Rating: 
Summary: The old cliche "take me to your leader" in a fun new guise
Review: That famous sci-fi cliche where aliens land and demand "Take me to your leader" is the start of Tepper's latest novel Fresco. But, if you've read Tepper before, you know to expect:
1. Imaginative aliens
2. Surprises
3. Feminism
4. Eco-activism and
5. Creative suggestions to cure society's ills.So, if you can stand the eco stuff and man-bashing you are in for a fun, funny, imaginative read. This was the first Tepper book that was truly humorous as well as serious. Benita, the protagonist, is a mostly blameless Hispanic housewife, who, after making one or two dumb mistakes in her personal life, has been leading an impeccable existence. That's why she's been chosen to be a messenger of greetings by a race of moralistic beings, the Pistach, who roam around to improve the world and invite new planets to a consortium. So, after the "take me to your leader" part, the aliens and Benita settle into an exciting time of convincing the Earth and the politicians to play nice. The Pistach value Earth and want to help because humans show good taste, especially in art. But, there are other planets and aliens who view Earth as good huntin'--we chucked a probe or two in their direction and now they've come to check us out. They're members in good standing of the consortium, too, and natural predators. They are interested in Earth, yes, because humans taste good. Uh-oh. This is one sci-fi novel where the aliens, though having a superior way of life, bow to something superior on Earth, art in this case. Usually, sci-fi aliens are showing Earthlings just how low on the galactic food chain they think we are. Here, humans eventually provide something of great value to the Pistach. I got annoyed a couple times, especially at the inevitable NRA bash. If people are to become responsible for their own actions, a philosophy the author espouses in this and other of her books, then the gun manufacturer isn't the primary cause of someone shooting someone else. What about knife manufacturers, and auto makers who sell to potential drunks who kill? Hmmm, Sheri? Despite this, and despite the fact I think the eco-stuff and man-bashing needs to be more subtle in future works, I enjoyed this book as much as Singer from the Sea and Six Moon Dance (recent works of Tepper and highly recommended.) It was better than Gibbon's Decline and Fall and WAY better than Family Tree. In my not so humble opinion, that is. If you haven't read Tepper, start with Gate to Women's Country, which I still contend is her very best. Grass, Six Moon Dance come next in my list, followed by the others. I simply adore Tepper's work, even with the heavy-handed pontificating. You can't get much better than Tepper for imagination, characters and surprises.
Rating:
Summary: Must read for Tepper Fans
Review: However, if you are contemplating this as the first book you've ever read by her, I would suggest that you start with the loosely knit "Grass" trilogy (Grass, Raising the Stones, Side Show). (I love that trilogy - have gone through several copies of each of the books -- they are very poignant and redeeming) In The Fresco, Benita is a wonderful, sympathetic character, an "everywoman" who sees her way clear to becoming her own person. She is a heroine to root for. I loved the protagonist aliens, as they altered their appearances to be more "friendly" looking. As always, I enjoyed the philosophy and theology which is present in all of the books that I have read by Ms. Tepper. It is thought provoking to think what would happen if someone or something came along and completely disproved our various holy books (bible, koran, rig veda etc.). Would we patch them back together and do what we could, or would we take the best of them, and approach the violent, ugly, "evil" parts with a grain of salt? Or would that someone/thing that disproved them, help us regain our sense of self? Even if you are agnostic, or atheistic, you will enjoy the religious/philosophical commentaries woven into Ms. Tepper's books.
Rating: 
Summary: One of Tepper's better reads
Review: I enjoy Tepper for both the strength of her women characters and for her ability to create new myths and religions from sci-fi settings. In some of her works, such as "Grass", "Raising the Stones", etc., this skill presents itself in a blending of fantasy worlds with an interstellar edge. In "Fresco", she uses these same skills to expose the myths and rituals of our own planet, politics and religion. The story uses a battered woman as the only honest choice as liaison between Earth and a benevolent alien race. She finds strength in her new freedoms from her husband and evolves as a character from her new friendship with the inhuman ambassadors. Throw in some conflict caused by human-hunting alien dissidents and a meddling right-wing government faction, and the whole book becomes a stew of colorfully marinated satire and social commentary. I would recommend any of Tepper's works, but to some her typical works sometimes seem to derive from an overly feminist cause. "Fresco" presents the authors beliefs of equality in a more global manner that entertains us and makes us think, and makes us laugh at the simple solutions that our alien suitors develop for some of our most complex social, international and economical problems. Another reviewer commented that The Fresco lacked the subtlety of Tepper's other works, and I have to agree to a certain degree. However, I think the "heavy-handedness" is a deliberate attempt to illustrate from an alien's perspective just how many social, economic and political problems our world has, in an attempt to create an enjoyable satire for her homo sapient readers.
Rating: 
Summary: Has she been chopping a lot of wood?
Review: Tepper sure has a large collection of axes to grind. This could've been a much better book if she'd left the axes in the shed. I liked the protagonist, Benita Alvarez-Shipton, a self-educated mom from New Mexico who has an abusive, alcoholic husband. I liked the main aliens and their culture and their mission to Earth. I liked the touches of humor, like when the aliens cause an "ugly plague" among women in Afghanistan so that the men won't have an excuse to keep them covered and cloistered. (And, of course, this is interesting in light of recent world events.) I expect a feminist agenda from Tepper, usually handled with a fair degree of subtlety and creativity, but in this book, we get heavy-handed polemics on practically every political and social issue in the U.S.--the environment, education, the "drug war," the legal system, the ACLU, abortion, conservative religion, you name it. Yeesh! I just wanted to read a good story. And yet, I liked the characters enough and was curious enough to find out what happened that I read the whole book and mostly enjoyed it. But Tepper has written many books that are better than this one, with "Grass" at the top of my list.
Rating:
Summary: Perfectly classic Tepper
Review: I don't know about the rest of you out there, but the reason I read Sheri S. Tepper books is because of the similiar theme she uses. I enjoy reading about women held down be society and then how she goes about resolving the problem in some thought provoking way that just leaves me in giggles. I can't say there is really anything about her stories that disappoints me. "The Fresco" was well worth the wait. Once again, she makes the unbelieveable, believable. I loved the characters, both human and alien. Benita, as with all her heroines, was a very normal, day-to-day gal with her set of very human problems. The different worlds were delicious and the various alien characters were interesting to visualize. I poured through this book much faster then I would have liked...but my hands just kept turning the pages (despite the fact that I had to get up early the next morning). The only sad thing about this book is the wait I have to endure for her next one. I happen to be one of those pathetic beings that has pretty much read everything she has written. Keep up the good work, Ms. Tepper (And please hurry and write another one!! I can hardly wait!)
Rating: 
Summary: Aliens (and feminists) know best
Review: Imagine that friendly aliens come to Earth, work out exactly what's wrong and then have the power to put it all right. That's basically the premise of this novel.
And what do need to put right all of our ills? According to this book, a combination of American feminism, a strict caste system and compulsory social engineering will do just fine!
If this sounds like a great idea for a satirical work don't let me mislead you, for it is unfortunately written in all seriousness.
What's worse is how badly it is written. Repetitive beyond belief, the metaphors come thick and fast ,complete with multiple explanations (just in case the reader can't figure them out for themselves). Interspersing the narrative with excerpts from the alien's "journal" does nothing to disguise the total linearity of the "plot" but does. of course, provide another opportunity for the author to preach her own rather peculiar take on morality.
It is a great shame, because the book raises many important issues, not least the problem of blind obedience to ancient religious texts. But, rather than exploring the themes, the author simply imposes her own 100% correct solution. Ironic or what?
Rating:
Summary: Humorous, direct, playful, thought-provoking!
Review: Not taking itself quite as seriously as some of Tepper's other pieces, 'The Fresco' manages to pack in all the social criticism and commentary we come to expect from the author with a little bit of wit to help the medicine go down. It's not so funny as to be a comedy, but you could easily smirk along as you read. The ending of this book pleasantly surprised me. I actually felt a squeeze in my chest. It was so moving, and it just said so much about everything... it was the perfect conclusion.
Rating:
Summary: Tepper-lite ... perhaps
Review: If you know Tepper, you know the drill: well-drawn aliens smugly shaking their heads at human foibles, put-upon heroines faced with a brick wall of male intransigence, the environment in peril... And that, I think, is the point. This isn't merely formulaic Tepper; it's Tepper poking fun at her own formula. Yes, really. There are still serious points being made here: about self-abuse and the harm it does to others, about humankind's obsessive pursuit of short-term gratification over long-term prudence, about the place of women in a world still dominated by male concerns. But it's all wrapped up in a delicious, and deliciously silly, tale of first contact. The covering story is pure, paper-thin froth, and apparently intended so: benevolent aliens with a penchant for social engineering hook up with a virtuous working mother (fleeing, of course, an abusive alcoholic husband), and together they set about Making The World A Better Place. Ranged against them are the usual motley collection of pro-life senators, conservative religious figures, and nasty hunter aliens. The aliens' approach to improving human society reads like the Hobb's Land gods of Tepper's earlier novel _Raising the Stones_ run through the Hollywood anti-subtlety machine: harmful anti-social behaviour is simply prevented at source with what is effectively a wave of a magic wand (well, nanobots. Allegedly). There's no libertarian messing about here: castration for rapists is high on the agenda. Possibly Tepper is growing impatient with the world's problems; either way, solutions are achieved in record time, once everyone starts being 'sensible'... Haven chosen to go with this light-hearted exaggeration, though, Tepper has immense fun with her scenario, and in doing so she subverts all expectations. The kidnapping of Jerusalem is priceless ("When you can all get along, you can have it back"); the impregnation of the pro-lifers with alien spawn is genius, and laugh-out-loud funny. Even the swipes at organised religions are amusing rather than stridently critical. And if I'm not mistaken, the final few pages are a hilarious send-up of _Grass_...
Rating:
Summary: This is my favorite so far
Review: She is unique! Sheri Tepper is one of my top 10 favorite authors. Maybe top 5. Who cares? Well, I read a lot (a book a day +/-). And, I think she may be of the most inventive authors around. Yes, she does tend to write the same themes over and over, and if eco-feminism bugs you - these are NOT the books for you. But every world/universe is different, the diversity of life so varied, and every plot extremely complex. Since reading her books, I find I view current events and the world around me differently. I like this one because it is so light-hearted. I love the creative problem-solving the aliens do (i.e. Middle East tension, subjugation of women, drug addicts, welfare recipients who won't work, etc.) Wouldn't it be nice if we COULD solve the world's problems so easily? As usual, there is a great twist at the end.
Rating:
Summary: Once again, I'm blown away.
Review: I waited months to read this book. I had devoured every Sheri S. Tepper novel I could get my hands on, and for a while, I thought that this was the last! I was terrified to read it, for fear that there wouldn't be any more. So I saved it back, like the last piece of favorite candy, until I saw the "coming soon" announcements for others. Then I raced home to dive into it, reading it in full in the bathtub one night while my skin turned pruney. Again, wonderful descriptions. Again, strong dialog. Again, the feeling that she's in my head, and knows exactly what kind of protagonist I want to identify with. Again, strange ideas, incredible twists, and overriding strength of philosophy. A classic Tepper novel that didn't disappoint after my long wait.
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