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Cygnus Beta
The Blue, Beautiful World
The world is changing, and humanity must change with it. Rising seas and soaring temperatures have radically transformed the face of Earth. Meanwhile, Earth is being observed from afar by other civilizations . . . and now they are ready to make contact.
Vying to prepare humanity for first contact are a group of dreamers and changemakers, including Peter Hendrix, the genius inventor behind the most advanced VR tech; Charyssa, a beloved celebrity icon with a passion for humanitarian work; and Kanoa, a member of a global council of young people drafted to reimagine the relationship between humankind and alien societies.
And they may have an unexpected secret Owen, a pop megastar whose ability to connect with his adoring fans is more than charisma. His hidden talent could be the key to uniting Earth as it looks toward the stars.
But Owen's abilities are so unique that no one can control him and so seductive that he cannot help but use them. Can he transcend his human limitations and find the freedom he has always dreamed of? Or is he doomed to become the dictator of his nightmares?
A visionary science fiction novel set a century into our future against a familiar backdrop of rising seas and climate crisis, The Blue, Beautiful World fuses a propulsive first contact adventure with a profoundly hopeful ode to the power of human connection as a genius inventor, a beloved celebrity, a young activist, and a pop megastar are brought together to forge a new path into the future.
Vying to prepare humanity for first contact are a group of dreamers and changemakers, including Peter Hendrix, the genius inventor behind the most advanced VR tech; Charyssa, a beloved celebrity icon with a passion for humanitarian work; and Kanoa, a member of a global council of young people drafted to reimagine the relationship between humankind and alien societies.
And they may have an unexpected secret Owen, a pop megastar whose ability to connect with his adoring fans is more than charisma. His hidden talent could be the key to uniting Earth as it looks toward the stars.
But Owen's abilities are so unique that no one can control him and so seductive that he cannot help but use them. Can he transcend his human limitations and find the freedom he has always dreamed of? Or is he doomed to become the dictator of his nightmares?
A visionary science fiction novel set a century into our future against a familiar backdrop of rising seas and climate crisis, The Blue, Beautiful World fuses a propulsive first contact adventure with a profoundly hopeful ode to the power of human connection as a genius inventor, a beloved celebrity, a young activist, and a pop megastar are brought together to forge a new path into the future.
235 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 29, 2023
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April 26, 2024📢This is not a climate change book.
Check out my BookTube review of this book on Hello, Bookworm.📚🐛
"The nuance, the enchantment of all unrecorded micro interactions would be stripped away, and negotiation by VR alone must thereby lose some ineffable and essential quality."
What I thought this book would be: A thrilling story of first contact with alien life, set amid impending climate doom and with a plea at its heart for humanity to change.
What this book actually is: A quiet story about a small group of humans preparing to make first contact with intelligent civilizations beyond earth that gently interrogates a future in which we all communicate through VR and how only seeing ourselves represented digitally means we rarely, if ever, see each other authentically.
I was also surprised to discover this is the third book in a series. That could explain why I constantly felt like I was missing information to properly contextualize the characters and their environment. Which is to say that if this book's premise intrigues you, consider starting with the first book in the series, The Best of All Possible Worlds, and going on from there if the first book aligns with your reading tastes.
Check out my BookTube review of this book on Hello, Bookworm.📚🐛
"The nuance, the enchantment of all unrecorded micro interactions would be stripped away, and negotiation by VR alone must thereby lose some ineffable and essential quality."
What I thought this book would be: A thrilling story of first contact with alien life, set amid impending climate doom and with a plea at its heart for humanity to change.
What this book actually is: A quiet story about a small group of humans preparing to make first contact with intelligent civilizations beyond earth that gently interrogates a future in which we all communicate through VR and how only seeing ourselves represented digitally means we rarely, if ever, see each other authentically.
I was also surprised to discover this is the third book in a series. That could explain why I constantly felt like I was missing information to properly contextualize the characters and their environment. Which is to say that if this book's premise intrigues you, consider starting with the first book in the series, The Best of All Possible Worlds, and going on from there if the first book aligns with your reading tastes.
May 18, 2023
Don’t read the publisher-provided summary. It gives far too much away and will mess up your expectations.
The first 75% of this is truly excellent. It tightly follows a few characters—Owen, a magnetic pop star, Noriko, his badass employee who makes everything happen, and Kanoa, a member of a council selected to work through hypothetical challenges (kind of like a super involved global Model UN). You really get to understand the characters and what they care about even if you don't really know yet what's happening overall.
The last 25% felt rushed: more like a series of events that happened rather than the conclusion to all these people's stories.
I don't really want to say more than that: this is one of those books that's better if you go in knowing as little as possible.
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey!
The first 75% of this is truly excellent. It tightly follows a few characters—Owen, a magnetic pop star, Noriko, his badass employee who makes everything happen, and Kanoa, a member of a council selected to work through hypothetical challenges (kind of like a super involved global Model UN). You really get to understand the characters and what they care about even if you don't really know yet what's happening overall.
The last 25% felt rushed: more like a series of events that happened rather than the conclusion to all these people's stories.
I don't really want to say more than that: this is one of those books that's better if you go in knowing as little as possible.
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey!
August 11, 2023
ehhh it's not memorable, or it's just not for me.
the story would have benefited from having more pages to develop the characters and the setting because it was all flimsy to me. information was also poured out on page so suddenly that i could barely keep up with the flood of information. with no proper development of the characters and the world, the novel lacked the very vital aspect to keep up— verisimilitude. i did not believe anything so i did not take anything seriously; the significance of certain events were lost on me and i did not care to understand them better. honestly, the first part was going well. it was the second part that was abrupt for me, with the sudden shift in focus and perspective. after that, i also lost interest.
personally, i think the concept of the novel is ambitious, in fact too ambitious for the author to write. a touch of subtlety and elegance are much needed to tell a story like this. i do appreciate the contribution to the genre even though it's not done well, as i feel like it could at least be improved upon.
despite my 1-star rating, believe me when i say it's not entirely bad; i just personally did not like it and did not have a good time.
the story would have benefited from having more pages to develop the characters and the setting because it was all flimsy to me. information was also poured out on page so suddenly that i could barely keep up with the flood of information. with no proper development of the characters and the world, the novel lacked the very vital aspect to keep up— verisimilitude. i did not believe anything so i did not take anything seriously; the significance of certain events were lost on me and i did not care to understand them better. honestly, the first part was going well. it was the second part that was abrupt for me, with the sudden shift in focus and perspective. after that, i also lost interest.
personally, i think the concept of the novel is ambitious, in fact too ambitious for the author to write. a touch of subtlety and elegance are much needed to tell a story like this. i do appreciate the contribution to the genre even though it's not done well, as i feel like it could at least be improved upon.
despite my 1-star rating, believe me when i say it's not entirely bad; i just personally did not like it and did not have a good time.
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August 26, 2023I have zero idea what was happening in this book and it is not for lack of trying. I will say the first 60 pages were very engaging, I wanted to find out more and see where the book was taking me. Then there was a big shift, a major event and I have zero idea what went on after.
That is all I will say on this.
That is all I will say on this.
September 11, 2023
This is a genuinely original science fiction novel with an intriguing underlying concept and multiple twists and turns at its heart. It's a shame that the cover proclaims it a 'story of first contact', because one of the twists is the reveal that this is the case, which isn't obvious to begin with in the book itself, but you can't see the cover without knowing it.
The first part involves a dip into the life of international music star Owen, whose combination of magnetic stage presence and cult-like following reminded me of Valentine Michael Smith in Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. We then switch to the recruiting of a series of twenty-somethings to a mysterious global organisation and their distinctly odd training, ranging from assessing threats to the world to playing football. That abrupt switch requires a small suspension of irritation, but everything does come together in a satisfying fashion - and the 'first contact' challenge is quite unlike anything I've ever seen before.
In this respect, the novel really does earn the anonymous Guardian comment on the back 'Lord is on a par with Ursula K. Le Guin' - the originality and richness of the plotting is indeed up there with the greats. If I'm honest, the writing style isn't there yet - it's mostly fine, but a tad amateurish in places, which feel in need of a good polish. In this respect, I'm afraid, there's a way to go before catching up with Le Guin's skill as a writer.
The same applies to characterisation. All the central characters are part of a technocratic, intellectual elite who consider the ordinary people sheep to be manipulated. Theirs is a world where nepotism is actively encouraged. Lord seems to think (perhaps rightly) that major changes in society require not very nice people to make things happen.
More positively, I've always enjoyed books where you read something and think 'Huh? What's going on?' and this happens quite a few times with those aforementioned twists, including one example that for quite some time seems like a mistake on the author's part, but is then explained as the plot develops.
If you like a Star Trek-like tendency to have very humanoid aliens (with the same underlying excuse as to why this is the case) and some physically unlikely alien abilities (notably psi) that were common in earlier SF, but have rather dropped out of fashion, this is a very impressive novel.
The first part involves a dip into the life of international music star Owen, whose combination of magnetic stage presence and cult-like following reminded me of Valentine Michael Smith in Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. We then switch to the recruiting of a series of twenty-somethings to a mysterious global organisation and their distinctly odd training, ranging from assessing threats to the world to playing football. That abrupt switch requires a small suspension of irritation, but everything does come together in a satisfying fashion - and the 'first contact' challenge is quite unlike anything I've ever seen before.
In this respect, the novel really does earn the anonymous Guardian comment on the back 'Lord is on a par with Ursula K. Le Guin' - the originality and richness of the plotting is indeed up there with the greats. If I'm honest, the writing style isn't there yet - it's mostly fine, but a tad amateurish in places, which feel in need of a good polish. In this respect, I'm afraid, there's a way to go before catching up with Le Guin's skill as a writer.
The same applies to characterisation. All the central characters are part of a technocratic, intellectual elite who consider the ordinary people sheep to be manipulated. Theirs is a world where nepotism is actively encouraged. Lord seems to think (perhaps rightly) that major changes in society require not very nice people to make things happen.
More positively, I've always enjoyed books where you read something and think 'Huh? What's going on?' and this happens quite a few times with those aforementioned twists, including one example that for quite some time seems like a mistake on the author's part, but is then explained as the plot develops.
If you like a Star Trek-like tendency to have very humanoid aliens (with the same underlying excuse as to why this is the case) and some physically unlikely alien abilities (notably psi) that were common in earlier SF, but have rather dropped out of fashion, this is a very impressive novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2023
I loved the first part and got a little mixed up at the start of the transition. In a way, that helped me mirror the characters' feelings, as they met new situations and discovered things they hadn't even suspected.
I don't want to say much at all about the plot, because the fun of this book is in it's discovery. I'd especially recommend it to fans of Becky Chambers.
I don't want to say much at all about the plot, because the fun of this book is in it's discovery. I'd especially recommend it to fans of Becky Chambers.
October 12, 2023
An original sci-fi book covering first contact on Earth. Unfortunately, this book was not my cup of tea.
April 20, 2024
The Women's Prize has shunned SF for much of its recent history. I think the last SF novel to be longlisted was Becky Chambers's The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet back in 2014. So it's absolutely typical that when the Prize finally nominates SF again, it's a totally left-field choice - which is not to say that Karen Lord's The Blue, Beautiful World is bad. Lord's complex book, the third in a trilogy, is set on an Earth where it gradually dawns on both the reader and the characters that alien humanoid civilisations of different kinds are already among us. Many use virtual face technology to blend in, wearing a series of electronic masks, but there are also conscious spaceships, 'intelligent leviathans', that have infiltrated Earth's oceans. Lord is interested both in how different alien factions try to manage the incorporation of Earth into a wider galactic civilisation and how humans themselves react to this. One major plot-line, therefore, focuses on Owen, a pop megastar who is actually from Alpha Pisces Austrini and is using his wealth and influence to manipulate people and corporations on Earth. Another focuses on a group of young people from across the globe who have been chosen to take part in what they think is a theoretical exercise in global diplomacy in a first contact scenario, but, it turns out, is actually all too real.
When Lord stays put on Earth, this book is original, thought-provoking and subtle. Unfortunately, the brief glimpses we get of the alien civilisations outside Earth's limits make them feel much more cartoonish, even though it's clear they've been developed over the course of the first two books of this trilogy. The Romanesque names, the overblown pronouncements, the paint-by-numbers politics... perhaps this would have felt deeper had I read the first two, but I somehow doubt it. On a more meta level, I do wish the Women's Prize hadn't gone for this one, because it is exactly the sort of SF novel that will put off non-SF readers, and I just don't think it's a great fit for the Prize. So many other options... Nina Allan, Grace Curtis, Emily Tesh, or indeed the one I'd have picked, Naomi Alderman. Sigh. But SF fans, Lord is worth reading. 3.5 stars.
When Lord stays put on Earth, this book is original, thought-provoking and subtle. Unfortunately, the brief glimpses we get of the alien civilisations outside Earth's limits make them feel much more cartoonish, even though it's clear they've been developed over the course of the first two books of this trilogy. The Romanesque names, the overblown pronouncements, the paint-by-numbers politics... perhaps this would have felt deeper had I read the first two, but I somehow doubt it. On a more meta level, I do wish the Women's Prize hadn't gone for this one, because it is exactly the sort of SF novel that will put off non-SF readers, and I just don't think it's a great fit for the Prize. So many other options... Nina Allan, Grace Curtis, Emily Tesh, or indeed the one I'd have picked, Naomi Alderman. Sigh. But SF fans, Lord is worth reading. 3.5 stars.
August 18, 2023
3.5*
I was very excited about this one, for a long time. Here's a thing I did not realize though: it is not a direct sequel, but apparently connected to a series? I think just about all my issues with this book would have been resolved had I known that. And look- I read it under the impression that it was a standalone, and I wasn't like, losing my mind confused or anything, so you absolutely can read it as a standalone! But I think I'd have gotten more out of the story had I known the backstory, and I feel like it is sort of doing the book and author a disservice by not being super clear about that.
What I Enjoyed:
►Aliens, y'all! I mean come on, aliens! And their maybe-nefarious plans for Earth! And their infighting! I am always here for seeing how authors imagine other species to be, and this was interesting because we are dealing with more than one!
►I liked the characters. There may be a lot of them (see below), but I did really enjoy them. You've got people from all over the universe basically, and it was interesting to see that people are awfully similar, no matter what world you come from.
►It was definitely insightful and thought provoking. Oh, can you imagine how we, as a species, would act if we found out there were aliens? There's a line from the book, "'Hysteria on one end of the scale . . . indifference on the other. Well, good luck with this global government thing we’re trying, when we can’t even agree on if we’re being invaded or not.'” Which... right?! Half the world would refuse to believe it, half of them would start hoarding toilet paper again. So yeah, I loved that aspect of the story, how much both the people from Earth and those from other places had to grapple with these questions.
What I Struggled With:
►I felt kind of lost for a fair portion of the story. I'd say the first thirty percent seemed to go one way, and then BAM, whole new group of folks out of left field. Don't get me wrong, I liked the new guys, I was just pretty jarred by the story seeming to suddenly sway to a whole new set of characters. Also, I won't pretend to have realized that aliens were a thing for... well, probably too long, but that is likely on me.
►There are a lot of characters to keep track of. Heads up too that there is a very helpful cast of characters included. In the advanced copy, it was at the end, but I wish I'd known it was there because I probably would have been able to keep track of characters better. And like I said before, some were introduced after I'd just started to get the hang of who was who in the first batch, so.
Bottom Line: I wish I had known that this was part of a pre-existing world, because I think I'd have had a greater understanding of the world and characters. As it stands, it was quite enjoyable, aside from the bits of confusion.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
I was very excited about this one, for a long time. Here's a thing I did not realize though: it is not a direct sequel, but apparently connected to a series? I think just about all my issues with this book would have been resolved had I known that. And look- I read it under the impression that it was a standalone, and I wasn't like, losing my mind confused or anything, so you absolutely can read it as a standalone! But I think I'd have gotten more out of the story had I known the backstory, and I feel like it is sort of doing the book and author a disservice by not being super clear about that.
What I Enjoyed:
►Aliens, y'all! I mean come on, aliens! And their maybe-nefarious plans for Earth! And their infighting! I am always here for seeing how authors imagine other species to be, and this was interesting because we are dealing with more than one!
►I liked the characters. There may be a lot of them (see below), but I did really enjoy them. You've got people from all over the universe basically, and it was interesting to see that people are awfully similar, no matter what world you come from.
►It was definitely insightful and thought provoking. Oh, can you imagine how we, as a species, would act if we found out there were aliens? There's a line from the book, "'Hysteria on one end of the scale . . . indifference on the other. Well, good luck with this global government thing we’re trying, when we can’t even agree on if we’re being invaded or not.'” Which... right?! Half the world would refuse to believe it, half of them would start hoarding toilet paper again. So yeah, I loved that aspect of the story, how much both the people from Earth and those from other places had to grapple with these questions.
What I Struggled With:
►I felt kind of lost for a fair portion of the story. I'd say the first thirty percent seemed to go one way, and then BAM, whole new group of folks out of left field. Don't get me wrong, I liked the new guys, I was just pretty jarred by the story seeming to suddenly sway to a whole new set of characters. Also, I won't pretend to have realized that aliens were a thing for... well, probably too long, but that is likely on me.
►There are a lot of characters to keep track of. Heads up too that there is a very helpful cast of characters included. In the advanced copy, it was at the end, but I wish I'd known it was there because I probably would have been able to keep track of characters better. And like I said before, some were introduced after I'd just started to get the hang of who was who in the first batch, so.
Bottom Line: I wish I had known that this was part of a pre-existing world, because I think I'd have had a greater understanding of the world and characters. As it stands, it was quite enjoyable, aside from the bits of confusion.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
August 17, 2023
I got to 20% without having any idea what this book was about, and decided I didn't care enough to find out.
April 14, 2024
Just giving this a default three stars because I think I read it under very unfair circumstances - I read it because I'm a Women's Prize completist, and I didn't know starting out that this is the 3rd book in a series!! Who nominates the 3rd book in a series if it is not self-contained?!? Oh well. A lot of lost readers here, I imagine, me among them.
Most of the time I literally had no idea what was going on. Many of the key characters seemed to have a lot of backstory that you don't know anything about coming in on Book 3.
A shame because I don't dislike sci fi or speculative fiction, and I thought there were some intriguing elements here - especially a sort of Hogwarts for the next generation of global government. But as soon as you find your footing you are whisked off somewhere else and are absolutely lost again.
I would have liked MUCH more exploration of the concept of First Contact too - despite some explicit parallels to earthly patterns of colonization - the actual moment when earth realizes what is going on, despite all the build up, doesn't actually have any resonance. Most of the characters recover from the shock with the equivalent of a shrug and go back to networking with other extremely wealthy and powerful people (networking is a big thing in the future - ugh! - glad I won't be here to to see it :)).
Most of the time I literally had no idea what was going on. Many of the key characters seemed to have a lot of backstory that you don't know anything about coming in on Book 3.
A shame because I don't dislike sci fi or speculative fiction, and I thought there were some intriguing elements here - especially a sort of Hogwarts for the next generation of global government. But as soon as you find your footing you are whisked off somewhere else and are absolutely lost again.
I would have liked MUCH more exploration of the concept of First Contact too - despite some explicit parallels to earthly patterns of colonization - the actual moment when earth realizes what is going on, despite all the build up, doesn't actually have any resonance. Most of the characters recover from the shock with the equivalent of a shrug and go back to networking with other extremely wealthy and powerful people (networking is a big thing in the future - ugh! - glad I won't be here to to see it :)).
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March 29, 2024This is probably the longest it’s ever taken me to read a 235 page book.
I’m not going to rate it because I don’t think it’s fair to the author to judge the third book in a series without having read the other two. I think the publishers did her a real disservice by submitting this for the Women’s prize and I think the Women’s prize judges maybe did her a disservice by putting it on the long list, because it gave the impression it could, in fact, be read alone.
Because can you read this as a standalone?
Uh… sure.
Should you?
Having done just that, let me say, absolutely not.
I am told some of this is just Lord’s style, but there is a whole lot of context here that the reader is not given really at all except for maybe the end. The reader is treated like they’ve been there the whole time. Objects that are foreign to us here in 2024 are never described, and the reader is left floundering trying to put the pieces together and envision what’s happening, what things look like.
The beginning half feels severely disconnected from the second half, I’m not sure why it was included at all.
I saw other reviews talking about how this book is about wearing masks and how we identify our true selves and so on, but I was so goddamn confused the whole time just trying to figure out what the hell was going on, that I absolutely didn’t have time to ponder the deeper metaphorical meaning of this book. If that’s what we were going for, there were much simpler ways to do it.
That being said, I might actually re-read it someday? The sad part is I actually do own the other two books I just didn’t have time to read them beforehand. There are a lot of interesting and fascinating concepts at play, that do intrigue me. I don’t think it’s a bad book, just one that requires attention and dedication.
I’m not going to rate it because I don’t think it’s fair to the author to judge the third book in a series without having read the other two. I think the publishers did her a real disservice by submitting this for the Women’s prize and I think the Women’s prize judges maybe did her a disservice by putting it on the long list, because it gave the impression it could, in fact, be read alone.
Because can you read this as a standalone?
Uh… sure.
Should you?
Having done just that, let me say, absolutely not.
I am told some of this is just Lord’s style, but there is a whole lot of context here that the reader is not given really at all except for maybe the end. The reader is treated like they’ve been there the whole time. Objects that are foreign to us here in 2024 are never described, and the reader is left floundering trying to put the pieces together and envision what’s happening, what things look like.
The beginning half feels severely disconnected from the second half, I’m not sure why it was included at all.
I saw other reviews talking about how this book is about wearing masks and how we identify our true selves and so on, but I was so goddamn confused the whole time just trying to figure out what the hell was going on, that I absolutely didn’t have time to ponder the deeper metaphorical meaning of this book. If that’s what we were going for, there were much simpler ways to do it.
That being said, I might actually re-read it someday? The sad part is I actually do own the other two books I just didn’t have time to read them beforehand. There are a lot of interesting and fascinating concepts at play, that do intrigue me. I don’t think it’s a bad book, just one that requires attention and dedication.
February 9, 2024
Was I a bit confused ?.Yes. did she stick the landing at the end? Not quite. Does the author tacitly support merit based oligarchy? Basically yes. But I still loved this book, it kept me fascinated. Loved the wargame part.
I mostly wanted it to be longer. Id like a part 2 where non elite people might have some relevance in society.
I mostly wanted it to be longer. Id like a part 2 where non elite people might have some relevance in society.
January 5, 2024
I was not sure I wanted to give this book a rating because I do not fully grasp its concept or the author's intentions and I think that is generally unfair to authors, especially those who clearly have beautiful language use and are able to write poignant lines. However, I also asked myself whether an author can be given a pass if a novel is too esoteric for the average reader. After much consideration, my answer is no. Writing must not only be beautiful, but it must also be accessible and understandable, and this novel does not meet that test, in my view.
That said, there were moments of clarity for me. I sensed that the author was speculating a world where colonisers and neocolonisers no longer have the power they enjoy now, although this comes late and at a time when the world as we know it now is unrecognisable due to the ravages of climate change and human greed.
I think that although this book can be read as a standalone, the author and publisher should highly recommend reading the earlier books in the series. Context would definitely help readers' understanding of this.
That said, there were moments of clarity for me. I sensed that the author was speculating a world where colonisers and neocolonisers no longer have the power they enjoy now, although this comes late and at a time when the world as we know it now is unrecognisable due to the ravages of climate change and human greed.
I think that although this book can be read as a standalone, the author and publisher should highly recommend reading the earlier books in the series. Context would definitely help readers' understanding of this.
June 23, 2024
[This review can also be found on my BLOG]
**I was gifted a copy by Gollancz in exchange for an honest review**
CW: xenophobia, death/death of parent, war, colonisation, suicidal thoughts, vomit
--
With how The Blue, Beautiful World was longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction I think a lot of people – myself included – went in not knowing that it was book 3 in a series so if you were to take a quick glance at online ratings keep this in mind and don’t let it put you off. It is still perfectly fine to be read as a standalone because the overall story is separate but I totally understand the frustration of those who have found it hard to get into/follow along with.
The book is split into two parts taking place 11 years apart. The former following an abnormally influential pop star and his inner circle and the latter a group of students undergoing training for a global council. Both storylines keep you on your toes, wondering what exactly is going on and how everything links together and I was very much drawn in.
The synopsis mentions climate change but those elements of the book are more details that come up in the background, hinting at the wider world building and aren't too significant to the main plot. The worldbuilding and technology is so so interesting though as are the various characters we are introduced to. For a short read there are a lot of names to keep a track of and not reading the previous two books in the series does put you at a disadvantage of not fully appreciating all the nuances when it comes to character relationships and political drama.
However, Lord has done something really interesting with the themes of first contact and intergalactic diplomacy and there was some very thought provoking moments on power/control and human connection, so if that side of sci-fi interests you then I’d recommend checking this book out. Just know that you’ll be getting thrown into an established universe and a story layered in a way that you won’t understand everything that is going on fully until maybe the end.
I’ll definitely be checking out the other Cygnus Beta books and then giving this one a revisit!
Final Rating – 3.5/5 Stars
**I was gifted a copy by Gollancz in exchange for an honest review**
CW: xenophobia, death/death of parent, war, colonisation, suicidal thoughts, vomit
--
With how The Blue, Beautiful World was longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction I think a lot of people – myself included – went in not knowing that it was book 3 in a series so if you were to take a quick glance at online ratings keep this in mind and don’t let it put you off. It is still perfectly fine to be read as a standalone because the overall story is separate but I totally understand the frustration of those who have found it hard to get into/follow along with.
The book is split into two parts taking place 11 years apart. The former following an abnormally influential pop star and his inner circle and the latter a group of students undergoing training for a global council. Both storylines keep you on your toes, wondering what exactly is going on and how everything links together and I was very much drawn in.
The synopsis mentions climate change but those elements of the book are more details that come up in the background, hinting at the wider world building and aren't too significant to the main plot. The worldbuilding and technology is so so interesting though as are the various characters we are introduced to. For a short read there are a lot of names to keep a track of and not reading the previous two books in the series does put you at a disadvantage of not fully appreciating all the nuances when it comes to character relationships and political drama.
However, Lord has done something really interesting with the themes of first contact and intergalactic diplomacy and there was some very thought provoking moments on power/control and human connection, so if that side of sci-fi interests you then I’d recommend checking this book out. Just know that you’ll be getting thrown into an established universe and a story layered in a way that you won’t understand everything that is going on fully until maybe the end.
I’ll definitely be checking out the other Cygnus Beta books and then giving this one a revisit!
Final Rating – 3.5/5 Stars
November 11, 2023
Maybe 3.5 as it doesn’t always flow smoothly between time periods but I did really enjoy the story. I wish I had looked over her other books from this world beforehand. Didn’t realize they were loosely related.
July 31, 2023
The Blue Beautiful World by Karen Lord
Genre: Literary Fiction blended with Sci-Fi
Overall (out of 5) ⭐⭐⭐
Prose⭐⭐⭐
Pacing(1=slow 5=fast)⭐
Character Development ⭐⭐⭐
Atmosphere⭐⭐⭐
Library or Buy-worthy: Library
Similar vibe: Axiom's End by Lindsay Ellis, Nyxia by Scott Reintgen
***Caution: Spoilers follow***
I went into The Big Beautiful World by Karen Lord almost completely blind. The first 25% of the book involves various characters narrating their daily lives. It's hard initially to see the point. Truths are slowly revealed about who the main characters are, the environment, time period and how they're all connected. Points of view change often and without clear division. Many times I just couldn't follow what was going on or who was talking and had to backtrack. I also hit points during this book where I questioned continuing. I finally broke down and had to go read the blurb for clarification. Don't get me wrong I like character driven storylines but I just couldn't tell where this one was going. I also read other reviews only realizing then that Blue Beautiful World is set inside a world of her previous books. There is also an addendum at the end of my egalley explaining who everyone is, that I didn't know existed until then. Having never read any of her books before I was largely lost. Despite that, by the 50% point I was beginning to see the plotline more clearly. Turns out it's the age old sci-fi trope, aliens are here to "takeover the world" . Karen Lord's writing style reminds me a little of MR Carey or Mary Doria Russell, which is a good thing but, other than the aforementioned authors, it's different than you'd expect for a first contact novel. Instead of action there's more of a focus on the individuals and political machinations. For those reading this as a stand-alone the world building is really light. You have assume a lot and glean things from phrases sprinkled about. There was very little description early on and I just could not picture any of it. The pace is slow and plodding, along with a time jump. I really never felt like I was getting everything. I pushed through hoping my patience would be rewarded and I guess it was. I enjoyed the ending message but overall I just couldn't keep up completely. I can appreciate the overarching plan for this book but I think to enjoy it you need to have read her others and I have not. I'll circle back for her other books.
Genre: Literary Fiction blended with Sci-Fi
Overall (out of 5) ⭐⭐⭐
Prose⭐⭐⭐
Pacing(1=slow 5=fast)⭐
Character Development ⭐⭐⭐
Atmosphere⭐⭐⭐
Library or Buy-worthy: Library
Similar vibe: Axiom's End by Lindsay Ellis, Nyxia by Scott Reintgen
***Caution: Spoilers follow***
I went into The Big Beautiful World by Karen Lord almost completely blind. The first 25% of the book involves various characters narrating their daily lives. It's hard initially to see the point. Truths are slowly revealed about who the main characters are, the environment, time period and how they're all connected. Points of view change often and without clear division. Many times I just couldn't follow what was going on or who was talking and had to backtrack. I also hit points during this book where I questioned continuing. I finally broke down and had to go read the blurb for clarification. Don't get me wrong I like character driven storylines but I just couldn't tell where this one was going. I also read other reviews only realizing then that Blue Beautiful World is set inside a world of her previous books. There is also an addendum at the end of my egalley explaining who everyone is, that I didn't know existed until then. Having never read any of her books before I was largely lost. Despite that, by the 50% point I was beginning to see the plotline more clearly. Turns out it's the age old sci-fi trope, aliens are here to "takeover the world" . Karen Lord's writing style reminds me a little of MR Carey or Mary Doria Russell, which is a good thing but, other than the aforementioned authors, it's different than you'd expect for a first contact novel. Instead of action there's more of a focus on the individuals and political machinations. For those reading this as a stand-alone the world building is really light. You have assume a lot and glean things from phrases sprinkled about. There was very little description early on and I just could not picture any of it. The pace is slow and plodding, along with a time jump. I really never felt like I was getting everything. I pushed through hoping my patience would be rewarded and I guess it was. I enjoyed the ending message but overall I just couldn't keep up completely. I can appreciate the overarching plan for this book but I think to enjoy it you need to have read her others and I have not. I'll circle back for her other books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2023
This makes an interesting structural move, with a significant time skip that almost makes it feel like a prequel and a main story in one novel. And I really loved the part that felt like prequel, but had more mixed feelings about the next half.
The first half focuses reasonably tightly on the assistant of a pop star with a deeper plan to use his uncanny ability to get people pulling in the same direction to prepare the people of Earth for intergalactic politics that they don’t even know exists. The second half then focuses on students in one of his programs, and then on the political drama coming home to roost.
And the tight focus works really well—it’s incredibly engaging, with likable characters, interesting worldbuilding, and enough uncertainty about the overall project to keep anticipation high. But the second half sometimes feels like a sketch of a story. All the key points are hit, but there’s not quite enough connective tissues to make them feel meaningful. The reader (at least, a reader who hasn’t read other works on this universe) doesn’t know enough about galactic politics to appreciate the nuances, and the big time skip means we don’t get to see the slow growth of the major project. We see the seeds, and we see the harvest, and not much in between.
I did enjoy the general plot arc, and the first half was engaging enough that I still liked the book overall, despite my complaints. But the second half needed more time digging into the hurdles—it regularly supplied resolutions almost as soon as it became clear what the problems were.
First impression: 15/20. Full review to come at www.tarvolon.com
The first half focuses reasonably tightly on the assistant of a pop star with a deeper plan to use his uncanny ability to get people pulling in the same direction to prepare the people of Earth for intergalactic politics that they don’t even know exists. The second half then focuses on students in one of his programs, and then on the political drama coming home to roost.
And the tight focus works really well—it’s incredibly engaging, with likable characters, interesting worldbuilding, and enough uncertainty about the overall project to keep anticipation high. But the second half sometimes feels like a sketch of a story. All the key points are hit, but there’s not quite enough connective tissues to make them feel meaningful. The reader (at least, a reader who hasn’t read other works on this universe) doesn’t know enough about galactic politics to appreciate the nuances, and the big time skip means we don’t get to see the slow growth of the major project. We see the seeds, and we see the harvest, and not much in between.
I did enjoy the general plot arc, and the first half was engaging enough that I still liked the book overall, despite my complaints. But the second half needed more time digging into the hurdles—it regularly supplied resolutions almost as soon as it became clear what the problems were.
First impression: 15/20. Full review to come at www.tarvolon.com
November 17, 2023
The first portion of this book was so interesting, it felt like we were being set up for quite a ride. Then I hit the 2nd half and realized there was a whole hell of a lot I'd missed, but it wasn't found in this book.
Turns out this is part of a trilogy, something I wish I'd known before picking this up. Because I missed out on all the world building and relationships, the ending fell flat for me.
Whoever decided to market this as a standalone did a real disservice to what might be an outstanding series.
Turns out this is part of a trilogy, something I wish I'd known before picking this up. Because I missed out on all the world building and relationships, the ending fell flat for me.
Whoever decided to market this as a standalone did a real disservice to what might be an outstanding series.
March 23, 2024
I was actually reading another book, picked up Karen Lord's The Blue, Beautiful World just to check out the first few pages, and couldn't put it down!
I love seeing a bit of genre fare featured on the WP list; this one's a sci-fi/speculative First Contact tale, although even the book's characters are quick to admit that's a bit of a misnomer, as it's the first known contact from the Earth human perspective, while in face intergalactic life has been hiding in plain sight on the planet for years.
It's a well-considered plot with a very plausible feel, peppered with cool tech, unique ideas, and a wide range of fascinating characters (including alien POVs!). Despite feeling fully immersed very quickly, this was a slower read for me, weighted with a plethora of names (the characters are many and some use more than one name), interrelated and elaborate plot lines, and detailed histories and politics to juggle; but it's not impenetrable even for the reader who doesn't often reach for sci-fi. Although 3rd in a larger series, The Blue, Beautiful World reads fine as a standalone; all context needed seems to be provided in these pages and there are no visible gaps left open from information provided in earlier volumes.
Things I liked:
-the diverse cast (including nonbinary rep)!
-the immersive quality, even while frequently shifting perspectives and settings present their own challenge
-the sense of discovery; without losing the book's monumental feel, the stakes rarely feel deadly and immediate, appealing to the reader's sense of wonder rather than falling into a more predictable "us vs them" dichotomy
-the possibility of peace- of course other possibilities also loom, but it's refreshing to see that threats and war might not be the first priority
-the reminder that our world and wider galaxy is still a place full of mystery and possibility, even in hard times
However, while I found much to enjoy and admire here, I just didn't have a high enough level of emotional engagement with either the writing (which is smart and descriptive) or the characters, which might have tipped this read into the 5-star range for me.
Ultimately, I don't know that I'll be remembering this one strongly or often, but I did enjoy the time I spent with it and I think it adds an interesting and worthy angle to the WP list on what it means to be a woman and a human in the modern world. I would definitely consider reading more from this author in the future.
I love seeing a bit of genre fare featured on the WP list; this one's a sci-fi/speculative First Contact tale, although even the book's characters are quick to admit that's a bit of a misnomer, as it's the first known contact from the Earth human perspective, while in face intergalactic life has been hiding in plain sight on the planet for years.
It's a well-considered plot with a very plausible feel, peppered with cool tech, unique ideas, and a wide range of fascinating characters (including alien POVs!). Despite feeling fully immersed very quickly, this was a slower read for me, weighted with a plethora of names (the characters are many and some use more than one name), interrelated and elaborate plot lines, and detailed histories and politics to juggle; but it's not impenetrable even for the reader who doesn't often reach for sci-fi. Although 3rd in a larger series, The Blue, Beautiful World reads fine as a standalone; all context needed seems to be provided in these pages and there are no visible gaps left open from information provided in earlier volumes.
Things I liked:
-the diverse cast (including nonbinary rep)!
-the immersive quality, even while frequently shifting perspectives and settings present their own challenge
-the sense of discovery; without losing the book's monumental feel, the stakes rarely feel deadly and immediate, appealing to the reader's sense of wonder rather than falling into a more predictable "us vs them" dichotomy
-the possibility of peace- of course other possibilities also loom, but it's refreshing to see that threats and war might not be the first priority
-the reminder that our world and wider galaxy is still a place full of mystery and possibility, even in hard times
However, while I found much to enjoy and admire here, I just didn't have a high enough level of emotional engagement with either the writing (which is smart and descriptive) or the characters, which might have tipped this read into the 5-star range for me.
Ultimately, I don't know that I'll be remembering this one strongly or often, but I did enjoy the time I spent with it and I think it adds an interesting and worthy angle to the WP list on what it means to be a woman and a human in the modern world. I would definitely consider reading more from this author in the future.
April 17, 2024
Mostly baffled.
I mean, can I even rate this book? I expended so much energy in the concentration levels required to understand who everybody was (the amount of time I spent flicking to the back for the world and character guides...) and what the heck was actually going on and *then* I discovered that this is an instalment in a series and what had passed me by suddenly clicked. Look, I get it, you get nominated for a major award and that gives you a massive publicity platform that you want to make the most of, but it really shouldn't have been quite so obscured that this was the third part of a series because, gosh, did it make it laborious to read and I'm actually less inclined to go back and experience the first two in the series than I might have otherwise been.
It's a story of galactic power play and alien first contact and, even though I'd got something of a foot hold by the time that first contact occurred, the stakes just weren't there. A greater cross-section of humans on earth experiencing an ominous, threatening and unknown situation would have allowed for so much more grounding. Instead, the focus was on individuals of immense privilege who had been handpicked for the situation purely because of their familial influence and what that would offer other alien civilizations in navigating the power structures of earth. Similarly, the major alien characters who formed the core of the novel in preparing earth for first contact were of the upper echelons of their own societies. A bit of angst (usually generational) was thrown in, but for such a fundamental moment on the blue, beautiful world it all just felt a little too clinical and lacking soul.
I'll chuck it 2*s. Mostly because the idea of having an unrated book on my "Read" list doesn't sit well with me. It may have been worth more if I'd had the grounding and world building of the earlier instalments, if only I'd been forewarned...
I mean, can I even rate this book? I expended so much energy in the concentration levels required to understand who everybody was (the amount of time I spent flicking to the back for the world and character guides...) and what the heck was actually going on and *then* I discovered that this is an instalment in a series and what had passed me by suddenly clicked. Look, I get it, you get nominated for a major award and that gives you a massive publicity platform that you want to make the most of, but it really shouldn't have been quite so obscured that this was the third part of a series because, gosh, did it make it laborious to read and I'm actually less inclined to go back and experience the first two in the series than I might have otherwise been.
It's a story of galactic power play and alien first contact and, even though I'd got something of a foot hold by the time that first contact occurred, the stakes just weren't there. A greater cross-section of humans on earth experiencing an ominous, threatening and unknown situation would have allowed for so much more grounding. Instead, the focus was on individuals of immense privilege who had been handpicked for the situation purely because of their familial influence and what that would offer other alien civilizations in navigating the power structures of earth. Similarly, the major alien characters who formed the core of the novel in preparing earth for first contact were of the upper echelons of their own societies. A bit of angst (usually generational) was thrown in, but for such a fundamental moment on the blue, beautiful world it all just felt a little too clinical and lacking soul.
I'll chuck it 2*s. Mostly because the idea of having an unrated book on my "Read" list doesn't sit well with me. It may have been worth more if I'd had the grounding and world building of the earlier instalments, if only I'd been forewarned...
December 3, 2023
Mixed, really, on this one. I read a lot of sci-fi and had high hopes for this one from Karen Lord. I found the opening - exhaustive details about a pop star, Owen, boring and hard to get through. Actually took a break and then came back to the book. Suddenly it gets more interesting with the premise that rather than a flashy reveal of giant ships showing up in our atmosphere, various (conveniently humanoid) alien species have been on earth for centuries. Some factions are benevolent and want Earth to not be a colony, but a fully fledged member of the galactic community, others just want to exploit our planet (a cartel/cartels), but none are ready to announce their presence. Yet (of course this doesn't last). This is likely a more realistic scenario for first contact if, if, 'they' can pass as human.
Then it all gets rather confusing - relationships between the many characters is not explained and I only found the index right at the end. One key character is actually two people, for example. The pop star is related to the galactic ruler and many, including him, have telepathic powers.
Having teens/early 20's students chosen to start out forming a new global governmental body comes across as YA fiction to me. How that constructed group then interacts with the World council body is never fully explained/described, just skimmed/rushed.
The latter 1/3rd of the book feels rushed and sort of bare bones as if a submission deadline was looming, necessitating cutting a lot of material, and the book really suffers for this. Huge reveals of alien technology or plot or alien telepathic and other abilities are crushed into a few paragraphs before rushing on. I got lost with the density of material/imagination dealt with in so few pages.
I liked the presence of an intelligent life form in our deep oceans. Liked many of the characters, but the politics and plot needed more detail and expansive writing to do the story justice.
Then it all gets rather confusing - relationships between the many characters is not explained and I only found the index right at the end. One key character is actually two people, for example. The pop star is related to the galactic ruler and many, including him, have telepathic powers.
Having teens/early 20's students chosen to start out forming a new global governmental body comes across as YA fiction to me. How that constructed group then interacts with the World council body is never fully explained/described, just skimmed/rushed.
The latter 1/3rd of the book feels rushed and sort of bare bones as if a submission deadline was looming, necessitating cutting a lot of material, and the book really suffers for this. Huge reveals of alien technology or plot or alien telepathic and other abilities are crushed into a few paragraphs before rushing on. I got lost with the density of material/imagination dealt with in so few pages.
I liked the presence of an intelligent life form in our deep oceans. Liked many of the characters, but the politics and plot needed more detail and expansive writing to do the story justice.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2024
Science fiction set in the future, the story opens with Owen, a famous pop star with a large fan base. The reason behind his mass appeal is revealed in the storyline The society is based upon virtual reality, with more virtual interactions than face-to-face. VR is also used as a disguise in the form of masks. The storyline then fast-forwards eleven years, where Kanoa is a student attending a conference on global government with other students from around the world. They are given a problem related to interplanetary contact and asked to solve it. The problem relates to a “what if” scenario. Owen plays a key role in assisting the group deal with these challenges, and it eventually becomes clear that all is not as it seems.
The author throws a lot at the reader, leaving the reader to figure out what is going on. This can be fun if we are given enough breadcrumbs to figure it out, but unfortunately, the backstory remains opaque. The writing is uneven. There are nice turns of phrase alongside clumsy descriptions. There are many digressions and way too many unnecessary characters. I read this due to its nomination for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, but I am puzzled as to why it was nominated. I generally enjoy science fiction, but this one is not particularly well written, and the storyline is disjointed. I pushed through to finish it but cannot recommend it.
The author throws a lot at the reader, leaving the reader to figure out what is going on. This can be fun if we are given enough breadcrumbs to figure it out, but unfortunately, the backstory remains opaque. The writing is uneven. There are nice turns of phrase alongside clumsy descriptions. There are many digressions and way too many unnecessary characters. I read this due to its nomination for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, but I am puzzled as to why it was nominated. I generally enjoy science fiction, but this one is not particularly well written, and the storyline is disjointed. I pushed through to finish it but cannot recommend it.
April 20, 2024
Longlisted for 2024 Women's Prize for Fiction
This definitely should not be read as a standalone. I had absolutely no idea what was going on in the entire back half of this book and didn't care for a single character, of which there were so many that there needed to be a list at the back of the book. There was also a dizzying array of alien species and yet the world felt flat and flimsy. I didn't understand one iota of what this motley band of people was supposedly doing to create a utopia on earth (apparently?).
It's a bit strange that this was nominated for the prize because it does not stand on its own. Perhaps if I had read the other books in the series I would have enjoyed this more, but the writing felt needlessly inaccessible in a way that likely would not have been fixed with additional context. I also found the structure of this book did not work for me where the first half follows one set of characters and the second half completely switches gears. They do come together but in ways that felt so strange and forced. However, the Prize may have done this book a disservice with its low average rating, because being nominated for such a well-known prize encourages people to pick it up without having read other books in the series. Other people might get on with this one more if they had read the series from the beginning.
This definitely should not be read as a standalone. I had absolutely no idea what was going on in the entire back half of this book and didn't care for a single character, of which there were so many that there needed to be a list at the back of the book. There was also a dizzying array of alien species and yet the world felt flat and flimsy. I didn't understand one iota of what this motley band of people was supposedly doing to create a utopia on earth (apparently?).
It's a bit strange that this was nominated for the prize because it does not stand on its own. Perhaps if I had read the other books in the series I would have enjoyed this more, but the writing felt needlessly inaccessible in a way that likely would not have been fixed with additional context. I also found the structure of this book did not work for me where the first half follows one set of characters and the second half completely switches gears. They do come together but in ways that felt so strange and forced. However, the Prize may have done this book a disservice with its low average rating, because being nominated for such a well-known prize encourages people to pick it up without having read other books in the series. Other people might get on with this one more if they had read the series from the beginning.
September 2, 2024
Lord's novels, this being the third in a series, while exhibiting her strong prose style all suffer from the same problems. Lack of in-depth character development, pacing and a confusing number of characters (with multiple names, why?). This book started well picking up on Rafi/Owen/Jon's story (yeah, the multiple names issue and thank you for the glossary which I bookmarked and referred to frequently), where he has morphed from a sports nexus to a music idol on Earth, using technology that can alter face recognition. Unusual shift, but I was willing to go along. If you have not read the previous novels, you will probably get totally lost in this one. There are political machinations afoot, with assasination attempts and multiple players (better described in the previous novels) vying for first contact/control over the humans on Earth. Then the plot swerves to five students in their 20s selected to be part of a diplomatic group and given an assignment to create scenarios for first contact. This section totally dragged for me. Lord has some really great ideas in this series, but she has problems with the structure and pacing of the story and therefore one is left wanting on several levels which is reflected in the overall low ratings on Goodreads. She tries to tackle too many ideas in too short a novel with rushed wrap-up endings, where events do not feel adequately developed.
December 18, 2023
This is a very gentle, contemplative sci fi novel about first contact, that focuses on what it would take to bring humanity together in a non-violent way to take a place on the galactic stage. There are no battles, no explosions, the stakes are less about control and dominion and more about if Earth/humanity is ready to work with other planets/aliens.
At the same time, if there is a main character of the book, it would be Owen, who is decidedly not human, and has powers that COULD lead to control and dominion, and his struggles to both unite humanity while using his power wisely. Slight character spoilers - Owen shows up in Karen Lord's earlier books, and I think a better, or perhaps just different, approach to this book would be as the final book in a trilogy about Owen's character arc (which I would have liked to do, except it's been too long since I read her earlier books, and I didn't realize who Owen was for a while).
I'd recommend for people who want a more philosophical approach to sci fi, and not for those looking for a fast place, action-oriented scifi plot.
At the same time, if there is a main character of the book, it would be Owen, who is decidedly not human, and has powers that COULD lead to control and dominion, and his struggles to both unite humanity while using his power wisely. Slight character spoilers - Owen shows up in Karen Lord's earlier books, and I think a better, or perhaps just different, approach to this book would be as the final book in a trilogy about Owen's character arc (which I would have liked to do, except it's been too long since I read her earlier books, and I didn't realize who Owen was for a while).
I'd recommend for people who want a more philosophical approach to sci fi, and not for those looking for a fast place, action-oriented scifi plot.
April 23, 2024
3.5
I read this book because it is on the 2024 longlist for the Women's Prize. I did not realize it was the third in a series until I read reviews by others. I will now have to read them to better understand this book! I was quickly caught up in this science fiction tale and really enjoyed the first 3/4s of the book. The last quarter was confusing -- too many name changes for me to keep track of in audio (I understand the print copy has a list of characters and their multiple names at the end). But overall I enjoyed it, probably because science fiction was my earliest favorite genre, before I had any idea what the word genre meant! The GR blurb does not really get to what this book is about so I suggest it not be read in advance. There are other worlds out there - other planets with living, sentient, intelligent beings. They and Earth share a distant ancestor. They share many similarities - an Earth human cannot tell an alien just by looking. And, not so surprisingly, humans aren't the only sentient, intelligent species on Earth.
I read this book because it is on the 2024 longlist for the Women's Prize. I did not realize it was the third in a series until I read reviews by others. I will now have to read them to better understand this book! I was quickly caught up in this science fiction tale and really enjoyed the first 3/4s of the book. The last quarter was confusing -- too many name changes for me to keep track of in audio (I understand the print copy has a list of characters and their multiple names at the end). But overall I enjoyed it, probably because science fiction was my earliest favorite genre, before I had any idea what the word genre meant! The GR blurb does not really get to what this book is about so I suggest it not be read in advance. There are other worlds out there - other planets with living, sentient, intelligent beings. They and Earth share a distant ancestor. They share many similarities - an Earth human cannot tell an alien just by looking. And, not so surprisingly, humans aren't the only sentient, intelligent species on Earth.
April 2, 2024
In as much as it turns out that this is the third book in a loose series, I probably did myself no favors by not reading "The Best of All Possible Worlds" and "The Galaxy Game" first, at least for the back story of one of the main characters, and the interstellar context in which this tale of First Contact is taking place. Still, I enjoyed this novel, and find it rather old school in terms of its economy and getting to the conceptual point. That economy is also appreciated in what is something of a political thriller, as Lord keeps the momentum going in terms of how her game is going to play out.
March 14, 2024
Apparently there are two other companion books set in the same universe, and I wish I’d known that beforehand! There are parts of the character development and world building where you feel like you’re not getting the whole picture.
I otherwise really enjoyed the ideas and the writing, the plot was very clever and I liked the overlay of ordinary-feeling bureaucracy to some parts of it. It felt weirdly realistic for a futuristic first contact book. It’s really not about climate change though.
I otherwise really enjoyed the ideas and the writing, the plot was very clever and I liked the overlay of ordinary-feeling bureaucracy to some parts of it. It felt weirdly realistic for a futuristic first contact book. It’s really not about climate change though.
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