tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095695341570716002.post6838615737315182030..comments2023-10-27T17:16:27.467-04:00Comments on The Hugo Endurance Project: CyteenAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12364999124473415795noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095695341570716002.post-56631891270303567842013-01-04T00:20:00.499-05:002013-01-04T00:20:00.499-05:00Thanks for confirming that. I loved not only the ...Thanks for confirming that. I loved not only the Azi but also the tape learning. So cool.<br /><br />It's hard to believe Azi gets better! Ahhh!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12364999124473415795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095695341570716002.post-49888540163799320392013-01-03T12:39:35.850-05:002013-01-03T12:39:35.850-05:00This is easily one of the best novels I've eve...This is easily one of the best novels I've ever read. I particularly liked the nuanced treatment of the Azi. Try explaining Azi to someone in one sentence. It's impossible. Also, Ari becomes such a wonderfully compelling character as the book goes on (she's even better in Regenesis).<br /><br />Oh, and the real killer is revealed in Regenesis, but it's not a game-changer as far as Ari 2's worldview or anything like that, which is amazing.Sebhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10287375836781255561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095695341570716002.post-87945852771091039192012-10-10T20:15:26.583-04:002012-10-10T20:15:26.583-04:00That's a really good point. There is a real s...That's a really good point. There is a real sense of emotional damage that sticks around and you have to watch them relive their traumas throughout the entire book. I think that was what finally turned me around to Justin's character - watching him slowly, slowly recover.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12364999124473415795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095695341570716002.post-70763134220729845832012-10-09T06:25:24.136-04:002012-10-09T06:25:24.136-04:00I've only read "Cyteen" and "Do...I've only read "Cyteen" and "Downbelow Station" by Cherryh, too. I think I more-or-less liked "Downbelow Station", though it wasn't very memorable for me (I read it years ago). "Cyteen", though, I loved. I don't think there are very many SF novels that deal so well with so many different themes. On a smaller scale, I particularly remember liking how the characters didn't just get over traumatic experiences in a matter of days or weeks, like many fictional characters do. The things they experience continue to shape them for the rest of their lives. Alliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03683230093775720398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095695341570716002.post-5423475853852373982012-10-08T21:46:08.319-04:002012-10-08T21:46:08.319-04:00Early retirement! I guess you'll have plenty ...Early retirement! I guess you'll have plenty of time to finish Cyteen ;-) Wow, retiring to the family farm. That sounds really cool.<br /><br />Congratulations!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12364999124473415795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095695341570716002.post-26828837641285035732012-10-08T02:49:18.207-04:002012-10-08T02:49:18.207-04:00Yeh, early retirement :) Returning to my wife'...Yeh, early retirement :) Returning to my wife's roots, on the family farm in Namibia. I sure do hope there will be some time to still read sf.<br /><br />I've set aside a few books to read for this in limbo phase (I'm literary in between houses, countries), but these have since grown to two additional boxes to be packed!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06944487011611580147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095695341570716002.post-41166258992225378402012-10-07T13:37:01.222-04:002012-10-07T13:37:01.222-04:00I know, as much as I don't want to admit it, I...I know, as much as I don't want to admit it, I did not go into Cyteen with an open mind. I was totally ready to downplay anything I liked. Maybe it was thanks to its length that it had time to turn me around. I hope you enjoy it when you get to it.<br /><br />Leaving SA huh? Good luck with the move and I hope you left yourself enough to read in the meantime!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12364999124473415795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095695341570716002.post-5134424940417418252012-10-07T05:59:50.474-04:002012-10-07T05:59:50.474-04:00Wow, very interesting indeed. Downbelow Station wa...Wow, very interesting indeed. Downbelow Station was for me also quite average, and contributed much toward my avoidance - or rather continuous postponements - of reading Cyteen. Now I'm actually very motivated to do so, but sadly my whole library is currently in storage, waiting for our imminent move out of South Africa in November. Which means I won't be able to get to Cyteen until much later this year, or even only 2013. At least now it's something I look forward to with great anticipation.<br /><br />Cherryh is the one "classical" sf author I haven't read much, but that seems to be an inexcusable oversight.<br /><br />Good luck with The Snow Queen. It is also a hefty read (pages-wise). Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06944487011611580147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095695341570716002.post-16483638068992998252012-10-06T20:56:34.484-04:002012-10-06T20:56:34.484-04:00You know actually, I scored Cyteen immediately aft...You know actually, I scored Cyteen immediately after finishing and it wasn't perfect. It was pretty close, but as I was writing the review today and thinking a little more about it, I realized how much I had enjoyed it. Initially it was 'dinged' for Justin and Grant. Especially at first, but also throughout, they could be a little hard to relate to. When Grant is fleeing and so scared and incapable of anything, it was a little too early to understand the genesis of all those really strange emotions. After all I decided for a couple of guys who've had some serious and seriously weird deep tape sessions, they ought to be a little strange. They didn't even always understand themselves. I would have liked to have been privy to that before that escape scene in the beginning. Surely there were some things that weren't the greatest, but despite those moments or issues, as you say it was STILL one of the more intellectually stimulating Hugo's I've gone through so far. I feel justified giving it a '25'. Now I'm just nervous about how to reorganize my Paragons list...<br /><br />Also that's good to know about Regenesis. I'll be anxious to start that one at some point.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12364999124473415795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095695341570716002.post-56557486958012368832012-10-06T19:13:11.146-04:002012-10-06T19:13:11.146-04:00Also, I found Regenesis equally enjoyable. Perhaps...Also, I found Regenesis equally enjoyable. Perhaps not quite as ambitious, but with more engaging protagonists.neal callhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17285975416175230777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095695341570716002.post-52079564438528515092012-10-06T19:12:02.471-04:002012-10-06T19:12:02.471-04:00I incline towards devil's advocacy, and so if ...I incline towards devil's advocacy, and so if I were to read Cyteen again, I'd be looking for ways to ding it down from a perfect score. <br /><br />Having said that, it was one of the more intellectually stimulating and (in the end) enjoyable experiences I've ever had with a sff novel. I totally believe it deserves to stand pretty dang close to the best of them.<br /><br />I think my main criticism of Cherryh generally is that her LONG internal monologues seem to get a bit repetitive after a while, even though she drops little new bits into them with each new go-round. But Cyteen is probably still in my top five sci-fi novel experiences.neal callhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17285975416175230777noreply@blogger.com