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sophia_sol) wrote2013-09-28 05:42 pm
sophia_sol) wrote2013-09-28 05:42 pm
Hunted, by James Alan Gardner
Apparently James Alan Gardner had intended this book to be entitled "Haunted" and it was all a big mix-up that it's called "Hunted" instead. I've thought of it as Haunted ever since I found this out, because the name "Hunted" makes actual zero sense for this book, whereas Haunted is a good name for it.
This is a very different book from Ascending, and a very different main character. Oar (from Ascending) comes across as having an extremely positive sense of self, whereas Edward has been made to understand his worthlessness his entire life.
And yet there are similarities too, which I only just noticed -- both have a fundamental change in how their brains work by the end of their respective books, Oar's brain finally undergoing the adolescent process of pruning and Edward's brain being kickstarted into massive intelligence by the Mandasar queen venom.
And both end their books in a position of power over at least a large segment of an alien species. But for Oar that's clearly just an interesting thing to do for a time while she figures out what she wants to do with her life now that she has a life ahead of her -- she'll be a Cashling prophet for a while, it'll be fun, she'll learn more about herself, she'll move on and the Cashlings will move on and no hard feelings anywhere. But Edward's always been close with Mandasars and now that he is what he is, he's bound himself pretty thoroughly to the Mandasars. And that's how he wants it.
I love Oar a lot and her book ends with Festina saying something about how she's interested in seeing what kind of woman Oar will become and I one thousand percent agree with Festina. Edward's more complicated. The kind of person Edward's turning into by the end of the book I'm less fond of - the arrogance he develops is way less charming than Oar's, I think because his arrogance has a much wider scope. Oar is simply convinced she's smart and beautiful and talented, a very self-focused kind of arrogance. Edward's smart self is convinced of the above PLUS convinced he knows best for everybody else. And, well, it might be true, and also Edward is doing his best to mitigate the worse parts of his arrogance, but it's still not very charming.
But okay enough about that. YOU KNOW WHAT IS CHARMING? Mandasar familiiiiieeeeees. Zeeleepull and Hib & Nib & Pib and Counselor are SUPER ADORABLE. Wee babies doing their best to remember and honour their culture and history and language even though they really know nothing! Lots of platonic affection! All of their attitudes towards each other! AWWWWWWW.
Actually probably the best thing about this book is the aliens. Mandasars and Fasskissters and OH THE BALROG. I love the Balrog. The Balrog is such a little shit. It loves going "boo" at lesser species! It finds it inexpressibly enjoyable to be mysterious and superior and unhelpful in the most frustrating ways possible! IT INTRODUCED ITSELF TO HUMANITY AS "THE BALROG." As is mentioned in one of the other books in the series, the ways aliens choose to introduce themselves to you means a lot! And the Balrog chose to be known as THE BALROG. Basically the Balrog thinks trolling other species is hilarious. AND IT'S RIGHT.
Also I find myself kind of fascinated by Edward's sister Samantha, and I rather want fic about the two of them as kids BECAUSE APPARENTLY I WANT TO BREAK MY HEART. Poor Edward's told his whole life that he's useless and a disappointment and a failure because he isn't smart, and Samantha goes about manipulating the pants off him and he never ever notices because he isn't that smart and he thinks he has a perfect wonderful beautiful sister who loves him and has his best interests at heart. And also: Samantha surely wasn't doomed to be a terrible person, because Edward turned out okay and he and Samantha are both clones of their father. But she was raised by Admiral Alexander York and that is bound to mess a person up! Who might she have been if she had been given the opportunities to learn morality? But no, she has Alexander York as a father and that must have been a supremely messed up childhood she had too! AUGH YORK FAMILY :(((((((
And of course Festina. She doesn't get as much of a chance to shine in this one as in some of the others (VIGILANT!!! FAYE/FESTINA 5EVA!!!!) but I am never ever sad to have her around. Festina is so great.
Also I gotta mention Prope. I love Prope. She manages to show up in most of the books in this series and is always her Propish self. And I mean I would never ever want to meet her or be stuck with her as my commanding officer or anything but she's just so… idek, but I love reading about her. She makes a great foil for Gardner's main characters. And her name fits her perfectly.
This is a very different book from Ascending, and a very different main character. Oar (from Ascending) comes across as having an extremely positive sense of self, whereas Edward has been made to understand his worthlessness his entire life.
And yet there are similarities too, which I only just noticed -- both have a fundamental change in how their brains work by the end of their respective books, Oar's brain finally undergoing the adolescent process of pruning and Edward's brain being kickstarted into massive intelligence by the Mandasar queen venom.
And both end their books in a position of power over at least a large segment of an alien species. But for Oar that's clearly just an interesting thing to do for a time while she figures out what she wants to do with her life now that she has a life ahead of her -- she'll be a Cashling prophet for a while, it'll be fun, she'll learn more about herself, she'll move on and the Cashlings will move on and no hard feelings anywhere. But Edward's always been close with Mandasars and now that he is what he is, he's bound himself pretty thoroughly to the Mandasars. And that's how he wants it.
I love Oar a lot and her book ends with Festina saying something about how she's interested in seeing what kind of woman Oar will become and I one thousand percent agree with Festina. Edward's more complicated. The kind of person Edward's turning into by the end of the book I'm less fond of - the arrogance he develops is way less charming than Oar's, I think because his arrogance has a much wider scope. Oar is simply convinced she's smart and beautiful and talented, a very self-focused kind of arrogance. Edward's smart self is convinced of the above PLUS convinced he knows best for everybody else. And, well, it might be true, and also Edward is doing his best to mitigate the worse parts of his arrogance, but it's still not very charming.
But okay enough about that. YOU KNOW WHAT IS CHARMING? Mandasar familiiiiieeeeees. Zeeleepull and Hib & Nib & Pib and Counselor are SUPER ADORABLE. Wee babies doing their best to remember and honour their culture and history and language even though they really know nothing! Lots of platonic affection! All of their attitudes towards each other! AWWWWWWW.
Actually probably the best thing about this book is the aliens. Mandasars and Fasskissters and OH THE BALROG. I love the Balrog. The Balrog is such a little shit. It loves going "boo" at lesser species! It finds it inexpressibly enjoyable to be mysterious and superior and unhelpful in the most frustrating ways possible! IT INTRODUCED ITSELF TO HUMANITY AS "THE BALROG." As is mentioned in one of the other books in the series, the ways aliens choose to introduce themselves to you means a lot! And the Balrog chose to be known as THE BALROG. Basically the Balrog thinks trolling other species is hilarious. AND IT'S RIGHT.
Also I find myself kind of fascinated by Edward's sister Samantha, and I rather want fic about the two of them as kids BECAUSE APPARENTLY I WANT TO BREAK MY HEART. Poor Edward's told his whole life that he's useless and a disappointment and a failure because he isn't smart, and Samantha goes about manipulating the pants off him and he never ever notices because he isn't that smart and he thinks he has a perfect wonderful beautiful sister who loves him and has his best interests at heart. And also: Samantha surely wasn't doomed to be a terrible person, because Edward turned out okay and he and Samantha are both clones of their father. But she was raised by Admiral Alexander York and that is bound to mess a person up! Who might she have been if she had been given the opportunities to learn morality? But no, she has Alexander York as a father and that must have been a supremely messed up childhood she had too! AUGH YORK FAMILY :(((((((
And of course Festina. She doesn't get as much of a chance to shine in this one as in some of the others (VIGILANT!!! FAYE/FESTINA 5EVA!!!!) but I am never ever sad to have her around. Festina is so great.
Also I gotta mention Prope. I love Prope. She manages to show up in most of the books in this series and is always her Propish self. And I mean I would never ever want to meet her or be stuck with her as my commanding officer or anything but she's just so… idek, but I love reading about her. She makes a great foil for Gardner's main characters. And her name fits her perfectly.