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prcardi's Reviews > Falling Free
Falling Free
by
by
prcardi's review
bookshelves: rated-r, science-fiction, series, space, hugo-finalist, nebula-winner
Jul 30, 2021
bookshelves: rated-r, science-fiction, series, space, hugo-finalist, nebula-winner
Storyline: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Writing Style: 3/5
World: 3/5
Bujold started this expansive series in 1986, and I’m reading my first Vorkosigan (and Bujold) novel in 2021. I’m also starting them (approximately) following internal chronology rather than publication order. My experience reading them today and in this way is just not going to match what it was like in 1986 with Shards of Honour.
It was this book, Falling Free that first turned the series to critical acclaim. That the series has gone on to be one of the more famous ones in science fiction, created a lot of expectation. While Falling Free had merits, it is hard to understand how it made it on the list of Hugo finalists and to the status of a Nebula winner. In its favor, it had a main character whose identity and view of the world was convincingly and interestingly tied to his profession. The world seemed expansive, even though we readers were experiencing but a very small part of it. The crisis and villain were dramatic enough to entertain. Bujold even put some real thought into the smaller details of the science fiction environment, making it more believable and enjoyable.
Everything was done just well enough, however, to make it slightly better than a generic science fiction paperback from the 1980s. The main character was developed just enough to make the reader realize that Bujold had considered that aspect of the story. Similarly, we get just enough of the world to let us know that she has not overlooked the appeal of depth, even it was illusory. The drama and villain were affecting without really giving the reader anything new to contemplate. Those science fiction details would disappear for long sections at a time, only to resurface as a reminder that the author was dutifully checking off that box. These many embellishments were a positive addition to the story, but their varied, sporadic, and perfunctory appearance became the main identity to the story. There was no single element, then, that stood out as great or overwhelmed me with its execution.
Falling Free was an easy, fast, enjoyable read. I am somewhat encouraged by the fact that this was an earlier novel in the series; thus, there is reason to hope that the later volumes might develop these many tendencies and commit to an identity. If this is the best the series has to offer, however, I will be greatly disappointed.
Characters: 3/5
Writing Style: 3/5
World: 3/5
Bujold started this expansive series in 1986, and I’m reading my first Vorkosigan (and Bujold) novel in 2021. I’m also starting them (approximately) following internal chronology rather than publication order. My experience reading them today and in this way is just not going to match what it was like in 1986 with Shards of Honour.
It was this book, Falling Free that first turned the series to critical acclaim. That the series has gone on to be one of the more famous ones in science fiction, created a lot of expectation. While Falling Free had merits, it is hard to understand how it made it on the list of Hugo finalists and to the status of a Nebula winner. In its favor, it had a main character whose identity and view of the world was convincingly and interestingly tied to his profession. The world seemed expansive, even though we readers were experiencing but a very small part of it. The crisis and villain were dramatic enough to entertain. Bujold even put some real thought into the smaller details of the science fiction environment, making it more believable and enjoyable.
Everything was done just well enough, however, to make it slightly better than a generic science fiction paperback from the 1980s. The main character was developed just enough to make the reader realize that Bujold had considered that aspect of the story. Similarly, we get just enough of the world to let us know that she has not overlooked the appeal of depth, even it was illusory. The drama and villain were affecting without really giving the reader anything new to contemplate. Those science fiction details would disappear for long sections at a time, only to resurface as a reminder that the author was dutifully checking off that box. These many embellishments were a positive addition to the story, but their varied, sporadic, and perfunctory appearance became the main identity to the story. There was no single element, then, that stood out as great or overwhelmed me with its execution.
Falling Free was an easy, fast, enjoyable read. I am somewhat encouraged by the fact that this was an earlier novel in the series; thus, there is reason to hope that the later volumes might develop these many tendencies and commit to an identity. If this is the best the series has to offer, however, I will be greatly disappointed.
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Reading Progress
Started Reading
July 30, 2021
– Shelved
July 30, 2021
– Shelved as:
rated-r
July 30, 2021
– Shelved as:
science-fiction
July 30, 2021
– Shelved as:
series
July 30, 2021
– Shelved as:
space
July 30, 2021
– Shelved as:
hugo-finalist
July 30, 2021
– Shelved as:
nebula-winner
July 30, 2021
–
Finished Reading
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by
Mitchell
(new)
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rated it 4 stars
Jul 30, 2021 07:30PM
I had recently finished a grand re-read of this whole series mostly in chronological order. And I liked this one better than you did. But also more than I remembered liking it. But really liking this series will turn mostly on whether you appreciate Miles. But the next two books starring Miles' mom Cordelia were also some of the better ones. If you manage through the next couple, I would strongly suggest reading the short stories and novellas in that order as well - The Mountains of Mourning is a particular favorite of mine.
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One never gets to originally experience a series in two different ways, right? I've now finished the next two Cordelia books, and I am certain that Bujold was badly mistaken when she recommended reading Falling Free first. So far, it just does not fit. It does not even make sense why it belongs in the same universe. It set the wrong expectations both stylistically and thematically. I'm waiting for that "ooohhh.. now I understand" moment when the characters, history, or events of Falling Free matter. I can also believe that it was a better book having knowledge of some later (chronologically speaking) events.Thanks for the tip on Mountains of Mourning. I'll be on the look out for it.
