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Fascinated by the opalescent, perfectly smooth jewels, Rowan pursues the secret of their origin, a quest that leads her to secretive wizards who kill without compunction, in The Steerswoman, while in The Outskirter's Secret, determined to learn the truth about the Guidestars, points of light that hang motionless in the sky, Rowan sets out into the perilous Outskirts, in an omnibus volume.Tags
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Wow! I found this on a list of recommendations from Jo Walton, because Walton is currently one of my favourite authors. Clearly she can be trusted.
You get pretty far into this book before you realize it's a completely different story than you thought it was going to be. Kirstein provides subtle clues, and the pace of the reveals is perfect. Plus, this book is feminist without ever overtly talking about women's rights. It's just part of the world-building, and it's totally matter-of-fact. Also, the steerswomen are a super awesome concept. Plus, characters in this series behave with much more common sense and wisdom than in most plot-driven genre fiction.
I am on board with this series, is what I'm saying!
The one thing that could possibly show more be improved, in my opinion, is the style of the prose, which is pretty comparable to any other straight-ahead fantasy/sci-fi you'd read. Oh, and also, this would be better with a core lesbian relationship, but I do also appreciate that the (hetero) romance in the book is very tertiary, and that the characters' professions and personal quests are much more important. show less
You get pretty far into this book before you realize it's a completely different story than you thought it was going to be. Kirstein provides subtle clues, and the pace of the reveals is perfect. Plus, this book is feminist without ever overtly talking about women's rights. It's just part of the world-building, and it's totally matter-of-fact. Also, the steerswomen are a super awesome concept. Plus, characters in this series behave with much more common sense and wisdom than in most plot-driven genre fiction.
I am on board with this series, is what I'm saying!
The one thing that could possibly show more be improved, in my opinion, is the style of the prose, which is pretty comparable to any other straight-ahead fantasy/sci-fi you'd read. Oh, and also, this would be better with a core lesbian relationship, but I do also appreciate that the (hetero) romance in the book is very tertiary, and that the characters' professions and personal quests are much more important. show less
This is an omnibus edition of "The Steerswoman" and "The Outskirter's Secret."
Kirstein's 'Steerswoman' series had been highly recommended to me - and did not disappoint in the slightest. It's fun, well-crafted, well-characterized adventure with an original set-up and believable culture(s). Rowan is a Steerswoman. As the title might indicate, she is adept at nautical navigation, but the main goal of Steerswomen is to collect (and dissemintate) knowledge and information, write it down, and deliver it to Archives. As a valuable source of information, Steerswomen are greatly respected and deferred to. People think there is little they do not know. But Rowan has come across a mystery - some strange 'jewels,' the source of which is unknown, show more and about which strange rumors have collected. At a tavern, she meets Bel, a woman of the dangerous, barbarian Outskirts, who owns a whole belt fashioned of these jewels. Bel tells Rowan that her father crafted the belt, but that she could guide Rowan to the place where he found them, if she is up for a challenging journey. However, then the two women are attacked - and wizards seem to be behind it. Wizards are the traditional rivals of Steerswomen - but usually they keep out of each other's way, avoiding violence. What is it about these jewels that the wizards want kept secret?
Although the book is styled as a fantasy, it is obvious to the reader that this is a colony world, and that many of the things that these people consider to be magic are actually vestiges of high technology. Watching Bel and Rowan discover truths about their world is fascinating - but equally of interest is watching two culturally different people become fast friends.
In 'The Outskirter's Secret', the story begun in "The Steerswoman" continues. The Steerswoman Rowan and her friend, the Outskirter Bel, travel to find the source of mysterious jewels. At first, this was no more than a routine inquiry, but as deception and violence follow them, they begin to suspect there's something more to discover. Is there a plot by an evil wizard to disrupt weather patterns and take over the world? Is the way of life followed by the barbarians of the Outskirts threatened? What do the Guidestars, which have long been used in navigation, but now, Rowan suspects, may be more significant, have to do with it? The more Rowan discovers, the more questions she has - especially concerning the Outskirts, and the land beyond, which seems completely inimical to human life.
An excellent novel, especially notable for its vividly drawn cultures. show less
Kirstein's 'Steerswoman' series had been highly recommended to me - and did not disappoint in the slightest. It's fun, well-crafted, well-characterized adventure with an original set-up and believable culture(s). Rowan is a Steerswoman. As the title might indicate, she is adept at nautical navigation, but the main goal of Steerswomen is to collect (and dissemintate) knowledge and information, write it down, and deliver it to Archives. As a valuable source of information, Steerswomen are greatly respected and deferred to. People think there is little they do not know. But Rowan has come across a mystery - some strange 'jewels,' the source of which is unknown, show more and about which strange rumors have collected. At a tavern, she meets Bel, a woman of the dangerous, barbarian Outskirts, who owns a whole belt fashioned of these jewels. Bel tells Rowan that her father crafted the belt, but that she could guide Rowan to the place where he found them, if she is up for a challenging journey. However, then the two women are attacked - and wizards seem to be behind it. Wizards are the traditional rivals of Steerswomen - but usually they keep out of each other's way, avoiding violence. What is it about these jewels that the wizards want kept secret?
Although the book is styled as a fantasy, it is obvious to the reader that this is a colony world, and that many of the things that these people consider to be magic are actually vestiges of high technology. Watching Bel and Rowan discover truths about their world is fascinating - but equally of interest is watching two culturally different people become fast friends.
In 'The Outskirter's Secret', the story begun in "The Steerswoman" continues. The Steerswoman Rowan and her friend, the Outskirter Bel, travel to find the source of mysterious jewels. At first, this was no more than a routine inquiry, but as deception and violence follow them, they begin to suspect there's something more to discover. Is there a plot by an evil wizard to disrupt weather patterns and take over the world? Is the way of life followed by the barbarians of the Outskirts threatened? What do the Guidestars, which have long been used in navigation, but now, Rowan suspects, may be more significant, have to do with it? The more Rowan discovers, the more questions she has - especially concerning the Outskirts, and the land beyond, which seems completely inimical to human life.
An excellent novel, especially notable for its vividly drawn cultures. show less
"If you ask, she will answer. If she asks, you must reply. A steerswoman will speak only the truth to you, as long as she knows it—and you must do the same for her" - it's an interesting premise, and it brings a lot of great questions out about the truth, the nature of truth, and what it means.
The best part of the steerswomen is their search for truth and information for the sake of truth and information. They are purists, they are true scientists, and they are open.
In this world they're pitted against wizards, people of unknown origin, knowledge, or true occupation (to us), which refuse to share their knowledge at all.
I love that this book doesn't touch gender at all. The entire world (even, it seems, the wizards) are a meritocracy, show more and it's done in a truly wonderful manner.
Now if the damn thing hadn't ended on a cliffhanger and I knew (for sure) what is a going on, I might have given it a 4.5 or so. It's slow, but the writing does improve from book 1 to 2, and I'm hoping the future books continue this trend. show less
The best part of the steerswomen is their search for truth and information for the sake of truth and information. They are purists, they are true scientists, and they are open.
In this world they're pitted against wizards, people of unknown origin, knowledge, or true occupation (to us), which refuse to share their knowledge at all.
I love that this book doesn't touch gender at all. The entire world (even, it seems, the wizards) are a meritocracy, show more and it's done in a truly wonderful manner.
Now if the damn thing hadn't ended on a cliffhanger and I knew (for sure) what is a going on, I might have given it a 4.5 or so. It's slow, but the writing does improve from book 1 to 2, and I'm hoping the future books continue this trend. show less
This is an omnibus edition of The Steerswoman and The Outskirter's Secret, originally published in 1989 and 1992. They're books with the outward form of fantasy, and the underlying structure of science fiction.
Rowan is a steerswoman, an initiate of a privileged group of knowledge-gatherers who travel assigned routes through the world, filling in missing details and sharing their gathered knowledge with anyone who asks--provided that they also answer any questions the steerswomen have. Individuals can get themselves permanently ostracized by the steerswomen, but the only group that is collectively under their ban are the wizards, who refuse to share any of their knowledge. Early on in the first book, Rowan meets Bel, an Outskirter, a show more barbarian from beyond the fringes of settled human habitation. They both have reasons to travel to the Archives, the center of the steerswomen's operations, and decide to travel together.
It quickly becomes apparent that they're being hunted by wizards, and as they work together to survive, what was a purely pragmatic arrangement becomes a strong friendship. And as they learn more about what's going on, it begins to appear that wizards may also be behind the increased incidence of Outskirter attacks on settled communities, and that a wizards' conspiracy threatens everyone.
In the second book, they travel to the Outskirts together, to warn the Outskirter tribes and attempt to create an organized, cooperative response to the wizard threat.
What's apparent to the reader but not the characters is what the Guidestars are, what the wizard or wizards behind their troubles are using against them, and what the underlying problem of their world is. It's an interesting and well-realized world, with the added entertainment value of knowing, or quickly figuring out, things that the intelligent and observant characters aren't in a position to figure out.
Very enjoyable. show less
Rowan is a steerswoman, an initiate of a privileged group of knowledge-gatherers who travel assigned routes through the world, filling in missing details and sharing their gathered knowledge with anyone who asks--provided that they also answer any questions the steerswomen have. Individuals can get themselves permanently ostracized by the steerswomen, but the only group that is collectively under their ban are the wizards, who refuse to share any of their knowledge. Early on in the first book, Rowan meets Bel, an Outskirter, a show more barbarian from beyond the fringes of settled human habitation. They both have reasons to travel to the Archives, the center of the steerswomen's operations, and decide to travel together.
It quickly becomes apparent that they're being hunted by wizards, and as they work together to survive, what was a purely pragmatic arrangement becomes a strong friendship. And as they learn more about what's going on, it begins to appear that wizards may also be behind the increased incidence of Outskirter attacks on settled communities, and that a wizards' conspiracy threatens everyone.
In the second book, they travel to the Outskirts together, to warn the Outskirter tribes and attempt to create an organized, cooperative response to the wizard threat.
What's apparent to the reader but not the characters is what the Guidestars are, what the wizard or wizards behind their troubles are using against them, and what the underlying problem of their world is. It's an interesting and well-realized world, with the added entertainment value of knowing, or quickly figuring out, things that the intelligent and observant characters aren't in a position to figure out.
Very enjoyable. show less
"If you ask, she will answer. If she asks, you must reply. A steerswoman will speak only the truth to you, as long as she knows it—and you must do the same for her" - it's an interesting premise, and it brings a lot of great questions out about the truth, the nature of truth, and what it means.
The best part of the steerswomen is their search for truth and information for the sake of truth and information. They are purists, they are true scientists, and they are open.
In this world they're pitted against wizards, people of unknown origin, knowledge, or true occupation (to us), which refuse to share their knowledge at all.
I love that this book doesn't touch gender at all. The entire world (even, it seems, the wizards) are a meritocracy, show more and it's done in a truly wonderful manner.
Now if the damn thing hadn't ended on a cliffhanger and I knew (for sure) what is a going on, I might have given it a 4.5 or so. It's slow, but the writing does improve from book 1 to 2, and I'm hoping the future books continue this trend. show less
The best part of the steerswomen is their search for truth and information for the sake of truth and information. They are purists, they are true scientists, and they are open.
In this world they're pitted against wizards, people of unknown origin, knowledge, or true occupation (to us), which refuse to share their knowledge at all.
I love that this book doesn't touch gender at all. The entire world (even, it seems, the wizards) are a meritocracy, show more and it's done in a truly wonderful manner.
Now if the damn thing hadn't ended on a cliffhanger and I knew (for sure) what is a going on, I might have given it a 4.5 or so. It's slow, but the writing does improve from book 1 to 2, and I'm hoping the future books continue this trend. show less
I loved this book and its smart, brave, honorable protagonist. Sometimes I was ahead of her in figuring stuff out, and sometimes she was ahead of me.
Reasons to read: Open source knowledge navigators v. proprietary wizards! Women on a road trip, having conversations not involving dating! Bandits, goblins and warrior poets!
Reasons to read: Open source knowledge navigators v. proprietary wizards! Women on a road trip, having conversations not involving dating! Bandits, goblins and warrior poets!
(Amy) I'm not quite sure why I put off buying this book for as long as I did, but having bought it, I know why I put off reading it: Big floppy trade paperbacks are my least favorite form factor for books by a long shot. I find them unwieldy and generally irritating. Eventually, though, all the good things I kept hearing about the story led me to pick it up despite this, and I almost immediately forgot all about the form factor. This is one of those stories a person becomes immersed in as if one has actually fallen straight through the pages, and I enjoyed it immensely from start to finish.
The Steerswoman's Road is actually an omnibus, consisting of The Steerswoman and The Outskirter's Secret. A steerswoman, such as the protagonist show more Rowan, is a member of an order dedicated to the collection and propagation of information, as well as to purely academic study. Many of them wander the countryside, making and refining maps and observing things . . . and asking questions. A steerswoman (or steersman; there are a few) must answer any question put to her, and truthfully. In return, no one can refuse to answer a question asked by a steerswoman, and anyone who does, or who lies to one, is under ban, and steerswomen are forbidden to answer questions from such persons from then on.
The world in which the story takes place appears at first glance to be a fairly standard fantasy world, medieval-ish in technology level, complete with barbarians and wizards. Upon further reading, however, there are quite a few hints (fairly non-subtle, I thought, but perhaps I'm just hypersensitive) about the nature of this world's wizardry, and it turns out to be not entirely unfamiliar to persons living in our own world. Rowan does not have the perspective to puzzle out the nature of the magic entirely, though something doesn't seem quite right to her about it, and she makes some remarkable leaps of intuition about some things, eventually determining the nature of the Guidestars (bright star-like lights to east and west, never moving with the stars around them, or indeed at all except as one's perspective changes with long-distance travel).
Among Rowan's deductions is the discovery that the wizards are Up To Something, and therein lies the plot.
Some of the hinting is, I thought, unnecessarily broad, and the logical leaps Rowan makes are sometimes rather more radical than is easy to believe for someone in her setting. These flaws do not detract from the story in any real way, though, and really only the most naggingly nitpicky bit of my brain noticed them at all. The part that just likes to settle in for a good tale was busily shushing it the whole time. In short, yet another book that makes me buy more books, because I want the next part of the story!
( http://weblog.siliconcerebrate.com/zenos-library/2008/04/the-steerswomans-road-r... )
(Alistair) Sometimes, I have to wonder if it's too much to ask to get both a good plot and good worldbuilding in the same book.
This is not one of those times, because in The Steerswoman's Road (an omnibus containing the first and second books in the Steerswoman series, separately published as The Steerswoman and The Outskirter's Secret), the plot is excellent - as defined by a lot of late nights when I just Had To Keep Reading - and yet the worldbuilding is Insanely Great, technologically, culturally, and beyond. Exceptional, one might fairly say.
I am told that the device which informs the background is fairly well known (for those who don't and who don't mind theme-background spoilers, here: jvmneqel vf grpuabybtl - vg frrzf gb or n cnegvnyyl greensbezrq pbybal jbeyq) about the series, but let me assure you, it is done vastly better than other attempts I have read at using similar devices, and even knowing it up front, one of the special pleasures of this series is both how subtly it's woven into the worldbuilding as the characters see it, and therefore it is presented to us, and also watching our protagonists - and another special pleasure note here on how much I enjoy reading smart protagonists who actually are - figure out the true workings of their world.
Amy's review pretty much covers what else I might want to say, so just to some up: the characters are good. The plot is good. The worldbuilding is awesome. Buy the book, already. Superlatively recommended.
( http://weblog.siliconcerebrate.com/cerebrate/2009/01/the_steerswomans_road_rosem... ) show less
The Steerswoman's Road is actually an omnibus, consisting of The Steerswoman and The Outskirter's Secret. A steerswoman, such as the protagonist show more Rowan, is a member of an order dedicated to the collection and propagation of information, as well as to purely academic study. Many of them wander the countryside, making and refining maps and observing things . . . and asking questions. A steerswoman (or steersman; there are a few) must answer any question put to her, and truthfully. In return, no one can refuse to answer a question asked by a steerswoman, and anyone who does, or who lies to one, is under ban, and steerswomen are forbidden to answer questions from such persons from then on.
The world in which the story takes place appears at first glance to be a fairly standard fantasy world, medieval-ish in technology level, complete with barbarians and wizards. Upon further reading, however, there are quite a few hints (fairly non-subtle, I thought, but perhaps I'm just hypersensitive) about the nature of this world's wizardry, and it turns out to be not entirely unfamiliar to persons living in our own world. Rowan does not have the perspective to puzzle out the nature of the magic entirely, though something doesn't seem quite right to her about it, and she makes some remarkable leaps of intuition about some things, eventually determining the nature of the Guidestars (bright star-like lights to east and west, never moving with the stars around them, or indeed at all except as one's perspective changes with long-distance travel).
Among Rowan's deductions is the discovery that the wizards are Up To Something, and therein lies the plot.
Some of the hinting is, I thought, unnecessarily broad, and the logical leaps Rowan makes are sometimes rather more radical than is easy to believe for someone in her setting. These flaws do not detract from the story in any real way, though, and really only the most naggingly nitpicky bit of my brain noticed them at all. The part that just likes to settle in for a good tale was busily shushing it the whole time. In short, yet another book that makes me buy more books, because I want the next part of the story!
( http://weblog.siliconcerebrate.com/zenos-library/2008/04/the-steerswomans-road-r... )
(Alistair) Sometimes, I have to wonder if it's too much to ask to get both a good plot and good worldbuilding in the same book.
This is not one of those times, because in The Steerswoman's Road (an omnibus containing the first and second books in the Steerswoman series, separately published as The Steerswoman and The Outskirter's Secret), the plot is excellent - as defined by a lot of late nights when I just Had To Keep Reading - and yet the worldbuilding is Insanely Great, technologically, culturally, and beyond. Exceptional, one might fairly say.
I am told that the device which informs the background is fairly well known (for those who don't and who don't mind theme-background spoilers, here: jvmneqel vf grpuabybtl - vg frrzf gb or n cnegvnyyl greensbezrq pbybal jbeyq) about the series, but let me assure you, it is done vastly better than other attempts I have read at using similar devices, and even knowing it up front, one of the special pleasures of this series is both how subtly it's woven into the worldbuilding as the characters see it, and therefore it is presented to us, and also watching our protagonists - and another special pleasure note here on how much I enjoy reading smart protagonists who actually are - figure out the true workings of their world.
Amy's review pretty much covers what else I might want to say, so just to some up: the characters are good. The plot is good. The worldbuilding is awesome. Buy the book, already. Superlatively recommended.
( http://weblog.siliconcerebrate.com/cerebrate/2009/01/the_steerswomans_road_rosem... ) show less
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- Canonical title
- The Steerswoman's Road
- Original publication date
- 1989
- People/Characters*
- Rowan the Steerswoman; Bel the Outskirter
- Dedication
- These books are dedicated to Ingeborg Kirstein who traveled far, to a very strange land indeed, and to Brian Bambrough one good wizard and most importantly, most especially to Sabine Kirstein who taught her little sister the ... (show all)music of language, and the dance of ideas.
- First words
- The steerswoman centered her chart on the table and anchored the corners around. A candlestick, a worn leatherbound book, an empty mug, and her own left hand held the curling parchment flat. The lines on the paper seemed to b... (show all)e of varying ages, the ones toward the center drawn with cracked, browning ink, those nearer the edges sharp and black. Extent of detail also showed progression. A large body of water, labeled "Inland Sea," dominated the central portion. The northern shore was depicted with painstaking precision. Farther north and farther east lines became more general, and there was a broad blank space on the right-hand side of the map.
- Original language
- English
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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- 14
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- (4.17)
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