cast of characters.
Although Promised Land isn't half as complex or intense as Doomsday Book, To Say Nothing of the Dog or other Connie Willis classics, it's still a fun, light-hearted tale.
Once I got over my initial surprise, I did end up enjoying the book quite a lot. Granted, it's not one of Willis' most accomplished novels (because of the collaboration with Cynthia Felice?). The characters are a bit superficial and the plot isn't very thick but the book is still a charming and very entertaining read. I particularly liked the "SF meets the Frontier" aspect of the novel and the world that Willis and Felice created in the book. I enjoyed the descriptions of Keramos and of life in the Frontier-like lanzies. Cleo and the fire monkeys were also a nice addition to the cast of characters.
Although Promised Land isn't half as complex or intense as Doomsday Book, To Say Nothing of the Dog or other Connie Willis classics, it's still a fun, light-hearted tale.
August 4, 2007
This is one of those genre-busting books I seek out just to see if they can pull it off. Is it romance? Is it a pioneer tale? Is it science fiction?
Whatever it is, I like it. I'm not sure it has universal appeal, but I thought it was a lot of fun.
Whatever it is, I like it. I'm not sure it has universal appeal, but I thought it was a lot of fun.
March 11, 2013
2.5 I kind of hated the main character-- I mean seriously how can she really consider her pet's life more valuable than her husband and his entire family's property and livelihood plus her parents' inheritance, but other than that, fun book!
I should also add, the pet wasn't even a dog.
I should also add, the pet wasn't even a dog.
November 16, 2018
I read this because Melissa recommended it, and the strength of that recommendation carried me through an Open Library ebook riddled with OCR scanning errors almost to the point of incomprehension. But this is worth muddling through. It’s thin - almost a human interest story - and it’s got some of that Connie Willis running-around that people kind of hate (I don’t, but keep it in mind if you do). But it’s also got real people, and amazing situational humor, and just the right sorts of mistakes that feel human and believable but not drastic or overkill.
It’s short and light and entertaining, and the world is more interesting than it has any right to be. I liked this a lot.
It’s short and light and entertaining, and the world is more interesting than it has any right to be. I liked this a lot.
May 10, 2016
And... this continued to never quite work for me.
When I read the description, I was pleased by the idea of a "they must get married for will-related reasons" in a fantasy, because that gets rid of all the pesky issues of that sort of thing essentially not being legally binding in a lot of places.
BUT (and the caps is warranted), I never quite got past the set-up of this.
I think legally-mandated marriage of convenience works if bothparties are surprised. You know, you get the scenario where everyone gets called in a room, they read the crazy will, and then everyone feels like they got hit in the head by a blunt object over the absurdity that is their life. Whereas in this one, everyone knows but Delanna. And no one tells her until the last possible second, and then they're all annoyed that she's mad as hell and not properly prepared. It reads less like two people making the best of a stupid situation, and far more like some form of entrapment. Not romantic, at all.
Add to that, that no one tells Delanna really anything at all for the first half of the book, and she bumbles around while everyone on the planet makes fun of her over the radio, it just... None of it sat right for me. It's a little too "salt of the earth country people making fun of the city slicker who can't even do X, Y or Z." It's so extreme that I'm not sure I buy how well (and quickly) Delanna adapts to rural life.
Plus, given the problematic opening, I feel like Sonny needed to be... more. I mean, he's obviously a great guy, noble and faithful, etc. But there's also nothing that stands out, beyond quietly reliable. Add that to the weird entrapment-like thing at the start, and I don't know.
Next on my list, Delanna's mother.
The Chloe thing. Delanna hiding the scarab form a militant vet got old fast. It was mentioned seriously every other page. I get that it was intended to be a bonding thing between Delanna and Sonny, but as I said, that dynamic had already fallen really flat for me, and him saving her bug was not enough to save them as a couple. Particularly since he keeps telling her he needs to talk to her, but then being called away. They don't really interact at all, with the exception of a handful of scenes. I will grant you that the resolution of the scarab plotline was one of the better moments.
I don't know. The writing is decent. The setting is interesting, and I ended up liking a lot of the characters in the end. I just really hated the set-up, in just about every way. And the romance wasn't developed enough after the fact to make up for it. Maybe if the two of them had interacted more...
So I'm left with readable, but not great.
When I read the description, I was pleased by the idea of a "they must get married for will-related reasons" in a fantasy, because that gets rid of all the pesky issues of that sort of thing essentially not being legally binding in a lot of places.
BUT (and the caps is warranted), I never quite got past the set-up of this.
I think legally-mandated marriage of convenience works if bothparties are surprised. You know, you get the scenario where everyone gets called in a room, they read the crazy will, and then everyone feels like they got hit in the head by a blunt object over the absurdity that is their life. Whereas in this one, everyone knows but Delanna. And no one tells her until the last possible second, and then they're all annoyed that she's mad as hell and not properly prepared. It reads less like two people making the best of a stupid situation, and far more like some form of entrapment. Not romantic, at all.
Add to that, that no one tells Delanna really anything at all for the first half of the book, and she bumbles around while everyone on the planet makes fun of her over the radio, it just... None of it sat right for me. It's a little too "salt of the earth country people making fun of the city slicker who can't even do X, Y or Z." It's so extreme that I'm not sure I buy how well (and quickly) Delanna adapts to rural life.
Plus, given the problematic opening, I feel like Sonny needed to be... more. I mean, he's obviously a great guy, noble and faithful, etc. But there's also nothing that stands out, beyond quietly reliable. Add that to the weird entrapment-like thing at the start, and I don't know.
Next on my list, Delanna's mother.
The Chloe thing. Delanna hiding the scarab form a militant vet got old fast. It was mentioned seriously every other page. I get that it was intended to be a bonding thing between Delanna and Sonny, but as I said, that dynamic had already fallen really flat for me, and him saving her bug was not enough to save them as a couple. Particularly since he keeps telling her he needs to talk to her, but then being called away. They don't really interact at all, with the exception of a handful of scenes. I will grant you that the resolution of the scarab plotline was one of the better moments.
I don't know. The writing is decent. The setting is interesting, and I ended up liking a lot of the characters in the end. I just really hated the set-up, in just about every way. And the romance wasn't developed enough after the fact to make up for it. Maybe if the two of them had interacted more...
So I'm left with readable, but not great.
January 23, 2024
My first not-so-good novel by Connie Willis. Usually, I am a fan.
Here, there is too much in the plot which was obvious, including the end. Plus, some boring chapters. Do not bore your reader!
But good to know that Willis also writes settings on other planets.
Here, there is too much in the plot which was obvious, including the end. Plus, some boring chapters. Do not bore your reader!
But good to know that Willis also writes settings on other planets.
August 20, 2010
I was very disappointed in this one. It could have been so much more, but instead fell back on tired cliches and dull characters. Not for me...
For the complete review please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/content_34400...
For the complete review please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/content_34400...
November 5, 2023
2023 update: such a comfort read. I'd love to take a vacation to Milleflores and hang out with these characters.
Review: Sure, the end is a bit cliche. But I love these characters and the world and the story and the fluff.
Review: Sure, the end is a bit cliche. But I love these characters and the world and the story and the fluff.
March 1, 2024
Delanna goes back to her home planet of Keramos after being in boarding school on another planet to settle her deceased mother's estate. When she gets there, she finds out that the process will take much longer than she ever expected due to the rural, unsettled nature of Keramos and the complicated laws regarding property. Although she is an outsider, she is quickly pulled into the interpersonal relationships of the people there who know everyone's business all the time.
I very much enjoyed this collaboration between Connie Willis and Cynthia Felice. Willis’s trademark near-misses and miscommunications are present in the storytelling but the new world building seems to come from Felice. I wanted more of the story of Keramos and was sad to see this story end.
I very much enjoyed this collaboration between Connie Willis and Cynthia Felice. Willis’s trademark near-misses and miscommunications are present in the storytelling but the new world building seems to come from Felice. I wanted more of the story of Keramos and was sad to see this story end.
July 12, 2021
I adore Connie Willis, so it surprised me to find out that I don’t think I can finish this book. The plot of this “romantic” story takes things a step too far in all the wrong ways.
I think there’s something to be said for the genre of “comedic-romp-based-on-miscommunication-where-the-conflict-could-be-resolved-if-the-characters-would-just-TALK-to-each-other”. Willis herself has pulled this off well many times before. But it doesn’t land well in this one, because the thing that needs to be communicated is just the same sentence over and over again: “I didn’t agree to this marriage.” Which just doesn’t feel like a very funny miscommunication as the protagonist gets harassed more and more by a society that doesn’t recognize or acknowledge her autonomy.
It also lends a significant emotional inconsistency to the worldbuilding. The characters live on a planet where someone can be married to another person without their consent (or even knowledge). This isn’t completely unheard of; there are real historical comparisons to be made to that kind of authoritative imposition on a person’s life. However, in real life, I don’t think the unwilling participant in that arrangement would be so mocked, derided, and bullied for their lack of amorous enthusiasm. The characters around the protagonist all seem to know exactly what’s going on, but they almost universally scorn and criticize her for not being grateful for her new husband. And none of this feels like it’s leading up to any narrative exploration of self-sovereignty or the value of consent, or even a subversive take on what value there might be in such an authoritative community structure. It really just seems to be being played for laughs. But it doesn’t feel funny.
Perhaps I’m misjudging here (or being unfair by not finishing the book), but the social dynamics here are extremely unenjoyable to read, and the writing so far hasn’t given me any reason to think that there’s going to be any critical exploration of the elements that I find so distressing. I think I'll try to get some relief by going and finding a book where the protagonist is able to make some decisions for themselves.
I think there’s something to be said for the genre of “comedic-romp-based-on-miscommunication-where-the-conflict-could-be-resolved-if-the-characters-would-just-TALK-to-each-other”. Willis herself has pulled this off well many times before. But it doesn’t land well in this one, because the thing that needs to be communicated is just the same sentence over and over again: “I didn’t agree to this marriage.” Which just doesn’t feel like a very funny miscommunication as the protagonist gets harassed more and more by a society that doesn’t recognize or acknowledge her autonomy.
It also lends a significant emotional inconsistency to the worldbuilding. The characters live on a planet where someone can be married to another person without their consent (or even knowledge). This isn’t completely unheard of; there are real historical comparisons to be made to that kind of authoritative imposition on a person’s life. However, in real life, I don’t think the unwilling participant in that arrangement would be so mocked, derided, and bullied for their lack of amorous enthusiasm. The characters around the protagonist all seem to know exactly what’s going on, but they almost universally scorn and criticize her for not being grateful for her new husband. And none of this feels like it’s leading up to any narrative exploration of self-sovereignty or the value of consent, or even a subversive take on what value there might be in such an authoritative community structure. It really just seems to be being played for laughs. But it doesn’t feel funny.
Perhaps I’m misjudging here (or being unfair by not finishing the book), but the social dynamics here are extremely unenjoyable to read, and the writing so far hasn’t given me any reason to think that there’s going to be any critical exploration of the elements that I find so distressing. I think I'll try to get some relief by going and finding a book where the protagonist is able to make some decisions for themselves.
September 29, 2013
Although I love nearly all of Connie Willis' books, I hadn't been that impressed by the other two I've read which she wrote in collaboration with Cynthia Felice: "Light Raid," which was entertaining enough, but not exceptional, and "Water Witch," which was too much of a romance novel for my taste. "Promised Land" is also a romance novel. I got the impression that it might even have originally been conceived of as a Wild West kinda romance, and then the authors decided to put a sci-fi veneer over the story. Delanna is a city girl who's been at school off-planet. But when her mother dies, she comes back to her frontier planet to liquidate her mother's farm and collect her inheritance. She barely recognizes the hayseed hick who comes to meet her, whom she knew as a little girl, but she takes an instant dislike to him. It's a complete shock to her to discover, that under planetary laws designed to protect family homesteads, she's married to him, and is legally unable to sell her land unless she lives on it - with him - for a year. She has no other assets, so she's forced to travel out to the land, which is literally in the middle of nowhere.
of course, a couple of other guys have romantic designs on Delanna, and there's a few light subplots here and there, but mainly Delanna becomes guilty that her mother always sent her money that she spent on parties and fancy clothes, learns to value the fruit of her own labors, falls in love with the hick, comes to appreciate the Simple Life, and decides to stay on the farm. Ugh, ugh, ugh. Puh-leeze.
of course, a couple of other guys have romantic designs on Delanna, and there's a few light subplots here and there, but mainly Delanna becomes guilty that her mother always sent her money that she spent on parties and fancy clothes, learns to value the fruit of her own labors, falls in love with the hick, comes to appreciate the Simple Life, and decides to stay on the farm. Ugh, ugh, ugh. Puh-leeze.
August 11, 2016
I was a little turned off by this novel in the first few chapters, thanks to some sloppy editing and the story seeming so very un-Willis-like. I’m happy I continued to read it because Promised Land turned out to be a delightful PG space romance. That and the fact that the word “charming” really sums it up makes it seem about the opposite of what I would like but I loved this light story. Willis and Felice definitely hit their stride after the first five chapters or so.
My only complaint is that the character development was so superficial until almost the end and the action so slow. This seems like the perfect opening volume for a series but considering it’s been fifteen years since Promised Land was published, a sequel seems unlikely. I was planning to put this in the “sell pile” as I attempt to read through my massive backlog of owned books but I think I may hold onto it.
My only complaint is that the character development was so superficial until almost the end and the action so slow. This seems like the perfect opening volume for a series but considering it’s been fifteen years since Promised Land was published, a sequel seems unlikely. I was planning to put this in the “sell pile” as I attempt to read through my massive backlog of owned books but I think I may hold onto it.
February 22, 2010
This is one of those books where the authors deliberately set up a completely implausible set of laws for their characters in order to shove them into the situation that they want. It was pleasant enough romantic fluff, but there was not much substance, and certainly not what I was expecting from Commie Willis.
September 23, 2016
Gosh, I really wanted to like this book more than I did. It pretty much is a story of a spoiled girl who falls for the farmer. There's some small space travel thrown in to make it sci-fi but it's pretty much a western romance. I kept waiting for this book to just grab me but it didn't - just kind of lightly patted me on the shoulder. Disappointed.
November 19, 2017
This book is total fluff and I first read it in the mid 1990's...but I love it in a very irrational way and have read it many times since. Just a NICE story about a bratty girl and a very NICE boy. And it all ends very NICELY. The dystopian reality that is 2017 just needs a little more NICENESS in it...so I'm going to read it AGAIN. Because it's just that NICE!
April 23, 2021
This is one of those books that I reread when I need something familiar and satisfying. I don't think it's Connie Willis's best, but sometimes I really do want to read a romance, and when I do I want one that's not quite formula but still light and a little predictable.
November 9, 2012
I really liked this one, which was scifi with a western feel. That sounds like Firefly, but it’s entirely different–not cowboys on spaceships but homesteaders on another world. Plus, I liked the romance, so that helped.
October 9, 2022
I ended up liking this a lot, though it was totally not what I expected (and what that was, I don't even know). But it was fun space fluff, really, and just what I needed for plane flight reading. And now I want a scarab.
March 22, 2013
I really enjoyed Promised Land and have read it multiply times. I guess I am a sucker for pets even if they are bugs. 1/1/06
Another of my comfort reads.
Another of my comfort reads.
June 8, 2012
This has humor and romance. It is fun.
August 8, 2024
A charming YA romance, set in an off world old west.
October 7, 2025
This is the 3rd book co-authored by Connie and Cythia. I have read the first, Water Witch (1982), but am yet to read the 2nd, Light Raid (1989). This book reads more strongly of Connie’s usual style than Water Witch did.
Without wishing to condemn this book and put people off reading it, it is very much an episode of Little House on the Prairie on an alien planet. But it has intelligently adapted the standard Western tropes to SF. The caravan journey to the homestead isn’t using horses and they aren’t attacked by natives. The problems the caravan encounters are rooted in advanced technology with solar powered vehicles having battery problems and motor problems. So while the problems are analogous, they are also creative SF alternatives. It was a toss up as to whether I’d give this 3 stars or 4. I went for 3 as it’s just a bit too Western in space for my tastes. Connie’s other SF is of a higher calibre.
And the setting is only background to what is a character driven story. The protagonist, Delanna
(I couldn’t help but read it is Delenn as I’m a B5 nerd), arrives on the planet to quickly settle her mum’s estate before flying off to more civilised planet. Complicated local laws mean she has to go out to the ranch for a year or forfeit the inheritance. Delanna is broke so has no option but to stay.
This is where the romance comes in. Traditional setup, one girl (Delanna) and two guys, a suave womaniser (eg Lando Calrissian) and scruffy nerf-herder (eg Han Solo). It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to work out who she ends up with. While the outcome is predictable, it’s not a Barbara Cartland novel. The interactions feel like real people, except the very last section before the happy ending. That got really cliché.
Delanna has an alien pet called a scarab, but it’s not a bug, as she re-iterates to every character that sees it and calls it a bug. What it really is, is an annoying cat. And I fully support the quarantine officer who wanted it destroyed as soon as it was landed on the planet. There are local lifeforms called fire monkeys which are mentioned throughout the book but serve no real purpose other than comedy relief.
What makes the book readable is the characters. They are all fun and individual and believable. A further warning though, this does have Connie’s trademark of people constantly at cross purposes because they are all too stupid to tell each other what they’re doing. I regularly see people not liking this type of frenetic activity when commenting on Connie’s books.
There is nothing startlingly new and innovative; no mind-blowing tech nor unexpected plot twists, but it is enjoyable.
Without wishing to condemn this book and put people off reading it, it is very much an episode of Little House on the Prairie on an alien planet. But it has intelligently adapted the standard Western tropes to SF. The caravan journey to the homestead isn’t using horses and they aren’t attacked by natives. The problems the caravan encounters are rooted in advanced technology with solar powered vehicles having battery problems and motor problems. So while the problems are analogous, they are also creative SF alternatives. It was a toss up as to whether I’d give this 3 stars or 4. I went for 3 as it’s just a bit too Western in space for my tastes. Connie’s other SF is of a higher calibre.
And the setting is only background to what is a character driven story. The protagonist, Delanna
(I couldn’t help but read it is Delenn as I’m a B5 nerd), arrives on the planet to quickly settle her mum’s estate before flying off to more civilised planet. Complicated local laws mean she has to go out to the ranch for a year or forfeit the inheritance. Delanna is broke so has no option but to stay.
This is where the romance comes in. Traditional setup, one girl (Delanna) and two guys, a suave womaniser (eg Lando Calrissian) and scruffy nerf-herder (eg Han Solo). It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to work out who she ends up with. While the outcome is predictable, it’s not a Barbara Cartland novel. The interactions feel like real people, except the very last section before the happy ending. That got really cliché.
Delanna has an alien pet called a scarab, but it’s not a bug, as she re-iterates to every character that sees it and calls it a bug. What it really is, is an annoying cat. And I fully support the quarantine officer who wanted it destroyed as soon as it was landed on the planet. There are local lifeforms called fire monkeys which are mentioned throughout the book but serve no real purpose other than comedy relief.
What makes the book readable is the characters. They are all fun and individual and believable. A further warning though, this does have Connie’s trademark of people constantly at cross purposes because they are all too stupid to tell each other what they’re doing. I regularly see people not liking this type of frenetic activity when commenting on Connie’s books.
There is nothing startlingly new and innovative; no mind-blowing tech nor unexpected plot twists, but it is enjoyable.
July 16, 2019
Well, I finished this book, so I guess I enjoyed it enough. I thought, while the premise and general structure of the story was good, and you can definitely see Willis' fingerprint on the characterization, there wasn't nearly enough actual conflict or development of the relationship of the characters for me to get invested in their romance. They don't even seem to have a real conversation until the last 50 pages of the book, and then they are suddenly in love? The main character had more interactions with her pet, and while I love Cleo, this definitely led to a sloppy resolution. Also, it felt like the elements that could have been developed to up the stakes (the trial, selling the land, etc.) were mentioned and then jettisoned quickly instead of being tweaked to build any sense of tension. As it was, the stakes were low, the characters were weak (and Delanna was very annoying for over 1/2 the book), and it was not a very satisfying read. I'd look to Willis's other work, and give this one a pass.
March 5, 2020
This is a classic Willis romance, full of difficulties communicating due to the exigencies of daily life. I was always, always going to be here for an arranged marriage scenario. The world was satisfying as a 'settler' colony situation, although reading it from a social-media-saturated perspective I did wonder how they all adapted to life with this little communication. (Obviously this was written in a pre-Web 2.0 era.) I loved the low-stakes plot points like the fire monkeys and Cleo's escape artistry and Delanna's eternal search for a bath and a nap.
"Delanna wondered what kind of line he'd used on Ingrid O'Hara; she hoped it was more interesting than a probabilities run."
I knocked off one star because
"Delanna wondered what kind of line he'd used on Ingrid O'Hara; she hoped it was more interesting than a probabilities run."
I knocked off one star because
January 27, 2019
I picked this up because of Willis' other works, like "Doomsday Book" and "To Say Nothing of the Dog," so I was a little disappointed for the first few chapters when it seemed like it was going to be a typical romance. But, I kept reading since it was Connie Willis and I wondered if it was going to go somewhere other than the standard romance plot line. Plus, I was worried about Cleo and wanted to be sure she'd be OK (I had my suspicions on what was going to happen and was right, but won't include any spoilers). I'm glad I kept going. It does follow the expected love story line, but it's more than that. And, it's just charming and sweet.
If you're looking for a light read, not heavy-handed on the romance (no sex if that matters to you), with a bit of a sci fi twist and a bit of a western/homesteader twist, plus critters (always a plus!), check it out.
If you're looking for a light read, not heavy-handed on the romance (no sex if that matters to you), with a bit of a sci fi twist and a bit of a western/homesteader twist, plus critters (always a plus!), check it out.
January 4, 2020
I wanted to start off the year with a surefire win, and I nailed it. Connie Willis (one of my all-time favs) wrote this with Cynthia Felice, and I'm glad I didn't read the description before just diving in. Setting a screwball romance/Western in space is always the quickest way to my heart. Delanna returns to her home planet, a small farming colony, expecting to sign some paperwork and sell her family's land before she heads back to her glitzy life, only to find out she is officially married to the dumb dope who shared the land with her mother. Of course, as they make the journey to the homestead and get through trials and tribulations together, she notices how smart and handsome he is. This was near perfection, although there is a pesky pet that causes a little to much drama for me. I loved it.
August 8, 2018
you know how even before you walk into certain retail stores you can tell they may not be for you but the eye candy is just overwhelming and you spend time there gawking anyway even though you don’t like the muzak and you’re pretty sure you’re not going to buy anything you want to make your own ? That would be me reading this book. I would have possibly killed the wayward pet through neglect, impatience or outright hostility myself if given half a chance to step into the story. ;)
As for the westward expansion pioneer life in space setting, that was enjoyable enough as were a couple of the speculative technologies.
As for the westward expansion pioneer life in space setting, that was enjoyable enough as were a couple of the speculative technologies.
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