The Radiant Seas

A Novel of the Skolian Empire

De: Catherine Asaro

Narrado por: Anna Fields

This sequel to the acclaimed Primary Inversion continues the story of Sauscony and Jaibriol, each the heir to an interstellar empire, as they become entangled again in the machinations of the Skolian Empire. They are beginning to pick up what's left of their lives, in exile on a deserted planet with their children, when the fate of much of the known universe comes to rest on the shoulders of their fragile young family. Interstellar war erupts, and Jaibriol is snatched away to be the unwilling ruler of the Highton Aristos.The best way to listen to this series: Primary Inversion (Unabridged) The Radiant Seas (Unabridged) The Last Hawk (Unabridged) Ascendant Sun (Unabridged) The Quantum Rose (Unabridged) Catch the Lightning (Unabridged)©1999 Catherine Asaro (P)2000 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Anna Fields

I love listening to Anna Field's voice no matter what she is narrating; she always makes stories interesting and fun. It breaks my heart that she is gone.

Her voice was the main reason I bought this book even though I don't get Sci Fi stuff in general. I mean, there is conflict, romance, violence, longing etc. but how is that different from any other fiction book?

One understandable difference is that ordinary words are exchanged for made-up words (Father = Hushpa). Interesting but it gives me ADD.

Another is that they throw in a bunch of scientific-sounding words - most of them made-up - and a bunch of Star Wars zip, zing, pow, whoosh and poof. Again, it is interesting but anything is possible if you don't look behind the curtain.

Still it's a pretty good yarn especially since Anna Fields reads it

Excellent

You have to read the one before this, but the entire series is excellent if you like SF.

A Nobel Effort

Read the Radiant Seas because the universe where it is set and the players behind Soz and Jabriel interest you and you'll not be disappointed. If you read it because you enjoy Soz and Jabriel and want to continue their story--then skip most of the first part. If you belong to the former group, there's some great writing about the Imperator and insight into his troubled past and present. If you're part of the latter group, skip to the rescue and you'll not be disappointed. The two halves of the book form an interesting cycle of events and themes that once I got over my annoyance that Soz and Jabriel were mostly absent from the first half, I actually enjoyed. It's actually a good book if you read it with the right mind frame and know going in that you'll have wait for Soz and Jabriel to return to the mix. There are three really great sequences that truly make the book worth listening to. I can only give this book three stars because it should really have been split in two. It functions as two separate books and has two separate climaxes and resolutions. The narrator did a great job considering the sheer number of characters.

Not bad

First 2 of the series seem most entertaining so far. Next two were less so.

Good book, but....

Though written out of chronological order. Each book can be listened to independently. The world building is exquisite. The characters are each well defined. The story incredible and believable. I recommend the complete series. There is only one glaring issue. The various narrators cannot pronounce the same identical words the same way. Good gods, this is English!!! What, they cannot listen to the other books and give it continuity????? If I was Catherine Asaro, I would fire all the producers and get one talented narrator and redo all of the books. She has made a great deal of money on the books. But I still really like the books!

Very uneven, from well-written to horrid

I was very disapointed, because I had high hopes. Ms Asaro can write, she knows science, she is a romantic. When she sticks to her protagonist, the great Sauscany, she has a wonderful authority. Many of the events of the story do not make sense, and seem to be plot points that have been created to move the story along. The villains, The Highton Aristos, Nazi's and slavers, seem to able to appear at the wrong place and time mucht of the time. They seem to have no educational system and yet technology and advanced civilization. Again I was disapointed. When Asaro is good, she can be very good, but when she is bad- she is horrid
That's what little boys are made of