For half a century, Earth has been on the brink of total war with an implacable alien race. Biologist Anna Perez is the first to discover the truth-the hwarhath have segregated their society strictly along gender lines, to prevent the warlike males from harming women and children. In their eyes, humans are a dishonorable and barbaric race who may require extermination...
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Review
"Immensely satisfying....I will not be a bit surprised to see Ring of Swords on the next round of award ballots." -Tom Easton, Analog
"A remarkably suspenseful book....I plan to devour [Arnason's next book] with the same delight and intellectual relish that I found in this one." -Russell Letson, Locus
"At last, a non-predictable, thought-through, can't-stop-reading-it story, full of complicated and irresistible people, some of them human....Enjoy! Enjoy!" -Ursula K. Le Guin
"A remarkably suspenseful book....I plan to devour [Arnason's next book] with the same delight and intellectual relish that I found in this one." -Russell Letson, Locus
"At last, a non-predictable, thought-through, can't-stop-reading-it story, full of complicated and irresistible people, some of them human....Enjoy! Enjoy!" -Ursula K. Le Guin
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THE PLANET WHERE Anna was stationed was in Earth position: 148 million kays out from an ordinary G2 star not visible from Earth. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
THE PLANET WHERE Anna was stationed was in Earth position: 148 million kays out from an ordinary G2 star not visible from Earth. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
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By Ronin
Format:Paperback
I'm a 'hard sci-fi' fan but this book still had some qualities that I enjoyed. For instance, the alien culture was well thought-out and had real depth.
However, as a man, I have to admit, all of the male bashing was a little over the top. Grnated, even though the alien men were supposed to be so dangerous that they weren't even allowed around women or children, they were never actually depicted raving like lunatics and in fact were extremely well-behaved. It's possible I completely misintrepreted the author's meaning, for all I know, she wanted to show that the aline men were only perceived as dangerous but weren't really any more than males of any other species.
But when the human female is getting grilled by the alien females about how and why she can live in the proximity of males, I was waiting for her to explain that human men don't often go around killing children or women at random. The human female appeared to have had a decent life without much exposure to male violence. And sometimes, in our culture, women are the source of violence as well.
I just hoped that the discussion wouldn't have been so one-sided.
However, as a man, I have to admit, all of the male bashing was a little over the top. Grnated, even though the alien men were supposed to be so dangerous that they weren't even allowed around women or children, they were never actually depicted raving like lunatics and in fact were extremely well-behaved. It's possible I completely misintrepreted the author's meaning, for all I know, she wanted to show that the aline men were only perceived as dangerous but weren't really any more than males of any other species.
But when the human female is getting grilled by the alien females about how and why she can live in the proximity of males, I was waiting for her to explain that human men don't often go around killing children or women at random. The human female appeared to have had a decent life without much exposure to male violence. And sometimes, in our culture, women are the source of violence as well.
I just hoped that the discussion wouldn't have been so one-sided.
Format:Paperback
A fascinating look at an alien culture, and human responses to it. Of course, to the Hwarhath, *we* are the aliens. This book is incredibly suspenseful as human and alien negotiators try to find a way to coexist without their species exterminating each other.
I found the actions of one of the human characters quite puzzling. He ends up working for the aliens (and more than that), after they... let's say they were as nasty as possible. And he is quite sincere about changing sides. Does this really happen? Plus, he seems to "change" in another way, which is even more fundamental (this sounds cryptic, but I don't want to give spoilers). Don't know if that's possible either. I agree with the reaction of Anna (another character) to the idea of getting together with someone who helped... well, read the book and see.
Also, the human negotiators were represented as part of a small minority who wanted to get off the (severely congested) Earth to "explore strange new worlds". Given that, and the future setting with FTL travel, these people seemed far too xeno- and homophobic.
Not yer average space opera -- well worth reading and thinking about. P.S.: There might be *two* non-human intelligent species here...
Format:Paperback
I must conclude that editing is a dying art; Eleanor Arnason's "Ring of Swords" is yet another SF novel of recent issue that could have benefited from another rewrite, and some judicious cutting. The length of the story is not supported by its weight, and fails utterly in the last hundred pages. The primary story (humans making first contact with an alien race) is far less vivid than the subplots--a marine world with intelligent squid, an alien who translates "MacBeth" magnificently into another culture. The hero is suitably ambiguous and anguished, the heroine is suitably plucky and determined, but it still doesn't add up to a dynamic read. It's yet another SF story where people sit around talking to one another too much. Even Jane Austen sent her heroine out for a walk now and then.
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3.9 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thoughtful, provocative anthropological science finction
This book is stunningly good. Building on her thoughtful earlier work, _Woman of the Iron People_ Arnason produces a novel which has a truly vivid voice, full of complex,... Read more
Published on July 8 1999
3.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book destroyed by politics
Ring of Swords is compelling, literate sf. The alien-war plot is well executed and the alien society obviously well planned and detailed -- if a little too close to standard human... Read more
Published on Jun 25 1999 by gomizon@pollywog.com
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sci-fi meets culture study
Wow, is about all i have to say for this book, and maybe thank god i came across this in the bookstore! Read more
Published on Aug 7 1997
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