The Children of the Sky

Overall, although I got something out of this book, it's a relatively disappointing book from a great author, and so far I've read it once only.

Good points: it's all about the world of the Tines, it's an exciting story, and it has a happy enough ending.

Bad points: there's quite a lot of unpleasantness all through it, and not a lot really happens from a broad perspective: some individuals suffer, some die, and the political situation changes, but the other parameters of the situation remain much the same at the end as at the beginning. Which is unusual for sf in general, and for a Vernor Vinge story in particular.

From my previous experience of them, I really liked the Tines, and I was keen to read more about them, so this partly satisfied that desire; but it's not the kind of story I wanted to read. And I'm not keen on the human story here either.

Sometimes even my favourite authors seem to have no idea of what it is that I really want to read. Tut. I'm tempted to give it only two stars, but I think I should read it again before deciding.