Commencement (del Rey Discovery)

Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put it down.
Review: Fantastic book! I've read it many times, and always anticipate the next page as if I were reading it for the first time. I have not read the sequel yet, but can't wait to follow the ongoing story.

Rating:
Summary: enjoyable read
Review: I have to say I would give this about 4 and a 1/2 stars but since they only give out whole stars i'll go for 4. I loved the characters, the revelations, mostly the entire book! However i have one major glitch that pissed me off to the max! After the huge revelation (u know what i mean), Ronica seems to almost forget about it. The whole book builds and hints to it (making part of the revelation easy to guess while the other part impossible) and then once the initial (personal) revelation is made(the one we are dying to know), the book ignores it along with its emotional concequences to finish with several other revelations and a sequal style ending. i felt more time needed to be spent on this first revelation as it would be extremely hard to deal with... let alone the others. while i found the revelations excellent, i would have prefered a better reaction from ronica as it left me feeling uneasy and dissatisfied. perhaps it is cleared up in the sequel. overall this was an enjoyable book... a big thumbs up.

Rating:
Summary: Fun reading - got me hooked on sci-fi!
Review: The book started off a little slow and I wasn't sure I was going to like it. However, 1/4th of the way into the book I was hooked and I can't wait until the next one comes out. The characters are interesting and likable

Rating:
Summary: Wow!!
Review: This book greets you with compelling characters, rivets you with compelling plot curves, and dazzels you with creativity. This is one of the best fantasy sci-fi I've come across. I compel you to read this book and don't forget to order the sequel, it is better, if that is a possibility, than this pleasure on paper, take an adventure and dream to be right beside these characters as they learn truths about life in their worlds and here on ours.

Rating:
Summary: the best
Review: This book had it all! An overarching know-it-all "federation" (the Con--our herione's employer)and an intuitive "primitive" society (where our herione is inexplicably stuck) -- wrapped in a very smart and sexy story. Although parts of the ending were no big surprise others were --- after it was done I was so set on getting the sequel I needed a rush delivery from Amazon.com (my local shops weren't carrying it). As a long time and prolific reader of SF I am shocked that it took me 5 years to find this author --- I hope she has more coming!

Rating:
Summary: ugh
Review: What a terrible book. Unbelievable.

The book starts out in a typically ok sci-fi fashion, but then the main character proceeds to become more and more hateful as each page turns. How can you like a book when the main character makes you puke?

My eyes literally got sore rolling my eyes at the book. Ronica is selfish, shallow, annoying, frequently stupid, emotionally stunted, and altogether irritating. Her "sexual revelations" are just embarrassing to read. Fourteen-year-olds may find this book appealing, but not anyone with any life experience at all.

Also, the so-called surprise twist is cheap and disappointing. You endure the entire book to find out what this big amnesia secret is, and when you do you, you couldn't care less.

Basically, the entire book is like a teenager's really bad book of poetry. Save yourself some money, time, and contact embarrassment by staying away from this book.

I can't believe I read the entire thing. I am stupider now. Thanks, Ms. James.

Rating:
Summary: the best
Review: When I first read this book I was amazed to see how fast Roby James world sucked me in. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen to Ronia Mcbride. It took me two days of just about nonstop reading and I was already wanting more.