Book Review: Hammered, Elizabeth Bear
Jul. 14th, 2005 01:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
asaelWow, been awhile since I've used this.
This is a science fiction, near-future book. I'd almost call it cyberpunk, although it's not exactly. It does deal with the Dark Future, though, which I always enjoy.
The main character is an ex-army veteran with numerous body modifications including a metal arm (and yes, my brain totally went "FMA!"). She's... well, pretty badass. I like female characters who take no shit and can be awesome all on their own. It helps that she's not gorgeous, and that she's pushing fifty. (Older woman badass character? SWEET.)
I have no desire to give away the plot, so... I won't. But suffice to say it involves crazy new technology, conspiracies, facing Dark Past, and other exciting... y'know... stuff. It's not really anything out of the ordinary, when you get right down to it, but I enjoyed reading it nonetheless. Her prose flowed very well and managed to pull me in, which is good because a couple other books I've read recently failed to do that.
Some things I didn't like: The tendency to switch from viewpoint to viewpoint was nice and gives you lots of useful information about the characters, but sometimes I'd skim over the (bolded thick and black, my eyes don't like that) text describing where and when a scene was set, and then realize that the scene is in fact set 25 years BEFORE the current storyline, after some confusion.
The tendency of the characters to speak in French sometimes. It's a nice touch, but dude... I don't speak French. I have NO IDEA what they're saying, and while I trust that anything in French wasn't vital to the plot/characterizations (because that would be dumb), I still feel like I'm missing out on things. And I don't like that. It's like when fanfic writers have their characters speak in Japanese. There's no reason, when they can speak English and make much more sense.
But I enjoyed it enough that I'm going to read the sequel, and that's what really counts. ^_^
Gayness Quotient (because it makes me laugh, and because I know some of you like to know these things): Low. One lesbian kiss.
This is a science fiction, near-future book. I'd almost call it cyberpunk, although it's not exactly. It does deal with the Dark Future, though, which I always enjoy.
The main character is an ex-army veteran with numerous body modifications including a metal arm (and yes, my brain totally went "FMA!"). She's... well, pretty badass. I like female characters who take no shit and can be awesome all on their own. It helps that she's not gorgeous, and that she's pushing fifty. (Older woman badass character? SWEET.)
I have no desire to give away the plot, so... I won't. But suffice to say it involves crazy new technology, conspiracies, facing Dark Past, and other exciting... y'know... stuff. It's not really anything out of the ordinary, when you get right down to it, but I enjoyed reading it nonetheless. Her prose flowed very well and managed to pull me in, which is good because a couple other books I've read recently failed to do that.
Some things I didn't like: The tendency to switch from viewpoint to viewpoint was nice and gives you lots of useful information about the characters, but sometimes I'd skim over the (bolded thick and black, my eyes don't like that) text describing where and when a scene was set, and then realize that the scene is in fact set 25 years BEFORE the current storyline, after some confusion.
The tendency of the characters to speak in French sometimes. It's a nice touch, but dude... I don't speak French. I have NO IDEA what they're saying, and while I trust that anything in French wasn't vital to the plot/characterizations (because that would be dumb), I still feel like I'm missing out on things. And I don't like that. It's like when fanfic writers have their characters speak in Japanese. There's no reason, when they can speak English and make much more sense.
But I enjoyed it enough that I'm going to read the sequel, and that's what really counts. ^_^
Gayness Quotient (because it makes me laugh, and because I know some of you like to know these things): Low. One lesbian kiss.
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no subject
Date: 2005-08-22 12:31 am (UTC)The French is mostly very bad French that can be read via English cognates, or it's translated in the narrative, or it's foul-mouthedness.
The book I'm writing now has a much higher Gayness Quotient. Promise.
and thank you again....
no subject
Date: 2005-08-22 01:55 am (UTC)Thanks for the information on the French. I figured it was something like that, I'm just the kind of reader who hates feeling like she's missing something, that's all.
And the Gayness Quotient bit, well... that's great! Really. Mostly the reason for that is because I read mostly SF and fantasy, and have for most of my life. After awhile you start to notice these things, and being a gay woman myself, I always like books much better when there's at least an acknowledgement that sexualities other than 'straight as a ruler' exist. After ranting about it at length to my friends, one of them suggested I should just rate books by their gayness quotient, and so... yeah. Heh, I'm really glad to know there'll be more.
Um, you're welcome for the review? I didn't think anyone besides my friends would read it, so I was very surprised when I saw your comment.
I actually just recently finished Scardown, which I really enjoyed but haven't reviewed because I'm incredibly lazy. I'll definitely be following your writing in the future. And thank you for reading!
no subject
Date: 2005-08-22 03:53 am (UTC)It was a nice thing to stumble across. I wouldn't have commented if it were negative, because I hate to make people uncomfortable, but it did kind of cheer me up. *g*
I know what you mean about books with all the straight characters on earth, or if they're queer, it's an Issue. I hate that. Queer characters are never just... queer. It's always a freaking plot point.
I'm bi (in a het marriage, how trendy :-P) and I was raised by wild lesbians, so I tend toward a lot of characters who have "nontrad" sexualities. The book I'm working on now, Carnival, is an SF novel that a friend described as "It's John Kerry and Batman! They're gay spies! They fight crime!"
And some of my short fiction online-- (um, sorry, I don't mean this to sound like an advert, and it is, but hey, they're free) --features gay or transgendered or asexual characters (these ones in particular:
http://www.lenoxavemag.com/lenoxavemag/issue5jack.htm
http://trashotron.com/agony/fiction/bear-botticelli.htm
http://www.scifi.com/scifiction/originals/originals_archive/bear/bear1.html)
and the fantasy series starting from Roc next summer has some major characters who are either lesbian or bisexual. And of course by now you know about Fred. *g*
But enough about me. (rolls eyes)
I'm sorry I haven't friended you back. My account is at its limit, you see. But I don't filter much anyway, and please feel welcome to comment at any time.
And thank you again!
no subject
Date: 2005-08-22 05:45 pm (UTC)Raised by wild lesbians- that sounds entertaining. Thank you so much for the links! I absolutely love fiction with good, non-token characters who are outside the norm. It's like a breath of fresh air, and I'll be on the lookout for your books in the summer.
I understand about the friending thing, and my feelings aren't crushed or anything, don't worry.
no subject
Date: 2005-08-22 06:46 pm (UTC)