Naiche A. (Naiche) reviewed on 2/8/2010 + 91 more book reviews

What an appalling bit of tripe. This book got such great reviews and it really was a huge disappointment.

As far as hard scifi goes - you can forget it. Completely implausible alien planet which just happens to have the perfect atmosphere, soil perfect for Earth plants, perfect biota, etc... The alien animals are even edible. I was surprised they didn't speak English.

The real purpose of this book appears to be jingoistic rehashing of the American frontier myths - hard working, freedom-loving, warm-hearted egalitarian rugged individualists triumph over evil religious oppressors. I'm all for a rebels-win-against-all-odds story, but the heavy-handed nationalism in this book was a bit gag-inducing. As was the guilt-ridden nobility of the main characters, who spend much of the book self-flagellating over their own errors.

Oh, and it was slow as molasses.

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