tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331135384154117296.post1757563448939264185..comments2024-01-30T20:01:01.316+00:00Comments on Science Fiction & Fantasy: Restoree by Anne McCaffreyAnthony G Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00798830903236765181noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331135384154117296.post-34224022739034252192011-06-08T05:08:56.217+01:002011-06-08T05:08:56.217+01:00Hi Anastasia,
In my opinion (and bearing in mind ...Hi Anastasia,<br /><br />In my opinion (and bearing in mind that I haven't read all of her books) McCaffrey has written one true classic: Dragonflight. That's among my favourite novels and I would recommend it to anyone. I've reviewed it on this blog. Some of the sequels are good, but obviously lack the same originality.<br /><br />As to whether you will like her other books, I can't really say. But I'd definitely start with Dragonflight and follow your nose from there.Anthony G Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00798830903236765181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331135384154117296.post-80534615619472124352011-06-07T17:38:01.528+01:002011-06-07T17:38:01.528+01:00Hi! Let me introduce myself. I found your blog bec...Hi! Let me introduce myself. I found your blog because of your review of Tanith Lee's <i>Birthgrave</i>. (Looking back at that review, I can answer one question for you. I read a new slightly revised edition that came out last year, and there, Tanith Lee says that the woman was asleep in the volcano for 600 years.) I'm also a huge fan of Catherine Asaro's Skolian Empire series. Next I have a question for you. I've heard of Anne McCaffrey, but I thought it was fantasy and always dismissed it as "too popular, couldn't possibly be good" (I made the same mistake with Lois McMaster Bujold, and boy, was that a mistake), but now I keep seeing her name on GoodReads "best SF" lists, so I'm curious. <br /><br />What do you think is the best book of hers for me to read? <i>Restoree</i> sounds interesting. Should I start there, or try one of the series? I don't want to make a mistake and cross the author off my list. Thanks in advance!Anastasiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08926851236991461553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331135384154117296.post-5764614404752475922011-05-21T01:41:21.125+01:002011-05-21T01:41:21.125+01:00Fred, the fantasy vs SF issue is an interesting on...Fred, the fantasy vs SF issue is an interesting one here. Arguably, all of McCaffrey's work straddles the two. The Pern books feel like fantasies, probably because they include intelligent dragons, but there is a token gesture towards tying them into a future history. <br /><br />The fact that they feel like fantasies probably deflects what would otherwise be criticism of their impossibilities: not just giant flying dragons, but teleporting ones too!<br /><br />Restoree is closer to SF, so there may be less tolerance of the plot issues and logical problems.Anthony G Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00798830903236765181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331135384154117296.post-10502538839041541832011-05-20T20:33:57.919+01:002011-05-20T20:33:57.919+01:00We'll have to agree to disagree on this one, T...We'll have to agree to disagree on this one, Tony. Maybe I was expecting too much...Bill Garthrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08552459555883204060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331135384154117296.post-75287453257493369342011-05-20T19:42:46.389+01:002011-05-20T19:42:46.389+01:00I read _Restoree_ several months ago, partially ou...I read _Restoree_ several months ago, partially out of curiosity to see whether it had held up as well.<br /><br />I was puzzled by it, for something just didn't work for me this time. I'm not sure what it was, but perhaps it was the missing background that bothered me. I felt the same way when I reread _The Crystal Singer_ and _The Ship Who Sang_. Good ideas--but something was lacking.<br /><br />Whatever it was, her Pern series, although I tired of them, seemed more solid to me. Her fantasy had a solidity to them that her SF lacked, or so it seemed to me.Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10233846613173866140noreply@blogger.com