PartnerShip

In McCaffrey's Brainships universe, children who are born with an immobilizing or other severe disability are raised and educated to be the 'brains' that steer Starships. They are also assigned a "Brawn" to be their companion and assist with activities that can only be done by a person with a functional body.
Nancia's first assignment as a ship is to ferry a group of very privileged, mostly evil young people to some sort of exile due to their youthful screw-ups. This is both for punishment, and to keep them from further embarrassing their very prominent families. Since Nancia doesn't let on that she is sentient, she becomes engaged in an ethical dilemma when the group enter into a dangerous and illegal pact.
In addition to fascinating show more (though mostly unlikable) characters, the issue of Nancia's ethics and responsibility to humanity are what make this book more than your run-of-the-mill space opera. I am so intrigued by this compelling series!! show less

This series is an old favourite. The idea of babies who couldn't life getting a place in the world where in fact they were more powerful than most. Nancia is new to service, she comes from a powerful family and she is trying to do the right thing by her training and her family. This is a coming of age story and a lesson to Nancia in her place in the world and her relationship with people.

It's an interesting story, delving occasionally into issues like family relationships and honour; how sometimes even if someone appears to be good or evil they aren't and how sometimes people grow apart.

This isn't my first read of this story, nor will it be my last. This year I've been revisiting Anne McCaffrey because of her death and it's a show more bittersweet joy to read this. show less

In keeping with the other titles of the Brainship series, PartnerShip could have been called "The Ship That Overheard." The plot focuses on the moral conundrum of formally and officially revealing information regarding illegal activities obtained from casual eavesdropping. The rotation of point of view between six characters makes identifying with any individual character initially difficult. Unlike other novels in the Brainship series, the reader is thrust into the role of observer. The storyline is issue-driven with the action scenes occurring mostly in the last half of the novel. PartnerShip is a coming-of-age story where ethics are shown to be more varied than black or white, and grey is the hardest, but truest, compass to follow.

The characters in this volume are SO unlikeable, I'm not sure I'll finish. I love the premise of the series, and I'm sure I'll try some of the other books, but really. Ick.

Partnership is about Nancia. On her first trip, she transports several young people from high families. Unfortunately, they are all corrupt and she overhears their plans, but is persuaded that she shouldn't have, since she didn't identify herself as a brain ship. Her first brawn happens to be extremely stuck up regarding his morals, so it takes a while before the situation gets rectified...

I liked this book a little less. It was still entertaining, but I was annoyed by the moral brawn, and Nancia herself at first agrees with him. Fortunately she loosens up later on. The book followed the young criminals quite a lot, and this was ok, but I still would have preferred reading more about Nancia. I did like the descriptions of Singularities show more and particularly the Singularity incident that Nancia has to get out of later on in the book. show less

A non-taxing, good, warm fuzzy read.: The fascinating concept of brainships is wedded with recognition of society's responsibility to maximize the potential of it's members. Nancia's growth from naive newness to flexible adulthood is accompanied by normal emotional trauma. Self awareness, recognition of self worth and valuation of others are wrapped in an entertaining reading experience. Cynical recognition of who you know rather than what you know doesn't detract from the message or the idealistic theme that good works and good will can triumph.

Helva had been born human, but only her brain had been saved—saved to be schooled, programmed, and implanted into the sleek titanium body of an intergalactic scout ship. But first she had to choose a human partner—male or female—to share her exhilirating excapades in space!

Her life was to be rich and rewarding . . . resplendent with daring adventures and endless excitement, beyond the wildest dreams of mere mortals.

Gifted with the voice of an angel and being virtually indestructable, Helva XH-834 antipitated a sublime immortality.

Then one day she fell in love!