In Old Earth’s clandestine world of ambassador-spies, Michelangelo Kusanagi-Jones and Vincent Katherinessen were once a starring team. But ev...
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reviews
Feb 27, 2009
Djrmel
rated it: 
I liked the canon that Bear created for this long bit of science fiction, and that's what kept me reading despite the too obvious attempts to write an epic. (When the first line of a writer's bio proclaimed that she shares a birth-date with Sam and Frodo, I smiled and rolled my eyes.) This is the world of New Amazonia, a matriarchal society of unexplained resources that other survivors of Old Earth would like to partner with, if not conquer. Gender roles play an important part when two "gen
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Feb 11, 2012
Jenny
rated it:
Definitely an interesting book, all about sexual politics. This is a sci-fi novel, set in the distant future after a very authoritarian earth has taken political correctness to an extreme degree, and yet is still homophobic. How did that happen? Anyway, humans have spread out through space, and this novel centers on intergalactic diplomacy, which is a real cloak-and-dagger business. The heroes are a gay male couple, in disgrace because of their tendencies, posted to a planet where women have
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Mar 30, 2009
Robert
rated it: 
A marvelous playing out of the dynamics of colonization in the shadow of an environmental apocalypse on Earth -- though what brings about the apocalypse is actually radical engineers who create a program to Assess humans on the basis of their practices of sustainability. The Assessment that lies behind Carnival is draconian -- essentially no resident of Europe or the US survives -- but only alluded to. Carnival is rather a novel of intrigue, involving a pair of double agents who were once were
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Jan 28, 2011
Clay
rated it: 
Elizabeth Bear’s ‘Carnival’ (Bantam Spectra, $6.99, 395 pages) is everything I like about science fiction. The setting is unusual but plausible, cutting edge science comes into play (without overwhelming the narrative), the plot is clever and engaging, and the characters drive the story. In short, go buy this book.
If you want more details, two diplomats from the Coalition, a group of planets united by the rule of computer-like Governors to ensure population control and ecological balan More...
If you want more details, two diplomats from the Coalition, a group of planets united by the rule of computer-like Governors to ensure population control and ecological balan More...
Aug 31, 2010
Mini Review:
Political & emotional machinations are the moving force throughout this story. Not a light read.
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The love story is integral but not blatant. Sexual intimacy is striking limited, though the single encounter I remember was enticing in the way of lovers, not pornographers.
The thickness of this novel may be a deterrent to some, but if you brave the weight of pages you will find yourself invested in a rich world with phantom stories flanking the past More...
Political & emotional machinations are the moving force throughout this story. Not a light read.
...
The love story is integral but not blatant. Sexual intimacy is striking limited, though the single encounter I remember was enticing in the way of lovers, not pornographers.
The thickness of this novel may be a deterrent to some, but if you brave the weight of pages you will find yourself invested in a rich world with phantom stories flanking the past More...
Aug 03, 2010
Andrew
rated it:
Elizabeth Bear imagines a grim future where human technology keeps human civilization in check through genocide and strictly (lethally) enforced sustainability policies. To escape these AI governors, many humans took to the stars in any ship that could carry them off the earth, often taking with them unique answers for building a better future. On New Amazonia the answer is put the women in charge and protect them from the dominating instincts of men by keeping the male population male and limit
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Jun 04, 2009
Paula
rated it: 
Another bookswap book and my first experience of a book by this writer - essentially the premise of Carnival is that our protagonists, Vincent and Angelo, are two men who have previously worked together as diplomatic agents. They also happened to be lovers in a universe where this is frowned upon because of the scarcity of healthy human beings, so when their employer found out, they were separated and made to choose either therapy or exile.
They are forced together by the needs of a p More...
They are forced together by the needs of a p More...
Jan 17, 2012
Nicholas
rated it:
http://www.strangehorizons.com/reviews/2007/04/the_2007_philip.shtml[return][return]This is a superb tale of two galactic diplomatic agents sent to liaise with the matriarchal society of a formerly isolated planet; they are both men, former lovers reconstructing their relationship; each of the two has his own secret agenda, and so does each of the women (and occasional men) they must deal with on the planet, and the revelation and casting aside of their various masks both meshes with the Carniva
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Mar 28, 2008
Brownbetty
rated it:
First, shameful confession: I couldn't remember which one of the guys was Vincent, and which one was Angelo. They both have a lot of names, they're both determined, resourceful, embittered, hiding things, and madly in love with each other. If one of them could have had a speech impediment, or been a vampire, that would have helped me a lot. This isn't a reflection on the book, though: I just have a massive name-thing.
Carnival isn't quite the novel on Matriarchy I've been waiting f More...
Carnival isn't quite the novel on Matriarchy I've been waiting f More...
Feb 17, 2011
Snail in Danger (Sid)
rated it:
Yes, again/still with the Elizabeth Bear. This ... will ask you to think too much. And yeah, it is distinctly yaoi-ish, at least as the term is (somewhat mis)used in the US, or at least seems as if it was intended to appeal to that segment of the population. (Even if Mme. Bear thought one reviewer was way off in bringing it up.)
Where to start. Okay, there's backstory in this one that could probably have been its own book, or at least its own novella. It doesn't help that there are More...
Where to start. Okay, there's backstory in this one that could probably have been its own book, or at least its own novella. It doesn't help that there are More...
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Aug 13, 2007
Res
rated it:
The one set after the enviroterrorist apocalypse, where Vincent and Michelangelo, lovers and spies, are sent to make a treaty with the viciously matriarchal planet New Amazonia.
I liked many things about this book. I enjoyed the characters: Vincent and Angelo, to a lesser degree Lesa and Julian, and especially especially Kii; I just beamed every time Kii brought conversation to a halt in order to feel around for just precisely the right word.
New Amazonia -- city, jungle, More...
I liked many things about this book. I enjoyed the characters: Vincent and Angelo, to a lesser degree Lesa and Julian, and especially especially Kii; I just beamed every time Kii brought conversation to a halt in order to feel around for just precisely the right word.
New Amazonia -- city, jungle, More...
Aug 18, 2009
Melissima
rated it:
I really enjoyed this book, though I had a bit of trouble keeping the cast of characters straight in my mind. (May be attributable to gaps of several days to a week between reading sessions.)
Bear never lets things be easy for her characters, and I like that. This book employs a lot of unclear or shifting alliances, intrigue, and talks that go unvoiced even though they exist between the lines of the characters' casual banter over drinks. I wasn't sure which way events would turn unti More...
Bear never lets things be easy for her characters, and I like that. This book employs a lot of unclear or shifting alliances, intrigue, and talks that go unvoiced even though they exist between the lines of the characters' casual banter over drinks. I wasn't sure which way events would turn unti More...
Aug 07, 2009
Kristin
rated it:
An interesting look at what happens when a matriarchal colony planet resumes contact with the original expansionist, patriarchal culture--kind of an updated Gate to Women's Country. The characters were interesting and well-drawn and the plot intricate but I wish there'd been more of the world and differeing cultures in the novel. It felt a little like a part of a series (which it may very well be as this is the first novel by Elizabeth Bear that I've read.)
Jan 18, 2009
Kristen
rated it:
Turns out I'm not quite the target audience for this one. My problem (not the book's!) is that I responded, "Too much intrigue, not enough cool alien technology!" (Apparently she was saving up a lot of the cool technology for Dust.) Other than that, there's an excellent book here. I just had to put it down for a while when the multi-crosses got too complex for me. But the emotional payoff on the romance was definitely worth finishing it for.
Jan 23, 2011
Rachel
rated it:
I liked that main characters were gay but... I spent most of the book trying to figure out which protaganist was which - 1 character being called different names by each person they meet can be confusing. First half of the book was way to much introspective angst for my liking. Started to get interesting once the alien finally made itsself known. But then the ending just fell flat. (I kept yelling at the book, "Did you learn nothing from "Serenity"? Movie came out in '05, this
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Jun 01, 2011
Karen
rated it:
I liked this book quite a bit, in spite of the fact that the plot complexities and gradually explained characters made me feel rather dense. I grew to care about the two main characters. The society of New Amazonia was an interesting one, and the overall future-historical setting was chilling. I expect to read more of Ms. Bear's work.
Feb 16, 2010
Sarah
rated it:
Again, I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. I thought the world was original and the themes were interesting, but I had difficulty telling the two main characters apart. They seemed to have the same conflicts, which made it difficult for me to remember who was who when it really counted.
Jul 01, 2008
Chanpheng
rated it:
I started this book about ten times, and kept putting it down around page 15. I think it had more to do with my unsettled state of mind when reading it because when I did get into it, I enjoyed it. Two former lovers are reunited as a diplomatic team to repatriate art stolen during an incursion on the planet Amazonia. Their real, stated mission is to trade for their power supply - but there is much more. And the two diplomats have their own agendas as well.
Bear creates both an action More...
Bear creates both an action More...
Sep 04, 2010
Mia
rated it:
I really liked what she attempted to do with issues of power dynamics within and across cultures. The book could have used a little closer editing, since there were explanatory bits tht got repeated a few times.
Jun 10, 2011
Lindig
rated it:
Very interesting. The whole plot and counterplot and plot within plot and betrayal and treason has a flavor of medieval Italian (say, Venice or Florence) vendetta.
Jan 16, 2011
Jan
rated it:
Gender roles and gender domination in the far future. I want to read more in this universe!
Jul 24, 2009
Kariss
rated it:
Wow, always nice to find a new author. Enjoyed the story and the telling
Jan 03, 2012
Karen
rated it:
1970's Lesbian-feminist utopianism updated for a more cynical - and realistic age.
Mar 26, 2010
Elisabeth
rated it:
This wasn't my favorite book by Bear, though it was an interesting and thought provoking read. My main fault with the book is that although I found the characters interesting, I never had that "connection" with them, or liked them enough. I really wanted Bear to explore New Amazonia (the planet) more from the perspective of those who lived there, not just the Diplomats who had such a bias.
Aside from that this was an excellent exercise in speculative science fiction, it ask More...
Aside from that this was an excellent exercise in speculative science fiction, it ask More...
Sep 25, 2010
Robin
rated it:
What if two diplomats from a desperately overpopulated homophobic patriarchy are sent to negotiate with a resource-rich matriarchy that treats all men like second-class citizens but has a higher regard for gays than straights? What if those diplomats are gay lovers, separated in disgrace years ago when their relationship was discovered? What if there are secret agendas all around, and pretty much no one is what he or she seems? And what if the mysterious alien energy source powering New Amazonia
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Sep 27, 2007
Natlyn
rated it:
A well-thoughtout conspiracy and intrigue plot. The moments of vegan-omnivore culture shock were well done. However, I was disappointed that for a universe in which only brown people remained, the cultures, politics and ideologies seemed standard Western caucasian. Except for frequent descriptions of skin color, I didn't get any sense (culturally speaking) that these peoples' ancestors were anything but white.
I discuss my bookgroup's responses here. More...
I discuss my bookgroup's responses here. More...
Sep 19, 2010
Kim
rated it:
I'm not sure I really followed what was going on under the basic storyline in this book. I enjoyed the characters and could follow the story enough to make me keep reading, but beyond that I was fuzzy on the underlying motives that every character seemed to have. The book was RIDICULOUSLY overwritten--too, too much detail.
While there were a lot of good ideas in this novel, I would probably not read this author again.
While there were a lot of good ideas in this novel, I would probably not read this author again.
