Tangled Up in Blue

Rating:
Summary: Not too tangled, nor too blue.
Review: When someone picks for her novel the title of one of the signature songs of a generation, you expect a little more substance. Vinge creates a pleasant and extremely well-written jaunt into her Snow Queen world, but it lacks any real teeth. This is a great book if you're hooked on the Carbuncle series and would like a little background on the milieu, society and characters. If you're looking for compelling future-fiction, turn to the rest of series or, even better, to Vinge's superb Psion line. Otherwise, Tangled Up in Blue is a perfect read for a cross-country flight--engaging, well-crafted, perfectly paced, but fluffy enough that if the plane goes down mid-book, your last thought won't be "I wonder what's going to happen to Gundhalinu".