Burning Bright

by Melissa Scott

Burning Bright is a free-port planet, nexus of trade, politically balanced between the human and Hsai empires in space, and center of virtual-reality-gaming for all of civilization.

When spacepilot and ambitious young game designer Quinn Lioe gets shore leave on Burning Bright, determined to play the game at its brilliant center, she becomes enmeshed in the conflict between two great empires, a key figure upon whom the fates of fortune turn.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Cyberpunk, Queer, Adult, Lesbian, LGBT

306 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Scott studied history at Harvard College and Brandeis University, and earned her PhD. in comparative history. She published her first novel in 1984, and has since written some two dozen science fiction and fantasy works, including three co-authored with her partner, Lisa A. Barnett.

Scott's work is known for the elaborate and well-constructed settings. While many of her protagonists are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered, this is perfectly integrated into the rest of the story and is rarely a major focus of the story. Shadow Man, alone among Scott's works, focuses explicitly on issues of sexuality and gender.

She won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in Science Fiction in 1986, and has won several Lambda Literary Awards.

In addition to writing, Scott also teaches writing, offering classes via her website and publishing a writing guide.

Scott lived with her partner, author Lisa A. Barnett, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire for 27 years, until the latter's death of breast cancer on May 2, 2006.

Reviews

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not one of her strongest works, but I really like the world-building and the aliens, and the interaction between the aliens and the humans. There are lots of lovely touches like the description of food, too. It's also notable for showing same-gender relationships, written during a time when that was harder to get published, presented as an unexceptional and ordinary part of life. The ambiguity that characters feel for each other, for various reasons, is also very well-done. The presentation of disability as a part of life is very effective as well. So although the book could be more tightly written and better plotted, I really like those elements. The characters were very human, even the ones who tried to be alien. (The aliens were nicely alien, though possibly could have been even more alien.)

One of the most interesting parts of the book for me, as a gamer, was how gaming (in particular module design and GMing) could be a profession. Naturally the VR elements in the gaming were very appealing to read about, but I found some of the elements off-putting. Since I see some of those same elements in modern MMOs, though, and because the characters themselves found some of those same things an unnecessary restriction and wanted to work around them, I think that they were accurately written. It felt odd that there was apparently no independent gaming scene but rather a quasi-competitive rated worlds-spanning organization. (But perhaps, just as in modern gaming, there was simply less money in it so it wouldn't be present everywhere or considered an alternative by the players.)

Ultimately I decided not to keep it in my much-reduced library because it's not a book I will want to reread over and over again, and it's not quite strong enough to keep for lending out. I like it and am glad I have read it, but I have so many books to fit into not enough space that I have to give some up. This one was a hard decision, and I'd happily recommend it, especially to gamers and people who would like to see non heteronormative relationships in older SF.

[L (Nineteen Adze) · Rating 4 out of 5]

First impressions: I have mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, there are some great worldbuilding details here: the city of Burning Bright is a culturally exciting pivot point between two giant meta-governments, and its people have their own proud and distinctive traditions, like a Venetian-style Carnival of masks and parades. On the other hand, it often feels slow. The story cycles between four major POVs, and there’s a lot of slow move/countermove where the reader learns information in one POV and there’s a long road to the other POVs piecing it together. It makes for an interesting political landscape: I just wanted to see either more mystery along the way or some POV time from the major antagonists (we see three people who are mostly on the same side plus one antagonist, but he’s not the character most vigorously opposed to our main set).

I think this one is worth a read if you’re interested in casually queernorm 90s sci-fi (most of the lead characters are bi) or a picture of professional gaming that’s oddly prescient about today’s trend of watching live D&D sessions. It’s not my favorite of the year or anything, but I’m glad I explored this niche thanks to an Arkady Martine interview.

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

the plot and characters are fine but didn't particularly grab me. but the world is SO cool! vividly described and intricate without any infodumping. i especially love the art forms on this planet. i wish i could see the nested sculpture puppet thing... and the story eggs...

also, whenever i read scifi like this from the 90s i imagine there is some weird particle in the air that makes wifi/cell signals/etc not work. and then all the tech makes much more sense

[charlotte, · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rep: bi mcs

[Kelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This may be a helluva thing for someone who likes A Song of Ice and Fire to say, but in general, I'm fond of books that have a bit of heart to them. I want to feel with the characters; I want to become invested in them. I want the sense that something vital is at stake -- not merely the characters' physical lives, but their emotional lives as well. The absence of heart, the lack of any strong emotional attachment between any two characters, is the main reason I've never been able to get into H.P. Lovecraft, even though so many of my friends adore him.

This is my first work by Melissa Scott, and I doubt very much it will be my last. She's a gifted writer; what she does well, she does VERY well. The greatest strength on display in this book is the art of meticulous world-building, vivid descriptions of places and (most) people. I get the experience of looking in on another time and place; the Carnival parade sequence is a highlight.

Yet here's the problem: reading this book, while I enjoyed looking in on another time and place, I never really felt as though I was living in it. The emotional engagement just wasn't there. This was a particular disappointment because, simply in terms of nameable traits, Quinn Lioe ought to join my list of favorite heroines: she's brave, smart, imaginative, and very, very good at what she does. Yet even when the story was done, I still felt distant from her. Even though she faced danger in the latter portion of the book, I never felt she was risking much. I never sensed any strong feeling in her, for good or for ill. The same goes for the other characters, though Ransome was perhaps the most accessible. I never got the sense that anyone truly loved or worried about anyone else. A major character's sudden death at the book's climax should have been a tearjerker. It turned out to be more of a shoulder-shrugger.

The characters' unwillingness or inability to engage with each other emotionally, in any way that involves real risk, might be part of the point Scott is making -- in which case, well done. I also appreciate the handling of gay and lesbian sexuality; the world she builds is refreshingly egalitarian when it comes to homosexual relationships. There was enough here of interest to keep me reading, and I would recommend the book to sci-fi fans, especially those with a taste for gaming. But I wanted more.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Burning Bright was fun and a good enough way to pass the time.

When Lioe arrives on the world of Burning Bright, she’s not thinking about anything other than the Game: the continous video game RPG which is popular with humans across the known universe. However, when Lioe uses character templates of a Burning Bright native, she becomes inadvertently drawn into complex local politics.

As far as I know, everyone in Burning Bright was bisexual, which was fantastic. I also liked that this future world didn’t seem to have any problems with homophobia and sexism.

Lioe is involved with a woman, Rosche, for most of the book, but I’m not sure if it was really a romance. Lioe and Rosche don’t seem to feel much for each other, but that could just be a general flaw of the novel. Besides, Rosche is a pretty flat character. I still don’t know much about her besides that she’s presented as a sexy, fiery dockworker.

I think the most emotional relationship was probably between Ransome and Chauvelin, but again there’s issues with the characters appearing emotionally dampened, particularly at the end. I would venture to guess that none of these characters really feeling anything is why I never became attached to them.

Besides that, my other quibble is the three sections that took place inside the RPG game. I just didn’t get the point of them and felt that they slowed down the pacing.

The world building was amazing. Scott never uses infodumps, but you are still able to get a sense of the scope of the universe she’s created. This feels like a real, breathing world. The descriptions of the Storm and the carnival on Burning Bright were particularly lovely, and there were also some nice things going on with the idea of the alien’s kinship structures.

All in all, I found Burning Bright to be entertaining but not a book I’m likely to ever return to. I would recommend this to people looking for a science fiction book with a focus on video games or which brings same sex relationships to the forefront.

Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

When space pilot and game designer Quinn Lioe's ship docks at Burning Bright for repairs, she can't resist the opportunity to play at the very epicenter of the Game. Running Game scenarios out of a local club, she soon finds herself drawn into real life events of far greater consequence than she could have anticipated.

Melissa Scott never fails to deliver fascinatingly unique and complex worldbuilding, and I have yet to read a book of hers that doesn't pull me in. While this wasn't one of my favourites among her works I've read so far, I did enjoy it a lot.

[Just_ann_now · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed this while I was reading it, but the ending seemed rushed, leaving me unsatisfied. The world-building really contributed to the action of the plot, but the gaming sub-plot didn't really seem integrated. As a die-hard Melissa Scott fan, this book from her backlist was notable to me mainly to demonstrate how far she's come in terms of complex, intriguing plotting, and fascinating, well drawn characters.

[Daryl Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sign of a classic story is that you cannot place the time in which it was written. I really had no clue this was first published in 1993. Melissa Scott knows how to write hard SF prose that remains timeless. She rivals cj cherryj in her depth of culture and character.

[Robbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This rounds up fairly easily to four stars. I suspect that the original idea for this may have been to base it on Key Largo but that it grew into something completely different. As with Scott's other book that I read, the world-building was excellent. I love that there is plot-independent art and that her characters are interested in seeing it. It's something that is very much a part of most human cultures but that's neglected in a lot of science fiction. The story itself was excellent, too: I liked the idea of a VR AD&D-style GM getting drawn into politics and bringing gaming geeks to bear on the situation. I think, however, that the story wasn't complicated enough to warrant the complicated telling. I think that it would have been stronger if it had been told from just two perspectives rather than four, but I can see why it would be hard to get all of the emotions right, so I can't say that I blame the author. Having to introduce so much through so many different perspectives made the first half kind of weak, but the overall effect was good and, overall, I enjoyed it.

[liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was a weird book. The setting, characters, politics, and the Game all seemed well developed and realistically complicated. But I was left feeling like I was reading the second book in the series. throughout the book, I felt like there was just some backstory I was missing. The ending was unnecessarily melancholy.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of details and world building is good, but it’s hard to really get attached to any of the characters.

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I....wanted to like this book more than I do. It was interesting, both characters and world, but...there's too much going on. There's this weird tri-cornered trade/political thing going on, and then there's this Game thing. And we're just kind of...tossed into the mix of it, with little regard.

I think that if this was less busy, or had a slower ramp up before the story really got going, it would have been better. Both parts of the story were interesting, but it took me so long to really place what was going on that I constantly felt like I was behind the curve. It was irritating, when all I wanted to do was get into the story.

A shame, because the world seems pretty neat.

Also a lot of the characters had similar names it was it was a pain in the ass to keep them straight. Authors, I want to like your book, and your characters, and I only have so many brain cells. Help me out, please.

[JW · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book takes its time getting into the plot, but once it does, all is well.

Burning Bright has a lot in common with Dreaming Metal, the other Melissa Scott novel I've read (and really, really enjoyed). There's a heroine who's a spaceship pilot and there are protagonists deeply involved with some form of creativity. Which is part of the problem. In Burning Bright that is basically a fully immersive VR, SF version of World of Warcraft. And in game action is covered in the text. Meh. I'll tell you that you can safely skip over any of those parts.

The setting is very interesting, not as detailed as Dreaming Metal (and ostensibly the precursor, Dreamships) but plenty real. I'm not sure if it's the same universe.

The characters are realistic and reasonably motivated. Some may disagree about that when it comes to a supporting antagonist, but I had no problem buying in.

[Mush · Rating 4 out of 5]

Burning Bright is a good read. While it is something of an interstellar political romp, it manages to remain smallish in scope. The Game - one single video game played across the galaxy - doesn't seem entirely interesting enough to keep people's attention.

There are a couple of really charming artwork installations described, and I enjoyed the idea that in this particular universe, nearly everyone is bisexual (it's always rather seemed to me that people would eventually lean that way).

When the dying character finally dies, the characters who should mourn the most don't really seem to. Their cavalier attitudes were a bit jarring to me.

Overall, though, I do recommend this book! It's a great little light sci-fi novel with very rich and detailed world-building by Scott.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luck drops pilot Quinn Lioe on the planet Burning Bright, the center of the virtual reality gaming community. She hopes to present some of her new scenarios, but she didn't expect to make as much of a splash as she does. She is taken up by the former leading gamer Ransome, which sucks her into a political conflict between two empires and the free government of Burning Bright. Melissa Scott combines artistry - real and virtual - with political and personal intrigue to create a complex and challenging experience.

If you can't stand same-sex relationships don't go here, but Scott's creations are so good that you can usually just let it be part of the story.

[Laylah Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad! A lot of interesting social stuff going on here -- the entertainment prestige of roleplaying games (a notable gamer in Burning Bright's society has the kind of respect that a talented athlete gets in ours, really) is neat to imagine, and I really like the way that people can just be queer and not have that be a major issue.

The pacing felt somewhat awkward, though; it took a long time for the plot to ramp up and then it came to a pretty sudden stop at the end, with a much darker ending than I felt like we'd been prepared for.

[Bex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Burning Bright combines a science fiction space-faring setting with an immersive VR video/role playing game to set the stage for the tale of intrigue and local politics. I really enjoyed the world and the plucky space pilot heroine. The VR game in the story even provides an additional fantasy storyline embedded inside!

Highly recommended for gamers who like a political tale.

[Rena Mayberry]

In London and in rural Piddlethrethide, Dorset, life is totally different. A Circus-based on an actual one, and neighbor William Blake, printer and poet, interact with three kids. Lively, reminiscent of why my Grammy said, "Don't talk to ME about Merry Olde England." A tough life if you survived.

[Stelepami · Rating 4 out of 5]

An old favorite. I've been a fan of Ms. Scott for about ten years, and this is one of my favorites. I wish there were books on this world, it's such a fascinating and intricate place. The plot, I think, is secondary to the setting. Which is not to say that the plot isn't any good, just that I would like to visit Burning Bright.

[Elizabeth McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has been years since I read this! Possibly a decade or two, even. But I remember liking it, even though the "roleplaying" that is done is more akin to reality TV in some ways. ...of course, there were no "reality shows" on TV back then. I'll go feel old now.

[Calamus Library · Rating 1 out of 5]

I should have known better than to try another sci fi.....I am not sure if it is me or the writing, but I just couldn't get into this convoluted story. It was hard to understand what they were doing, where they were and why. I gave it 70 pages and then just gave up.

[Sineala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my favorite Melissa Scott book, but still worth reading. A bunch of political infighting, interesting worldbuilding, a fair amount of cyberpunk (including the cyberpunk LARPing of the future) -- and of course, this being a Melissa Scott book, everyone is bisexual. Which is nice.

[Nathanielk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great alien/human space opera with a bit of a cyberpunk buzz mixed in.

[Lynn Calvin]

Fictionwise multiformat ebook

[Sheherazahde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good. A fast read.

[Elaine]

I checked this out thinking it was a different book and I wasn't in the right mood for fraught alien culture conspiracies