Rating: 
Summary: Quiet revelation of a revolution
Review: I find it curious that other reviewers have leveled the accusation of man-bashing or soldier-hating at Ms. Tepper because of the society she depicts in this book. It's not as simple as "woman good, man evil." There are female characters (most notably Myra) who are selfish, whiny, and stupid. The female Gypsy prostitutes, for example, also demonstrate short-sighted behavior--indulging in unprotected sex, drinking, and smoking. There are male characters (most notably Joshua and Corrig) who are calm, thoughtful, considerate, and quite capable of defending themselves physically, who are citizen-soldiers in the best sense of the word. Most veterans I know are more like Joshua and Corrig, in fact, and not like Chernon, Michael, or the other garrison warriors--not the kind of soldiers who brag about their uniform giving them a "license to kill," but the kind of soldiers who take their oath to protect our Constitution seriously, who continue to honor the spirit of their service oaths even after they have been discharged. If I have to choose between defenders, I'll take the second kind, thank you very much.What is often ignored is how skilfully Ms. Tepper controls her revelations about the society of Women's Country. Bit by bit the clues are laid before you, until the final disclosure. Definitely a book that deserves more than one reading.
Rating: 
Summary: Magnificent!
Review: This book had been assigned as a part of my History 152 Lab reading projects back in the University of Hawaii where I had gone to school. It is one of the many books from college that I never sold to the bext class or anyone I knew. It is an enticing book and I had read and re-read it many countless times. It is interesting and does truly make you wonder about a lot of "what if's" should our world ever come to its demise. It has become one of my favorite and worn out books and having said all that, rest assured that it will be a part of this Christmas' gift baskets to those whom I know will appreciate this kind of literature.
Rating: 
Summary: subtle homophobia
Review: Though I agree with most of the other reviewers that this is a good example of feminist sci-fi that is balanced in its approach to dealing with men and women, her subtle homophobia put me off her writing for ever. How a feminist author can examine the roles of men and women in a divided society and still force everyone to be exclusively heterosexual is beyond me.
Rating:
Summary: A Thoughtfull and fair masterpeice
Review: This novel treads the uncofortable and volitile waters of the gender war. A science fiction masterpiece that is written from a feminist viewpoint. The book is simply about a society that is created after a devisating war. This society is based almost completely on making sure that no such war could ever occur again. The society is divided into women's country, were the social and economic work is done, and the garrisons were the men who refuse to live under the women live to fight the men in the sorounding towns. While books of this type are often uncomfortable, and heavly biased, Tepper is very fair in how she protrays the people in her society. The farther along the book goes, and as the more complex relationships in the colony are revealed, the system starts to make more sense. The answers that are given are very disturbing, but in my view fair to all who live under them. This is the kind of book that should be read to challenge ideas and perceptions about the world. I don't particulary agree with the answer that women's country come up with, but I aprecited the chance to hear it.
Rating:
Summary: Thought provoking entertainment
Review: I have read and reread this book over the last decade. The characters and plot are interesting hold your interest but it is the sociological aspects which are fascinating. Tepper creates a fascinating future society. Each time I read it, my attention is caught by a different aspect and the ethical implications related to this book. I am pleased to see that new copies are available as mine is falling apart from use. This was my first Tepper book. While I have enjoyed her other works, I keep returning to this one for both entertainment and reflection.
Rating:
Summary: sci-fi with tragical scope
Review: this is the first Tepper novel I've read and I love the tragedy implied in the story. It's not only the references to the war of Troy, but also that when the victims of that war (women, according to the author)finally get their revenge (after many centuries and an implied nuclear holocaust), they are left with a feeling of bitterness. Is it possible to govern a world, to make tough life-or-death decissions, and not be unfair? Is it possible to play the role that men have traditionally played and not make the same mistakes? Tragedy and food for thought.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Okay, maybe I just love a feminist novel... but this story with its twists and turns, is just wonderful and goes far beyond that. I love a fun story, with a strong female character and some deeper insight into growing up, growing older, or confronting change, and Gate meets all my crieria. Not only that, but Tepper's encyclopedic mythological knowlege (as even better represented in her later novels) contributes interesting twists. Parallels between the outlanders and various charismatic survivalist cults -- wow! There's all sorts of interesting stuff here. My guess is that Tepper was building this novel for years. It has depth and character not quite as present in her later novels (except perhaps Sleeping Beauty)...and it isn't as much a candidate for the horror genre, either. This is on my list of the top five SF novels ever. It is another pivotal novel in the literary challenge to the SF status quo. As some of the newer threads of SF develop, it may start to seem dated...but look closer; it's the real thing.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Sci-fi
Review: At its best, science fiction should create a new world to explore, and bring a new perspective to issues that are relevent to readers in our current society. This novel exemplifies this goal. By creating a world where the sexes are segregated into sharply defined, stereotypical gender roles, Tepper explores gender issues and women's roles, while creating sympathetic charaters that readers can relate to. The only criticism that I have is that in her exploration of women and men, Tepper erases homosexuality as an issue. Overall, this is an entertaining and thought provoking read.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book!
Review: This is one of my all-time favorites. It provides a thought-provoking look at gender relations and societal norms. Absolutely wonderful!
Rating:
Summary: just a quick one
Review: I think it's all been said before except.....I really enjoyed this book. Sheri Tepper is a wonderful "what if" writer; what if this happened, what sort of place would the world be then? Yes, she is definitely a woman writer writing from a feminine perspective but,so what? I don't see anyone complaining about the male writiers who tend to dominate SF/Fantasy. A touch of insecurity on the part of some of the male reviewers perhaps? Get a grip people and enjoy a different perspective with a great twist.
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