This is one of those science fiction novels that really caught my attention. Its unique and I did not see the explanation for what was happening before it was explained. Every once in a while I look for new books by this author. The author does appear to write as much as some. I hope to find another by Friedman that can capture my attention as well as this one did. ( )

Pre09:
Need to read again.
Characters: Fairly memorable.
Plot: Solid. Revelation style.
Style: Lots and lots of things happen. Rather epic. ( )

This is one of those science fiction novels that really caught my attention. Its unique and I did not see the explanation for what was happening before it was explained. Every once in a while I look for new books by this author. The author does appear to write as much as some. I hope to find another by Friedman that can capture my attention as well as this one did. ( )

When it's all said and done this is basically two novels that barely come together in the end. On one hand it's a chase novel about a young, psychologically damaged girl who was being manipulated into being a deep space navigator and who gets a chance to make her escape. On the other hand it's a story of espionage and betrayal, as an apparent plot against the Guild which dominates space travel turns out to be an inside job. What winds up tying the whole raft of plot points together is Kio Masada, a computer science specialist with a talent for forsenic hacking, and nobody's fool. To say more would be to give away the plot, though that sometimes feels as though everything but the kitchen sink was brought in. Why I don't give this novel a lower score is that I'd enjoy reading more about the milieu and I'd like to see what happened to some of the characters; there are lots and lots of lose ends here, as though the intent was to produce an immediate sequel. ( )

I think that I read it years ago, it seemed really familiar. Young girl is hounded from her space station, has to figure out what was done to her brain (River!) while keeping safe. Interesting take on space travel, it relies on transfer points that aren't necessarily quick to get to (there's one that's 5 years travel from Earth). Politics and backstabbing abound as the powers that be try to control the girl, as she threatens the monopoly on space travel. ( )