Rating: 
Summary: Needs more high tech to really work
Review: The second of a purported trilogy, Dark Light seems merely okay, much like its predecessor, Cosmonaut Keep. I think its essential flaw is that it focuses too much on political theory and novel low-tech cultures and governments, whereas the triumph of MacLeod's best novels (The Stone Canal and The Cassini Division) are explorations of the merging of HIGH tech and unusual politics, and how the two act on one another.Most of the high tech in Dark Light is of the pedestrian sort: FTL travel, longevity, powerful and enigmatic aliens. The meat of the book focuses on the city of Rawliston (whose tech is slightly behind modern America's), and the low-tech culture of The Great Vale, beyond the limits of the city. MacLeod introduces some gender-ambiguity issues in the people of the Vale which I found tiresome at best. He does better with Rawliston, with its "democracy through drawing lots" government, and suspicion of the human-navigated spacecraft on which our heroes arrive. Dark Light turns of the focus of the novel squarely on long-lived Matt Cairns (whereas in Cosmonaut Keep his descendant Gregor shared the spotlight). The quest of Matt and his cohorts to learn why their ship was brought to this sector of space by the powerful aliens is the most arresting element of the book. Unfortunately the threads of this story are spread a little too thinly. There is finally a payoff, but it takes quite a while to get there, and too much time is focused on a supporting cast that didn't engage me. Just as with the first book, I felt that Dark Light was a good foundation on which to build. Alas, it's this second book in the series should have done a lot of the building! MacLeod seems strangely interested in human cultures trying to rediscover their past glories, but after three such novels (The Sky Road also had this theme) I feel like I get the idea. He's so adept at showing humans grappling with their FUTURE glories, I wish he'd go back to tackling that. Maybe the next book will finally bring such a payoff to this series.
Rating:
Summary: Needs more high tech to really work
Review: The second of a purported trilogy, Dark Light seems merely okay, much like its predecessor, Cosmonaut Keep. I think its essential flaw is that it focuses too much on political theory and novel low-tech cultures and governments, whereas the triumph of MacLeod's best novels (The Stone Canal and The Cassini Division) are explorations of the merging of HIGH tech and unusual politics, and how the two act on one another. Most of the high tech in Dark Light is of the pedestrian sort: FTL travel, longevity, powerful and enigmatic aliens. The meat of the book focuses on the city of Rawliston (whose tech is slightly behind modern America's), and the low-tech culture of The Great Vale, beyond the limits of the city. MacLeod introduces some gender-ambiguity issues in the people of the Vale which I found tiresome at best. He does better with Rawliston, with its "democracy through drawing lots" government, and suspicion of the human-navigated spacecraft on which our heroes arrive. Dark Light turns of the focus of the novel squarely on long-lived Matt Cairns (whereas in Cosmonaut Keep his descendant Gregor shared the spotlight). The quest of Matt and his cohorts to learn why their ship was brought to this sector of space by the powerful aliens is the most arresting element of the book. Unfortunately the threads of this story are spread a little too thinly. There is finally a payoff, but it takes quite a while to get there, and too much time is focused on a supporting cast that didn't engage me. Just as with the first book, I felt that Dark Light was a good foundation on which to build. Alas, it's this second book in the series should have done a lot of the building! MacLeod seems strangely interested in human cultures trying to rediscover their past glories, but after three such novels (The Sky Road also had this theme) I feel like I get the idea. He's so adept at showing humans grappling with their FUTURE glories, I wish he'd go back to tackling that. Maybe the next book will finally bring such a payoff to this series.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Middle-of-Trilogy book
Review: This book was in many ways superior to Cosmonaut Keep, the first in the trilogy. While the first book had good characters, world building and wild speculation, it used an irritating technique to keep key information from the reader. Of course, it was obvious to most of us that one of the main characters was the ancestor of another, and what might likely happen as a result. I was left waiting around for the two plot lines to converge long after I guessed. Dark Light dispenses with the two-track plotting and the concealment of information. It throws in several new worlds and societies, a great big wodge of fascinating political specualtion, and more good character development. It also ends with enough of a kick to keep you going to the next book. Well worth the time, with 50 per cent less frustration.
Rating:
Summary: Lots of interesting speculation, requiring some patience
Review: Those who have read COSMONAUT KEEP should find this a worthwhile continuation. I liked it better than the first book, myself, because of the increased political and theological speculation. Especially fascinating is MacLeod's concept of the Gods and their relationship with humanity. Not highly recommended to extreme conservative religionists. I did find myself mired down a couple of times in the political dissertations. However, MacLeod basically tells a good story. How good a story it is depends, I suppose, on the concluding book in the series. But these first two are interesting enough and I'm getting to better like the characters, and so I will be reading the final installment.
Rating:
Summary: Lots of interesting speculation, requiring some patience
Review: Those who have read COSMONAUT KEEP should find this a worthwhile continuation. I liked it better than the first book, myself, because of the increased political and theological speculation. Especially fascinating is MacLeod's concept of the Gods and their relationship with humanity. Not highly recommended to extreme conservative religionists. I did find myself mired down a couple of times in the political dissertations. However, MacLeod basically tells a good story. How good a story it is depends, I suppose, on the concluding book in the series. But these first two are interesting enough and I'm getting to better like the characters, and so I will be reading the final installment.
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