Hellspark

Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite books
Review: "Hellspark," by Janet Kagan, is a flat out readable book. It gets everything right, from the science to the psychology to the anthropology -- everything works.

The plot is somewhat difficult to describe. Tocohl Susumo is a ship captain, trader, and bon vivant; her sentient computer Margaret, Lord Lynn is her sole companion.

At the Festival of Saint Veschke on the world of Sheveschkem, Tocohl finds danger, mystery, intrigue . . . and maybe even a hint of scandal. She goes to Lassti to find out whether or not a new race of beings, the sprookjes, are sentient -- or aren't.

There's a whole lot more to it; it's a comedy of manners, a comedy of language, and a hint of romance among Tocohl and Om Im Chadeayne helps to spice the mix. (The romance between Alfvaen and swift-Kalat does even more along these lines.)

I wish I knew how to describe this book better. All I can say is that I enjoy it for the language, the sense of humor, the mystery, the intrigue, the conflict, and everything else besides.

Five stars plus, recommended.

Oh yeah, and if you like this, you'll probably like the other couple of books Ms. Kagan has written -- "Mirabile" and "Uhura's Song" -- as well as works by Steve Miller and Sharon Lee, Lois Bujold, and possibly David Weber.

Barb Caffrey

Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite books
Review: "Hellspark," by Janet Kagan, is a flat out readable book. It gets everything right, from the science to the psychology to the anthropology -- everything works.

The plot is somewhat difficult to describe. Tocohl Susumo is a ship captain, trader, and bon vivant; her sentient computer Margaret, Lord Lynn is her sole companion.

At the Festival of Saint Veschke on the world of Sheveschkem, Tocohl finds danger, mystery, intrigue . . . and maybe even a hint of scandal. She goes to Lassti to find out whether or not a new race of beings, the sprookjes, are sentient -- or aren't.

There's a whole lot more to it; it's a comedy of manners, a comedy of language, and a hint of romance among Tocohl and Om Im Chadeayne helps to spice the mix. (The romance between Alfvaen and swift-Kalat does even more along these lines.)

I wish I knew how to describe this book better. All I can say is that I enjoy it for the language, the sense of humor, the mystery, the intrigue, the conflict, and everything else besides.

Five stars plus, recommended.

Oh yeah, and if you like this, you'll probably like the other couple of books Ms. Kagan has written -- "Mirabile" and "Uhura's Song" -- as well as works by Steve Miller and Sharon Lee, Lois Bujold, and possibly David Weber.

Barb Caffrey

Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite books
Review: "Hellspark," by Janet Kagan, is a flat out readable book. It gets everything right, from the science to the psychology to the anthropology -- everything works.

The plot is somewhat difficult to describe. Tocohl Susumo is a ship captain, trader, and bon vivant; her sentient computer Margaret, Lord Lynn is her sole companion.

At the Festival of Saint Veschke on the world of Sheveschkem, Tocohl finds danger, mystery, intrigue . . . and maybe even a hint of scandal. She goes to Lassti to find out whether or not a new race of beings, the sprookjes, are sentient -- or aren't.

There's a whole lot more to it; it's a comedy of manners, a comedy of language, and a hint of romance among Tocohl and Om Im Chadeayne helps to spice the mix. (The romance between Alfvaen and swift-Kalat does even more along these lines.)

I wish I knew how to describe this book better. All I can say is that I enjoy it for the language, the sense of humor, the mystery, the intrigue, the conflict, and everything else besides.

Five stars plus, recommended.

Oh yeah, and if you like this, you'll probably like the other couple of books Ms. Kagan has written -- "Mirabile" and "Uhura's Song" -- as well as works by Steve Miller and Sharon Lee, Lois Bujold, and possibly David Weber.

Barb Caffrey

Rating:
Summary: Printed on Acid Free Paper
Review:

Murder, Mystery, and Interstellar Intrigue!

Hugo Award winner Janet Kagan's Hellspark is now back in print!

Lassti, a newly discovered planet, is the center of political intrigue. Recently, Oloitokitok, the plant's survey team's physicist was found dead. Was he killed? If so, by who? One of his fellow surveyors? Or by one of the Sprookjes, the birdlike natives of Lassti? Are the Sprookjes intelligent? If so, then parties that want the planet for development will lose it. Why is the survey team having so much trouble finding out? Into this situation arrives Tocohl, a Hellspark trader who just wanted to have a vacation on Sheveschke at the St. Veschke festival. After being attacked, rescuing a young woman, and going before judge Tocohl has learned all she ever wanted to know about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now she is on her way to find Lasti to find answers to the mysteries there.

Rating:
Summary: Neat idea, but laborious reading
Review: An interplanatary society is regulated by elite citizens of the world Hellspark. The story takes place on a newly discovered world where all the beings are electrified (similar to electric eels). I found the plot ok, but there were simply too many characters presented one after another, and it was laborious to keep track of them all. On top of that, the writing was sometimes awkward, forcing me to often stop and reread a sentence again and again in order to gain understanding.

Rating:
Summary: A Motley of Worlds
Review: Despite the unfortunate title, a very engrossing work. Hell-spark has the best features of Star Trek in the extreme mixture of many different cultures, human and non-human and non-humanoid. Although the novel dragged in some places and some editing could have helped more quickly to reach the dénouement, I highly recommend it because it changed my thoughts as I read it. I found myself thinking of people and the culture they were from, and how that interacted with my own culture; how we spoke differently, gestured differently, thought differently. Kagan paints such a vivid picture of the various cultures you would think her a sociologist with a personal grasp of the extremes of human Earth cultures. Tocohl, the protagonist, plays the role of the evangelist, bringing together all segments of humanity into the Kingdom- for this is the diversity I would imagine there. The best part of Hells-park was the humans, and Hell-spark was the best kind of science fiction- not focusing on the science, but using it as a background to describe more of who we are.

Rating:
Summary: A Motley of Worlds
Review: Despite the unfortunate title, a very engrossing work. Hell-spark has the best features of Star Trek in the extreme mixture of many different cultures, human and non-human and non-humanoid. Although the novel dragged in some places and some editing could have helped more quickly to reach the dénouement, I highly recommend it because it changed my thoughts as I read it. I found myself thinking of people and the culture they were from, and how that interacted with my own culture; how we spoke differently, gestured differently, thought differently. Kagan paints such a vivid picture of the various cultures you would think her a sociologist with a personal grasp of the extremes of human Earth cultures. Tocohl, the protagonist, plays the role of the evangelist, bringing together all segments of humanity into the Kingdom- for this is the diversity I would imagine there. The best part of Hells-park was the humans, and Hell-spark was the best kind of science fiction- not focusing on the science, but using it as a background to describe more of who we are.

Rating:
Summary: Comfortable Companions
Review: Hellspark is a delightful, easeful, exciting, refreshing story set in Intergalactic terms. An all time favorite with me.

I have read Hellspark, cover to cover, a few dozen times, but mostly I open it anywhere to just be with dear friends who are kind and, for the most part, work well and thoughtfully with each other.

With each visit something special is evoked from within me regarding the depth and breadth of humanity's capabilities for goodness because, as our own world shows more of its own diversity, learning more of Tocohl's ability to see a culture or race through its own standards and practices allows its beauty and grace, too, to be visible. Just as the Sprookjes slowly became more understandable and, thus, more human like, all humans, all sentient beings have more in common than in differences.

While easy, this story is not a simple read. It is a profound example of what a slight shift in perspective can achieve. I view this book as one of the finest, cleanest examples of New Age Spiritual teachings.

But if this sort of information doesn't turn your crank, forget it. This book is full of characters of all kinds to not only enchant a reader but annoy, puzzle and surprise, too. You really don't HAVE to read it more than once.

Kagen! We all need more of your writing. Take us on Byworld Judge Susumo's next adventure. Maggy might be an interesting "teenager" by then. What a Hoot that will be!

Rating:
Summary: Comfortable Companions
Review: Hellspark is a delightful, easeful, exciting, refreshing story set in Intergalactic terms. An all time favorite with me.

I have read Hellspark, cover to cover, a few dozen times, but mostly I open it anywhere to just be with dear friends who are kind and, for the most part, work well and thoughtfully with each other.

With each visit something special is evoked from within me regarding the depth and breadth of humanity's capabilities for goodness because, as our own world shows more of its own diversity, learning more of Tocohl's ability to see a culture or race through its own standards and practices allows its beauty and grace, too, to be visible. Just as the Sprookjes slowly became more understandable and, thus, more human like, all humans, all sentient beings have more in common than in differences.

While easy, this story is not a simple read. It is a profound example of what a slight shift in perspective can achieve. I view this book as one of the finest, cleanest examples of New Age Spiritual teachings.

But if this sort of information doesn't turn your crank, forget it. This book is full of characters of all kinds to not only enchant a reader but annoy, puzzle and surprise, too. You really don't HAVE to read it more than once.

Kagen! We all need more of your writing. Take us on Byworld Judge Susumo's next adventure. Maggy might be an interesting "teenager" by then. What a Hoot that will be!

Rating:
Summary: Science Fiction, Detective Stories, and a Comedyt of Manners
Review: HELLSPARK is a wonderful detective tale that stays true to the detective tradition without letting the Science Fiction setting intrude. A death has occurred on the planet Lasti, or was it murder? Enter Tocohl a Ship's Captain, trader, and native Hell-spark/Hells-park, who has to determine if the death was a murder, and, if so, was it done by the natives, the Sprookjes, who seem to be intelligent & sapient, but have no language.

Tocohl has to walk a thin line, because if the Sprookjes are intelligent, then the people who want the planet for development will lose it. Tocohl is asked to be a by-world judge, and determine if it was murder, and it the Sprookjes are intelligent.

Kagan's HELLSPARK is also a comedy of manners, in which the cultural mores and taboos of several various and diverging cultures are thrown into conflict and confusion. I found Kagan's setting to be wonderful and thrilling, and well worth the reading. I am truly indebted to author Steve Miller for suggesting the book to me, and introducing me to such a captivating author. I had previously only read one book by Kagan, but have determined to find more of her works.