Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful story and excellent writing!
Review: "The Moon and the Sun" is a story about a woman who, for her time, is not very ladylike at all. She befriends a "seamonster" and tries to live in the French court as well. She finds this to be very diffucult. The author describes the scenes very well, better than most of the books I have read. You get the sense that you're a part of the book as you read it. It is just brilliant!
Rating:
Summary: Shimmering lyricism
Review: Set in Versailles, France, in 1693, this book tells the story of a Marie-Josephe, a lady-in-waiting to the niece of Louis XIV--the Sun King. Marie-Josephe's brother, Father Yves de la Croix, is a Jesuit and also the King's natural philosopher. He has brought the King a sea woman captured on an ocean voyage. So begins a rich tale of conscience, politics, science, history, and love. The Moon and the Sun combines two demanding genres, with some remarkable twists. It is a science fiction story of first contact with an alien race, but told in a setting more often associated with fantasy. It is also a romantic historical novel, the type of meticulously researched work that brings another era to life. McIntyre infuses it all with her marvelously unique style. As a scientist, I found the interplay of science and the historical setting fascinating. Few sf novels take place in our past, unless they involve time travel. What McIntyre has done is in some ways more difficult: she accurately represents the state of science in the past, without insights from the future. The depiction of the investigations carried out by Yves and Marie-Josephe are authentic. With the sea woman, McIntyre evokes another classic science fiction theme--how do we create convincingly different alien life? The Moon and the Sun also portrays well how politics and the church affected scientific endeavor in that era. Science fiction is replete with the idea of the polymath--a protagonist talented in many disciplines. This isn't coincidence; in real life, artistic and linguistic gifts often pair with scientific or mathematical talent. The math-physics-music constellation is perhaps the best known combination. McIntyre gets the personality down well for Marie-Josephe. I found her a likable genius, unaffected and humble, with integrity and humor. It was also refreshing to see a woman portrayed as the polymath. The book does a good job depicting the barriers women encountered in those times to pursuing science or the arts. It challenges the reader to ask questions about the roles of women the remain almost as valid today, at the turn of the millennium, as they were in the court of Louis XIV. McIntyre's prose is clean and polished, with a lyrical quality, spare on words and rich with imagery. The historical background gains richness in the detail, from the clothing worn in the Sun King's court to the gardens of Versailles to one of the most realistic descriptions I've read of what it is like to ride sidesaddle. At times I would have liked to see the prose style varied more, but this is minor. Overall, the story shimmers. The characters are well-layered, neither paragons nor villains, but genuine people. I also enjoyed the engaging, and unusual, romance between Marie-Josephe and Count Lucien. If Louis XIV is the Sun, then Marie-Josephe and Yves are the moons that reflect his glory. This book poses a fascinating question: the moon exists whether or not the sun illuminates it--but if it cannot be seen, does it cease to exist in the minds of the people who observe and record history? The Moon and the Sun offers prose rich in imagery and lyricism, powerful characterization, a plot that sings, romance, and a depth of insight into human nature.
Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating glimpse into life at the court of the Sun King
Review: After only a few pages, I was hooked on one of the most enjoyable "reads" I've had lately. I appreciated the attention to detail, especially because McIntyre's writing style incorporated the many obviously well-researched and fascinating historical references effortlessly into the plot - unlike many "historic" novels which come off as thinly disguised vehicles for the author to parade his/her knowledge of the period, usually with a plot and dialog that is stilted and dull. Yes, Marie-Josephe is both beautiful and incredibly talented. But there were such women in the real world - we just didn't hear about them because ... well, you know and no need to flog a horse that's down and dying (to use a nasty metaphore)! Along with the fascinating descriptions of life at court and almost incomprehensible wealth of the Sun King (visiting Huron indian chiefs gifted with diamond encrusted suits), the sea, Marie-Josephe's origins in the Caribbean and an appreciation of a good horse all appealed to me and kept me reading. All the while, I wondered why the novel had not been made into a movie - then I read McIntyre's afterword and went to the web page. So I am looking forward to the Jim Henson-produced movie as another chance to share the adventure!
Rating: 
Summary: A Project a Little too Ambitious for the Author
Review: Although I wish to congratulate Vonda McIntyre for trying to tackle a complex and interesting subject, I think that she with this project has taken on more than she could handle. In fact, my main gripe is with the story itself, not the subject or the treatment thereof. Set in late 17th Century France, the book explores the birth of modern science, and the complex dynamics that evolve as the modern world view meets the medieval frame of mind. Most characters in the book seem to be placed there as plot devices - even the main characters of the book appears as representatives of different philosophies. The main problem in the book is interesting: How do you convince an absolute monarch, deriving his power directly from God, that his decisions may not be the absolute truth? When no-one else has ever thought about the modern, rational, experimental world view, how do you convince them of a truth so experimentally clear as the one facing the book's heroine? And how can you walk the tightrope of rationalism, when the world has exploded in war between catholics and protestants? There are many interesting subjects regarding philosophy, science, court and religion in the 17th century - it's just a shame that the book is such a boring read. As a reader, I never really got involved with the characters, and I even found myself at times wishing they'd just kill that sea monster and get on with it! The story picks up a little towards the end, though, and considering the well-researched setting and the ambitious and original plot, I'll be nice and rate this book at 3 stars.
Rating:
Summary: If this were a movie, it would be a ¿chick flick.¿
Review: But I enjoyed it anyway. I, for one, found the characters well-drawn and interesting. That Marie-Josephe is a polymath genius didn't bother me - such people do exist, and it isn't the scullery maids of the world that get to be heroines in historic romances or SF novels. But what DID bother me was her inexplicable ability to so easily pick up the language of sea monsters without years of research and study. Naahhhh....
Rating:
Summary: Not bad, not good
Review: Finally read this, expecting great things from all the reviews - and was disapointed. It's readable, it's original and enjoybale, but disapointed me. The characters are mostly monochromatic, everybody catholic is evil, and it reads like a movie adaptation - little introspection, everybody adapts to big changes in a paragraph and a couple of references later. It's enjoyable, but at least to me, it didn't live up to the hype.
Rating:
Summary: Recreates the time
Review: For some reason I had my doubts about this book before I even read it . . . don't ask my why, call it a faulty gut. At first glance it seemed to be a typical "lowly person fights the unyielding establishment and their unceasing ignorance" except set in France. Fortunately the novel completely transcends any cliche and will probably stand as one of the definitive SF historical novels (how's that for a sub-genre?) for quite a while as it's hard to imagine something surpassing this work. Plotwise it's fairly straightforward, the court of the Sun King as seen through the eyes of a girl, Marie-Josephe, whose brother goes on a mission for the king to discover the secret of immortality through some sea monsters, one of which he brings back alive. From there the reader discovers along with Marie-Josephe that the sea monster is more human than anybody realizes at first and she goes to do something about that. The novel benefits from two things, the strength of its characters (Marie-Josephe is one of the most well rounded characters in years, smart and sensitive, courageous and vulnerable . . . but most of the cast gives her a run for her money) and McIntyre's total recreation of the French court and the people who populated it. Every ceremony, every gesture, every sight and sound brings you back to the time . . . singlehandedly through her prose she makes the scenes come alive and pulls you into a world that thrives on ceremony and ritual . . . the amount of research that must have gone into this must have been staggering but the end result is well worth it for the reader. You see both the glorious and the seamy, the honor and the squalidness of the behavior of the members of the court . . . my only complaint is that after a while everyone seems related to everyone else but that's probably not the author's fault. So the combination of McIntyre's research and her stunning charactization create one of the most exciting and realistic feeling SF historical novels in recent years. I don't know what else was up for the Nebula in 1997 but the award was certainly deserved.
Rating:
Summary: Recreates the time
Review: For some reason I had my doubts about this book before I even read it . . . don't ask my why, call it a faulty gut. At first glance it seemed to be a typical "lowly person fights the unyielding establishment and their unceasing ignorance" except set in France. Fortunately the novel completely transcends any cliche and will probably stand as one of the definitive SF historical novels (how's that for a sub-genre?) for quite a while as it's hard to imagine something surpassing this work. Plotwise it's fairly straightforward, the court of the Sun King as seen through the eyes of a girl, Marie-Josephe, whose brother goes on a mission for the king to discover the secret of immortality through some sea monsters, one of which he brings back alive. From there the reader discovers along with Marie-Josephe that the sea monster is more human than anybody realizes at first and she goes to do something about that. The novel benefits from two things, the strength of its characters (Marie-Josephe is one of the most well rounded characters in years, smart and sensitive, courageous and vulnerable . . . but most of the cast gives her a run for her money) and McIntyre's total recreation of the French court and the people who populated it. Every ceremony, every gesture, every sight and sound brings you back to the time . . . singlehandedly through her prose she makes the scenes come alive and pulls you into a world that thrives on ceremony and ritual . . . the amount of research that must have gone into this must have been staggering but the end result is well worth it for the reader. You see both the glorious and the seamy, the honor and the squalidness of the behavior of the members of the court . . . my only complaint is that after a while everyone seems related to everyone else but that's probably not the author's fault. So the combination of McIntyre's research and her stunning charactization create one of the most exciting and realistic feeling SF historical novels in recent years. I don't know what else was up for the Nebula in 1997 but the award was certainly deserved.
Rating:
Summary: Recreates the time
Review: For some reason I had my doubts about this book before I even read it . . . don't ask my why, call it a faulty gut. At first glance it seemed to be a typical "lowly person fights the unyielding establishment and their unceasing ignorance" except set in France. Fortunately the novel completely transcends any cliche and will probably stand as one of the definitive SF historical novels (how's that for a sub-genre?) for quite a while as it's hard to imagine something surpassing this work. Plotwise it's fairly straightforward, the court of the Sun King as seen through the eyes of a girl, Marie-Josephe, whose brother goes on a mission for the king to discover the secret of immortality through some sea monsters, one of which he brings back alive. From there the reader discovers along with Marie-Josephe that the sea monster is more human than anybody realizes at first and she goes to do something about that. The novel benefits from two things, the strength of its characters (Marie-Josephe is one of the most well rounded characters in years, smart and sensitive, courageous and vulnerable . . . but most of the cast gives her a run for her money) and McIntyre's total recreation of the French court and the people who populated it. Every ceremony, every gesture, every sight and sound brings you back to the time . . . singlehandedly through her prose she makes the scenes come alive and pulls you into a world that thrives on ceremony and ritual . . . the amount of research that must have gone into this must have been staggering but the end result is well worth it for the reader. You see both the glorious and the seamy, the honor and the squalidness of the behavior of the members of the court . . . my only complaint is that after a while everyone seems related to everyone else but that's probably not the author's fault. So the combination of McIntyre's research and her stunning charactization create one of the most exciting and realistic feeling SF historical novels in recent years. I don't know what else was up for the Nebula in 1997 but the award was certainly deserved.
Rating: 
Summary: No meaning
Review: I didn't like this book because the story is too big and the character is too strong. I don't know how a book like this one can win an award
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