CyborgHobbit reviewed Dust by Elizabeth Bear
Review of 'Dust' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
The book starts wonderfully strange ("What do you mean she ate him?! Wings? Swords?"), and slowly comes into focus as little bits of fantasy are chipped away and explained into science fiction. Even knowing the book was about a derelict generation starship, the first chapters evoked (without specifically defining) scenes of mortared castle walls and torches and wood and straw. Only later do you realize no such things were present.
This is a fun book! And while it gets bogged down with a bit more introspection than its somewhat flat characters deserve, the world and its uniqueness and the tight, loud, dramatic ending make up for all of that. The book ends on a satisfying cliffhanger (I'd survive if it ended there, but I'm very happy there's more) and I found myself immediately seeking out the sequel.
The book starts wonderfully strange ("What do you mean she ate him?! Wings? Swords?"), and slowly comes into focus as little bits of fantasy are chipped away and explained into science fiction. Even knowing the book was about a derelict generation starship, the first chapters evoked (without specifically defining) scenes of mortared castle walls and torches and wood and straw. Only later do you realize no such things were present.
This is a fun book! And while it gets bogged down with a bit more introspection than its somewhat flat characters deserve, the world and its uniqueness and the tight, loud, dramatic ending make up for all of that. The book ends on a satisfying cliffhanger (I'd survive if it ended there, but I'm very happy there's more) and I found myself immediately seeking out the sequel.