Rating: 
Summary: Touching rumination on gender and love
Review: Although the conclusions regarding what it is to be human (redemptive suffering, unqualified love, ability to choose) are trite, getting there is an interesting process. The observations on class and gender aren't new but the context (a sexless class of laborers) provides a thought-provoking backdrop for Gilman's musings. It was a great vacation book--a compelling read,thoughtful, and perfectly enjoyable.
Rating: 
Summary: A gender-bending sci-fi novel
Review: Carolyn Ives Gilman's science fiction novel "Halfway Human" is a work very much in the tradition of Ursula K. LeGuin's classic "The Left Hand of Darkness." Each novel envisions an alien society in which gender and sexuality differ radically from that of the ordinary human world. Ives' vision is as bold and as fully realized as that of LeGuin, and daringly different on certain levels.The heart of Ives' story takes place on the planed Gammadis, where a neuter third gender, known as Blands, serves as a slave population to the males and females that comprise the rest of the population. The situation is further complicated by the fact that all children of Gammadis are essentially neuter, with gender not manifesting itself until puberty. The story opens with Tedla, a Bland refugee from Gammadis, meeting a xenologist from another world. Tedla tells "its" life story to the sympathetic Val. "Halfway Human" is a gripping drama filled with political intrigue and populated by a fascinating group of characters. Gilman fully fleshes out the complex culture of Tedla's world. The novel deals with such compelling issues as prejudice, slavery, sex, power, and the relationship of an underground subculture to a dominant culture. The story also looks at education and empowerment, hypocrisy and lust, and the longing for a love that transcends vast gulfs of difference. There are some really horrific and painful scenes in this story, but there is also much that is life-affirming. "Halfway Human" is a brilliant contemporary fictional version of a slave narrative, a genre which has played an important role in American literature; good companion texts for this novel would be such 19th century works as "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass" or Harriet Jacobs' "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl."
Rating:
Summary: Now THIS is Science Fiction!
Review: Finally, a book that I couldn't put down. Gilman creates both interesting characters and a believeable group of societies, and wraps them up in a meaty novel that flows at a fast pace. It just goes to prove that good Science Fiction doesn't always need flashy starships and bug eyed aliens - sometimes humanity is the most alien creature of all. I'll be looking forward to future works by C.Ives Gilman, and hoping that a truly good story such as this can come up for some kind of Hugo or Nebula nomination!
Rating:
Summary: Provocative exploration of slavery and gender issues
Review: Halfway Human is pretty darn good. It's set in a rather well worked out variation of a common idea: sometime long in the past (story past, our future), Earth humans have colonized and terraformed many alien planets. After a period in which the planets fell out of contact, a subset of them have rediscovered each other, and have apparently formed a very loose confederation, including Capella Two, the planet (or actually a moon) on which the nominal viewpoint character, Valerie Endrada, lives. Travel is by matter transmitters, and is (logically) light speed. (The fairly rigorous insistence on light speed travel and the corresponding simultaneity problems is a good decision, and is used well in the story.) The tech behind all this is very much backgrounded (quite appropriately). At the time of the action, none of the unmanned probes which are trying to rediscover the colony planets have reported back in some time, except for the one at Gammadis (Gamma Disciplins), which is 51 ly away from Capella Two, and which harbors an odd variety of humans. The original mission to Gammadis ended 63 years previously in disgrace, with the ambassadors thrown off the planet (and arriving back on Cappella 12 years prior to the main action). That's the setup, but what about the good part, the reason to read this novel? Well, the strange thing about Gammadis humans is that they are born neuter. At puberty, about 1/3 (very roughly, and the ambiguity about the actual numbers is a point of the novel) stay neuter, and the others turn half into males and half into females. There is no way to tell whether a given child will be male, female, or neuter. The kicker is that the neuters, also called blands, are condemned to life in "grayspace", literally underneath and "behind" the "human" world, and they live lives of slavery, performing the menial tasks of their society, leaving the "humans" free for the more intellectual and artistic pursuits. This is regarded on Gammadis as natural: neuters are supposed to be stupider, and less energetic, and literally to have no souls. The whole setup is monstrous, and at the same time quite clearly analogous in many ways to slavery in the US, and in many other cultures. In fact, though the novel seems to be promoted as a novel about gender roles, it really isn't. Certainly Gilman makes some such points, and it's not without value for its exploration of gender, but the central issue is definitely slavery and not gender. And it seems to me that many opportunities for a more probing (no pun intended, God help me) exploration of gender issues are missed: but I should emphasize that that's not a weakness, just a different focus than one might have expected. The book works because of the believable but horrifying society revealed on Gammadis, with its uncomfortable parallels with our history and even to an extent our present. There are many disturbing scenes, and many moving scenes. The portrayal of the bland society, and the secret behind the Gammadian characteristics, is very well done, and at times has a "Ones who Walk Away From Omelas" sort of message to it: they have created a near-Utopia, at one level, and they try so hard to ignore the "screaming child in the back room": except it's not one child but 1/3 of their population. Much of the characteristics of the Gammadian society are very nicely shown, instead of told, and some important details are very subtly planted in the background. Details which seem trivial take on powerful new meaning later in the novel, after we understand the society better. I had a few reservations with this book plotwise, but all in all it's a first-rate read, and very provocative. In many ways, this is a pure SF novel, in that its value derives mostly from the ideas it explores, rather than a particularly exciting plot (though the story moves nicely), or any outstanding "literary" values (though it's certainly well-written, and decently characterized.)
Rating:
Summary: Provocative exploration of slavery and gender issues
Review: Halfway Human is pretty darn good. It's set in a rather well worked out variation of a common idea: sometime long in the past (story past, our future), Earth humans have colonized and terraformed many alien planets. After a period in which the planets fell out of contact, a subset of them have rediscovered each other, and have apparently formed a very loose confederation, including Capella Two, the planet (or actually a moon) on which the nominal viewpoint character, Valerie Endrada, lives. Travel is by matter transmitters, and is (logically) light speed. (The fairly rigorous insistence on light speed travel and the corresponding simultaneity problems is a good decision, and is used well in the story.) The tech behind all this is very much backgrounded (quite appropriately). At the time of the action, none of the unmanned probes which are trying to rediscover the colony planets have reported back in some time, except for the one at Gammadis (Gamma Disciplins), which is 51 ly away from Capella Two, and which harbors an odd variety of humans. The original mission to Gammadis ended 63 years previously in disgrace, with the ambassadors thrown off the planet (and arriving back on Cappella 12 years prior to the main action). That's the setup, but what about the good part, the reason to read this novel? Well, the strange thing about Gammadis humans is that they are born neuter. At puberty, about 1/3 (very roughly, and the ambiguity about the actual numbers is a point of the novel) stay neuter, and the others turn half into males and half into females. There is no way to tell whether a given child will be male, female, or neuter. The kicker is that the neuters, also called blands, are condemned to life in "grayspace", literally underneath and "behind" the "human" world, and they live lives of slavery, performing the menial tasks of their society, leaving the "humans" free for the more intellectual and artistic pursuits. This is regarded on Gammadis as natural: neuters are supposed to be stupider, and less energetic, and literally to have no souls. The whole setup is monstrous, and at the same time quite clearly analogous in many ways to slavery in the US, and in many other cultures. In fact, though the novel seems to be promoted as a novel about gender roles, it really isn't. Certainly Gilman makes some such points, and it's not without value for its exploration of gender, but the central issue is definitely slavery and not gender. And it seems to me that many opportunities for a more probing (no pun intended, God help me) exploration of gender issues are missed: but I should emphasize that that's not a weakness, just a different focus than one might have expected. The book works because of the believable but horrifying society revealed on Gammadis, with its uncomfortable parallels with our history and even to an extent our present. There are many disturbing scenes, and many moving scenes. The portrayal of the bland society, and the secret behind the Gammadian characteristics, is very well done, and at times has a "Ones who Walk Away From Omelas" sort of message to it: they have created a near-Utopia, at one level, and they try so hard to ignore the "screaming child in the back room": except it's not one child but 1/3 of their population. Much of the characteristics of the Gammadian society are very nicely shown, instead of told, and some important details are very subtly planted in the background. Details which seem trivial take on powerful new meaning later in the novel, after we understand the society better. I had a few reservations with this book plotwise, but all in all it's a first-rate read, and very provocative. In many ways, this is a pure SF novel, in that its value derives mostly from the ideas it explores, rather than a particularly exciting plot (though the story moves nicely), or any outstanding "literary" values (though it's certainly well-written, and decently characterized.)
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, a real page turner
Review: I adored this novel and was very disappointed to see that Gilman has not yet written anything else. I think this story says alot about culture and how we look at ourselves and the components that make up our society. I found the novel and the situation of the "blands" to be a very strong parralell to slavery in this country and how slavery was viewed by slaves as well owners. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly reccomned it not only as sci fi/fantasy but as fiction.
Rating:
Summary: It Finds A Place in Us All
Review: I cannot remember what made me by this book, but I was infinitely glad I did. For the many people in the world who have at one time or another felt outcast, unloved, unappreciated, abused or had prejudice of various kinds thrown their way: this book is for you. If you like fantasy settings and worlds, so much the better, yet even mainstream fiction readers can appreciate the story and characters in this book. Tedla is the central character, a genderless, beautiful young person who has been much abused in its short life, but all it wants is to be loved. The story is written from its memories and the POV of the "Social worker" of sorts who is assigned to help determine whether it needs to be shipped back to its homeworld or protected from those who want it back. Its a heartwrenching story at points, graphic in many aspects though not vulgar but such scenes are very necessary for the reader to understand what Tedla has endured. Not until the very last pages do you find out what will become of the person who has captured your heart with its gentle spirit and determination and beauty. Its a very satisfying read. In fact, I often send it as a gift to friends of many different backgrounds, sexualities and views.
Rating:
Summary: Superb novel on every level
Review: I could hardly put the book down. Beautifully written, heartbreakingly realized, wonderfully characterized. Social science fiction at its best and most sophisticated.
Rating:
Summary: Superb novel on every level
Review: I could hardly put the book down. Beautifully written, heartbreakingly realized, wonderfully characterized. Social science fiction at its best and most sophisticated.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting, but flawed
Review: I found this book to be interesting and boring at the same time. The author is rehashing old concepts of gender and class oppression, without bringing anything new to the table. Her point that a culture will always find an "other" to oppress is thought-provoking, but depressing. In addtion, there are too many contrived plot devices, such as a character "overhearing" pertinant information that moves the story along. I found the explicit sex and torture to be too much. Gratuitous without any art. This book left me with detailed images that I didn't want in my head, and as the famous poet Rob Brezsny said: "Images are dangerous".
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