Search - Heart of Gold

Sharon Shinn is an excellent sci-fi author. This book is not part of her popular Samaria series, but it is a good stand-alone read.

I would not really call this a romance at all - its really more like a science fiction allegory for racism, sexism, and caste discrimination - with just a hint of romance for flavor. Comparisons to the modern political and war novel would not be entirely misguided either...Shinn has really managed to pull LOTS of diverse themes together for a incredibly well melded, startingly well-drawn, and flat out amazingly well thought out read.


This was one of those FEW FEW and FAR in between that made me stay up all night to read and had my eyebrows climbing into my hairline. Interestingly, its not that the situations are unfamiliar (just reversed)...but that clever little Twist of Reality - really makes the main themes so much easier to illustrate. Immensely satisfying. GET THIS!

The only thing I can say as any sort of criticism, is that if you are expecting a light "easy read"...this is NOT the book for you. This book aims to make you THINK.

If you'd like to THINK about alternative religious theory (I'm NOT at ALL religious and I LOATH "preachy" books - this book is NOT that way at ALL!) with the same FABULOUS author, try her Archangel Series, beginning with a book of the same name. That one has a good bit more romance, but the story is just as cleverly and deftly drawn.

Sharon Shinn is a very good writer and this book is one of my favorites. It's a very good example of prejudice against people who are different and how views are changed. Along with that it has a good romance.

A little harder to get into than the other Sharon Shinn books I have read. But it was overall a wonderful read and well worth the effort.