Book review: The Family Trade

So! I wanted something entertaining, so Brilliant Husband recommended The Family Trade, Book One of The Merchant Princes. I was a little leery of Charles Stross because he hadn't exactly covered himself in glory in RaceFail (yes, that is an example of litotes); I can no longer remember exactly what Stross said or just how far down his throat he'd rammed his foot, or leg, or whatever. However, as many of you know, I read work by rapists (Malory, Le Morte Darthur), possible rapists (Chaucer, and we'll never know if he did or didn't), and some people who are just plain mean (Harlan Ellison, although I stumbled across David Gerrold defending him as a kind and generous man; that side may exist, I just haven't seen it).

So I read The Family Trade, and now I am Annoyed. I'll put in two cuts: one for a review with relatively few spoilers, and one with lots of spoilers because if you can explain anything I didn't get or help me appreciate the book more than I did, that would probably make me happier.

( Review with few spoilers )

You've been warned. . . .


( Comments and questions with spoilers )

Book review: The Family Trade

So! I wanted something entertaining, so Brilliant Husband recommended The Family Trade, Book One of The Merchant Princes. I was a little leery of Charles Stross because he hadn't exactly covered himself in glory in RaceFail (yes, that is an example of litotes); I can no longer remember exactly what Stross said or just how far down his throat he'd rammed his foot, or leg, or whatever. However, as many of you know, I read work by rapists (Malory, Le Morte Darthur), possible rapists (Chaucer, and we'll never know if he did or didn't), and some people who are just plain mean (Harlan Ellison, although I stumbled across David Gerrold defending him as a kind and generous man; that side may exist, I just haven't seen it).

So I read The Family Trade, and now I am Annoyed. I'll put in two cuts: one for a review with relatively few spoilers, and one with lots of spoilers because if you can explain anything I didn't get or help me appreciate the book more than I did, that would probably make me happier.

( Review with few spoilers )

You've been warned. . . .


( Comments and questions with spoilers )

Merchant Princes

This poll goes with the previous entry, so please read that before responding.

[Poll #1406221]

Merchant Princes

This poll goes with the previous entry, so please read that before responding.

[Poll #1406221]