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50th out of 758 books
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652 voters
Killashandra (Crystal Singer #2)
At first Killashandra Ree's ambitions to become a Crystal Singer, get rich, and forget her past, were going just as she had hoped. But after she grew wealthy, a devastating storm turned her claim to useless rock. In short order she was broke, she had crystal sickness so bad she thought she was going to die, and the only way she could be true to the man she loved was to lea...more
Paperback, 384 pages
Published
November 12th 1986
by Del Rey
(first published 1985)
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The second book of the Crystal Singer series, Killashandra takes the down on her luck main character and puts her on another world where she is to repair a broken organ. However, things are not as they seem with an assassination attempt and the undercurrents of unrest that flicker among the populace.
Among a few other things, I found it hilarious that Lars--a new male character that appears in the main character's life--would so easily confide in Killashandra (though she's under a pseudonym at t...more
Among a few other things, I found it hilarious that Lars--a new male character that appears in the main character's life--would so easily confide in Killashandra (though she's under a pseudonym at t...more
In the second installment of the Crystal Singer saga, Killashandra finds herself at whits end; her vein of the valuable black crystal rendered useless by the treacherous storms, her funds slowly dwindling, she is desperate to get off-world. So when a contract calling for the installation of the crystal in the grand organ on Optheria, she greedily accepts, no questions asked. But after being forced to suffer the attentions of pompous officials, attacks by dissident islanders, and finally abductio...more
Very readable, moderately recommended.: The second of Anne McCaffrey's books about Killashandra Ree is a pleasure to read although highly predictable and somewhat over-sentimental in places. The fact is that while you may have guessed exactly what will happen next you still want to read on. Unlike many books I could mention you end up caring about what happens to the characters, you can't help it - they are so well written. While Killashandra is hardly intellectually taxing I would still recomme...more
A better sequel than the first novel. Continuing with Killashandra's adventures about a year or so later. She is given an off planet assignment to the world of Optheria where she is to install white crystal on one of their famous organs. She is also supposed to investigate whether the natives are being forced to stay on the planet against RSF rules.
Again, we meet interesting characters, we are introduced to mainland and island culture. The plot is a solid science fiction story with elements of m...more
Again, we meet interesting characters, we are introduced to mainland and island culture. The plot is a solid science fiction story with elements of m...more
Not a bad read, although (as mentioned by some other reviews) this book is a little on the melodramatic side. I still love the concept of crystal singing and this wonderful universe Anne McCaffrey has built. My biggest complaint is that while I enjoy most of the other characters in the book, the title character is merely a drama queen -- while that may be realistic and believable, it is just not that enjoyable if you really don't care about the protagonist.
This book deserves a full star higher rating than it's predecessor, in my mind. While 'Crystal Singer' certainly builds you a helpful basis to ensure you know what's going on, this book is where the action is at.
Killa is shown as a much more well rounded character, beyond headstrong and capable of great cunning and self-sacrifice. In short, she didn't feel 'real' to me until this book. Again, McCaffrey's interweaving of her personal musical background came came through in a delightful form of i...more
Killa is shown as a much more well rounded character, beyond headstrong and capable of great cunning and self-sacrifice. In short, she didn't feel 'real' to me until this book. Again, McCaffrey's interweaving of her personal musical background came came through in a delightful form of i...more
In addition to the magNIficent crystal universe McCaffrey continues to create, I love the theme of the suppressors vs the free beings: good guys and bad guys. The love story between Lars and Killi continues from the love stories from both Lanzeki and Rimbol which add the romantic element of the story. (The duet scene in Optheria is precious.) Anne has an amazing way of weaving real life into the fantasy universes she creates.
SUMMARY:
At first Killashandra Ree's ambitions to become a Crystal Singer, get rich, and forget her past, were going just as she had hoped. But after she grew wealthy, a devastating storm turned her claim to useless rock. In short order she was broke, she had crystal sickness so bad she thought she was going to die, and the only way she could be true to the man she loved was to leave him....
Killashandra's goal is to become a crystal singer, become wealthy and move beyond her past. All seems to go as planned. In one season she sings the Black Crystal, grows wealthy, and meets an interesting man. Then a devastating storm turns her claim to useless rock and she looses her wealth. She has crystal sickness so bad she fears that she will die. Can her love save her or must she leave him. The is a very good read.
I love Anne McCaffrey's books and this was no exception. I don't read much fantasy or sci-fi, but I love the worlds she's created. I really like that her books relate to each other so by reading others set in the same location, you can see the events from a different perspective and gain a deeper understanding of the characters.
Overall a satisfying book. I like the character o Killashandra more the second time round, and I'm a sucker for light intrigue. There were times when it was slow going, am times when my non-musically inclined self was lost in description, but they weren't enough to slow the pace of reading.
I chose to reread this the week of my sister's wedding because I wanted something off my shelf that was comfortable and that I wouldn't have to think too much about. I had forgotten that this is the second book of a set (following Crystal Singer, which I do not own), and even though it had been so long since I'd read either of them that I hardly remembered the premise, it was easy to fall into this book. I usually like the way Anne McCaffrey portrays her characters and this book follows suit....more
Very interesting take on music and sci-fi. In a way it's a typically McCaffrey book (if you've read enough of her, you know what I mean) but at the same time totally differnt from the classic Pern stories. This series I read and re-read over and over again.
The real meat of the story. The first volume was more like a Prologue, and the third was an Afterword, but this second installment in the trilogy is where interesting things happen. I'm still not a big fan of the main character, but she was more intriguing here and I could see the beginnings of the person she becomes in the third book. There are still things that were a mystery to me (e.g. why keep on about the crystal singers losing memory if that doesn't really happen to her yet?), but mostly...more
Anne McCaffrey is about the only trashy romance I read as a teenager and it's basically just that, fairly decent romance if you don't mind rolling around in the usual conventions. Gorgeous women and men meet, fall in love, encounter obstacles, etc etc.
My favourite parts of this particular story are when the main character finds herself in opposition to some stuffy aliens and she claims that she needs the best beers in the land in order to continue functioning.
Okay so the good points are that th...more
My favourite parts of this particular story are when the main character finds herself in opposition to some stuffy aliens and she claims that she needs the best beers in the land in order to continue functioning.
Okay so the good points are that th...more
Killashandra is actually a better book than the first in this trilogy, as it needs to focus less on teaching the reader about the new universe. I also enjoy the semi-mystery plot and the look at Optheria as a planet.
It took me a while to get back into the swing of the crystal singers world, but once I did I quite enjoyed the story. Have yet to come across an Anne McCaffrey I didn't like!
Ahh Lars, there you are. I have to admit at moments in this book I kept getting flashbacks to the earlier scenes from The Rowan, and wondering when she would be found out.
A pleasant and quick read, continuing the story of Killashandra Ree, crystal singer. This book isn't as interesting as the first, mostly because of the preponderance of the story dedicated to the romantic interest. The story raps up too neatly for my taste.
Once again, she loses herself in the crystal...but finds a love even deeper than a vein. I enjoyed this one for it's action, ann is always a fast,easy read.
I found this book really inventive and interesting. I haven't read much Anne McCaffrey but I plan to read more after this one.
File under: fluffy books that I read instead of writing papers when I pretend I am already done with the semester.
The continuing saga of Killashandra Ree. I liked her just as much in this one as in Crystal Singer.
Enjoyed it was different from her pern series . More new future than I expected my liked it
I'd read #1 and #3, but I don't think I read this earlier. Nice to have the background for #3!
Basic scifi fare. Good enough characters and story, but nothing really special in the writing.
This put Anne McCaffrey on the record for me. I just love a strong female protagonist!
I have to admit that I don't know exactly what to think of this series. It certainly isn't as good as The Dragonriders of Pern, but I did finish it and I downloaded the 3rd book in the series.
The continuing story - kept me hooked. I re-read this one more than the others.
I liked the first book in this trilogy, but I loved this one, the second book.
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Anne McCaffrey was born on April 1st, 1926, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, at 1:30 p.m., in the hour of the Sheep, year of the Fire Tiger, sun sign Aries with Taurus rising and Leo mid-heaven (which seems to suggest an early interest in the stars).
Her parents were George Herbert McCaffrey, BA, MA PhD (Harvard), Colonel USA Army (retired), and Anne Dorothy McElroy McCaffrey, estate agent. She had two...more
More about Anne McCaffrey...
Her parents were George Herbert McCaffrey, BA, MA PhD (Harvard), Colonel USA Army (retired), and Anne Dorothy McElroy McCaffrey, estate agent. She had two...more
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Mar 31, 2013 07:57am