Rating: 
Summary: She's keeping hope alive.
Review: What I got out of this book is that genetics gives us potentials, but it is what we do with those potentials that matter. Find your skills & use them for good. Sounds silly perhaps, but in least she inspires through hope instead of pandering through fear. It doesn't matter whether her science is right. She is most definitely right about doing the best with what you have. In least I think she is.
Rating: 
Summary: Nice fantasy novel.
Review: Good character development. Unfortunately as soon as the author tries to go beyond individual people into economics, cognitive science, sociology, or god forbid hard-science she starts looking silly. Infinite free energy for everything from watches to cities - no problem. Immortal super-intelligent humans, there you have them - and in the process somehow everyone else became stupid and ambition-free. Take pseudo-physics and pseudo-biology add lots of pseudo-economics, pseudo-sociology, and some pseudo-cognitive-science and you end up with a cartoon world which is inhabited by well painted three dimensional characters. Granted this is different from the typical sci-fi where you have a three dimensional world inhabited by cartoon characters, but just because the flaws are different doesn't mean this book is great. Too many things in feel contrived, from a heroine on the run buying a car for cash from a passer by, to the infinite energy, to the flip-one-gene-make superman, to the use of science-as-magic whenever a plot corner needs to be turned. That's why I call this a fantasy novel, science is used as magic, poof - there is a magic dragon, no exploring of the where how and why. No science in this fiction.
Rating: 
Summary: This is what science fiction should be!
Review: In the not-too-distant future, genetic engineering allows parents to design children for intelligence, beauty, and the lack of a need to sleep. This sets up a moral and political battle between the "sleepless" and the "sleepers" that explores prejudice, cooperation, fear, protectiveness, envy, and a host of other emotions. Our present is explored by extending current trends, in the best tradition of science fiction.
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Summary: Thoughtful exploration of themes via strong chars & world
Review: _Beggars in Spain_, extrapolated from the novella of the same title, explores the idea of community--who can join a community, who can leave or be removed from a community, what rights and benefits does a community member have from the other members of the comminuty (ie, is one comfortably off in the US bound to support a beggar in Spain?)--through the idea of the Sleepless. Beggars in Spain follows the life of one of the first of the Sleepless, Leisha Camden, genetically engineered to have no need for sleep. Sleepless has side effects, including prolonged lifespans and increased intelligence, which soon put Sleepless on the odds with many Sleepers as discrimination rises between both groups. Leisha firmly believes Sleepless and Sleepers must strive together for community; while a fellow Sleepless, Jennifer Sharifi, believes that Sleepless should live free and unentangled by any demands or importunities of Sleepers. Their struggles, and their conflicts (echoed in the micro by Leisha's twin Sleeper sister, Alice), provide fertile ground for what is both a good story and an intriguing exploration of the theme. Politics and economics are thoughtfully interwoven through the whole of the story, although the first half is superior to the second, which traces Jennifer Sharifi's struggles to build and define a Sleepless community of her own in an orbital, Sanctuary.
Rating: 
Summary: What's the big fuss?
Review: This book is a mess from beginning to end. Why is everyone so excited about it? The main character does nothing of consequence for the entire book, which is amazing considering that, as one of the sleepless beings Kress has created, she lives without aging (?!?) for centuries. Kress doesn't know what she is writing about. There is nothing plausible in her science, her sociology, her characters, or, worst of all, her plot. The plotting comes from the "One Damn Thing After Another" school where things happen because the author needs a plot complication (see Jack Whyte for another example of this style). There is nothing organic at all about the characters, either in how they relate to each other or to the plot occuring around them. this is truly Shakespeare's "tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing".
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Summary: Surprised by nature of criticisms.
Review: I figured this book would have critics, but I thought they'd criticize the dysfunctional family aspect, the fact that it works with fairly old themes, the somewhat political nature, or the Americentricness. Although I'd agree the last half seemed sort of implausible & incongruitous with the first half. Regardless I really liked it the line "Alice is special" really stuck with me. Also it's nice to read a book with a rational woman in it. I hate to say this, but women authors seemed to have abandoned the idea women can be rational & bash reason as a "patriarchalist" value. Of course rationalism is mildly bashed in this book & I don't think it's enough to get by in life. Also the people were more real then in most sf, strangely the fact you only got glimpses of who they were is more true to life. Oh, by the way Kress recently married hard sf author Charles Sheffield
Rating:
Summary: Enlightening Yet Entertaining
Review: i was so happy to discover there exists a book version of the novella 'beggars in spain', which was the only short story i've ever reread amongst my anthology collection. the book itself moved me so much that the next day i rushed to get the other 2 books of the trilogy [another discovery that made my day]. Nancy's a truly engaging story teller and the characters in her universe are filled with richness, complexity, yet consistency. i personally find the sibling interaction intriguing, and was constantly thrilled by the balance yin-yang elements throughout the pages - the story's truth is a universal one. despite the urge to quickly devour the story i've paused many times to laugh, cry, or simply ponder... This writer has the talent to make otherwise dry technical information on genetics and legal system sound as relevant and fun as recipe of chocolate fudge brownies. At this point i've also finished reading the second book 'beggars and choosers', and am still digesting before allowing myself to plunge into the last book. the book helped me sort through my jungle of questions related to - 1/ the harder stuff: current conflicts within, between the first world and the rest; the current situation at indonesia, malaysia, south america, even africa, as well as many unanswered questions left after reading Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged ('though Nancy's style and delivery is totally organic compared to Ayn's) 2/the softer stuff - something as close to heart as sibling/peer rivalry; the evil face of envy and blame; the myopia of self-preservation; humanly compassion as well as darwinian survival... Occasionally didactic, yet full of wisdom [and sense of humour too!] Movie deal on the way i hope. Ridley Scott and Stanley Kubrick take note: this story deserves your 5-star cinematic treatment! Read and be moved.....
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Choice
Review: I recommend this book for its strong characters and interesting plot. Kress did a good job of showing a world with sleepers and sleepless. A must read for a good "what-if?" situation.
Rating:
Summary: The first half was fantastic, but the second half...
Review: The first half of "Beggars in Spain" is wonderful, well-written, well-plotted. I loved it. The second half... Ugh. Boring, predictable, and just plain pointless. I HIGHLY recommend the first half, but only read the second half if you're desperate to find out what happens to the characters (I thought the first half wrapped things up well enough.)
Rating:
Summary: Science Fiction with scope from a woman with heart.
Review: Nancy Kress! Marry me! The writing here is lean and yet full. This is good, old-fashioned hard SF, and yet the characters have a depth to match anything I've read--anything. I broke down and cried a couple of times: you really care about these characters, they are REAL to you! Fantastic story too--"how will it all end?" I kept finding myself thinking. And suddenly it was over! Oh no! Well, I'm off to the bookstore (credit card is all used up right now) to pick up the sequels, and I recommend you do the same right now. DON'T BOTHER LOOKING FURTHER FOR GOOD HARD SF WITH CLEVER STORY AND BELIEVABLE CHARACTERS. Like Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy: big characters, big story, big feelings, big ideas! Check it out, you won't be sorry.
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