Rating: 
Summary: Hypatia's Search
Review: 'The Ship Who Searched' presents to the reader a flawless collaboration of eminent authors Anne McCaffrey and Mercedes Lackey. Who joined their respective forces to write an excellent novel, which is characterized by very strong characters, a convincing, interesting sometimes deeply poignant story. Set in Ms. McCaffrey's universe of Brain and Brawn ships, the novel's premise is based on this: Hypatia Cade the highly precocious daughter of an archaeologist couple is bitten by a bug. This leaves Hypatia or Tia for short paralyzed and in dire straits indeed. An option for Tia might be the Shell person's program. Thus Tia goes on to train for the B & B ship program. After graduation she takes her chances with brawn Alexander Joli-Chanteau. Tia and Alex are both excellently and eminently convincingly drawn characters, and I loved them from the very beginning. Tia highly intelligent, precocious and flexible [but not in a cloying way] is one of Anne McCaffrey's most interesting and appealing heroines. Strong and indomitable she's the driving force of her story. With Tia Anne McCaffrey presents strength, heartbreak and humour all combined in one package. Tia's scenes in the hospital are nothing but brilliant and heart wrenching, and certainly brought tears to my eyes. The sympathetic and quirky Alex is very well matched with this great heroine. Strong supporting characters are to be found here as well like Tia's friend Moira or Dr. Kenneth. Further should be mentioned Tia's indispensable companion on all her journeys through life the blue teddy bear: Theodore Edward Bear. All in all a very convincingly created universe with wonderful characters and a deeply satisfying story which I recommend very highly!
Rating:
Summary: One of my all time favorites!
Review: ...because i'm the person Tia was based on. But it's a lively, excellent sequel to -The Ship Who Sang-, which literally changed my life. The characters are well-rounded, the "Brawn Fascination" is well-described and -thought out. There are sly references to other fans in the story, but it's a stirring tale even if you dive in ignorant of everything but the characters and their adventures. From the introduction of Tia through her changes -- as she slowly succumbs to an alien disease while trying to conceal her illness from her busy parents, then begs to be admitted into the Brain Corps -- is strong stuff. But Tia triumphs in every way, and Ted E. Bear helps as best he can [of *course* he succeeds; have you ever known a teddy bear who didn't?].
Rating:
Summary: I'm slightly prejudiced towards this book...
Review: ...because i'm the person Tia was based on. But it's a lively, excellent sequel to -The Ship Who Sang-, which literally changed my life. The characters are well-rounded, the "Brawn Fascination" is well-described and -thought out. There are sly references to other fans in the story, but it's a stirring tale even if you dive in ignorant of everything but the characters and their adventures. From the introduction of Tia through her changes -- as she slowly succumbs to an alien disease while trying to conceal her illness from her busy parents, then begs to be admitted into the Brain Corps -- is strong stuff. But Tia triumphs in every way, and Ted E. Bear helps as best he can [of *course* he succeeds; have you ever known a teddy bear who didn't?].
Rating:
Summary: Good science, great warmth!
Review: Again Anne McCaffrey stokes the fires of my imagination and emotions. She and
Mercedes Lackey meld their styles so well it is practically seamless. Lost
treasure, innocence and adventure blends so well when two masters cook. They
made the practical aspects of maintaining a life as a shell person entertaining. Who says romance has to be overdone and dripping with poetic drivel, these two
paint an apparently doomed and adventuresome relationship with a surprisingly
happy ending. This is another shell person triumph, be careful, you can't just
read one.
Rating:
Summary: Teddy bears in outer space?
Review: As Carl Weathers said in Rocky, "sounds like a monster movie." Nope! It's The Ship Who Searched by Anne McCaffrey and Mercedes Lackey. Lackey is able to work remarkably well with McCaffrey's setup, which includes a young girl who goes searching for the mysterious thing from her past that paralyzed her. Tia and her "brawn" are an interesting match...it gets weird when her brawn falls in love...with her. They finally get it all worked out, about three pages before the end...read the book and find out how
Rating:
Summary: Un "bear"ably good
Review: As far as I'm concerned, Anne McCaffrey's heroines are the best in current fiction. From Restoree to Pern to the BB quasi-series, her heroines are intelligent, caring, and, yes, dangerous in one fashion or another. Tia may be her best. Stricken in childhood by a terrible nerve disease, Tia is on life support and deprived of human touch for life. Rather than be institutionalized, she chooses to become a Brainship. The hospital scene is everything you've heard. Get a hanky. Get two. She is tormented both by her inability to touch anyone, since she grew up in a loving family (not selected at birth like the other Brains) and the need to find the source of the virus that got her. Acquiring an unorthodox "brawn", off she goes on her career as a courier, with an unannounced agenda of her own. The book is episodic, but leads to a very nice conclusion that my wife predicted but I didn't. Oh, yes, the "bear" is Theodore Edward Bear, a childhood keepsake who is the center of a charming but strange "marriage" ritual. If you read only one BB book, make it this one.
Rating:
Summary: Un "bear"ably good
Review: As far as I'm concerned, Anne McCaffrey's heroines are the best in current fiction. From Restoree to Pern to the BB quasi-series, her heroines are intelligent, caring, and, yes, dangerous in one fashion or another. Tia may be her best. Stricken in childhood by a terrible nerve disease, Tia is on life support and deprived of human touch for life. Rather than be institutionalized, she chooses to become a Brainship. The hospital scene is everything you've heard. Get a hanky. Get two. She is tormented both by her inability to touch anyone, since she grew up in a loving family (not selected at birth like the other Brains) and the need to find the source of the virus that got her. Acquiring an unorthodox "brawn", off she goes on her career as a courier, with an unannounced agenda of her own. The book is episodic, but leads to a very nice conclusion that my wife predicted but I didn't. Oh, yes, the "bear" is Theodore Edward Bear, a childhood keepsake who is the center of a charming but strange "marriage" ritual. If you read only one BB book, make it this one.
Rating:
Summary: This is my favorite book.
Review: I have always been fascinated by archaeology. I love my teddy bear. Mysteries are fun. Driving fast is great except when you get your nose taken off by a pirate. Sex is definitely something that should be experienced, no matter what extremes you have to go to - like finding a body... Altogether, a great book, for me. Try it.
Rating:
Summary: Read this book--you won't be disappointed!
Review: I have read this book again and again, but it just never grows old. Always exciting, fun, sorrowful and joyous; this book delivers great satisfaction to the reader. Highly reccomended
Rating:
Summary: My favorite McCaffrey book.
Review: I LOVED this book. I've read it at least a dozen times--once immediately after finishing it, I had to read it again. Along with "The Ship Who Sang," it is the best of the brainship series. I've read all of Anne McCaffrey's books to date (most of them two or three times), and this is my favorite. Even if you've never read any of her other books, you'll love this one.
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