On Fri, 1 Aug 1997, Joel VanLaven wrote:
> On Thu, 31 Jul 1997, Michael Marc Levy wrote:
>
> > Melissa Scott deals with class issues as well as anyone in science
> > fiction. See particularly Night Sky Mine and Dreaming Metal.
>
> I just read _Dreaming Metal_ and while I generally like her work, I
> found it lacking. I would rather recommend _Dreamships_ which deals with
> all the exact same issues (_Dreaming Metal_ is it's sequel (sort of)). If
> you really like _Dreamships_ and want to read something well written in
> the same universe that deals with many of the same underlaying ideas but
> with different details and largely different characters or you really want
> to know what happens "next" for them, then read _Dreaming Metal_. Of
> course that's all my own opinion. Perhaps Mike has a different opinion
> (he did recommend it). If so, I'd love to hear why I'm wrong because I'd
> like to get more out of it.
>
> -- Joel
>
I doubt that it's a matter of right or wrong, Joel, but rather, I suspect,
one of personal taste. I haven't read Dreamships and thus can't judge
whether or not it's a better book than Dreaming Metal. The latter does have
faults. It's a bit slow going at times and the plotlines get a bit messy, but,
for me, these weaknesses are outweighed by the intelligent political
commentary, the neat take on theater, stage magic and puppetry, and the
interesting characters.
I would agree with you that one should probably read Dreamships first.
I didn't discover Melissa Scott until Trouble and her Friends and haven't
had time to go back the earlier novels.
Mike
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