Rating: 
Summary: Clone Wars
Review: 'Cyteen' - even the very word has a coldly menacing ring to it.
Readers coming in forearmed with knowledge gleaned from the author's 'Downbelow Station', or perhaps 'Merchanter's Luck', will have certain expectations when plunging into this densely-packaged story. After all, Cyteen, as the capital of a dystopian society controlled by runaway scientists, stands for the heart of darkness in Cherryh's Merchanter universe.
Remarkably Cyteen the novel takes a completely unexpected turn away from Ms. Cherryh's mediocre space operas; what we are treated to instead is nothing less than a personal epic detailing the lives of Ariane Emory, a female genius, murdered, and cloned back to life. A veritable female Bildungsroman in structure and intent, Cyteen chronicles the education and maturation of two versions of the same woman, nurtured from identical genes. But wait, there's more. Lots of more. You see, after Ariane Emory II is brought back to life, she inherits her genemother's life and all the associated baggage that comes with it, including friendships and long-time political enemies. And did I ever mention that her predecessor's murder case was never solved? Or was it?
Mixed in with the nature-versus-nurture theme and murder mystery is a group of brilliant scientists hell-bent on plotting against each other - and against their own future incarnations - over the course of outsized lifetimes extended by medicine and cloning. Evoking more tension with a couple of lines of dialogue than most authors pull off during their whole careers, Cherryh manages to flesh out believable portraits of nefarious, super-intelligent personalities.
At this stage I have to say that Cyteen just might be the best book I have ever read, and without a doubt the abolute best Cherryh has ever produced. If I had to compare Cyteen to other works of literature, I could throw in Emily Bronte's 'Wuthering Heights' and Elizabeth Barrett Browning's 'Aurora Leigh', tinged with an unhealthy dose of Philip K. Dick's brand of paranoia.
At its heart Cyteen is a realistic exploration of the myriad problems inherent in human cloning. No doubt this work could serve as a textbook in any bioethics class. What struck me as noteworthy and laudable is that Cherryh does not give any verdict on the ethical and moral dimensions of cloning a human being. What she does, however, is expose as laughable the fears that simply cloning a human being would create an identical person. As this book attests, something much more radical is required for that to happen...
A couple of warnings:
The first fifty or so pages tend to discourage even the stalwart reader from continuing further into the book; for some unfathomable reason Cherryh has decided to dump the only boring part at the beginning of Cyteen. There is also a rape scene involving the protagonist and antagonist that is appropriately disturbing in all of its ramifications, as its effects continue to haunt several generations of the same persons.
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece
Review: *Cyteen* conclusively demonstrates that hard science speculation and brilliant chracterization can coexist beautifully in the same novel. The scientific and political structures are beautifully drawn and fleshed out, and the psychology in particular is convincing, especially to anyone with a background in working with the intellectually and creatively gifted. I first read this book while working on an MA in educational psychology with an emphasis in gifted and creative studies, and this book not only reflects but expands upon the ideas of the most respected theorists in this field. I don't know if Ms. Cherryh's background includes G/CS, but *Cyteen* could serve as a textbook in any class on the psychology of high intelligence.The characters themselves also draw you into their lives and ambitions. In particular, I would advise all young women, especially those with the ambition to be something more than someone's girlfriend, to read the advice that Ari senior gives her replicate. Ari--- both of her--- is/are a real role model for intelligent and ambitious girls and young women, not to mention a refreshing change from the female characters in other stories whose entire life is focused on the quest for romance and love. She is the first character I have ever encountered who reflects the emotional truth of life as a highly intelligent and ambitious young woman working her way through issues of identity and intimacy--- and all the while never losing sight of the goal of self-actualization. The emotional struggles of Justin Warrick also struck me as a highly convincing portrait of a *real* young man likewise wrestling with intimacy and identity--- again, a refreshing change from stereotypes of young male heroes. And, yes, the book does take some getting into--- but I at least found the early political machinations fascinating in their own right, if less emotionally gripping than the story of Ari's rebirth. At least a twelve on the ten scale--- and at least six stars on the five-star system! *Highly* recommended!
Rating: 
Summary: A veritable headache: the life of a clone
Review: A ponderous hymn to claustrophobia, that's what this book is.
Always set in the same depressing institutional seclusion of a space station, this totally unemotional and humorless book is about the cloning of an unsufferable tyrant of a Chief-project, who, unsurprisingly, gets assassinated.Why they choose to clone her,beats me, but they clone also their android servants,and we are set to read hundreds of pages of this poor clone being repressed and coaxed into becoming the original. Not only that, but we also witness the urelenting persecution of the son of a scientist unjustifiably tought to have assassinated the famous original. An impossibly claustrophobic and paranoid tale.It gave me the creeps. If you want to read good science fiction, read The Night Dawn Trilogy .
Rating: 
Summary: Totally absorbing and frighteningly credible future universe
Review: As with all C J Cherryh's books, Cyteen creates another world which is so real that you almost believe that you are living there even when you stop reading. It is as complex politically and socially as the world is today, and raises many ethical and moral questions regarding science and the use/abuse of power that are very relevant. However, it is so dense and complicated that I would not recommend it as the first C J Cherryh book to read.
Rating:
Summary: Clones, Genius, and Politics
Review: C. J. Cherryh has been developing her universe of the Alliance/Union empires for quite some time through several books. Most of these are very good action novels with complicated plots and believable characters, but they typically do not have deep themes. Cyteen, however, is the centerpiece of this universe, with great, insightful looks at the ethics and methods of cloning, slavery, identity (what makes you you?), genetics versus environment, the art of politics, and an incredible look at the inner psychology of the gifted, super-intelligent. This book is not an easy read - it requires some effort and thought by the reader to understand the points presented, but the reader will be richly rewarded for his effort. The prose style is very clipped, almost abbreviated, and does much to give the reader a sense of unstoppable, pell-mell action and high tension, but it does take some getting used to. Especially at the beginning of the book, where Cherryh drops the reader into this very complex and alien world with very little background explanation of the situation, the people, or the world, it is easy for the reader to become lost and confused. But if the reader will persevere, bit by bit he will find an envisioned world constructed in the best traditions of the field, fully as rich and satisfying as Tolkien's Middle Earth or Herbert's Dune, but with dark overtones reminiscent of Huxley's Brave New World and the paranoid mind control of Orwell's 1984. The plot is a complex intertwining of power politics, intriguing scientific concepts, and the personal life histories of some very dynamic characters caught up in the Byzantine struggles for ultimate control of this world. And it is the characters that truly define and invigorate this story, fully realized, highly believable (a very difficult thing to achieve when these characters are super-geniuses), with real concerns and each with their own set of inner problems. Both the original Ari and the clone of her that we follow through most of the book are exceptional people, a refreshingly strong and different female lead compared to so many of the stereotypes that have littered the field of SF. Justin is also finely drawn, a good counterpoint to Ari, struggling with his own problems of personal identity and self-worth. I have added only two books to my 'Best of SF' list in the last 15 years. This is one of them. Take the time and effort to read and understand this book and the many ethical/philosophical/psychological points that Cherry brings to the fore in the course of this novel, and you will find your time was well spent.
Rating:
Summary: Cyteen: A Gem in Cherryh's Crown
Review: C.J. Cherryh's Cyteen forecast much of what was debated recently when the successful cloning of a mammal was announced. She deftly weaves a complex, multi-character plot that keeps a reader's interest while at the same time providing psychological and physical action that drags the reader through what is admittedly a long text.
Published here in one volume, this award-winning novel is one that has the potential to teach us about our future before our future actually arrives. Where Clarke forecast satellites, Cherryh examines the issues surrounding cloning in clinical detail. She does not shy away from the questions of humanity that arise from cloning a human being.
For long-time Cherryh fans, this novel is definitely worth returning to. While her recent books compress the story element, Cyteen roams across decades of time, allowing for a readable mix of psychological and physical action. This book is also an excellent opportunity for readers to see where our real-world biotechnolgy might be taking us.
Rating:
Summary: Love, clones, and a whole lot more...
Review: Cherryh composes a wonderful story of intregue, love that runs deeper than life, hate that spans families and political relms, life that extends beyond belief, death that is never permenant, and many worlds all to explain the story of two brothers: Justin Warrick, a brilliant programmer, and Grant ALX, his brother brought up as an azi (clone) and refuses to understand his brother's illogic. Overall, a wonderful book.
Rating:
Summary: Complex and Amazing
Review: Cherryh is at her best when she's letting you live within varying perspectives of her characters. I've never experienced this with any other author - the ability to set two characters in diametrically opposed directions and have you support both sides of the issue. Cyteen is long. Personally I found that to be a blessing - I love this book, and spending lots of time within its worlds was wonderful. But if you don't like to think... Or if your idea of a good Science Fiction novel is one with lots of hot alien babes and star fights... Well... Go back to you usual fare. Cherryh is one of those writers you either love or hate. She's written enough books that if you find that you love her, you have uncovered a monumental treasure trove of books to read. Give it a shot.
Rating:
Summary: Complex and Amazing
Review: Cherryh is at her best when she's letting you live within varying perspectives of her characters. I've never experienced this with any other author - the ability to set two characters in diametrically opposed directions and have you support both sides of the issue. Cyteen is long. Personally I found that to be a blessing - I love this book, and spending lots of time within its worlds was wonderful. But if you don't like to think... Or if your idea of a good Science Fiction novel is one with lots of hot alien babes and star fights... Well... Go back to you usual fare. Cherryh is one of those writers you either love or hate. She's written enough books that if you find that you love her, you have uncovered a monumental treasure trove of books to read. Give it a shot.
Rating:
Summary: This book suceeds in all respects.
Review: Cyteen is a very remarkable book. It's universe is well developed and unique. The plot twists and suspence would make it a good mystery novel, while the character developments and thought-provoking philosophies and ideas which sci-fi so often lacks would make Cyteen a winner as a regular fictional book.The only possible bad point is that Cyteen can at times be too wordy.
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