These books just keep getting better. Last time I said that the third one was the best but I like this one even more. The author introduces us to a few new perspective characters, but I found two characters to be especially interesting. Elvi is a scientist who goes to the newly discovered planet of Ilus, far outside of our solar system, only accessible by a mysterious alien ring. She is written so well as an awkward genius, and you can really feel how self-conscious she can be but also how absorbed she can be in discovery and she is such a good character. I just love parts where she "felt immediately uncomfortable with her phrasing" and when she doesn't know what to do with her hands. They got her just right. And then Murtry is a sort of security chief who ends up as a really good villain, probably the best of the series because he is the villain who is the most present that we have seen so far. He is totally committed to protecting his company's claim to scientific research on Ilus, and he will stop at nothing to ensure it. He doesn't care about living or dying and he makes some pretty interesting points for a villain about bringing civilization to the galaxy. His self-assuredness really stands out and he is like a fanatic dedicated to his mission.
My favorite thing about this series continues to be the constant discovery of alien artifacts and ruins and the unraveling of the mystery of disappeared alien life. SPOILERS. Ilus turns out to be a sort of giant gas station used to mine lithium billions of years ago, and the ruins on the planet seemed to have been used for that. Interestingly, one character notes that things weren't really evolving on Ilus until about 1.5-2 billion years ago, which is about the time the designers of the ring disappeared.
Another great part of this book: constant use of the word "carapace."
No comments:
Post a Comment