Science Fiction Aficionados discussion

Happy New Year, everybody! This month, we start the second Jenny Casey book, Scardown. I can't wait!

Time we started discussion this book! A couple of things that I found interesting were:

1. The AI guys Richard and Alan, who seem to have different personalities. Richard seems more invested in individuals while Alan seems to have a more global view.

2. This author is unafraid to kill of characters. I don't mind the "bad guys" going down, but it hurts when characters I like die!

I agree, Linda. We don't get to see tons of Alan, but he does "sound" different from Richard. The penny finally dropped this weekend on who Alan was probably based on - I can't believe it took me that long to figure it out.

It hurts, but I always appreciate it when authors don't protect their darlings too much, if that makes sense. I was crying at part of this book, but I don't think I would have wanted Bear to write it any other way.

I am finally starting this today-need to catch up!

I finished the book.

Both Alan and Richard are still there at the end of the book.

I think the author is very good with descriptions. I like the basic plot. The characters are well delineated with very different characteristics. The stakes are high. Again, like the first book, it took a while to get into it.

Hammered to Scardown was I thought basically just splitting up a large volume. Guess it was before they liked printing 1000+ volumes -)!
I have finished both - enjoyed them. And actually thought Scardown stopped at a reasonable point. I think could have ended there. But will shortly start WorldWired, hope Bear keeps up the quality.
Hmm, will have to go look - did they appear to be written together

I agree Robert that the first volume begged for a sequel but the second could have ended the story, without a zillion threads left dangling as we were left with in Hammered. We would have just been left to decide about the fate of the earth for ourselves!

I'd already read Worldwired, so I knew what was in store. It'd be interesting to know what I would have thought if I hadn't read the series ass-backwards.

finished last night-it was fine, but I think Bear's later stuff is SOOOOO much better.

Maggie wrote: "finished last night-it was fine, but I think Bear's later stuff is SOOOOO much better."

Would you recommend reading Worldwired? I was thinking of not reading anything more from Bear. I would have preferred more development and less quick cuts between different people. Basically, I am asking you to expand on your comment that her later stuff is soooo much better.

I never read world-wired, but I read All the Windwracked Stars and Range of Ghosts, which I thought were beautiful and have got the sequels...I think it was just a case of these were her first books...

I really am enjoying it, tho I can see not having read "Hammered" makes some bits obscure. Am wondering if I should stop and read the the first.

June wrote: "Maggie wrote: "finished last night-it was fine, but I think Bear's later stuff is SOOOOO much better."

Would you recommend reading Worldwired? I was thinking of not reading anything more from Bear..."

June, I'd encourage you to read WorldWired. I liked it a lot. It felt more fulsome than the first two, although I like them.

I just started this, I'm horribly behind, but I think she does a masterful job of grabbing my attention - just in the first five pages I'm completely re-immersed and I don't want to put it down. This is great story-telling!

I loved this, but parts of it, oh dear! Sad, but powerful. I didn't get that much of a sense of Alan as a person, did I just rush past some nuances?

I thought the same thing Alexa-he wasnt nearly as well developed