Rating: 
Summary: Unusual Topic but Insightful
Review: "Remnant Population" is a beautiful story about an "old woman" whose path of discovery is set in a SF context. At 70, Ofelia is considered to be too old to be of any use to the Colony which had settled on the planet some 40 years earlier, but have now been told to move on. Ofelia knows this, and does not look forward to the move in cryopreservation, which is likely to kill her. As an elderly woman, she is no longer appreciated by her fellow colony, rather - she is a liability. But Ofelia has her own plans. If she can only convince the colony to leave her behind ... all she wants to do is tend to her garden and be left in peace. No one to tell her what to do. No one to tell her what to wear. No one to chide her. She decides to hide herself when the colony moves out. She knows that they won't look long for an old woman ... and she's right. Soon, Ofelia learns to set herself free. As the only one remaining on the planet, she can do whatever she wants. There is enough infrastructure left behind by the colony that she can survive for years. So she plants everyones gardens and finally gets to walk around barefoot and hatless. But then, something unusual happens. One day, as she is at the center, monitoring for storms and writing "real" stories behind the notes on people who dies in the colony, she hears an interchange of humans attempting to land on the planet --- and something goes horribly wrong. Against all Ofelia's expectations and knowledge, the humans are attacked by aliens. Shortly after, strange things start to happen where she is. Doors left open that she was sure she'd closed. Or maybe she was just a crazy old woman after all? The story of this 70 year old helps to remind us all that older people have lives and thoughts and feelings and are capable of things that younger ones are. Too often, our society disregards and disrespects those with experience who have the potential to live so much more. Life doesn't end at 70. Ofelia learns, in spite of herself, that she is capable of much more than she ever dreamed of. Her new self is the first to among humans to have alien contact. At 70, she has all the skills necessary to deal with this strange encounter and build good relationships with the aliens. Their society respects elders ... Slightly unusual for a SF topic, but nonetheless full of insight. Moon reminds us all that we should respect those who have the most experience.
Rating: 
Summary: Truly awful
Review: A failing colony is removed from an alien world by the company that owns it, but one old woman, tired of having others run her life, hides in the forest until everyone is safely gone. The abandoned equipment and supplies enable her to survive, and she settles into a routine. Months later, on the communications equipment in the colony Center, she listens to the landing of another colony on another part of the planet - and its immediate destruction by natives whose presence no one had suspected. The natives decide to send an expedition to check out the distant other site where the Monsters may have landed; the company that had bought the planet from its previous owners sends a scientific expedition to check out the possibly-sapient animals that had killed their colonists. The old woman, Ofelia, first has to establish communication with the stone-age natives, then with members of her own species. The natives, at least, are willing to believe she's an intelligent being.
The natives are interesting, Ofelia's an engaging character - unfortunately, this is an idiot plot, utterly dependent on both Ofelia's complete lack of education and the idiocy of the scientists sent to investigate. The most intelligent, most open-minded, most reasonable member of the expedition is a cultural anthropologist; he identifies a "singer" in the natives' non-literate culture as an "entertainer," nobody important. Why would the company send such incompetents if they spent the money on a scientific expedition at all? They wouldn't, of course.
There are numerous similar idiocies throughout the book. For instance, why is Ofelia, the product of a very prosperous, high-tech culture, uneducated to the point of almost complete illiteracy? Why, because education is a privilege, not a requirement, of course. Ofelia's from a large underclass kept intentionally uneducated. That this makes no sense in a prosperous, high-tech culture, that it is completely incompatible with maintaining a prosperous, high-tech culture beyond a generation or two, matters not. (I feel a need to be absolutely clear about this: this star-spanning civilization is intentionally creating and maintaining a large, profoundly uneducated underclass that can't even do the most basic gruntwork in this culture--that would challenged by the basic gruntwork necessary in early 21st-century America or Europe.) The plot requires it, and that's the end of the matter. Ofelia's one of the very bright young children, identified by her teachers for a scholarship to continue her education beyond the basic primary level. Her parents, preferring her sister to Ofelia for reasons never even touched upon, much less explained, send the sister for that extended education instead of Ofelia. Somehow, this controlling, bureaucratic, records-obsessed culture has no means of distinguishing between one underclass child, specifically identified for continued education, and her sister, at least a year different in age, specifically not selected for continued education. Furthermore, and I say this as someone happy to attribute all sorts of evil and malevolence to giant corporations, the corporations that control this society are malevolent in unbelievable ways, ways that are directly contrary to even their most obvious, short-term interests. It all makes for a book that's extremely irritating if you think at all about what you're reading. But if you can turn your brain off, it's kind of fun.
Rating: 
Summary: Moving,Funny,Witty,Incredibly good,I love Ofelia
Review: After reading the deed of Paksenarrion I found her other novels lacking the kind of character I found in those books. Ofelia is just like that, a real person that comes alive when you read the book. I read it in one evening and lost sleep because I couldn't put the book down. It's a pity we won't be meeting Ofelia again (she dies at the last page) but I know I will want to read this book again and again in the next few years
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding, it is a refreshing outlook at growing older
Review: Elizabeth has probably written her best book yet with this
one. She has given us a glimpse of life after 20 without
it being condensending or simplistic. The character of Sera
Ofelia reflects many of the emotions and feelings that seem
to be part of life. Even though the setting is in the sci-fi
area, this book could easily be set on the good old planet
earth and the rich interaction between characters would still
be valid. I would rate her writing up there with Anne McCaffrey, Mercedes Lackey or David Eddings because of her
in depth characterization. I only wish that she published
more often.
Rating:
Summary: noble savages variation
Review: I bought this book because I read the first few chapters online and was very intrigued by them. The protagonist, an elderly woman, was interesting and engaging. I had read Deed of Paksenarrion and loved it, though I am less enamored of Moon's other series. This story starts off promisingly, with Ofelia's decision to stay behind and live alone when her colony is evacuated from her planet. Her character changes as she realizes that she is no longer confined by society's expectations, and yet she discovers that she is not immune to the long years of conditioning by society. Ofelia continues to maintain parts of the colony more out of a sense of obligation rather than her need for it. At the same time, she does start to realize that she no longer needs to conform - though it seems that the most significant result for Ofelia of this realization is her ability to wear very little in the way of clothing. I was bothered by the way that time seemed to have no meaning, by which I mean years could pass in a matter of paragraphs and the only way the reader finds out about the passage of time is a later reference. I realize that this type of attitude towards time can be attributed to Ofelia's age or to her solitude existence, but what sticks out is that the narrative also glosses over the years passing.
And then the indigenous people arrive. And Ofelia teaches them her speech and how human technology works - or least as far as her limited understanding allows. And of course, these natives are more noble and intelligent than humans are. This is exemplified by their elevation of Ofelia, who had little to no status in human society - first as a woman and second as an elderly person, to high status within their society. And the package is all neatly wrapped up when more humans arrive to investigate the natives. Their scorn and neglect of Ofelia contrasts starkly with the respect Ofelia receives from the natives. But of course, Ofelia and the natives prevail, and all live happily ever after, except for the villain.
I would have preferred a complete survey about Ofelia which offered a more in-depth view to her changes when the other colonists leave. Or, a story that did not so heavy handedly describe the natives as noble savages from whom we, civilized man, could learn much. It's a good story, but one that could have offered much more than it ultimately delivered.
Rating:
Summary: Sorry, I hated it.
Review: I bought this book full of expectation, and perhaps this has led me to rate it lower than it deserves. Still, I hate the story. The book spends many pages on the joys of a frugal life, which I could not care less for. The book takes a very depreciative look at experts in general, which I find personally offensive (which might also explain my low rate of this book, granted :). And, finally, the aliens are just way too good. They have it too easy. If you can get pass that, there are a few interesting "first contact" parts worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: A classic of Science Fiction and a great human story
Review: I could not disagree more with the last two reviewers.
First, it may spend some time with Ophelia and her solitary existence, and I actually put the book down for a while because of that, but I loved the book in the end.
OK, it may poke experts in the eye, but being and "expert" myself I can only say it is really overrated and in general we overrate ourselves. There are idiots and twits in every profession, mine included.
But, it tells a very interesting and captivating story about a little old lady in very improbable circumstances who, in the end, finds herself and a new meaning in her life.
Read it... I think you will enjoy ie.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting idea and character
Review: I found Elizabeth Moon's, REMNANT POPULATION, fascinating because the main character is an older woman. In late life, she makes a revolutionary decision to stay on a planet without her community. Through leading her normal life alone, she creates a richer and more fulfilling life for herself among the indigenous population. She's spunky, capable, self doubting yet brave. The best part of the book is that she becomes important and appreciated in her new community. This book not only has an interesting story and main character, but great aliens as well.
Rating:
Summary: Fun!
Review: I liked this book fully as much as anything else I've read by Elizabeth Moon. Her characters are believeable and well constructed, and her plots don't stretch the bounds of credulity. I wish more Sci-Fi authors were like her; this isn't a dark techno future and you won't feel hopeless or filthy after reading it.
Rating:
Summary: Fun!
Review: I liked this book fully as much as anything else I've read by Elizabeth Moon. Her characters are believeable and well constructed, and her plots don't stretch the bounds of credulity. I wish more Sci-Fi authors were like her; this isn't a dark techno future and you won't feel hopeless or filthy after reading it.
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