Polymorph

Rating:
Summary: Weak.
Review: "Polymorph" tells about Lee, a person with incredible powers of Shapeshifting in near-future New York. When I first heard about this book, I was eager to get it. In fact, it was really not easy to hunt it down, but eventually I managed to get my hands on a copy of the book.
Imagine: a person who can change his/her appearance, who can even change their sex. This sounds like a potential amazing novel! However, the story was absolutely silly. It seems the only "use" for this power the author could think of, was for some strange and lame erotic stories! I find it very boring, and ultimately got very disappointed.

But just to give an honest review of the book: the protagonist of the book, Lee, lives a pretty boring life until she encounters another Polymorph - Bonito, who has evil aspirations of power. Lee must find out how to protect herself, and if possible, destroy Bonito!
The book really had so much potential, pity the plot was so unimaginative, and apparently mainly served to bring to print some of the sexual fantasies of the author. To summarize: bad and boring - Check out 'Axiomatic' of Greg Egan, as I could see there some of the elements of this book, written in a much better way.

Rating:
Summary: Weak.
Review: "Polymorph" tells about Lee, a person with incredible powers of Shapeshifting in near-future New York. When I first heard about this book, I was eager to get it. In fact, it was really not easy to hunt it down, but eventually I managed to get my hands on a copy of the book.
Imagine: a person who can change his/her appearance, who can even change their sex. This sounds like a potential amazing novel! However, the story was absolutely silly. It seems the only "use" for this power the author could think of, was for some strange and lame erotic stories! I find it very boring, and ultimately got very disappointed.

But just to give an honest review of the book: the protagonist of the book, Lee, lives a pretty boring life until she encounters another Polymorph - Bonito, who has evil aspirations of power. Lee must find out how to protect herself, and if possible, destroy Bonito!
The book really had so much potential, pity the plot was so unimaginative, and apparently mainly served to bring to print some of the sexual fantasies of the author. To summarize: bad and boring - Check out 'Axiomatic' of Greg Egan, as I could see there some of the elements of this book, written in a much better way.

Rating:
Summary: Great insight into polymorphism, but....
Review: I found this story quite interesting right up to the intense conclusion which left me a bit cold. I can best compare the feeling to finding one of those large jars that you might discover on the back shelf of an antiques store, filled with a murky liquid and with something not quite right floating in it. An intriguing curiosity but I don't want to get too close!

The characterization was well done. I loved Sam, the deaf super-hacker friend of the hero Freddie. The polymorph, Lee, was very well done and quite believable (within the necessary and somewhat strained suspension of disbelief). I had a problem with Freddie who was well written but was subjected to so many assaults on his friendship and understanding that he must have been superhumanly cool and compasionate.

And now to protagonist Lee, antagonist and devil Bonito, and polymorphism. I've enjoyed other shape changing novels, such as those by Czerneda, but this one gave "genuine" insite into the nature of (Westerfield's) polymorphic beings, and the development of their bizarre abilities. He dwells at some length on their insight into human anatomy and mannerisms, gained in various ways, necessary to convincingly emulate another human.

I guess that I was hoping for a simpler, more uplifting ending, but taking it for what it was I will certainly recommend this book to those seeking insight into yet another extraordinary possibility in the range of beings that might exist.

Rating:
Summary: Polymorph
Review: I liked it. But it's trad. Sigh. It's formula.

Too bad. After creating a wonderful character--Lee(?) the ultimate shape-changer, Westerfeld is content to serve up a routine adventure, involving the heroine crossing paths with an evil polymorph. The wonderful but bleak near-future cityscape presented also deserves a better plot to go with it.

Really too bad. Because the book starts out as if its really heading in the right direction...like it's destined to join that small herd of terrific SF novels I've sampled that pack a lot to ponder in under three hundred pages, while still providing a fast-paced, surprising story. I had faith that the intriguing character of Lee, compellingly wraught and with great potential for expansion, would get a fair shake as the tale progressed. Not really the case, alas. Lee/Milica is always an interesting character to hang with, but she does not really develop in interesting ways--as her whole life is ripped apart as she accepts a new lover, a new enemy who knows her biggest secret, and fortunately, new allies she must learn to trust (it's her and the hackers versus a morpher with money and corporate clout)--and where I hoped for at least some attention to character-study, early promise of this fizzles in the face of trad action, trad cat-and-mouse games.

The shape-changing angle is strong--I'm talking about the graphic descriptions of what Lee can, and does, do to her body. It turns out she has some nifty abilities that go beyond merely changing appearance. This leads to a mention of the book's graphic sexual content, since Lee is not shy about cruising nightclubs for a partner, and not adverse to bizarre body-changes during sex.

Then we have an ending that's right out of a Scanners movie, somewhat vile to read, and a bit disturbing in its graphic detail. Lee's final confrontation with her nemesis is not quite like any other hero/villain showdown I've ever read (re: bizarre sex angle). By that time, the book is ending before one realizes it, without fulfilling the promise it owed to its main character. Character, setting, pace, and mood all expertly set in place--plot lets it all down.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic, graphic, and full of imagery
Review: The author uses fantastic imagery to provide the reader with a world of graphic, descriptive sexualtiy and gender-bender chameleon talents of the main character.
The plot appeals to many diverse interests, ie. cyber-punks, shape-changer fans, and fans that wish they could also cross all ethnic/gender/cultural lines.


Rating:
Summary: Very thought provoking
Review: Westerfeld is definitely a talent to watch for. This novel is sleek, sexy, intelligent and thought provoking. It was a joy to read; fast paced and filled with characters of depth and quirks galore. Highly Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Fabulous.
Review: What an amazing read! POLYMORPH is definitely one of the slickest, sexiest books I've read in a long time. There's a lot more here than you'd expect from your typical cybernovel -- Lee is a fascinating, complex, richly-drawn character, and Manhattan's downtown scene is so fully sketched that it almost qualifies for character status itself. Westerfeld is constantly questioning identity and community, and he plays with the reader's preconceptions of sex and sexuality and gender in very real (and disturbing) ways. Plus, it's a great story -- with some of the hottest sex scenes in recent memory. I had a *wonderful* weekend with this book, and recommend it without qualification. Put me down for his next one.