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Bitter Angels: A Novel
An Imploding Star System.
A Murdered Galactic Spy.
A Woman Seeking the Truth—and Finding the Unbelievable…
The Erasmus System is a sprawling realm of slavery, smugglers, spies—and constant, creeping decrepitude. Here everyone who is not part of the ruling Four Families is a slave of one kind or another. But the Guardians, a special-forces branch inside the United World Government for Earth, have deemed Erasmus a “hot spot.” Somehow, it is believed, this failing colony intends to launch a war upon the solar system.
Ex-Field Commander Terese Drajeske, now a mother of three, has been called back to active duty and sent to Erasmus, ostensibly to investigate the murder of her colleague—and friend—Bianca Fayette. At first blush, the death defies Bianca was immortal. But beneath that single murder lies a twisted foundation of deceptions. Suddenly Terese is plunged into a vortex of shattered lives, endemic deceit, and one dreadful secret. In this society without hope, someone has put into motion a plan that will cast humanity into chaos. And Terese, who has given up her family and her sanity to prevent war, may be asked to make the ultimate sacrifice….
A Murdered Galactic Spy.
A Woman Seeking the Truth—and Finding the Unbelievable…
The Erasmus System is a sprawling realm of slavery, smugglers, spies—and constant, creeping decrepitude. Here everyone who is not part of the ruling Four Families is a slave of one kind or another. But the Guardians, a special-forces branch inside the United World Government for Earth, have deemed Erasmus a “hot spot.” Somehow, it is believed, this failing colony intends to launch a war upon the solar system.
Ex-Field Commander Terese Drajeske, now a mother of three, has been called back to active duty and sent to Erasmus, ostensibly to investigate the murder of her colleague—and friend—Bianca Fayette. At first blush, the death defies Bianca was immortal. But beneath that single murder lies a twisted foundation of deceptions. Suddenly Terese is plunged into a vortex of shattered lives, endemic deceit, and one dreadful secret. In this society without hope, someone has put into motion a plan that will cast humanity into chaos. And Terese, who has given up her family and her sanity to prevent war, may be asked to make the ultimate sacrifice….
438 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
12 people are currently reading
511 people want to read
About the author
C.L. Anderson
3 books8 followersC.L. Anderson has been known to tell people she lives in a stately Victorian home on a windswept island in Lake Superior with her three sisters and their pet wolf Manfred. She has also been known to tell people she is a science fiction writer living near Ann Arbor, Michigan with her husband, son and cat.
C.L. Anderson is a pseudonym for author Sarah Zettel. Zettel also writes as Marissa Day.
C.L. Anderson is a pseudonym for author Sarah Zettel. Zettel also writes as Marissa Day.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
February 3, 2010
[Disclaimer: I received this book for a twitter RT contest run by the publisher. There was no expectation of any kind associated with it.]
Bitter Angels is based on an interesting twist: What if an entire society was based around keeping the peace? Not through oppression, not through violence (or at least, lethal violence), but through a combination of technology, diplomacy, and sheer dedication. What would that society look like?
It's an intriguing twist to a sci-fi spy novel, and it works rather well. The plot is complex and multilayered, but Anderson takes care to make sure we're no more confused than her protagonist Terese. Characters speak and think differently and are well differentiated. Things that first appear as tropes or sloppy thinking reveal themselves to be anything but, as the story really rollercoasters its way to a satisfying finish.
The one annoyance I had with the novel directly grew out of its strengths. In the first hundred pages, Anderson makes sure that we know the background and history of both the complex world and the complex characters. For someone extremely familiar with sfnal works, those chunks seem a little like overexplaining.
At the same time, those expositional passages would work wonderfully for someone who was just starting to get into science fiction - especially given Anderson's strong portrayal of both male and female characters as equals. Lord knows I've confused members of my writing group before with allusions to sf standards they've never heard before.
So if you're new to sf, this book is friendly to you. And if you're not new to sf, the exposition isn't particularly onerous - and it disappears entirely once Anderson's set the world up around you (about 50-odd pages in). The rest of the book definitely makes it worth it.
Bitter Angels is based on an interesting twist: What if an entire society was based around keeping the peace? Not through oppression, not through violence (or at least, lethal violence), but through a combination of technology, diplomacy, and sheer dedication. What would that society look like?
It's an intriguing twist to a sci-fi spy novel, and it works rather well. The plot is complex and multilayered, but Anderson takes care to make sure we're no more confused than her protagonist Terese. Characters speak and think differently and are well differentiated. Things that first appear as tropes or sloppy thinking reveal themselves to be anything but, as the story really rollercoasters its way to a satisfying finish.
The one annoyance I had with the novel directly grew out of its strengths. In the first hundred pages, Anderson makes sure that we know the background and history of both the complex world and the complex characters. For someone extremely familiar with sfnal works, those chunks seem a little like overexplaining.
At the same time, those expositional passages would work wonderfully for someone who was just starting to get into science fiction - especially given Anderson's strong portrayal of both male and female characters as equals. Lord knows I've confused members of my writing group before with allusions to sf standards they've never heard before.
So if you're new to sf, this book is friendly to you. And if you're not new to sf, the exposition isn't particularly onerous - and it disappears entirely once Anderson's set the world up around you (about 50-odd pages in). The rest of the book definitely makes it worth it.
October 11, 2017
It’s about family, and the memories of dead friends, and loyalty, and betrayal. It’s really well done. It’s also depressing as hellllllll.
February 20, 2010
Bitter Angels was written by Sarah Zettel under pseudonym. It’s a military science fiction of sorts with a central murder mystery. And I liked it much more than Kingdom of Cages, which put me off from her, seems I was wrong.
The Erasmus System is a sprawling realm of slavery, smugglers, spies—and constant, creeping decrepitude. Here everyone who is not part of the ruling Four Families is a slave of one kind or another. But the Guardians, a special-forces branch inside the United World Government for Earth, have deemed Erasmus a “hot spot.” Somehow, it is believed, this failing colony intends to launch a war upon the solar system.
Ex-Field Commander Terese Drajeske, now a mother of three, has been called back to active duty and sent to Erasmus, ostensibly to investigate the murder of her colleague—and friend—Bianca Fayette. At first blush, the death defies explanation: Bianca was immortal. But beneath that single murder lies a twisted foundation of deceptions. Suddenly Terese is plunged into a vortex of shattered lives, endemic deceit, and one dreadful secret. In this society without hope, someone has put into motion a plan that will cast humanity into chaos. And Terese, who has given up her family and her sanity to prevent war, may be asked to make the ultimate sacrifice….
Bitter Angels is a story about hope and the belief that you might end all conflicts without killing. It is not an especially military science fiction if you with that mean soldiers, technology and battles.
It is a story about friendship. Bianca was Terese Drajeske’s best friend and mentor and when she dies under mysterious circumstances Bianca leaves her husband David and her three daughters to find her killers and stop the threatening war that she was trying to uncover. But it’s not a blind friendship, Terese soon find reasons to doubt Bianca’s motives.
It is also about the bound between three survivors from Oblivion, one a pilot in the security forces, one a doctor and one a renegade smuggler. And how that bound affect the fate of a whole system.
It is about how peace keepers sometimes keeps a morally wrong status quo for fear of something worse. The Blood family keep the Erasmus system in slavery and economic depression. Trying to remove them might lead to war so the Guardians don’t.
I liked the mystery part, but it took a bit too long to get to when it started to make sense, around page 300. I wouldn’t mind if the author made faster work of that. It left only 150 pages for the real action and the characters to grow.
Now and then I felt it was too much talks, meetings and dead ends that didn’t bring the story forward, but I might have missed a point or so. It slowed it down from excellent to good in my mind. Bitter Angels is a good mystery-spy science fiction and if you like that it’s a book for you.
The Erasmus System is a sprawling realm of slavery, smugglers, spies—and constant, creeping decrepitude. Here everyone who is not part of the ruling Four Families is a slave of one kind or another. But the Guardians, a special-forces branch inside the United World Government for Earth, have deemed Erasmus a “hot spot.” Somehow, it is believed, this failing colony intends to launch a war upon the solar system.
Ex-Field Commander Terese Drajeske, now a mother of three, has been called back to active duty and sent to Erasmus, ostensibly to investigate the murder of her colleague—and friend—Bianca Fayette. At first blush, the death defies explanation: Bianca was immortal. But beneath that single murder lies a twisted foundation of deceptions. Suddenly Terese is plunged into a vortex of shattered lives, endemic deceit, and one dreadful secret. In this society without hope, someone has put into motion a plan that will cast humanity into chaos. And Terese, who has given up her family and her sanity to prevent war, may be asked to make the ultimate sacrifice….
Bitter Angels is a story about hope and the belief that you might end all conflicts without killing. It is not an especially military science fiction if you with that mean soldiers, technology and battles.
It is a story about friendship. Bianca was Terese Drajeske’s best friend and mentor and when she dies under mysterious circumstances Bianca leaves her husband David and her three daughters to find her killers and stop the threatening war that she was trying to uncover. But it’s not a blind friendship, Terese soon find reasons to doubt Bianca’s motives.
It is also about the bound between three survivors from Oblivion, one a pilot in the security forces, one a doctor and one a renegade smuggler. And how that bound affect the fate of a whole system.
It is about how peace keepers sometimes keeps a morally wrong status quo for fear of something worse. The Blood family keep the Erasmus system in slavery and economic depression. Trying to remove them might lead to war so the Guardians don’t.
I liked the mystery part, but it took a bit too long to get to when it started to make sense, around page 300. I wouldn’t mind if the author made faster work of that. It left only 150 pages for the real action and the characters to grow.
Now and then I felt it was too much talks, meetings and dead ends that didn’t bring the story forward, but I might have missed a point or so. It slowed it down from excellent to good in my mind. Bitter Angels is a good mystery-spy science fiction and if you like that it’s a book for you.
February 23, 2012
Initially I was really interested in the setup, since it featured an older, out-of-shape woman, a retired mother of three. She notes her body is now soft and curved in places it used to be hard and lean, that she's out of touch with the friends and resources she used to have, things like that. On its own, this could have been a really interesting aspect to the book, but it's magically done away with when Terese is medically conditioned, her body returned to that of a 30-year-old woman. Oh, and it doesn't matter that she's been retired for decades because she's actually a couple hundred years old, so that's just a drop in the bucket to her. I understand it's easier to work with a protagonist in peak physical condition, but it also eliminates any of the interesting repercussions it could have had.
The same could be said of Terese's husband and children. She's reluctant to leave them after having promised to permanently give up the dangerous and all-consuming work of being one of the Guardians, and when it comes in direct conflict with a mission that not only twigs her sense of duty but is personal, with the loss of a friend. There's a pretty good build-up for it, but once she commits herself to the mission, she rarely thinks of her family. The husband comes up once or twice, primarily because he contacts her, and it's reasonable to assume she'd work hard to keep focused on the task at hand, but according to Bitter Angels it's pretty easy to turn all that family stuff off, even if it means you'll probably lose your husband and children forever. Oh well, there's still a job to do. It's really a shame to just let Terese's baggage fall to the wayside so easily, since it could have been a really different take in what is otherwise a fairly standard military sci-fi storyline.
Bitter Angels doesn't focus solely on Terese, though. The secondary protagonist is Amerand, a spaceship captain who works hard to keep himself unnoticed and his operation running smoothly, but who finds himself an unwitting pawn in the machinations of people working over him. Chapters switch between his viewpoint and Terese's, which is an effective method of giving the readers a bigger picture of what's going on, since Amerand and Terese spend most of the book in different places. Much less effective is the occasional chapter coming from a totally different viewpoint, especially since Terese and Amerand's chapters are written in first person present and the chapters written from the perspective of secondary characters are in third person past tense. The shifting back and forth of narration styles is distracting at best.
Actually, like the choice of narration, this book suffers a lot from trying to do too many things at once and over-complicating itself. There were a number of things that almost went right, but grew unnecessarily complex. Instead of enhancing, the added layers actually diluted what was going on, and in fact confused matters once or twice. When you have to make a few leaps to get to your final plot destination, you've likely missed a few connections, and the extra frills along the way won't bridge that gap for you.
The same could be said of Terese's husband and children. She's reluctant to leave them after having promised to permanently give up the dangerous and all-consuming work of being one of the Guardians, and when it comes in direct conflict with a mission that not only twigs her sense of duty but is personal, with the loss of a friend. There's a pretty good build-up for it, but once she commits herself to the mission, she rarely thinks of her family. The husband comes up once or twice, primarily because he contacts her, and it's reasonable to assume she'd work hard to keep focused on the task at hand, but according to Bitter Angels it's pretty easy to turn all that family stuff off, even if it means you'll probably lose your husband and children forever. Oh well, there's still a job to do. It's really a shame to just let Terese's baggage fall to the wayside so easily, since it could have been a really different take in what is otherwise a fairly standard military sci-fi storyline.
Bitter Angels doesn't focus solely on Terese, though. The secondary protagonist is Amerand, a spaceship captain who works hard to keep himself unnoticed and his operation running smoothly, but who finds himself an unwitting pawn in the machinations of people working over him. Chapters switch between his viewpoint and Terese's, which is an effective method of giving the readers a bigger picture of what's going on, since Amerand and Terese spend most of the book in different places. Much less effective is the occasional chapter coming from a totally different viewpoint, especially since Terese and Amerand's chapters are written in first person present and the chapters written from the perspective of secondary characters are in third person past tense. The shifting back and forth of narration styles is distracting at best.
Actually, like the choice of narration, this book suffers a lot from trying to do too many things at once and over-complicating itself. There were a number of things that almost went right, but grew unnecessarily complex. Instead of enhancing, the added layers actually diluted what was going on, and in fact confused matters once or twice. When you have to make a few leaps to get to your final plot destination, you've likely missed a few connections, and the extra frills along the way won't bridge that gap for you.
May 21, 2011
(6/10) It's kind of hard to see how this got an award generally associated with experimental/"cutting-edge" SF because Bitter Angels, whatever its merits, is ultimately a very conventional sci-fi novel. It's the story of a reluctant peacemaker from the priveledged central planets who comes to the screwed-up Erasmus system to investigate a mystery and ultimately uncover a conspiracy. (There's a bit of naive paternalism in the description of the Gaurdians, a kind of super-powered UN organization, as this brief plot description makes clear.)
What Anderson does well in the novel is show the effects of trauma, whether it be Terese's personal experience of torture or the longterm societal trauma of poverty and debt slavery. The difficulty of continuing to live after or even during these horrible events inform the well-developed characters, especially the two narrators of Terese (the peacekeeper) and Amerand, a pawn in the hands of the Erasmus government.
Anderson goes beyond these two viewpoints and includes at least four others that I remember, all narrated in third instead of first person for some reason. This is where she runs into trouble -- all of the voices start to blur together and at least some of them seem entirely extraneous (e.g. that of government schemer Torian). These multiple perspectives do help to capture all of the intricate plotline. That plotline ultimately ends up being kind of silly, however, especially when it turns out that the government's secret plan
The novel is redeemed a bit by its climax, in which Anderson shows off her writing chops during a psychic battle. (This passage alone partially justifies the Dick award.) In the end, Bitter Angels seems like the work of a good writer who outthunk herself.
What Anderson does well in the novel is show the effects of trauma, whether it be Terese's personal experience of torture or the longterm societal trauma of poverty and debt slavery. The difficulty of continuing to live after or even during these horrible events inform the well-developed characters, especially the two narrators of Terese (the peacekeeper) and Amerand, a pawn in the hands of the Erasmus government.
Anderson goes beyond these two viewpoints and includes at least four others that I remember, all narrated in third instead of first person for some reason. This is where she runs into trouble -- all of the voices start to blur together and at least some of them seem entirely extraneous (e.g. that of government schemer Torian). These multiple perspectives do help to capture all of the intricate plotline. That plotline ultimately ends up being kind of silly, however, especially when it turns out that the government's secret plan
The novel is redeemed a bit by its climax, in which Anderson shows off her writing chops during a psychic battle. (This passage alone partially justifies the Dick award.) In the end, Bitter Angels seems like the work of a good writer who outthunk herself.
June 29, 2010
Bitter Angels is definitely worth reading. Despite its Urban Fantasy-esque title and cover, this is not about a kick-ass heroine who encounters magic or vampires.
It's about a kick-ass heroine who encounters spy and political intrigue in a far off system teetering on the brink of collapse.
Except this kick-ass heroine is retired, and has a family that loves her, and whom she loves, and so when she decides to chuck it all to reenlist so that she can find out the truth behind a beloved colleague's death, the decision casts emotional repercussions through the book that resonate through the characters' lives in a meaningful way.
Mostly, for me, the story, although presented as a spy and political intrigue plot surrounding a system (part of the human diaspora that is now only nominally under the "pax solaris" or earth government jurisdiction) that seems to be going to war despite its poverty-stricken people and lack of resources, it was truly for me a book about loyalty.
Loyalty to family in tension with loyalty to friends, in tension with loyalty to one's beliefs and morals. About where and how we can bend those morals to achieve our goals, and what we can give up.
The part of the book about the main characters' struggles with her own decision to reenlist, as well as holding true to her moral conviction against killing in the face of true human cruelty, and a rapidly changing picture of the legitimacy of her dead colleague's decisions was very interesting.
The plot and technology threads were cool in a general way, but got kind of twisty and hard to support when I delved deeply into them.
All in all an interesting and worthwhile read.
This Book's Food Designation Rating: A mixed cocktail with different tastes of sweetness and bitter for all the complex characters and plot ideas layering across your palate.
It's about a kick-ass heroine who encounters spy and political intrigue in a far off system teetering on the brink of collapse.
Except this kick-ass heroine is retired, and has a family that loves her, and whom she loves, and so when she decides to chuck it all to reenlist so that she can find out the truth behind a beloved colleague's death, the decision casts emotional repercussions through the book that resonate through the characters' lives in a meaningful way.
Mostly, for me, the story, although presented as a spy and political intrigue plot surrounding a system (part of the human diaspora that is now only nominally under the "pax solaris" or earth government jurisdiction) that seems to be going to war despite its poverty-stricken people and lack of resources, it was truly for me a book about loyalty.
Loyalty to family in tension with loyalty to friends, in tension with loyalty to one's beliefs and morals. About where and how we can bend those morals to achieve our goals, and what we can give up.
The part of the book about the main characters' struggles with her own decision to reenlist, as well as holding true to her moral conviction against killing in the face of true human cruelty, and a rapidly changing picture of the legitimacy of her dead colleague's decisions was very interesting.
The plot and technology threads were cool in a general way, but got kind of twisty and hard to support when I delved deeply into them.
All in all an interesting and worthwhile read.
This Book's Food Designation Rating: A mixed cocktail with different tastes of sweetness and bitter for all the complex characters and plot ideas layering across your palate.
August 22, 2010
Bitter Angels by C.L. Anderson
Field Commander Terese Drajeske works for the Guardians a special wing of the united earth government. Her job is to prevent wars from happening throughout human space. The philosophy of the Guardians is one of precise use of force.
This means that there is quite a bit on nonlethal methods of combat like glue guns, ambush tactics, fear, and focused controlled fighting in combat. They also preempt fighting with espionage and political tactics.
The Erasmus system where the story takes place is a kind of slave state. People are controlled through a combination of debt bondage, control of essential resources like water, inherited position and holding family members in bondage, and government surveillance.
This book focuses on soft power. Ways to control people through intrigue, political manipulation, economic repression, and slavery. It is a combination of military science fiction and espionage.
The story is not predictable, has many twists and turns and does not end the way you might expect. It is also very emotionally dark. I liked this book because of the complex story. This will not agree with everyone. If you are looking for a traditional military science fiction story or space opera, you may not like it. I picked up the book because of a blurb on the cover by Linnea Sinclair
Field Commander Terese Drajeske works for the Guardians a special wing of the united earth government. Her job is to prevent wars from happening throughout human space. The philosophy of the Guardians is one of precise use of force.
This means that there is quite a bit on nonlethal methods of combat like glue guns, ambush tactics, fear, and focused controlled fighting in combat. They also preempt fighting with espionage and political tactics.
The Erasmus system where the story takes place is a kind of slave state. People are controlled through a combination of debt bondage, control of essential resources like water, inherited position and holding family members in bondage, and government surveillance.
This book focuses on soft power. Ways to control people through intrigue, political manipulation, economic repression, and slavery. It is a combination of military science fiction and espionage.
The story is not predictable, has many twists and turns and does not end the way you might expect. It is also very emotionally dark. I liked this book because of the complex story. This will not agree with everyone. If you are looking for a traditional military science fiction story or space opera, you may not like it. I picked up the book because of a blurb on the cover by Linnea Sinclair
March 18, 2024
I remember reading this book years ago. I found it at a local bookstore and the cover and synopsis drew me in enough to give it a try. Years later, I just finished it again to see if I still like it enough to keep it. I am pleased to say it will remain with me until I kick the bucket.
I recommend this book if you have an interest in a well-written female lead character. There is no needless sex or romance plots interjected into this novel. The main character is married, and called back into a military unit-esque life she thought she retired from. How will she balance her old life and mannerisms with her new emotional state? Will she be able to return to her husband, or will her old life draw her back in? Read to find out!
The characters feel grounded, behaving how you expect them to behave. They show great signs of knowledge, but lack wisdom in applying said knowledge in social interactions. They have history; lots of trauma, countless ruthless oppressors, and showing ones true feelings can absolutely be used against you. As such, the characters have slow development, which is quite refreshing. They don't turn on a dime and become polar opposite in their identity. It is a slow burn, change has many layers of history and trauma to tear away for our characters developement.
The book has a pretty good story line. There were not many times that I felt my mind losing focus, or wanting to skip whole sections to "get back on track" to the real story. The main flaw the book has is its ending. It is abrupt, and leaves many small questions unanswered. From a readers standpoint, that was a bummer. But, the author did accomplish the story well. A few twists, but honestly it just keeps on its own path, and that is a good thing here. Less is more.
It is primarily in first-person for the two main characters, which is normally a NO for me as I find first person weird, but the characters in Bitter Angels are well written and their inner thoughts aren't trash or poorly communicated. I could get behind this kind of first person writing. The book does have some chapters in third person, usually for important side characters, so be aware of that tonal shift.
Anyways, I do recommend you give it a chance. A solid book with some great characters, history, and technology.
I recommend this book if you have an interest in a well-written female lead character. There is no needless sex or romance plots interjected into this novel. The main character is married, and called back into a military unit-esque life she thought she retired from. How will she balance her old life and mannerisms with her new emotional state? Will she be able to return to her husband, or will her old life draw her back in? Read to find out!
The characters feel grounded, behaving how you expect them to behave. They show great signs of knowledge, but lack wisdom in applying said knowledge in social interactions. They have history; lots of trauma, countless ruthless oppressors, and showing ones true feelings can absolutely be used against you. As such, the characters have slow development, which is quite refreshing. They don't turn on a dime and become polar opposite in their identity. It is a slow burn, change has many layers of history and trauma to tear away for our characters developement.
The book has a pretty good story line. There were not many times that I felt my mind losing focus, or wanting to skip whole sections to "get back on track" to the real story. The main flaw the book has is its ending. It is abrupt, and leaves many small questions unanswered. From a readers standpoint, that was a bummer. But, the author did accomplish the story well. A few twists, but honestly it just keeps on its own path, and that is a good thing here. Less is more.
It is primarily in first-person for the two main characters, which is normally a NO for me as I find first person weird, but the characters in Bitter Angels are well written and their inner thoughts aren't trash or poorly communicated. I could get behind this kind of first person writing. The book does have some chapters in third person, usually for important side characters, so be aware of that tonal shift.
Anyways, I do recommend you give it a chance. A solid book with some great characters, history, and technology.
September 1, 2022
Bitter Angels had a pretty good start, but a messy progression and lukewarm finish.
I have my own blog now, so please do give it a visit if you're interested in my other reviews :)
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Books set in space are a bit of a problem for me, as they are usually not very fun. I've been doing my best to read a few more this past few years, but only a Andy Weir was a hit and more recently Adrien Tchaikovsky. I still have not thrown in the towel and will be trying to read more, but I'm not always successful in finding titles.
The most recent title was Bitter Angels. It had a very interesting start with a futuristic take on it, more so than being set in space itself. Which in turn, is usually very good news for me. That being said, I found that initial interest in the book with everything it had to offer to dissipate a little by the middle part and then sort of completely disappear by the end.
And thinking about it a little more, makes me believe its due to the scope of the book in comparison to its length.
When so much time is spent world building (which is something I love), even in a more info-dump kind of way as this one had, it leaves less time for a more cohesive story to be told. And if there are many point of view characters, some who appear later on, it leaves it with even less time to be brought together.
Bitter Angels tried to do all of this, and I don't believe that it was a very successful attempt. Main reason being, how incredibly messy it felt by the end. Motives revealed, lineages, attempts at convincing, a take down so to speak and character fates were all mushed together in the last quarter of the already short book.
A film or a visual adaptation would probably make it easier to digest all of this, while making it way more entertaining in comparison.
The most disappointing aspect of this journey however, is that its got a good idea and a very interesting world to explore with the usual themes of human greed. But, not having the bigger page count didn't do it any favours in portraying it in a way, that made all of these shine.
I have my own blog now, so please do give it a visit if you're interested in my other reviews :)
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Books set in space are a bit of a problem for me, as they are usually not very fun. I've been doing my best to read a few more this past few years, but only a Andy Weir was a hit and more recently Adrien Tchaikovsky. I still have not thrown in the towel and will be trying to read more, but I'm not always successful in finding titles.
The most recent title was Bitter Angels. It had a very interesting start with a futuristic take on it, more so than being set in space itself. Which in turn, is usually very good news for me. That being said, I found that initial interest in the book with everything it had to offer to dissipate a little by the middle part and then sort of completely disappear by the end.
And thinking about it a little more, makes me believe its due to the scope of the book in comparison to its length.
When so much time is spent world building (which is something I love), even in a more info-dump kind of way as this one had, it leaves less time for a more cohesive story to be told. And if there are many point of view characters, some who appear later on, it leaves it with even less time to be brought together.
Bitter Angels tried to do all of this, and I don't believe that it was a very successful attempt. Main reason being, how incredibly messy it felt by the end. Motives revealed, lineages, attempts at convincing, a take down so to speak and character fates were all mushed together in the last quarter of the already short book.
A film or a visual adaptation would probably make it easier to digest all of this, while making it way more entertaining in comparison.
The most disappointing aspect of this journey however, is that its got a good idea and a very interesting world to explore with the usual themes of human greed. But, not having the bigger page count didn't do it any favours in portraying it in a way, that made all of these shine.
August 14, 2018
Bitter Angels opens when a woman suffering from severe PTSD after being tortured as a prisoner of war is called back to active service to investigate the death of her mentor by a sort of interplanetary secret service called the Guardians. The story is set in a future where medical science has achieved human immortality, but access to it is heavily restricted. It is also possible to have an AI chip implanted in your brain that provides you with lifelong companion that only you can see and hear. It is a future where colony world populations exist as indentured slaves working to pay off debts for water and air that can never be paid off.
The plot of Bitter Angels involves a series of extremely byzantine plots and the main characters' attempts to unravel them while be continuously manipulated by the powers trying to keep their secrets. I cannot attempt to describe the plot without spoiling it, but suffice to say it is genuinely interesting and kept me guessing right up to the last chapters.
The plot of Bitter Angels involves a series of extremely byzantine plots and the main characters' attempts to unravel them while be continuously manipulated by the powers trying to keep their secrets. I cannot attempt to describe the plot without spoiling it, but suffice to say it is genuinely interesting and kept me guessing right up to the last chapters.
October 20, 2021
I loved listening to the audible version of this story. It's a dark gritty universe with interesting characters and fascinating story cultures shaping it and a mystery that is part murder and part political. While it wasn't hard to figure out, the actual actions that take place leading to Bianca's death unfold in the way of all good yarns. It does make me wonder who she might have been in life before all of this took place. I'm also curious as to what happens to Amerand and Kappa now, will they ever cross paths again? Also Siri and Vijay, as well as Terese and her family. Does she keep working now that she's sworn an oath again? What of her and David, now that she's immortal again? I also find it interesting seeing the idea that immortality can be licensed like a pharmaceutical (or at least it seems it can be) and have to wonder what the qualifiers are in Pax Solara? Also what happens to that system after everything turns to chaos? I really hope Ms. Zettle/Anderson writes more stories in this story universe.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2018
I really enjoyed this one a lot. The plot was intriguing and the characters interesting to follow. I like the fact that the science was not overly explained. If you're looking for 'hard' science fiction this one is not for you, but if you're more interested in story with the SciFi bits woven in rather than being the main focus then I definitely recommend Bitter Angels.
April 28, 2019
https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3187876.html
Gritty complex far-future espionage story, whose heroine is recalled from retirement with her young family to investigate the disappearance of an old frenemy. I found it all a bit too complex and the characters not all that attractive. I know some people liked it more than me.
Gritty complex far-future espionage story, whose heroine is recalled from retirement with her young family to investigate the disappearance of an old frenemy. I found it all a bit too complex and the characters not all that attractive. I know some people liked it more than me.
October 10, 2017
I actually liked this quite a bit. There are some moments that don't make sense except that the plot needed them, but otherwise it's a pretty solid space opera.
May 4, 2020
I found it confusing and unengaging.
August 18, 2021
Intrigue and politics with interesting characters. Intriguing SF world-building
January 18, 2023
Above average light space-opera/thriller
Unsure why it won Philip K Dick Award, because it is fairly standard formula for the genre.
Unsure why it won Philip K Dick Award, because it is fairly standard formula for the genre.
October 5, 2017
**Spoiler alert- Don't read this if you don't like spoilers. This is not a review. I write these summaries just to keep track of what I have read. ***
Just started it. Got it because I love everything Sarah Zettel has written and when I found out she wrote also under a different name I decided to try it out. It is a complicated story- I had to outline the various worlds and governments/powers and their "staff" to start to make sense of it all.
I wold love to read a sequel of this universe- the layering of who was in power, how did they hold power, who was oppressed, who could do what, was all very intriguing. It all held my interest. This book was darker in a way, than the science fiction I have read by Zettel, and I believe I have read all of her books. The slavery and human bondage and experimentation was the dark part, as well as the hopelessness of the characters trapped by their families being held as hostages to ensure proper behavior and obedience. The torture/experimentation was only alluded to, but the way it pervaded the power structure was also what made this dark.
Just started it. Got it because I love everything Sarah Zettel has written and when I found out she wrote also under a different name I decided to try it out. It is a complicated story- I had to outline the various worlds and governments/powers and their "staff" to start to make sense of it all.
I wold love to read a sequel of this universe- the layering of who was in power, how did they hold power, who was oppressed, who could do what, was all very intriguing. It all held my interest. This book was darker in a way, than the science fiction I have read by Zettel, and I believe I have read all of her books. The slavery and human bondage and experimentation was the dark part, as well as the hopelessness of the characters trapped by their families being held as hostages to ensure proper behavior and obedience. The torture/experimentation was only alluded to, but the way it pervaded the power structure was also what made this dark.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 15, 2017
It's been a long time since I have read a book like this. All the unknown challenged me and made it hard to read, but I liked it.
January 7, 2013
How humans react if their lifespan turns into the centuries, instead of decades, brings up one issue that's been close to my mind over the last few years, will the rich behave more differently with that power than the rest, and would they share such treatments? Although Anderson wrote this book before the 1% protests started, there are some disturbingly familiar trends that resonant with the current political system and world. For example, in the Erasmus system, the only way to get your children a chance of position or an education, is to indenture yourself (an old habit which goes back to at least the 12th Century in the UK). i.e. You're effectively a slave, particularly if the debt your family (and yourself) owe continues to increase with limited chance of paying it back (the New York Times reported a few days ago that families whose student debt-ridden kids died before they could pay it back, have been left with the bill, and with no hope of clearing the debt through bankruptcy). How can a limited few maintain control over a larger population? One answer, as seen with East Germany, is to make people believe that they can trust no one.
Walking into the Erasmus system is Terese Drajeske, a retired solar system cop who has been called back to service to discover why her friend died, and what is really going on in the internal politics of the system.
I'm not going to spoil the story. The characterization is a bit weak and the book is given from the viewpoint of four of the main players (I'm not sure how effective that was as an device). I also question how easy it would be to have such a supercop maintain galactic order, but on the whole it was an interesting book to read simply because it does mirror some trends we prefer not to think about. Not a great book, but once again highlights that some of the best restraints are the ones you can't see.
Walking into the Erasmus system is Terese Drajeske, a retired solar system cop who has been called back to service to discover why her friend died, and what is really going on in the internal politics of the system.
I'm not going to spoil the story. The characterization is a bit weak and the book is given from the viewpoint of four of the main players (I'm not sure how effective that was as an device). I also question how easy it would be to have such a supercop maintain galactic order, but on the whole it was an interesting book to read simply because it does mirror some trends we prefer not to think about. Not a great book, but once again highlights that some of the best restraints are the ones you can't see.
April 26, 2014
Five stars, oh my yes. Normally I have little tolerance for character driven fiction (I'm in it for the action), but I have never read anything before in which the the balance between building a credible, clever, complicated plot and filling out the castmembers' back stories in ways that actually made me care about their mates, children and families is so steady. Even with two first person narrators switching off chapters (along with a few third person povs) I never felt cut off from a plotline too soon. And the mystery was so well articulated, then revealed bit by bit, that I had no idea of where things would go next until the author kindly filled me in. Solid A.
And just to illustrate the level of the writing:
"Chicago is the Second City, a fact that has never ceased to annoy it. Ever the younger sibling, it has exulted in being boisterous, unruly, and proud of itself even in defeat. During the Great Lakes wars, it neither walled itself off like Toronto, nor changed sides multiple times like Detroit."
"I had seen not only honest action but the fiery joy in it. It was freedom."
(at a very large party) "He skirted past the children, who were, of course, finding their own amusements around and between the adults and in general ignoring the ones created for them."
And just to illustrate the level of the writing:
"Chicago is the Second City, a fact that has never ceased to annoy it. Ever the younger sibling, it has exulted in being boisterous, unruly, and proud of itself even in defeat. During the Great Lakes wars, it neither walled itself off like Toronto, nor changed sides multiple times like Detroit."
"I had seen not only honest action but the fiery joy in it. It was freedom."
(at a very large party) "He skirted past the children, who were, of course, finding their own amusements around and between the adults and in general ignoring the ones created for them."
August 11, 2009
This is the return to sf by a well known author (real name is on the inside cover but would not spoil it - suffice to say that I liked her two mid 90's sf novels but never cared about the fantasy)
It starts great but then it wastes good writing and potentially interesting characters and setting; I finished it and read it reasonably carefully so I would give it 3 stars but I would not check out another book in this universe and with these characters though I would not mind another sf by the author as long as is set in a different universe
There are two major problems - after a tight beginning the novel starts scattering, while the more I learned about its universe the less I could suspend disbelief; also the moons on which the action mostly happens never feel truly real, while the little that happens on ships and in space is just great and shows how good the novel could have been
It starts great but then it wastes good writing and potentially interesting characters and setting; I finished it and read it reasonably carefully so I would give it 3 stars but I would not check out another book in this universe and with these characters though I would not mind another sf by the author as long as is set in a different universe
There are two major problems - after a tight beginning the novel starts scattering, while the more I learned about its universe the less I could suspend disbelief; also the moons on which the action mostly happens never feel truly real, while the little that happens on ships and in space is just great and shows how good the novel could have been
July 15, 2014
While I did enjoy the story, I had a hard time putting everything together in a way that made sense. Many things become more apparent by the end of the book but are confusing as you read along. Some of the diologue I had to re-read several times. It wasn't always immediately apparent if a Companion was speaking in one of the character's heads or if it was another character. I like the idea of a murder mystery but the plot moved along a little too slowly with not much action. I also would have prefferred less viewpoints and more of the main character. I felt there could have been more depth to the main characters. Having said that, I still liked the story, especially the end of the book where things suddenly made sense. Now that these characters are out there, it would be great to read more about them in future books.
April 28, 2015
Fortunately for me, I had a professional reader overcome the difficulties of the novel's narative structure. Digital Talking Books for the win! I enjoyed the story well enough, but much of the science in this sci-fi novel are given only cursory mention. Explaining the technology involved in a system critical to the main character's survival as "are people are good at materials" falls short of what I demand from sci-fi authors. Sure, when science evolves to a level an order above common comprehension it appears to us like magic, but that far a leap lands the characters in a less satisfying fantasy universe. As an author's attempt to play in a far different sandbox than they are accustomed, this was a fair result, however, the same story might have been better told in a fantasy setting.
December 9, 2015
Here I found a moving story with real characters in a gritty setting. All of the characters have flaws and they make mistakes. Lots of them. There is a mystery underneath all of it, one which unwinds from multiple points of view. It takes a bit to get in the flow of the narrative. There are two first person accounts, then third person accounts for supporting roles. Once in, it makes sense and I found myself wanting to get on the other side of an event to understand if the meaning was conveyed correctly.
To my dismay, this is the only book under the C.L. Anderson pseudonym. Sarah Zettel writes mainly fantasy, with _Bitter Angels_ seemingly her single entry into Science Fiction. It would have been fun to continue through the worlds she has created.
To my dismay, this is the only book under the C.L. Anderson pseudonym. Sarah Zettel writes mainly fantasy, with _Bitter Angels_ seemingly her single entry into Science Fiction. It would have been fun to continue through the worlds she has created.
September 22, 2009
Well, so far, it's astonishing how much her "World without war" sensibilities look just like the Cold War. And how much the insulated populace who have trouble grasping the terrible things the peacemakers protect them from and have to do themselves to accomplish that protection remind me of the American public over the last 50 years.
It didn't get better, it got worse. The author clings desperately to the idea that you can defeat terrorists, criminals and whatever you call those who murder for personal gain without taking life. It makes sense that she would do so, it was her 'theme' She didn't manage to make it work for me.
It didn't get better, it got worse. The author clings desperately to the idea that you can defeat terrorists, criminals and whatever you call those who murder for personal gain without taking life. It makes sense that she would do so, it was her 'theme' She didn't manage to make it work for me.
March 20, 2010
When the retired Guardian Terese Drajeske is called back to stop a war in the failing Erasmus System, she goes back with a heavy heart. Her long time friend and Guardian companion is dead and returning to this life means turning her back on her husband and family.
This story is threaded with complex connections, manipulations and dead-ends, but the driving force is the characters. Each has their own individual struggle, their own reasons for making the choices they do and C.L. Anderson doesn't make it easy on them.
A fantastic read, especially since I don't usually pick up science fiction. If you like a strong story and compelling characters, I recommend giving this one a try.
This story is threaded with complex connections, manipulations and dead-ends, but the driving force is the characters. Each has their own individual struggle, their own reasons for making the choices they do and C.L. Anderson doesn't make it easy on them.
A fantastic read, especially since I don't usually pick up science fiction. If you like a strong story and compelling characters, I recommend giving this one a try.
August 1, 2010
Ah, the beginning of a string of (rare) 5-star books. But I finished it a month ago, so a fairly generic review:
_Bitter Angels_ is the first book by Sarah Zettel published under the pseudomym C.L. Anderson. I've enjoyed her books, but feel that this one is a step above the others. While her writing has always been a pleasure to read, this book took the _story_ up several levels. This story was mature in ways that the others didn't reach.
A book gets five stars for me when (a) I have a hard time putting it down and neglect children and sleep to read it *and* (b) I finish the last page I really want to go back to page one and start again. This book did both.
_Bitter Angels_ is the first book by Sarah Zettel published under the pseudomym C.L. Anderson. I've enjoyed her books, but feel that this one is a step above the others. While her writing has always been a pleasure to read, this book took the _story_ up several levels. This story was mature in ways that the others didn't reach.
A book gets five stars for me when (a) I have a hard time putting it down and neglect children and sleep to read it *and* (b) I finish the last page I really want to go back to page one and start again. This book did both.
November 10, 2010
A complex plot, well-written characters and a really interesting universe make this a satisfying read.
Terese Drajeske is a retired member of an intergalactic spy organization and a mother of three who thought she left all the intrigue behind when she retired to a home on Lake Superior. Instead, she's dragged back in to the thick of things when her mentor Bianca Fayette is killed mysteriously (especially since she was supposed to be immortal)in an out-of-the-way colony called the Erasmus system.
I don't usually read science fiction except on the recommendation of others, but this was well worth the effort it took to understand the science and the ways of a wholly different universe.
Terese Drajeske is a retired member of an intergalactic spy organization and a mother of three who thought she left all the intrigue behind when she retired to a home on Lake Superior. Instead, she's dragged back in to the thick of things when her mentor Bianca Fayette is killed mysteriously (especially since she was supposed to be immortal)in an out-of-the-way colony called the Erasmus system.
I don't usually read science fiction except on the recommendation of others, but this was well worth the effort it took to understand the science and the ways of a wholly different universe.
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