Rating: 
Summary: Nice New World
Review: I put off buying this book based on all the negative reviews and picked up a hardcover at less than paperback prices just a few weeks ago... read it in one sitting which I hadn't expected after all the comments about no conflict/suspense....and found it very enjoyable although not my favorite book by Anne - and I've read most of them. I enjoyed reading all the background provided in the first part of the book and getting the feel of a new SF society - these were up to Anne's usual high standard in my opinion. I also did not think the characters are one dimensional or flat as some other reviewers have mentioned, maybe more subtle. Perhaps it is because this book is meant to be the first in a series - and more development will occur later. Regardless, I enjoyed meeting all these new people although I'd have like more on the Sh'im individuals. This book is not for someone who likes SF books with lots of violence, running battles and other ACTION to make it move along, but it should satisfy otherwise.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining, but not McCaffrey's best work
Review: This is definitely not the best book that Anne McCaffrey has written, but it is also not so bad that I would not continue to call myself a fan of her work. It is true that this book has some elements which have probably already been seen by fans of science fiction in general and/or of Anne McCaffrey's previous work. The element of being stranded lightyears from home and of having the AI doctor is reiminscent of Star Trek: Voyager. The dangerous animals and mystery on the new planet will put you in mind of McCaffrey's "Freedom" series. The book was hard for me to get into at first. I get tripped up with the long names that Anne tends to use for characters and in figuring out the full extent of the society and in remembering who is who. But soon it gets much easier and you do start to care for the characters and about the outcome of the story. I'm probably too easily moved to tears, but there were occasions in the book that made me have to dry my eyes. I agree that the artwork on the hardcover edition is horrible. The artwork on the paperback is also somewhat disappointing--I would have liked to see Nimisha's tattoo and necklace or just something more intriguing than half a woman's face. Both covers were so different from each other too that I didn't realize I already had the book when a friend gave me the paperback of it. I'm not disappointed that I read this book, but it wasn't a page turner like the Dragonriders series, or the Power series was for me. But it is well written and enjoyable and will do well to transport you from your own world whenever you open its cover.
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