Philotic Web

No, I haven't read the book yet, but I'm prepping a place to go for when I do (it's scheduled to arrive at my house on Wednesday). If you already have read it, feel free to let it all out here!

Again, just in case you missed it in the thread title, this is a thread for SPOILERS. If you are reading any further, it will be assumed you have either read the entire novel, or do not mind having important plot points SPOILED.

With that said, let's go!

Not finished, just giving a status update.

Jukes just discovered Concepcion's message, and El Calvador just discovered the wasted Italian ship. The MOPs are doing... MOP stuff.

I'm highly intrigued by the Mining Ship/Corporate drama. Apart from the two scenes with Mazer, the Military training stuff has been the 'get through this to get back to the Mining Ship stuff' parts. I'm sure that will change at some point...

Read it. Loved it. I was sad when Alejandra died. I agree with Alea, I'm not sure Aaron and Card know what zogging means (ew).

I'm almost done with my more detailed review which will be posted on EA shortly.

I just want to know where the second half of the book went.

If you think it seems unfinished there's a planned second and third novel in the formic wars trilogy.

I understand that. But it's like they spent so much time and effort setting up the next two books that they forgot to tell an actual story in this one. And quite frankly, that pisses me off, because it's such a cynical, ham-fisted, publisher-driven strategy to sell one book for the price of three.

I was intrigued by the character of Lem Jukes. I could never quite decide how I felt about him. I hated him a lot of the time, especially when he planned the bump, but was then surprised when he showed that he actually had a conscience by at least feeling quite guilt ridden about it (even though he was more concerned about the evidence of the attack and the plans for the glaser being compromised), and he showed bravery and a capacity for self-sacrifice in his immediate willingness to help attack the formic ship, and his overruled decision to put himself in harms way to warn its next likely victims. I guess I kept expecting him to be a 2 dimensional greedy corporate scumbag, and I was surprised by his redeeming qualities.

Also, after years of reading countless sci-fi novels dealing with space flight, this book was the first one that I can recall that really gave me chills at the thought of how easy it is to die horribly in space. During the part when Victor went outside the quickship, forgot to tether himself, and was clawing at the hull as he nearly floated off, I could almost feel his panic. Not to mention the detailed description of the search for and rescue of the Italian survivors.

You nailed it, neo-dragon. That's one of the things I really liked about this book. The sense of isolation felt by El Cavador is thick and oppressive and never, ever goes away.

I think the only other Sci-Fi franchise I've seen tackle that is Battlestar Galactica. And maybe Firefly.

I love your comparison to Firefly, it's terrific though I wouldn't have thought of it on my own. I haven't seen battlestar at all.

I was intrigued by the character of Lem Jukes. I could never quite decide how I felt about him. I hated him a lot of the time, especially when he planned the bump, but was then surprised when he showed that he actually had a conscience by at least feeling quite guilt ridden about it (even though he was more concerned about the evidence of the attack and the plans for the glaser being compromised), and he showed bravery and a capacity for self-sacrifice in his immediate willingness to help attack the formic ship, and his overruled decision to put himself in harms way to warn its next likely victims. I guess I kept expecting him to be a 2 dimensional greedy corporate scumbag, and I was surprised by his redeeming qualities.

I was also really drawn into Lem's character. He's full of brilliant contradictions that make him incredibly relate-able and realistic.

He's brilliant and ruthless, as we see by his life's achievements and decision to 'bump.' Yet he's cowardly and weak, as we see when he thinks about living in his father's shadow, and how his individuality and self-respect have suffered horribly. He's a keen administrator and good judge of human nature, as we see when he handles the initial delayed test, and then the interviews leading to his promoting new talent. Yet he doesn't realize until too late that he's second to his Captain in the end. He's selfless and high-minded, as we see when he decides to confront and defeat the Formics. Yet he's cruel and self-serving, as we see when he abandons is computer geek to pay for a crime he didn't commit.

Victor's lost/forbidden/what-could-have-been love also touched me powerfully.

In all of OSC's work I admire and adore the way he gives such great pain and burdens to his characters, and then has them voluntarily, gladly, or at least resignedly accept that pain for a higher cause, even and especially when it will break them.