City of Pearl
by Karen Traviss
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Book Summary Information
Author: Karen TravissEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2004-02
ISBN: 0060541695
Number of pages: 400
Publisher: Eos
Book Reviews of City of Pearl
Book Review: An unlikeable protagonist
Summary: 1 Stars
More like 1.5 stars. The premise of this book seemed so interesting, and I am always on the lookout for a new first-contact tale, but ultimately it disappointed.
The author tries desperately to present her protagonist (Shan Frankland) as a strong, willful woman but then she immediately rolls over upon meeting the alien race that dominates the story. She readily accepts that the aliens, though militaristic, brutal, and callous, are morally superior to humans because of their stewardship of the environment and the fact that they look good compared to another alien race in the story.
Among other things Frankland allows a member of her party to be executed over what was admittedly a terrible crime, but nonetheless based upon a horrible misunderstanding, and with essentially no discussion with the aliens beyond their stating "this is what has been decided." And, to boot, the misunderstanding was precipitated by Frankland keeping the science team in the dark about essentially everything (though the author tries hard not to present it that way) because she felt she was the only person who deserved to know any details due to her political acumen! At this point she becomes totally subservient to the aliens.
I don't truly think that the author is a militant environmentalist using the book as a pulpit, primarily because she demonstrates a tolerance of law enforcement and the military that I wouldn't expect froma true radical, but I can't escape a nagging feeling to that effect in the back of my mind. The whole "humanity brought this all upon itself" theme is crudely applied. It is interesting to note that many of the reviewers who rated this book highly profess a strong ecological agenda. I suspect that most of those who don't profess one do indeed have one as well.
At base I agree with much of the book's environmentalist message as well, so perhaps it tells you something that I nonetheless despise the main character. (I have even donated money to Zero Population Growth.) I love books with antihero protagonists but that isn't what this book presents- it presents a quisling. If I didn't already know some of what happens later in the series from reading reviews I wouldn't be surprised if Shan Frankland ended up as the gauleiter of Wess'har-occupied Earth, gleefully feeding her fellow humans to the gas chambers or working them to death correcting the ecological damage they had done. (At least that would be interesting.) But, I'm supposed to sympathize with this woman???
The alien Wess'har are indeed alien, in thought if not in physical form, and I enjoyed that aspect of the book since it is so rare to find an alien who isn't simply a human in a funny suit. The book was well-enough written that I may try the second in the series just to see if the first was a setup for something more impressive, but I will be checking it out of the library rather than buying it, and I will desert the rest of the 6-book (?) series if it doesn't deliver.
Summary of City of Pearl
Three separate alien societies have claims on Cavanagh's Star. But the new arrivals -- the gethes from Earth -- now threaten the tenuous balance of a coveted world.
Environmental Hazard Enforcement officer Shan Frankland agreed to lead a mission to Cavanagh's Star, knowing that 150 years would elapse before she could finally return home. But her landing, with a small group of scientists and Marines, has not gone unnoticed by Aras, the planet's designated guardian. An eternally evolving world himself, this sad, powerful being has already obliterated millions of alien interlopers and their great cities to protect the fragile native population. Now Shan and her party -- plus the small colony of fundamentalist humans who preceded them -- could face a similar annihilation . . . or a fate far worse. Because Aras possesses a secret of the blood that would be disastrous if it fell into human hands -- if the gethes survive the impending war their coming has inadvertently hastened.
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