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Major Bhaajan #1
Undercity
BOOK ONE IN A BRAND NEW SERIES by Nebula and Hugo Award Winner Catherine Asaro set in the world of her Skolian Empire universe. In the galaxy-spanning future, Major Bhaajan is a tough female P.I. who works the dangerous streets of Undercity.
Major Bhaajan, a former military officer with Imperial Space Command, is now a hard-bitten P.I. with a load of baggage to deal with, and clients with woes sometimes personal, sometimes galaxy-shattering, and sometimes both. Bhaajan must sift through the shadows of dark and dangerous Undercity—the enormous capital of a vast star empire—to find answers.
Major Bhaajan, a former military officer with Imperial Space Command, is now a hard-bitten P.I. with a load of baggage to deal with, and clients with woes sometimes personal, sometimes galaxy-shattering, and sometimes both. Bhaajan must sift through the shadows of dark and dangerous Undercity—the enormous capital of a vast star empire—to find answers.
304 pages, Paperback
First published November 15, 2014
98 people are currently reading
1029 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Asaro
93 books698 followersThe author of more than twenty-five books, Catherine Asaro is acclaimed for her Ruby Dynasty series, which combines adventure, science, romance and fast-paced action. Her novel The Quantum Rose won the Nebula® Award, as did her novella “The Spacetime Pool.” Among her many other distinctions, she is a multiple winner of the AnLab from Analog magazine and a three time recipient of the RT BOOKClub Award for “Best Science Fiction Novel.” Her most recent novel, Carnelians, came out in October, 2011. An anthology of her short fiction titled Aurora in Four Voices is available from ISFiC Press in hardcover, and her multiple award-winning novella “The City of Cries” is also available as an eBook for Kindle and Nook.
Catherine has two music CD’s out and she is currently working on her third. The first, Diamond Star, is the soundtrack for her novel of the same name, performed with the rock band, Point Valid. She appears as a vocalist at cons, clubs, and other venues in the US and abroad, including recently as the Guest of Honor at the Denmark and New Zealand National Science Fiction Conventions. She performs selections from her work in a multimedia project that mixes literature, dance, and music with Greg Adams as her accompanist. She is also a theoretical physicist with a PhD in Chemical Physics from Harvard, and a jazz and ballet dancer. Visit her at www.facebook.com/Catherine.Asaro
Catherine has two music CD’s out and she is currently working on her third. The first, Diamond Star, is the soundtrack for her novel of the same name, performed with the rock band, Point Valid. She appears as a vocalist at cons, clubs, and other venues in the US and abroad, including recently as the Guest of Honor at the Denmark and New Zealand National Science Fiction Conventions. She performs selections from her work in a multimedia project that mixes literature, dance, and music with Greg Adams as her accompanist. She is also a theoretical physicist with a PhD in Chemical Physics from Harvard, and a jazz and ballet dancer. Visit her at www.facebook.com/Catherine.Asaro
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews
July 9, 2018
Set at an early point in Asaro's Skolian Saga, soldier turned P.I. Bhaajan is hired by the royal house on Raylicon to find a missing prince and some missing weapons. Her investigation takes her back to the place she grew up, the shadowy "undercity", a society living in the dried up aqueducts under the city of Cries, where she learns that a potentially devastating war between two rival gangs is brewing. Bhaajan must find a way to either stop the violence or limit the damage, while preventing the authorities from making the problem worse by launching a full scale invasion of the undercity.
Fast paced storytelling and deft characterization have always been hallmarks of Asaro's fiction, and Undercity is no exception. I was especially drawn to the Bhaajan's internal conflicts, particularly her concern over helping the poverty-stricken citizens of the undercity without letting outside interference spoil the unique and rich culture there. The climax was thrilling enough to get me through the overlong denouement, which ties up too many loose ends a little too neatly.
Fast paced storytelling and deft characterization have always been hallmarks of Asaro's fiction, and Undercity is no exception. I was especially drawn to the Bhaajan's internal conflicts, particularly her concern over helping the poverty-stricken citizens of the undercity without letting outside interference spoil the unique and rich culture there. The climax was thrilling enough to get me through the overlong denouement, which ties up too many loose ends a little too neatly.
December 16, 2014
Fantasy Review Barn
Holy messiah syndrome Batman! Diamond in the rough private investigator solves all her cases and then works on fixing the entire world. Carried out with all the subtly of a jackhammer.
Major Bhaajan is a women who left poverty on her own and joined the military where she exceled. She has survived on her own since running away from an orphanage at age 3(!?). Granted she had help; a five year old showed her the ropes underneath the undercity where the ‘dust rats’ fight for survival. Military life provides her with biological augmentations that make her super human (and her appearance at a good twenty years younger than it should) and a easy transition to PI. Which in turn leads to her covert hiring by the top of the top; Majda royalty missing a prince.
A two part tale by design; the first third acts as an independent novella (and was published as such previously). It is here that Bhaajan attempts to find the missing prince and the details of society are lain out. I mentioned subtlety? We have a ‘gender flipped’ society on our hands with women acting as the matriarchal rulers with Taliban-like gender divisions. As in burkas, completely lack of freedom, and education bans. But there is no reason or consistency for this that I can see. The society doesn’t seem overtly religious and in practical application as a whole appears to have left this matriarchy behind; so a small group of royals enforce it among themselves purely to uphold tradition?
The rest of the book, once the case is inevitable wrapped up, builds on Bhaajan’s discoveries as she works to save the undercity society; and inevitable all of society. Gang warfare, malnutrition, and a stubborn desire to keep their own way of life are the make-up of denizens of this sub society; completely ignored by the upper society outside of occasional attempts to round up the orphans and give them a ‘better’ life. Having left this world Bhaajan is sucked back in during the case and finds herself not only caring about the plight of her former world but with some hope of being able to change it.
As interesting as this underworld was it was diminished by a lack of mapping before everything was put to page. A world that has gambling dens, violent gang wars, and that has managed to survive without an influx of new bodies for hundreds of years and yet its population is constantly estimated by those on the outside to be in the dozens? Minimum breeding populations are not going to be met by those numbers, especially with a high mortality rate that the text suggests. Even Bhaajan, who grew up in this world, seems to think there are less than a hundred people supporting this population.
Bhaajan is the type of character that can do no wrong. She unlocks puzzles with ease, has access to everyone worth knowing, hides from the most sophisticated security and gets respect for her suggestions from every single person she deals with. She gains quite a following, makes gangsters put down their weapons in each others’ presence, and it is hinted that she may have set the path for a world changing movement by her simplest actions. But I do not fault this character path because it worked. There was a lack of tension sure, little to no doubt that if Bhaajan sets her mind to it she will get her way. But it was entertaining watching her work; her cool under pressure, quick reasoning, and willingness to take a little time for herself along with it (finding an old piece of eye candy that remembers her well).
On the whole I found this to be a pretty good book; those looking for a strong female protagonist will be pleased (and those who toss around the term Mary Sue will probably be better off looking elsewhere). If I found some of the setting to be a bit lazy it never distracted enough to take from the story.
3 Stars
Review copy provided by publisher through NetGalley.
Holy messiah syndrome Batman! Diamond in the rough private investigator solves all her cases and then works on fixing the entire world. Carried out with all the subtly of a jackhammer.
Major Bhaajan is a women who left poverty on her own and joined the military where she exceled. She has survived on her own since running away from an orphanage at age 3(!?). Granted she had help; a five year old showed her the ropes underneath the undercity where the ‘dust rats’ fight for survival. Military life provides her with biological augmentations that make her super human (and her appearance at a good twenty years younger than it should) and a easy transition to PI. Which in turn leads to her covert hiring by the top of the top; Majda royalty missing a prince.
A two part tale by design; the first third acts as an independent novella (and was published as such previously). It is here that Bhaajan attempts to find the missing prince and the details of society are lain out. I mentioned subtlety? We have a ‘gender flipped’ society on our hands with women acting as the matriarchal rulers with Taliban-like gender divisions. As in burkas, completely lack of freedom, and education bans. But there is no reason or consistency for this that I can see. The society doesn’t seem overtly religious and in practical application as a whole appears to have left this matriarchy behind; so a small group of royals enforce it among themselves purely to uphold tradition?
The rest of the book, once the case is inevitable wrapped up, builds on Bhaajan’s discoveries as she works to save the undercity society; and inevitable all of society. Gang warfare, malnutrition, and a stubborn desire to keep their own way of life are the make-up of denizens of this sub society; completely ignored by the upper society outside of occasional attempts to round up the orphans and give them a ‘better’ life. Having left this world Bhaajan is sucked back in during the case and finds herself not only caring about the plight of her former world but with some hope of being able to change it.
As interesting as this underworld was it was diminished by a lack of mapping before everything was put to page. A world that has gambling dens, violent gang wars, and that has managed to survive without an influx of new bodies for hundreds of years and yet its population is constantly estimated by those on the outside to be in the dozens? Minimum breeding populations are not going to be met by those numbers, especially with a high mortality rate that the text suggests. Even Bhaajan, who grew up in this world, seems to think there are less than a hundred people supporting this population.
Bhaajan is the type of character that can do no wrong. She unlocks puzzles with ease, has access to everyone worth knowing, hides from the most sophisticated security and gets respect for her suggestions from every single person she deals with. She gains quite a following, makes gangsters put down their weapons in each others’ presence, and it is hinted that she may have set the path for a world changing movement by her simplest actions. But I do not fault this character path because it worked. There was a lack of tension sure, little to no doubt that if Bhaajan sets her mind to it she will get her way. But it was entertaining watching her work; her cool under pressure, quick reasoning, and willingness to take a little time for herself along with it (finding an old piece of eye candy that remembers her well).
On the whole I found this to be a pretty good book; those looking for a strong female protagonist will be pleased (and those who toss around the term Mary Sue will probably be better off looking elsewhere). If I found some of the setting to be a bit lazy it never distracted enough to take from the story.
3 Stars
Review copy provided by publisher through NetGalley.
October 26, 2014
4 1/2
Books like Undercity are one of the reasons I joined Netgalley. That pure serendipity that lets you discover a gem. It's getting more and more difficult with e-retailers to discover something new. Their algorithms are made to sell, and we are more eager to buy what we know, rather than discover the new.
(This is one of the few things I miss from brick and mortar shops, the causal discovery.)
To my chagrin I've never read this author before. I asked for Undercity because the publisher was Baen, and well, the blurb of course. It seemed right up my alley. But it would have not been the first time I've been "duped".
Undercity is way more than promised. There's a strong leading woman, hell, there's a full world of them. There's an incredible world-building. More, there's a hint of an epic world to build. I got the same vibe I had when reading Dune, an eon ago. That trembling idea of an empire in the making. Terrific.
I so wanted more when it ended. I wanted more of the undercity, of its inhabitants, its past and its future. I wanted to see the struggle to make the dream real.
Undercity has an epic-feeling cast of characters, too. The city, the population, the ruling family (with its shuddering burqua-like imposed on men. It's not any prettier the other way round). Bhaaj. I'm sorry I missed her story as a young woman.
The good news? It seems it's the first book in a new series, so yay me! :)
There's only one nit for me. Book I and Book II aren't that well linked (IMHO). It seems to me they were two different stories bundled together. Book one is like a novella-length prologue. [Think Anna & Charlies novella that started Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs, or Blooded by Amanda Carlson.]
What I can tell you is that here Book II is even better than Book I. [I'm thinking of Carlson's works where the prologue was better than the following books.]
So maybe loosely jointed but still great.
When's the next?
ARC courtesy of Baen via NetGalley.
April 2, 2018
REREAD #1: 27 March 2018 - 2 April 2018 (9/10)
Catherine Asaro's newest book (The Bronze Skies) came out in September last year. I've been wanting to do a chronological reread of all the Skolia books for a while, so instead of reading it as soon as I got it, I saved it up until I had reread Skyfall and this one. It's taken me a little while to get there, but I have just finished my reread. I don't have much to say beyond what I've said before.
I love Asaro's books - they just work for me in all the ways I want a book to do, and while I like some more than others, I don't think I've read anything of hers I haven't liked. This was a great reread and once I started I had to keep on going until I was done. It was interesting meeting Bhaaj all over again and trying to make the things that start here fit in with what I've read already that happens later in the timeline. After looking at the numbers, I suspect the Dust Knights are still to appear in later books and I'll be very interested to see if they become part of the "end" of the story that still hasn't been written. (I really want to get to read that some day; make sure you're careful when crossing the road, Catherine!)
I'm going to read a few other things now, but I'm definitely looking forward to getting to The Bronze Skies.
ORIGINAL READ: 21 November 2014 - 23 November 2014 (10/10)
I have admitted before that Catherine Asaro's book, especially her Skolia books, push all my buttons in all the right ways. It doesn't matter in the least if someone points out possible issues with any of them, I can acknowledge their point and maybe even agree with it, but I still love them to bits.
I found this one to be slower to captivate me than some of the others. Part may be that I had already read the first section as the story The City of Cries, so I was treading old ground. I also found I was slower to warm to Baahjan than I expected, especially since I'd met her before.
What I realised, with a significant dose of embarrassment, is that while Asaro's books may be my book crack in general, the specific guilty pleasure is telepathic royalty/nobility. There was less of that in this book and I think that was a factor. See me blush.
Once Baahj really got involved in the undercity and the fate of its people, especially its children, none of that mattered. Full scale book crack was back and I was hooked. I think it helped that pieces here started to link to pieces in the other books and add to the overview of the world and the story I already knew. Mostly though, Baahj is cool and the story is solid and fascinating.
While I have to admit I still want more books in the main storyline, I'll be more than happy to have more Baahjan books too. I'll have my cake and I'll eat it too, please.
Catherine Asaro's newest book (The Bronze Skies) came out in September last year. I've been wanting to do a chronological reread of all the Skolia books for a while, so instead of reading it as soon as I got it, I saved it up until I had reread Skyfall and this one. It's taken me a little while to get there, but I have just finished my reread. I don't have much to say beyond what I've said before.
I love Asaro's books - they just work for me in all the ways I want a book to do, and while I like some more than others, I don't think I've read anything of hers I haven't liked. This was a great reread and once I started I had to keep on going until I was done. It was interesting meeting Bhaaj all over again and trying to make the things that start here fit in with what I've read already that happens later in the timeline. After looking at the numbers, I suspect the Dust Knights are still to appear in later books and I'll be very interested to see if they become part of the "end" of the story that still hasn't been written. (I really want to get to read that some day; make sure you're careful when crossing the road, Catherine!)
I'm going to read a few other things now, but I'm definitely looking forward to getting to The Bronze Skies.
ORIGINAL READ: 21 November 2014 - 23 November 2014 (10/10)
I have admitted before that Catherine Asaro's book, especially her Skolia books, push all my buttons in all the right ways. It doesn't matter in the least if someone points out possible issues with any of them, I can acknowledge their point and maybe even agree with it, but I still love them to bits.
I found this one to be slower to captivate me than some of the others. Part may be that I had already read the first section as the story The City of Cries, so I was treading old ground. I also found I was slower to warm to Baahjan than I expected, especially since I'd met her before.
What I realised, with a significant dose of embarrassment, is that while Asaro's books may be my book crack in general, the specific guilty pleasure is telepathic royalty/nobility. There was less of that in this book and I think that was a factor. See me blush.
Once Baahj really got involved in the undercity and the fate of its people, especially its children, none of that mattered. Full scale book crack was back and I was hooked. I think it helped that pieces here started to link to pieces in the other books and add to the overview of the world and the story I already knew. Mostly though, Baahj is cool and the story is solid and fascinating.
While I have to admit I still want more books in the main storyline, I'll be more than happy to have more Baahjan books too. I'll have my cake and I'll eat it too, please.
April 3, 2015
If you have run out of Lois McMaster Bujold books to read, Asaro's 'Undercity' is a good next choice. It's got that same kind of space-investigation-military-adventure going on, with engaging characters and fast-moving action.
Set in Asaro's well-established matriarchal Skolian Empire, 'Undercity' introduces her fans to Bhaajan - an ex-military woman who's set herself up as a private investigator in luxurious Selei City. (Imagine her as a somewhat-more-moral detective version of Han Solo, with cyber-soldier bio-enhancements).
As the story opens, Bhaaj has just accepted a lucrative-but-opaque assignment. Little does she expect to be spirited far from her new home, and plunged back into the subterranean ghetto that she barely escaped as a child.
The book contains three almost-separate stories. One links right into the other, but each has a separate focus. In the first, Bhaaj is assigned to find a missing prince. In the second, the plot expands to encompass a weapons-smuggling scheme. And in the last, the human-rights theme that is evident throughout the book comes to the fore, as Bhaaj finds herself taking on the cause of the second-class citizens of the undercity.
Good fun, with plenty of room for more adventures to come...
Many thanks to NetGalley and Baen for the opportunity to read this book. As always, my opinions are my own.
Set in Asaro's well-established matriarchal Skolian Empire, 'Undercity' introduces her fans to Bhaajan - an ex-military woman who's set herself up as a private investigator in luxurious Selei City. (Imagine her as a somewhat-more-moral detective version of Han Solo, with cyber-soldier bio-enhancements).
As the story opens, Bhaaj has just accepted a lucrative-but-opaque assignment. Little does she expect to be spirited far from her new home, and plunged back into the subterranean ghetto that she barely escaped as a child.
The book contains three almost-separate stories. One links right into the other, but each has a separate focus. In the first, Bhaaj is assigned to find a missing prince. In the second, the plot expands to encompass a weapons-smuggling scheme. And in the last, the human-rights theme that is evident throughout the book comes to the fore, as Bhaaj finds herself taking on the cause of the second-class citizens of the undercity.
Good fun, with plenty of room for more adventures to come...
Many thanks to NetGalley and Baen for the opportunity to read this book. As always, my opinions are my own.
April 7, 2017
Ah, the Skolian Empire! Where the women are all kick-ass, the men all gorgeous, the architecture stunning, the sexual tension thick, the politics complex, the psions fascinating, the enemies deliciously evil, the technology actually useful.... It's impossible to convey how fun Catherine Asaro's books are, on every level—world-building, character, dialogue, plot, action, romance, technology. I'm quite a bit behind on the series, but when I had the chance to get this review copy of the first book featuring a new character, I pounced. Then I gulped it down with a giant gleeful grin on my face. Undercity follows a female (and kick-ass, natch) ex-military P.I. tasked to recover the runaway-or-kidnapped cloistered son of a aristocratic family. It's not deeply intertwined with all of the complex politics and family relations of the rest of the series, so, if you're unfamiliar with the universe, it's a great place to start. And if you're not already reading Asaro—you should definitely start.
SAMPLE PARAGRAPH
I set the gun on the ground. "You have guts." What an incredible understatement. He had just bluffed one of the most brutal criminals on the entire planet with a water pistol.
***
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted text has not been double-checked against the published book because it is not yet available.
This review originally appeared on my blog, This Space Intentionally Left Blank .
SAMPLE PARAGRAPH
I set the gun on the ground. "You have guts." What an incredible understatement. He had just bluffed one of the most brutal criminals on the entire planet with a water pistol.
***
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted text has not been double-checked against the published book because it is not yet available.
This review originally appeared on my blog, This Space Intentionally Left Blank .
January 7, 2015
I was hoping for more from this book. I was in the mood for some cool science fiction but this turned out to be just okay, hence the two star rating. It wasn't bad but none of it blew me away either. The heroine, Major Baahj, could basically do anything with her tech-enhanced body and whatever she couldn't accomplish physically her Artificial Evolving Intelligence computer system handled effortlessly. The changes that Baahj brings about in such a short amount of time, in a system that has been in place for millenia, seemed a bit unbelievable and bordered on the Mary Sue trope. The whole thing with the Undercity children and the Dust Knights should have been touching but instead it came off as cheesy. There is also a romance element of the reconnecting-old-lovers variety and it was okay but, again, nothing that blew me away. Overall it was all just...meh.
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September 11, 2019
Major Bhaajan has spent her entire life trying to escape the brutal world of the Undercity—she left when she was sixteen, joined the military and became a PI—until a suspected kidnapping of the beloved and protected prince of her home planet's ruling family draws her back in. But after the prince is found, Bhaajan finds herself pulled into the world of her childhood once more—as more dangers are lurking for the Undercity at every turn.
This was...ehhhhh.
I enjoyed the plot, however I felt that there was a lot of heavy-handedness in the handling of many of the situations and some clunky writing that felt very forced (and in the audiobook, the call and response of the Dirt Knights was painful to listen to).
This book has the feel of a traditional urban fantasy that just happens to be dropped into a sci-fi setting. The heroine is tough, former military, a stated loner who escaped her hard past but finds herself brought back into it. She's special but doesn't really know why. She has a very strong inner monologue that turns into exposition that can be obvious and slightly mind-numbing at times. There is a mystery to be solved, she is a PI, and that mystery transforms into something that can change her people and herself.
Don't get me wrong—I love urban fantasy. But some of the cliches and tropes were a bit too heavy and obvious. And practically perfect in every way Bhaajan was kind of a bore. She's good at everything she does (and was apparently self-sufficient and fully cognizant at three), and despite having been apart from the city of her childhood for twenty-some years can speak fully on her people's needs without having to consult any of them because nothing has changed in millennia.
Also, I grew weary of the very maleness that was Jack. There's only so many times you can hear lean, long, masculine smile, smirk, etc. And Bhaajan had a weird obsession with women who were taller than she was (what was up with that?).
However, I did like the spin on gender roles, placing the men in the protected positions with a matriarchal society. It was interesting, as was the role of psions in the society. Although the entire inbreeding aspect was ehhhhhhh (this is an issue I've had with some of the other books in the original series).
Overall, it's a solid read, but not a stellar one.
If you like urban fantasy and want to branch into sci-fi, this might feel familiar and ease the transition.
This was...ehhhhh.
I enjoyed the plot, however I felt that there was a lot of heavy-handedness in the handling of many of the situations and some clunky writing that felt very forced (and in the audiobook, the call and response of the Dirt Knights was painful to listen to).
This book has the feel of a traditional urban fantasy that just happens to be dropped into a sci-fi setting. The heroine is tough, former military, a stated loner who escaped her hard past but finds herself brought back into it. She's special but doesn't really know why. She has a very strong inner monologue that turns into exposition that can be obvious and slightly mind-numbing at times. There is a mystery to be solved, she is a PI, and that mystery transforms into something that can change her people and herself.
Don't get me wrong—I love urban fantasy. But some of the cliches and tropes were a bit too heavy and obvious. And practically perfect in every way Bhaajan was kind of a bore. She's good at everything she does (and was apparently self-sufficient and fully cognizant at three), and despite having been apart from the city of her childhood for twenty-some years can speak fully on her people's needs without having to consult any of them because nothing has changed in millennia.
Also, I grew weary of the very maleness that was Jack. There's only so many times you can hear lean, long, masculine smile, smirk, etc. And Bhaajan had a weird obsession with women who were taller than she was (what was up with that?).
However, I did like the spin on gender roles, placing the men in the protected positions with a matriarchal society. It was interesting, as was the role of psions in the society. Although the entire inbreeding aspect was ehhhhhhh (this is an issue I've had with some of the other books in the original series).
Overall, it's a solid read, but not a stellar one.
If you like urban fantasy and want to branch into sci-fi, this might feel familiar and ease the transition.
November 13, 2014
“Undercity” was published in 2014 (December) and was written by Catherine Asaro (http://www.catherineasaro.net). Ms. Asaro had published more than a dozen novels. This is one of several set in her ”Skolian Empire”.
I obtained a galley of this Science Fiction / Mystery novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I would categorize this novel as ‘R’ as there is some Violence. The novel is written in the first person and is set in a far future, and a distant galaxy. The primary character is Major Bhaajan, a former army officer. She is now retired and runs a Private Investigative service.
The Major take on a case that reluctantly returns her to her home world of Raylicon and the City of Cries. This world is a female dominated society. The Major finds that she has been hired to find a missing prince of the Majda Royal House. The investigation leads her to the Undercity. The Undercity consists of ancient waterways, mazes, tunnels and caves beneath the Vanished Sea and the old city of Cries. This is where the Major was born, and when she escaped by enlisting in the army, she swore never to return.
The Underity, or aqueducts as the locals refer to them, is the home to a class of people almost ignored by those who live on the surface. They have their own culture and rarely do those from below and those from above mix. They eek out an existence by trading among one another, and distrust those from above.
Major Bhaajan connects with old friends and old enemies in the aqueducts. She keeps saying she wants to finished the investigation and return to her life, but the people in the Undercity, particularly her old lover Jak, tug to return her to her roots.
I thoroughly enjoyed the eight hours I spent reading this novel! I liked the plot being a mystery within a Science Fiction world. I liked the technology that Ms. Asaro created, as well as the many characters. I was totally hooked on this novel - I started reading last night at 10:40PM and kept going until I finished. I was surprised to see that it was 02:15AM by then. Not many books have engaged me to the point of staying up like that. I give this novel a 5 out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at http://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
I obtained a galley of this Science Fiction / Mystery novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I would categorize this novel as ‘R’ as there is some Violence. The novel is written in the first person and is set in a far future, and a distant galaxy. The primary character is Major Bhaajan, a former army officer. She is now retired and runs a Private Investigative service.
The Major take on a case that reluctantly returns her to her home world of Raylicon and the City of Cries. This world is a female dominated society. The Major finds that she has been hired to find a missing prince of the Majda Royal House. The investigation leads her to the Undercity. The Undercity consists of ancient waterways, mazes, tunnels and caves beneath the Vanished Sea and the old city of Cries. This is where the Major was born, and when she escaped by enlisting in the army, she swore never to return.
The Underity, or aqueducts as the locals refer to them, is the home to a class of people almost ignored by those who live on the surface. They have their own culture and rarely do those from below and those from above mix. They eek out an existence by trading among one another, and distrust those from above.
Major Bhaajan connects with old friends and old enemies in the aqueducts. She keeps saying she wants to finished the investigation and return to her life, but the people in the Undercity, particularly her old lover Jak, tug to return her to her roots.
I thoroughly enjoyed the eight hours I spent reading this novel! I liked the plot being a mystery within a Science Fiction world. I liked the technology that Ms. Asaro created, as well as the many characters. I was totally hooked on this novel - I started reading last night at 10:40PM and kept going until I finished. I was surprised to see that it was 02:15AM by then. Not many books have engaged me to the point of staying up like that. I give this novel a 5 out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at http://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
December 5, 2014
This review is for the ARC I have received courtesy of NetGalley.
I usually refrain from writing negative reviews, mostly because I feel like by posting a one star review I am doing the author a disservice. But once in a while I come across books that I can't simply discard and not explain why I didn't like them, either because they were really bad, or because they could have been great and failed to live to my expectations.
In the case of Undercity by Catherine Asaro, it's the later rather than the former. I was so excited when I got an advanced reader copy of this book thanks to NetGalley. I love science fiction, I love strong female characters, and I absolutely love new and interesting takes on societies. So I really wanted to love Undercity.
Unfortunately, while I am willing to suspend my disbelief in most cases (it's a made-up world after all), I can't shut off my logical mind as well. I can't read a book if I have to be brain dead to enjoy it.
I will not go into too many details about the story itself, because my problems with the book are more general than that. So you can read on ahead without fear of spoilers.
So, problem #1 and biggest pet peeve. The author describes a star-faring and technologically advanced civilization that had existed for over seven thousand years and created a galactic empire. In this civilizations, for some unexplained reasons, there are only about 2 men for each 10 women born. So, obviously, the society is very matriarchic. This could work. This could actually be a very interesting topic to explore IF the author had bothered to think logically about the implications of such a disparity.
To me, such a deficit in males means polygamy, if not the rejection of marriage as a viable solution altogether. Communal men, children either raised by their mothers or the larger family including sisters, aunts, cousins, etc. We are also talking about a technologically advanced society, so sperm banks, genetic modification, draconian control over who can procreate with whom because of the reduced genetic pool with the Y chromosome…
�What we get in that book instead: men are kept hidden from the outside world, and only their immediate family and future wife to be can interact with them (that's an interesting reversal of the situation many women endured in the Muslim countries, even if it's a bit farfetched). BUT the society is still monogamous. You heard me right. There are 2 men for every 10 women, yet each man can only be married to one woman… So what do the other 8 do? How do they chose who gets to create a family and have children and who doesn’t? How can that work??? All those questions are left unanswered.
Also, I find it hard to believe that in all seven thousand years, their scientists haven't found a solution to fix this disparity between sexes. For one, a society with so few men would have interbreeded and died out in seven thousand years, not went on to dominate a galaxy. It could have achieved it only if measures had been taken to spread the genetic pool around and a drastic genealogical control… none of which is even mentioned in the book.
My second problem with the book is the population of the Undercity itself and the inner conflict / motivation for the protagonist. I think it's mostly because even the author isn't quite clear of what the people of Undercity are, so her protagonist isn't very clear whether she wants to save that population or not, and for what reasons, or whether it even needs saving. This puts the reader in a state of slight bewilderment any time she reads about that elusive society, because it's not very clear what the stakes are.
How big is the population of Undercity? The author never gives us straight numbers. One page she says around 300, then she mentions about 400-600. Even if it's 1000, how can a civilization like that have survived for 7000 years by itself? The author mentions a few times that they have zero to very little contact with the people from Cries, the city above them…. So they just breed amongst themselves then? All 300, 600 or 1000 of them for the whole 7000 years? They would all be closely related by now and horribly deformed, especially considering that they have the same problem as the people above them - 2 men for every 10 women…
But even if we put that little problem aside, the author has no clear vision of what that population does. Either they are vagrants that survive on scraps collected form above them (how if they rarely go outside?), who have no sustainable industry or production or anything. Or they are skilled mechanics, hackers and artists who learned their skills "in the streets" and by stealing the online feeds from top above ground schools. Either they are divided into a society of violent gangs, or they have a strict code of helping each other and taking care of their own. According to what the author says, they are all that at the same time with no real explanations on how, why and how that would even begin to work.
This could have been a wonderful book. There were so many possibilities to explore, but I guess the author's logic was different from my own. Personally, I wouldn't recommend this book. There are plenty of better science fiction novels out there. But ultimately it's always up to you, guys.
I usually refrain from writing negative reviews, mostly because I feel like by posting a one star review I am doing the author a disservice. But once in a while I come across books that I can't simply discard and not explain why I didn't like them, either because they were really bad, or because they could have been great and failed to live to my expectations.
In the case of Undercity by Catherine Asaro, it's the later rather than the former. I was so excited when I got an advanced reader copy of this book thanks to NetGalley. I love science fiction, I love strong female characters, and I absolutely love new and interesting takes on societies. So I really wanted to love Undercity.
Unfortunately, while I am willing to suspend my disbelief in most cases (it's a made-up world after all), I can't shut off my logical mind as well. I can't read a book if I have to be brain dead to enjoy it.
I will not go into too many details about the story itself, because my problems with the book are more general than that. So you can read on ahead without fear of spoilers.
So, problem #1 and biggest pet peeve. The author describes a star-faring and technologically advanced civilization that had existed for over seven thousand years and created a galactic empire. In this civilizations, for some unexplained reasons, there are only about 2 men for each 10 women born. So, obviously, the society is very matriarchic. This could work. This could actually be a very interesting topic to explore IF the author had bothered to think logically about the implications of such a disparity.
To me, such a deficit in males means polygamy, if not the rejection of marriage as a viable solution altogether. Communal men, children either raised by their mothers or the larger family including sisters, aunts, cousins, etc. We are also talking about a technologically advanced society, so sperm banks, genetic modification, draconian control over who can procreate with whom because of the reduced genetic pool with the Y chromosome…
�What we get in that book instead: men are kept hidden from the outside world, and only their immediate family and future wife to be can interact with them (that's an interesting reversal of the situation many women endured in the Muslim countries, even if it's a bit farfetched). BUT the society is still monogamous. You heard me right. There are 2 men for every 10 women, yet each man can only be married to one woman… So what do the other 8 do? How do they chose who gets to create a family and have children and who doesn’t? How can that work??? All those questions are left unanswered.
Also, I find it hard to believe that in all seven thousand years, their scientists haven't found a solution to fix this disparity between sexes. For one, a society with so few men would have interbreeded and died out in seven thousand years, not went on to dominate a galaxy. It could have achieved it only if measures had been taken to spread the genetic pool around and a drastic genealogical control… none of which is even mentioned in the book.
My second problem with the book is the population of the Undercity itself and the inner conflict / motivation for the protagonist. I think it's mostly because even the author isn't quite clear of what the people of Undercity are, so her protagonist isn't very clear whether she wants to save that population or not, and for what reasons, or whether it even needs saving. This puts the reader in a state of slight bewilderment any time she reads about that elusive society, because it's not very clear what the stakes are.
How big is the population of Undercity? The author never gives us straight numbers. One page she says around 300, then she mentions about 400-600. Even if it's 1000, how can a civilization like that have survived for 7000 years by itself? The author mentions a few times that they have zero to very little contact with the people from Cries, the city above them…. So they just breed amongst themselves then? All 300, 600 or 1000 of them for the whole 7000 years? They would all be closely related by now and horribly deformed, especially considering that they have the same problem as the people above them - 2 men for every 10 women…
But even if we put that little problem aside, the author has no clear vision of what that population does. Either they are vagrants that survive on scraps collected form above them (how if they rarely go outside?), who have no sustainable industry or production or anything. Or they are skilled mechanics, hackers and artists who learned their skills "in the streets" and by stealing the online feeds from top above ground schools. Either they are divided into a society of violent gangs, or they have a strict code of helping each other and taking care of their own. According to what the author says, they are all that at the same time with no real explanations on how, why and how that would even begin to work.
This could have been a wonderful book. There were so many possibilities to explore, but I guess the author's logic was different from my own. Personally, I wouldn't recommend this book. There are plenty of better science fiction novels out there. But ultimately it's always up to you, guys.
Read
April 14, 2021There are a few authors for whom I will buy (or request) every new book without even glancing at the blurb. Among these is Catherine Asaro. I did take a quick look at the cover copy for Undercity, but I will admit that when I saw the words ‘Skolian Empire’, glee fuzzed the rest. I did realise this novel is more peripheral to the saga, that it in fact begins a new series, but it represents a piece of the world I have come to adore and that is enough.
At age fifteen, Bhaajan escaped the slums of Cries by enlisting with Imperial Space Command. Now retired, Major Bhaajan works as a private investigator. Her reputation for due diligence and never giving up attracts an influential client who transports her back to the planet of her birth for an interview. Bhaajan hasn’t been back to Raylicon in years, but she hasn’t forgotten where she came from, which may be what her client is counting on.
The noble houses of Raylicon are so far removed from the slums of the City of Cries, they may as well be on another planet. House Majda perhaps even more so. In a reflection of history long past, they seclude their males, hiding them away under guard. It is a crime to even touch one of these men. One of the house princes has gone missing and the matriarch has hired Bhaajan to find him.
Using her knowledge of the Undercity, the canals and aqueducts that form the slums she came from, Bhaajan begins her search for clues. She finds little has changed since she left. Crime is still the number one form of commerce and children are still running in gangs. But a key component of the underground society seems to have broken down. They might not have much, but the dust gangs have always looked after their own. Now children are suffering neglect, the adults are fighting and the whispers no longer carry all the secrets.
Bhaajan finds her prince but, in doing so, she uncovers a much more sinister plot, one that threatens the Undercity more than starvation and neglect. She cannot ignore the children who begin to follow her, nor the man she left behind seven years before.
Undercity is divided into three books or parts. The first has been previously released as a novella called "The City Of Cries". The second two parts follow directly on from the first, expanding upon the first story, exposing the plot responsible for Prince Dayj Majda’s capture. Undercity does read like a complete novel and, for those unfamiliar with the Skolian Empire, it would make a fantastic place to start. While the psi-talents of the Ruby dynasty do feature prominently in this book, the narrative isn’t bogged down by the history of the dynasty or the mechanics of their talents. Instead, Asaro has written an engrossing mystery.
Our hero, Major Bhaajan, is typical of her characters in that she is strong, talented and capable but not perfect. She has flaws and foibles and both are exposed as she first searches for Prince Dayj, then struggles with the decision she made seven years earlier to leave the planet of her birth. Circumstances conspire to keep her on Raylicon this time around and she has to choose between two hearts, professional and private. She’ll discover they’re one and the same.
As a long-time fan of ‘The Skolian Saga’, I really enjoyed Undercity. As always, Asaro delivered a tale rich with the embedded history of her world and bright with technical marvels. Her characters were engaging and intriguing and there is even a bit of romance. What really touched my heart was Bhaaj’s interaction with the children of the aqueducts. I spent the last fifty pages of the book sniffling into a tissue. I’m looking forward to reading the continuing adventures of Major Bhaajan.
Written for SFCrowsnest.
At age fifteen, Bhaajan escaped the slums of Cries by enlisting with Imperial Space Command. Now retired, Major Bhaajan works as a private investigator. Her reputation for due diligence and never giving up attracts an influential client who transports her back to the planet of her birth for an interview. Bhaajan hasn’t been back to Raylicon in years, but she hasn’t forgotten where she came from, which may be what her client is counting on.
The noble houses of Raylicon are so far removed from the slums of the City of Cries, they may as well be on another planet. House Majda perhaps even more so. In a reflection of history long past, they seclude their males, hiding them away under guard. It is a crime to even touch one of these men. One of the house princes has gone missing and the matriarch has hired Bhaajan to find him.
Using her knowledge of the Undercity, the canals and aqueducts that form the slums she came from, Bhaajan begins her search for clues. She finds little has changed since she left. Crime is still the number one form of commerce and children are still running in gangs. But a key component of the underground society seems to have broken down. They might not have much, but the dust gangs have always looked after their own. Now children are suffering neglect, the adults are fighting and the whispers no longer carry all the secrets.
Bhaajan finds her prince but, in doing so, she uncovers a much more sinister plot, one that threatens the Undercity more than starvation and neglect. She cannot ignore the children who begin to follow her, nor the man she left behind seven years before.
Undercity is divided into three books or parts. The first has been previously released as a novella called "The City Of Cries". The second two parts follow directly on from the first, expanding upon the first story, exposing the plot responsible for Prince Dayj Majda’s capture. Undercity does read like a complete novel and, for those unfamiliar with the Skolian Empire, it would make a fantastic place to start. While the psi-talents of the Ruby dynasty do feature prominently in this book, the narrative isn’t bogged down by the history of the dynasty or the mechanics of their talents. Instead, Asaro has written an engrossing mystery.
Our hero, Major Bhaajan, is typical of her characters in that she is strong, talented and capable but not perfect. She has flaws and foibles and both are exposed as she first searches for Prince Dayj, then struggles with the decision she made seven years earlier to leave the planet of her birth. Circumstances conspire to keep her on Raylicon this time around and she has to choose between two hearts, professional and private. She’ll discover they’re one and the same.
As a long-time fan of ‘The Skolian Saga’, I really enjoyed Undercity. As always, Asaro delivered a tale rich with the embedded history of her world and bright with technical marvels. Her characters were engaging and intriguing and there is even a bit of romance. What really touched my heart was Bhaaj’s interaction with the children of the aqueducts. I spent the last fifty pages of the book sniffling into a tissue. I’m looking forward to reading the continuing adventures of Major Bhaajan.
Written for SFCrowsnest.
February 8, 2015
In this latest addition to the Skolian Empire series, Asaro takes readers back a bit in time to a point when Roka Skolia has just recently married her Consort, with whom she raises her dynastic brood, many of whom have appeared as main characters in earlier (published) books.
The plot revolves around Roka’s intended husband, young prince Dayj, who, desperate for escape from the loneliness and isolation of his prison in the palace, runs away – only to disappear. His family call in a mercenary/bounty hunter type, our heroine, Baaj, who is retired from the Pharaoh’s Army – which is led by the matriarch of Dayj’s royal family, the Majdas. Told in parts, the novel follows Baaj’s search for the prince, her investigation into criminal activity in the Undercity, and the resolution of the conflict between Undercity dwellers and Above-City citizens. A smaller arc develops the romance between Baaj and her former lover, disreputable Undercity kingpin, Jak.
One of the things I love about science fiction is that it explores issues like gender equality and cultural supremacy/superiority in imaginative environments that can change a reader’s perspective and worldview. In Undercity, Asaro explores gender equality in a flipped culture that contends that men are the “delicate,” “protected” sex. While much of the society has moved beyond such gender bias and inequality, in the royal palace of the Majda, the princes are imprisoned, restricted, hidden. Much like the women in harems.
The main characters, following the majority of the progressive society, demonstrate a preference for and belief in gender equality, deploring Dayj’s situation. Through this perspective, the author reveals her own belief in gender equality. The resolution of this plot line further emphasizes the importance of freedom and equality. Caring for others means letting them choose their own path in life, allowing them to make their own decisions (even mistakes), and giving them space to grow. The heroine points out this truth to the Majdas, opening their eyes to Dayj’s unhappiness. Ultimately, the story contrasts true love (familial-style, not One-True-Love-style) and possessive love.
A small gem really stood out, when Baaj talks with an AI computer that posits why one of the princes, a man who lived a normal, free life before marrying a Majda princess and giving up that freedom, would be one of the strongest advocates and supporters of the seclusion and imprisonment of other princes. Why should anyone else have the freedom he willingly gave up, the AI asks. This is one of the many examples when the societal norms are explored on a deeper, personal level – and the author does an excellent job of explaining individual motivations that feel true and natural.
Read the full review and find Similar Reads at The Book Adventures around (American) Thanksgiving, 2014.
The plot revolves around Roka’s intended husband, young prince Dayj, who, desperate for escape from the loneliness and isolation of his prison in the palace, runs away – only to disappear. His family call in a mercenary/bounty hunter type, our heroine, Baaj, who is retired from the Pharaoh’s Army – which is led by the matriarch of Dayj’s royal family, the Majdas. Told in parts, the novel follows Baaj’s search for the prince, her investigation into criminal activity in the Undercity, and the resolution of the conflict between Undercity dwellers and Above-City citizens. A smaller arc develops the romance between Baaj and her former lover, disreputable Undercity kingpin, Jak.
One of the things I love about science fiction is that it explores issues like gender equality and cultural supremacy/superiority in imaginative environments that can change a reader’s perspective and worldview. In Undercity, Asaro explores gender equality in a flipped culture that contends that men are the “delicate,” “protected” sex. While much of the society has moved beyond such gender bias and inequality, in the royal palace of the Majda, the princes are imprisoned, restricted, hidden. Much like the women in harems.
The main characters, following the majority of the progressive society, demonstrate a preference for and belief in gender equality, deploring Dayj’s situation. Through this perspective, the author reveals her own belief in gender equality. The resolution of this plot line further emphasizes the importance of freedom and equality. Caring for others means letting them choose their own path in life, allowing them to make their own decisions (even mistakes), and giving them space to grow. The heroine points out this truth to the Majdas, opening their eyes to Dayj’s unhappiness. Ultimately, the story contrasts true love (familial-style, not One-True-Love-style) and possessive love.
A small gem really stood out, when Baaj talks with an AI computer that posits why one of the princes, a man who lived a normal, free life before marrying a Majda princess and giving up that freedom, would be one of the strongest advocates and supporters of the seclusion and imprisonment of other princes. Why should anyone else have the freedom he willingly gave up, the AI asks. This is one of the many examples when the societal norms are explored on a deeper, personal level – and the author does an excellent job of explaining individual motivations that feel true and natural.
Read the full review and find Similar Reads at The Book Adventures around (American) Thanksgiving, 2014.
October 8, 2014
http://koeur.wordpress.com/2014/10/08...
Publisher: Baen
Publishing Date: December 2014
ISBN: 9781476736921
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 4.2/5
Publisher Description: Major Bhaajan, a former military officer with Imperial Space Command, is now a hard-bitten P.I. with a load of baggage to deal with, and clients with woes sometimes personal, sometimes galaxy-shattering, and sometimes both. Bhaajan must sift through the shadows of dark and dangerous Undercity—the enormous capital of a vast star empire—to find answers.
Review: I like that old timey cover. Harkens back to the SciFi novels of the 70’s.
This was a really good hard hitting SciFi novel that you can sink your teeth into. Its not the tech or the star systems that grab you, it is the characters and their role in and under the city of Cries. The story line unfolds with Major Bhaajan being hired by the Majda imperialists to find their run away Prince. What follows is an intricately woven story-line that is 2 parts mystery and 1 part Undercity discovery and all the machinating denizens that lurk above and below. So much of the novel involves Bhaagan’s evolving concern for the Duster’s plight, of which she once was a part of, that to go into the details will give the tenure of the novel away.
At the end of the novel you feel as though you know Bhaaj, Jak, Gourd and the Majda family. Really well crafted and written. So why 4 stars? Almost every page had grammatical errors. At first I thought it was pidgin dialogue to demonstrate the differences between the Undercity and Cries, but it was evident when that dialogue was purposely used. Perhaps it is more in a Beta stage at this point. If so, I would give it around 4.6.
Publisher: Baen
Publishing Date: December 2014
ISBN: 9781476736921
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 4.2/5
Publisher Description: Major Bhaajan, a former military officer with Imperial Space Command, is now a hard-bitten P.I. with a load of baggage to deal with, and clients with woes sometimes personal, sometimes galaxy-shattering, and sometimes both. Bhaajan must sift through the shadows of dark and dangerous Undercity—the enormous capital of a vast star empire—to find answers.
Review: I like that old timey cover. Harkens back to the SciFi novels of the 70’s.
This was a really good hard hitting SciFi novel that you can sink your teeth into. Its not the tech or the star systems that grab you, it is the characters and their role in and under the city of Cries. The story line unfolds with Major Bhaajan being hired by the Majda imperialists to find their run away Prince. What follows is an intricately woven story-line that is 2 parts mystery and 1 part Undercity discovery and all the machinating denizens that lurk above and below. So much of the novel involves Bhaagan’s evolving concern for the Duster’s plight, of which she once was a part of, that to go into the details will give the tenure of the novel away.
At the end of the novel you feel as though you know Bhaaj, Jak, Gourd and the Majda family. Really well crafted and written. So why 4 stars? Almost every page had grammatical errors. At first I thought it was pidgin dialogue to demonstrate the differences between the Undercity and Cries, but it was evident when that dialogue was purposely used. Perhaps it is more in a Beta stage at this point. If so, I would give it around 4.6.
June 20, 2025
UNDERCITY is an accessible entry point for readers interested in Asaro's Skolian Empire books. It tells the story of a woman who escaped the poverty-sticken and violence-ridden Undercity by joining the army, has a successful career, retires and becomes a Private Investigator on a different planet. When she is hired, at an extremely high rate of pay, she finds herself returning to the planet of her birth and having to go back to the Undercity she thought she had escaped forever.
She has been hired to track down a missing Majda prince. While searching for him in the Undercity, she runs into an old love and some old enemies too. She also uncovers a plot that has the potential to destroy the culture of the Undercity and destroying the Skolian Empire too. Bhaajan is an interface between the power elite of the world and the people in the Undercity. She finds herself educating her employers about the culture of the Undercity and protecting the citizens from forced assimilation by the residents of the upper city - the City of Cries.
I enjoyed this story about a woman who finds herself going back to a world she thought she had left behind. I liked the way she advocated for her culture which she could do because she has spent years in the dominant culture. I liked the way she handled the culture clash. I liked the rekindled romance in the story. I thought the technology was fascinating. I liked the mention of the psychic powers that has the potential of turning the residents of Undercity into an essential resource for the Skolian Empire even though that made the loss of their culture more imminent.
I look forward to reading more books about this character.
She has been hired to track down a missing Majda prince. While searching for him in the Undercity, she runs into an old love and some old enemies too. She also uncovers a plot that has the potential to destroy the culture of the Undercity and destroying the Skolian Empire too. Bhaajan is an interface between the power elite of the world and the people in the Undercity. She finds herself educating her employers about the culture of the Undercity and protecting the citizens from forced assimilation by the residents of the upper city - the City of Cries.
I enjoyed this story about a woman who finds herself going back to a world she thought she had left behind. I liked the way she advocated for her culture which she could do because she has spent years in the dominant culture. I liked the way she handled the culture clash. I liked the rekindled romance in the story. I thought the technology was fascinating. I liked the mention of the psychic powers that has the potential of turning the residents of Undercity into an essential resource for the Skolian Empire even though that made the loss of their culture more imminent.
I look forward to reading more books about this character.
September 3, 2020
I liked this for the most part
It's long past time we had characters and stories set with everyday folks.
It's long past time we had characters and stories set with everyday folks.
December 29, 2015
I really wanted to like this book, because a nice lady popped out of nowhere and started recommending SF books to me. This was her first suggestion (and I have another one she recommended) and ... ugh. I ... didn't really enjoy reading it.
As other reviewers have noted, the protagonist ran away from the orphanage at *3*. Also all of these poverty-stricken, starving children would never accept free food or water, because of their culture? I couldn't get past that. Have you ever gone hungry? Try it for a couple months and see if you're not ready to accept some free food.
There was some attempt at interesting with gender role reversal, (and a hunky! loyal! wonderful! man from the past), but reading it felt like work, which is the opposite of what I want from my recreational reading. It's either going to be a high 2 or a low 3 stars, I've changed it twice already.
As other reviewers have noted, the protagonist ran away from the orphanage at *3*. Also all of these poverty-stricken, starving children would never accept free food or water, because of their culture? I couldn't get past that. Have you ever gone hungry? Try it for a couple months and see if you're not ready to accept some free food.
There was some attempt at interesting with gender role reversal, (and a hunky! loyal! wonderful! man from the past), but reading it felt like work, which is the opposite of what I want from my recreational reading. It's either going to be a high 2 or a low 3 stars, I've changed it twice already.
September 23, 2014
Superb! One of the best reads of 2014. I highly recommend it.
August 11, 2018
Good story! I enjoyed it!
December 23, 2014
3,5 stars
Ok, first some info: Undercity is extended version of The City of Cries novella, but added content is rather linear, since this book is basically continuation of novella. Hence, we have Part I (TCoC) and Part II (added content).
First part is a straight forward detective novel- Bhaajan is a former major with the Imperial Space Command turned PI and she's contacted by a mysterious client. It turns out, secrecy is well deserved since Bhaajan is hired to find one of the most important men in Skolian empire: youngest Majda Prince. Majdas are second most influential family in the Empire. Majdas are financial moguls; their matriarchs are by tradition Generals of Pharaoh's army, but Majda women also dominate imperial fleet and space command branches. They are also following old rules religiously: their men are kept in seclusion- which means they are in complete lock-down, hidden behind walls under heavy protection. Touching a Majda prince is considered to be an offense punishable by death. So, to say that Bhaajan is under high pressure to solve this is an understatement. But,she is uniquely qualified to do it, since prince's trail leads to Undercity, pipe system where Bhaajan grew up as an orphan and one place she didn't want ever to come back to. And she needs help from people she left behind.
Mysterywise - this wasn't too complicated. Bhaajan pretty much found the prince soon as she went to Undercity, but events of this case triggered a bigger problem Bhaajan is handling in Part II. First part is also important for getting to know Majdas and rigidity of rules they followed for centuries. They are also pried of their sense of fairness and honor.
It's a picture of Raylicon on microlevel that gains real importance in second part where perspective is switched and we get a bigger social structure picture. In second part, Bhaajan and Jax are trying to break gun smuggling operation and war between gangs of Undercity where the ones who need most help are in biggest danger: little orphans, called dust rats Baahjan and Jax once were.
*This disparity between Majda and poor people living in pipe system is so huge I found it a bit of a stretch: it is written to show the most simple social system model: only two social classes are shown where one has everything and other nothing and as such it's completely unrealistic. Society is more complicated and there is more layers to it, but we don't get to see it at all. Baahjan's investigation is happening only in Majda's households and in Undercity and I personally missed seeing what's in between. Hence, I think Asaro smoothed this over little too easy and simple.
I am also not sure how this reads if reader is not familiar with other novels set in Skolian Empire. Timeline follows the events of Skyfall since missing prince was engaged to Roca Skolia before she goes and meet Eldrinson. But it's not just that: seclusion would be more clear if reader knows that Empire is matriarchal society and that Majdas are applying old rules strictly for more reasons: their men are not just beautiful and intelligent, they also seem to carry and are able to pass further gene that gives their children psychic powers. It's a great gift and a valuable weapon against Traders. Psyons are mentioned and I guess it's not difficult to understand but the importance of it gets a whole another meaning when you are familiar with setting.
Romance plot is a given when it comes to Asaro, so it happens here as well. ;)
I think resolution happened to early in the novel and the whole story lacks suspense by the end. It left us on a weird note since there is nothing to dislike about it, but there is also not much to like and remember once you finish.
It has potential and I will pick up next in series. ;)
*ETA 12/23/2104 - Rephrased after thoughtful comment from fellow reader. :)
November 3, 2014
Undercity by Catherine Asaro
When I received the e-book from NetGalley, I had never heard of Catherine Asaro, but when I read and loved the book, it was time to find out more about this author.
Asaro is one of those multi-talented individuals who excels in at almost everything. She has a PhD in chemical physics and an A.M. in physics from Harvard; a B.S. with highest honors from UCLA; she teaches chemistry, physics, and math and coaches national competitions; she is a dancer and a musician; she writes science fiction novels that have won all kinds of awards including 2 Nebulas.
OK--now, it is possible to not only love the book, but to thoroughly admire the woman who works both hard science and science fiction!
Major Bhaajan, a former military officer, is now an experienced P.I. On accepting a case from an anonymous but well-paying client, she ends up back in the city of Cries and working for the Majda imperialists, who want her to find a runaway prince. (Very interesting concept: the men are kept isolated and treated, in general, as light-weights while the women rule and make all important decisions. Ha! The men are in the harem in this culture.)
And then there is the Undercity and its inhabitants. Here dwell the impoverished and marginalized--but the denizens of the Undercity have their own unique culture, and it is in the Undercity that Asaro's world-building shines. Major Bhaajan comes from these tunnels deep in the earth, and although she has been gone a long time, she is uniquely qualified to understand the characters and the culture of the "city" that exists underneath the city of Cries.
Highly recommended for science fiction fans.
Read in Oct.; blog post scheduled for Nov. 10
NetGalley/Baen Books
Science Fiction. Dec. 2, 2014. Print length: 304 pages.
When I received the e-book from NetGalley, I had never heard of Catherine Asaro, but when I read and loved the book, it was time to find out more about this author.
Asaro is one of those multi-talented individuals who excels in at almost everything. She has a PhD in chemical physics and an A.M. in physics from Harvard; a B.S. with highest honors from UCLA; she teaches chemistry, physics, and math and coaches national competitions; she is a dancer and a musician; she writes science fiction novels that have won all kinds of awards including 2 Nebulas.
OK--now, it is possible to not only love the book, but to thoroughly admire the woman who works both hard science and science fiction!
Major Bhaajan, a former military officer, is now an experienced P.I. On accepting a case from an anonymous but well-paying client, she ends up back in the city of Cries and working for the Majda imperialists, who want her to find a runaway prince. (Very interesting concept: the men are kept isolated and treated, in general, as light-weights while the women rule and make all important decisions. Ha! The men are in the harem in this culture.)
And then there is the Undercity and its inhabitants. Here dwell the impoverished and marginalized--but the denizens of the Undercity have their own unique culture, and it is in the Undercity that Asaro's world-building shines. Major Bhaajan comes from these tunnels deep in the earth, and although she has been gone a long time, she is uniquely qualified to understand the characters and the culture of the "city" that exists underneath the city of Cries.
Highly recommended for science fiction fans.
Read in Oct.; blog post scheduled for Nov. 10
NetGalley/Baen Books
Science Fiction. Dec. 2, 2014. Print length: 304 pages.
September 18, 2015
The author, Catherine Asaro, has established quite the name for herself with multiple series, mostly set in the world of the Skolians, featuring a matriarchal space empire where beautiful men are fought over by powerful women. I've always enjoyed them reasonably enough, without ever being so impressed that I would plan on re-reading them or seeking out the next ones. Undercity mostly lives up to that expectations, but with some caveats that caused me to drop it down to 2 stars.
This is one book, but I very strongly suspect it was published as three novellas; so you get three mini-arcs, but each one by necessity is miniature. The protagonist is, nominally, a hard-boiled PI retired from the military and ready to earn her living "pounding the pavement", but she then gets hired by a noble house and involved in the schemes of the galactically wealthy (the setting's apparently natural tableaux; certainly everything I've read of the authors is there). She also gets re-acquainted with her first love, the boy who likes playing on the bad side of town but knows just what he can get away with, and confronts other remnants of her dark past.
The writing is perfectly decent -- a few tics I noticed where similar phrases were used -- but this book involves constantly going back and forth between the rich world above and the "undercity," the slums where she grew up; but due to her experience on both sides, she is uniquely set up to reshape all of society in a matter of days .
This is one book, but I very strongly suspect it was published as three novellas; so you get three mini-arcs, but each one by necessity is miniature. The protagonist is, nominally, a hard-boiled PI retired from the military and ready to earn her living "pounding the pavement", but she then gets hired by a noble house and involved in the schemes of the galactically wealthy (the setting's apparently natural tableaux; certainly everything I've read of the authors is there). She also gets re-acquainted with her first love, the boy who likes playing on the bad side of town but knows just what he can get away with, and confronts other remnants of her dark past.
The writing is perfectly decent -- a few tics I noticed where similar phrases were used -- but this book involves constantly going back and forth between the rich world above and the "undercity," the slums where she grew up; but due to her experience on both sides, she is uniquely set up to reshape all of society in a matter of days .
October 23, 2014
4.5 stars
Major Bhaajan, former military and now a private investigator, is hired by a mysterious client. Forced to return somewhere she'd rather not go, she's also forced to confront things she'd rather stayed in the past if there's to be any hope in the future.
This is the first I'd read by Catherine Asaro, so it's worth noting that I have just added the first of her Skolian Empire series - in the same universe as Undercity - to my to-read list. People who have already explored that series will probably find the Characters & Family History section at the end interesting; I just paged through to avoid potential spoilers, as none of it was relevant to me.
The intricate cultures Asaro created here, the history of the characters, the issues they have to deal with, and the cultural conflicts all echo recognizable pieces from our culture. Moral debates about validity of lifestyle choices, "saving" people from themselves and the narrow-mindedness of the privileged class (who devalue and dismiss marginal societies while not thinking past trite beliefs about poverty) all resonated strongly with me.
The tech was visible but not intrusive, just enough to make it interesting and to add a small flavor of cyberpunk without diverging from the main plot. The three parts could almost stand on their own as novellas, but seemed to me more like acts in a play, underscoring the events of each part.
Very enjoyable and educational, and I look forward to reading the rest of this series!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Major Bhaajan, former military and now a private investigator, is hired by a mysterious client. Forced to return somewhere she'd rather not go, she's also forced to confront things she'd rather stayed in the past if there's to be any hope in the future.
This is the first I'd read by Catherine Asaro, so it's worth noting that I have just added the first of her Skolian Empire series - in the same universe as Undercity - to my to-read list. People who have already explored that series will probably find the Characters & Family History section at the end interesting; I just paged through to avoid potential spoilers, as none of it was relevant to me.
The intricate cultures Asaro created here, the history of the characters, the issues they have to deal with, and the cultural conflicts all echo recognizable pieces from our culture. Moral debates about validity of lifestyle choices, "saving" people from themselves and the narrow-mindedness of the privileged class (who devalue and dismiss marginal societies while not thinking past trite beliefs about poverty) all resonated strongly with me.
The tech was visible but not intrusive, just enough to make it interesting and to add a small flavor of cyberpunk without diverging from the main plot. The three parts could almost stand on their own as novellas, but seemed to me more like acts in a play, underscoring the events of each part.
Very enjoyable and educational, and I look forward to reading the rest of this series!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 9, 2014
I received a copy of Undercity from Netgalley for an unbiased review.
I hadn't read any of Catherine Asaro books, so I really didn't know what to expect opening Undercity.
I really enjoyed this book, it was fresh, well paced, giving hints of a bigger universe outside of the story.
Major Bhaajan is offered a lucrative job searching for a missing prince, but this mean returning back to the city of Cries, and Undercity, the slum which she had escaped years before.
The character of Bhaajan is confident, clever and conflicted by the situation she finds herself in, having to navigate society both above and below the city. How do you feel when a friend is a crime lord, when the solution to a problem may make it worse, when changing the status quo could hurt those around you.
I look forward to the next installment of this series, to find out how the Dust Knights develop, how Bhajaan and Jak relationship continues.
The writing is excellent, at the end of the copy I read I discovered that this new series is an offshoot of an existing series, and I will be reading this.
I hadn't read any of Catherine Asaro books, so I really didn't know what to expect opening Undercity.
I really enjoyed this book, it was fresh, well paced, giving hints of a bigger universe outside of the story.
Major Bhaajan is offered a lucrative job searching for a missing prince, but this mean returning back to the city of Cries, and Undercity, the slum which she had escaped years before.
The character of Bhaajan is confident, clever and conflicted by the situation she finds herself in, having to navigate society both above and below the city. How do you feel when a friend is a crime lord, when the solution to a problem may make it worse, when changing the status quo could hurt those around you.
I look forward to the next installment of this series, to find out how the Dust Knights develop, how Bhajaan and Jak relationship continues.
The writing is excellent, at the end of the copy I read I discovered that this new series is an offshoot of an existing series, and I will be reading this.
November 24, 2017
I gave it four stars because it is a good story. However there were a few things that were not quite there. The character development could have been better. The relationship between the main character and Jak was wham bam let's pick up where we left off. I understand there was history between them but as a reader I would have liked to see some of the development and growth of that relationship. As far as the culture she was trying to develop I found it very interesting but at sometimes confusing, what I thought was a whole society was later described as a small group of forty to later becoming more. I just felt it needed a bit more description. Beyond that it was interesting seeing the lives and rich culture of people forgotten by the world and later seeing their reintegration into society, while trying to preserve the culture. A good interesting read.
September 11, 2015
I am on the hunt for strong female characters written by female authors and this definitely delivered. As the first in a new series in the Skolian Empire world, this is a great place to start. Bhaajan is a former military P. I. who is called back to her home planet where she once roamed with the "dust rats," the often orphaned kids in the aqueducts under the grand City of Cries. In this world, women rule and fight wars while princes in royal families are kept under lock and key and have little power over their lives in marriage. I enjoyed the chatacter development, the romance and the collective/community aspects that Bhaajan starts to build in the old stomping grounds she thought she had left behind. A great set-up at the end for more to come. I will definitely be reading more Asaro.
October 31, 2023
enjoy her books, wish she would write more
August 15, 2020
Intense storytelling and unexpected plot directions. The main character is gritty and tough, but also believability flawed.
October 30, 2020
It was nice to go back to the worlds of the Skolian Imperialate and see some of the characters (Majda, Selei) from another view. Major Bhaajan is a private investigator and this series fits well into the P.I. genre, while still doing some world-building with technology. I loved the additional discoveries about Raylicon, which set the stage for Catch the Lightning (the last book chronologically).
December 8, 2014
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
Undercity is the start of a new series set in the Skolian Empire world of Asaro's previous novels. Those new to her works will find an easy introduction to that world and fans of her work will enjoy the references and milieu. The book features a strong heroine with a firm moral grounding that many will find relatable. But a disconnected storyline and somewhat simplistic characterizations does let the book down a bit.Story: Major Baahjan has left the military to return to her home planet. A very surprising employer has asked her to track down a missing prince. It's a search that will lead her back into her old haunts below the City; she will have to confront the love she walked out on, the harsh life she thought she had escaped, and the realization that the people who live in the tunnels and aqueducts below the city are more than the rats they've named themselves. For there's a larger conspiracy happening and the prince is only the beginning. Major Baahjan will need to lead her people out into the light again to save the world.
The book is composed of 3 parts: an original novella published a few years ago and then expansions from that core story of a missing prince. The sections loosely connect and definitely feel like a collection of stories since the first one is a crime noir, the second a detective mystery, and the third action/adventure. I didn't get a feel of a complete story arc so much as a collection of novellas.
Asaro enjoys writing tell over show so those new to the Skolian universe will find no lack of info dumps. Unofortunately, those dumps rarely are smoothly inserted into the storyline so they can be abrupt and sidetrack from the emotion of the story. But this is a quirk of most of Asaro's books and you learn to skim.
For me, this particularl book has a lot of action/adventure that is enjoyable but the logic and realism is pretty naff. I didn't buy a lot of what was going on: technologically, politically, emotionally. It's easy to nitpick her works but at the core there has to be believability and so much here really doesn't make sense: from 300-400 isolated people supposedly imbred for 3,000 years and yet they don't have serious birth defects? Like a regime that has held traditions for thousands of years suddenly changing the way they do things because our lead character gives them a moral sermon about not overprotecting their royalty? Or that the same royal family blurts out all their secrets to our low born commoner without her even needing to ask? Things like those just had me shaking my head.
Undercity is an undemanding, if shallow, read. A lovely diversion on a weekend but more of a cookie than a meal.
Reviewed from an ecopy provided by the publisher.
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