Vous voulez voir cette page en français ? Cliquez ici.

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
 
Beggars In Spain
 
 
Share your own customer images
Search inside another edition of this book

Beggars In Spain (Paperback)

"They sat stiffly on his antique Eames chairs, two people who didn't want to be here, or one person who didn't want to and one..." (more)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.


4 used from CDN$ 3.95

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

by Philip K. Dick
4.1 out of 5 stars (163)  CDN$ 12.05
Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World

by Haruki Murakami
4.3 out of 5 stars (78)  CDN$ 13.83
The Man in the High Castle

The Man in the High Castle

by Philip K. Dick
3.9 out of 5 stars (123)  CDN$ 12.37
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress

by Robert A. Heinlein
4.5 out of 5 stars (174)  CDN$ 13.10
Ringworld Engineers

Ringworld Engineers

by Larry Niven
4.1 out of 5 stars (28)  CDN$ 9.89
› Explore similar items

Product Details
Inside This Book (Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
First Sentence
They sat stiffly on his antique Eames chairs, two people who didn't want to be here, or one person who didn't want to and one who resented the other's reluctance. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Search inside this book:

Tag this product

 (What's this?)
Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.
Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags
 

Customer Reviews

51 Reviews
5 star:
 (25)
4 star:
 (13)
3 star:
 (6)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:
 (5)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (51 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most helpful customer reviews

 
3.0 out of 5 stars Worth reading, but not rereading, Jun 16 2004
This review is from: Beggars in Spain (Mass Market Paperback)
A good friend sent me Beggars in Spain about a year ago, and I enjoyed it, but not enough for a reread.

Kress is an entertaining writer, but she does not always give her characters the depth that they ask for, and I found her science to be less than believable at times. She falls to the trap of many science fiction writers and treats science more like magic in a fantasy book than like real science. It just happens. There aren't any magic wands, but there might as well be for the ease with which the characters tinker with genetics. A certain amount of suspension of belief is definitely required, but even then my logical side nagged at me as I read the book.

Perhaps my quibble with the science of the book would not be so large if the characters and plot had been more engaging. Amusing, yes, interesting, yes, a good way to occupy a few hours, yes. But at the end of it all, I was left with that telltale feeling of disappointment and longing, as if the author could have done a lot more with her plot and characters. I cannot help but compare the book to Octavia Butler's excellent "Wind Seed," for their basic plots, if not their settings, are very similar. In "Wild Seed," the characters are so engaging and fascinating that whatever faulty logic may have existed was made nonexistant in the face of the conflict between two superhuman beings. "Beggars in Spain" tried, but failed, to do the same.

If you read voraciously as I do, this is a good way to occupy a couple of hours. However, if you read less often I'd suggest you go for something with better quality than this, something that is great, not just okay.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous, Jun 7 2004
By Melissa McCauley (North Little Rock, AR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Beggars in Spain (Mass Market Paperback)
In the not-so-distant future, it becomes possible to genetically engineer children. This is the story of one such child built to the specifications of her wealthy industrialist father, Leisha Camden, who is beautiful, blonde, intelligent, and who does not need to sleep. The story follows Leisha's growing up in an America that gradually grows to hate and resent Leisha and her peers. Leisha is one of the most three-dimensional characters I have ever read, and I agonized with her over the moral decisions she was forced to make. Calls into question everyone's rights as citizens and human beings. Was there ever a good decision made by committee? Is any man good enough to govern another without their consent? Like Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, but without the mind-numbing twenty-page speeches. Every time I read this novel, I get something different from it. A perennial favorite, I cannot recommend it enough if you like a good moral dilemma.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
4.0 out of 5 stars Bad Science--How's That?, Mar 21 2004
By Too Cold in Madison (Madison, WI, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Beggars in Spain (Mass Market Paperback)
The reviewer who gives this book one star claiming Kress doen't understand the science of sleep is actually the one who does not understand science. These people were genetically engineered to not need sleep. The need/benefits of sleep have been removed for the. Sheesh, if this is bad science, what about Star Trek?

Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely. I highly recommend it as a great read.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 		 Most recent customer reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars Shoddy science and flat characters
I was deeply disappointed with the science in this book. Clearly Nancy Kress hasn't bothered to do much research on sleep(its importance to long term memory) the immune... Read more
Published on Mar 11 2004

4.0 out of 5 stars Worth reading more than once
I first read 'Beggars in Spain' six or seven years ago and I enjoyed it then. I've found that the better stories age well; come back a few years later and they still engage your... Read more
Published on Nov 18 2003 by Dan Ronco

5.0 out of 5 stars Guaranteed to Lose Sleep
After I read this book I immediately bought the others in the series. What an idea and what a better execution!!! Read more
Published on Jul 29 2003 by Avid Reader

5.0 out of 5 stars Great plot, characters , writing
After I read this book I immediately bought the others in the series. What an idea!!! With all the reports popping up every day about the widespread lack of sleep in our... Read more
Published on Jul 18 2003 by Avid Reader

4.0 out of 5 stars Readable and Engaging
Reading the reviews it seems as though this is a book full of references and echos. The Ayn Rand echos are noted, as are the Ender Wiggins-- I'll add one more. Read more
Published on Jan 27 2003 by C. Gilbert

4.0 out of 5 stars An Interesting Extrapolation of Western Ideas and Culture
I liked the book very much, however I struggle with trying to determine it's impact. It seems to be between the crests of good and fantastic and couldn't quite make the leap... Read more
Published on Sep 7 2002 by monicae

1.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful -- until she betrays it all in the end.
I really enjoyed this book, right up until the end. Kress gives us a world full of great new ideas, very well thought out and believable. Read more
Published on April 21 2002 by Heliomphalodon Incarnadine

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-Written Characters in a Powerful Story
Before I read 'Beggars in Spain,' I read the short story that the novel is expanded from. To be honest, I thought turning such a powerful story into a novel would lessen its... Read more
Published on Feb 12 2002 by A. Wolverton

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Wonderful
Brilliant, thought-provoking stuff from one of my favorite authors. The implications of the creation of a superior branch of mankind is fully realized in a rich, detailed... Read more
Published on Jan 16 2002 by Joseph Prisco

2.0 out of 5 stars Failing to add interest to ambition
When I read this book, I was impressed by Kress's ambition to tackle a sweeping series that extrapolate the future of human culture, in the grand tradition of classic writers such... Read more
Published on Nov 30 2001 by Jennifer Thrash

Only search this product's reviews


Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Feedback

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.