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Rating: 
Summary: great fun--read the next two novels as well!
Review: 5-12ths of Heaven is the first in a trilogy (Silence in Solitude, Empress of Earth). The first book gets our heroine (Silence Leigh) into trouble, the next book gets her out of getting chased all over the Hegemony but even more deeply obligated, and the third book gets her out of trouble altogether and ties up all the loose ends. I don't think the quality of 5-12ths of Heaven is *quite* on the same level as the two sequels, but that may be because the book is so occupied with getting Silence into *trouble* that it comes off as a little too relentless. Some of the scenes could have been written with a touch more humor which would have helped the overall flow. On the other hand, Scott's description of the space drive used is absolutely otherworldly, fantastic, and wonderfully poetic. You will find yourself rereading these books over and over again simply for the descriptions of the travel alone. Other scenes that come to mind--Silence's testing to become a practitioner (extra meaning for those of us who have gone through a thesis defense!), the flying of the Earth road, the trip via the portolan, and the trip into Man's Island by trans. It's unfortunate that these books are out of print--I and a friend of mine immediately snap up any copies we ever find at used book stores to keep on hand as gifts for friends who appreciate good SF. I hope that some publisher will reprint them.
Rating:
Summary: great fun--read the next two novels as well!
Review: 5-12ths of Heaven is the first in a trilogy (Silence in Solitude, Empress of Earth). The first book gets our heroine (Silence Leigh) into trouble, the next book gets her out of getting chased all over the Hegemony but even more deeply obligated, and the third book gets her out of trouble altogether and ties up all the loose ends. I don't think the quality of 5-12ths of Heaven is *quite* on the same level as the two sequels, but that may be because the book is so occupied with getting Silence into *trouble* that it comes off as a little too relentless. Some of the scenes could have been written with a touch more humor which would have helped the overall flow. On the other hand, Scott's description of the space drive used is absolutely otherworldly, fantastic, and wonderfully poetic. You will find yourself rereading these books over and over again simply for the descriptions of the travel alone. Other scenes that come to mind--Silence's testing to become a practitioner (extra meaning for those of us who have gone through a thesis defense!), the flying of the Earth road, the trip via the portolan, and the trip into Man's Island by trans. It's unfortunate that these books are out of print--I and a friend of mine immediately snap up any copies we ever find at used book stores to keep on hand as gifts for friends who appreciate good SF. I hope that some publisher will reprint them.
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