DBS: Is anyone else having a hard time getting started?

[Joseph]

I for one love this book unreservedly. But I can see why it might not be to everyone's tastes; and if you don't like it, then Cherryh may not be for you -- I think this is pretty representative of her writing style, at least in terms of the sentence structure, etc.

[David(LA,CA)]

Still with it. Have gotten to a point where something big is happening in the story. And I'm still having moments of "wait... when did we switch to this pov character?"

[Rich]

It's kind of like she's making me dinner, but first she's building a new kitchen in which to cook the dinner. I'm looking forward to eating, but the construction is taking a hell of a long time.

[Otto]

I very much enjoyed the introduction (I'm a sucker for well-written histories of imaginary worlds), but have had a little trouble feeling a connection to the characters. Almost finished with chapter 3 (part 2 (such annoying naming scheme)) and I'm just getting a solid sense of who everyone is.

[David Sven]

Andrew wrote: "I very much enjoyed the introduction (I'm a sucker for well-written histories of imaginary worlds), but have had a little trouble feeling a connection to the characters. Almost finished with chapte..."

Exactly how I feel. I've decided to give it till at least half way though because it feels like it has potential.

[Robin]

AndrewP wrote: "Like several people have said, it picks up about half way through. Seems to me that you need to read the first bit about the refugees, the last two chapters of book 2 and then start at book 3. The ..."

Free jazz is a great description. I've only finished chapter 1 and I felt like I was all over the place. Fortunately I read the introduction which helped me to understand what she was trying to accomplish. It does help to sit in a quiet place undisturbed to give it 100% focus. I'm wonder how she is going to address the whole Union making clones thing.

[Derek]

I'm beginning to warm to it somewhat now that all of that expository world building is finally over. Once the story properly starts, I find that there's a lot of jumping around to various POVs, and it can be hard to keep track of a large cast of characters. But as has been stated, that's very GRRM, and not at all a bad thing.

[Joseph]

Robin wrote: "I'm wonder how she is going to address the whole Union making clones thing.
..."

If you really want to know about the azi (the clones; I'm not sure if that term is even used in Downbelow Station), then you might want to check out Cyteen or Forty Thousand in Gehenna.

[Paul]

For me it's not the world-building or the history. It's certainly not the multiple POVs - I read and loved Game of Thrones. It's the language. I don't know what it is but something about the way she structures sentences short-circuits my brain and causes me to have to re-read them a couple of times.

[Otto]

LatePaul wrote: "For me it's not the world-building or the history. It's certainly not the multiple POVs - I read and loved Game of Thrones. It's the language. I don't know what it is but something about the way sh..."

I'm not feeling that with this story, but I have with others.

Pace feels bit slow at the moment, but I keep hoping for more action (not just reports of action happening elsewhere) soon...

[Mike]

I picked up a paperback version at a used book store on the weekend, so I'm only about 80 pages in, but I am enjoying it so far. This is the first book by Cherryh that I have read, and I haven't had any trouble at all so far with the writing style.

I am looking forward to seeing where the story goes.

[Sandi]

This thread had me really worried. However, neither the narrator nor the book are as bad as I was expecting. The narrator isn't the best I've heard, but he's far from the worst. I finished the first third this afternoon. I'm managing to keep track of the various story lines and I think I've got the primary characters down.

My biggest problem with the audiobook is technical. If I listen to something else or update my iPod, it loses my place. Every. Single. Time. It's not that easy to figure out where I left off.

[Joe]

Derek wrote: "I tried to get a jump start on this one when it was announced, and began the Audible audiobook version. Usually when I start a new audiobook, it consumes my commute, but I'm having such a hard time..."

I couldn't agree more and I too am listening to the Audible version. I think the narrator is truly awful but I think the book itself has, so far, (about a third of the way in) done absolutely nothing to grab my attention. I've read almost every Hugo winning novel in history, this was one of the last on my list, and I can't see how this thing won the Hugo in 1982. It beat Gene Wolfe's Claw of the Conciliator and three other novels I haven't read (Julian May's The Many Colored Land, Clifford Simak's Project Pope, and John Cfrowley's Little, Big. Thus far this is the single most boring SF book I've EVER read. I'm so disappointed. I'm a completionist though so I will tough it out and read it to the end and reserve judgement until then.Not looking good though. PS - I think it's MORE boring than Foundation series but I tend to give that series some slack since it's so far back in the, almost pre-history, of classic SF.

[Joe]

Julie wrote: "I'm reading the paperback version and I'm not enjoying it at all. Her sentences are so abrupt and it just doesn't flow for me, and I feel absolutely nothing for the characters so far. Pretty sure I..."

In principle I agree with your philosophy but make an exception for Hugo winning novels under the (sometime) mistaken belief that there must be something of value there. So far this book is awful and I'm unlikely to ever attempt anymore C J Cherryh. Once bitten...

[Candida]

This reminds me more of Dune than Foundation because I loved the whole Foundation series, but I think I only got through the first Dune book. I'm finding I'm having a hard time getting into this book as I did with Dune, even though I really liked Dune (especially once I listened to it on CD while I was working an overnight baking shift many years ago).

I'm only half way through the second chapter of Downbelow Sation, and I fell asleep reading it last night. I don't really feel like I have to understand the entirety of what's going on as long I can figure out the plot in general. The details will start making sense later. Like when I watch a movie and people I'm with are all like "What's going on?" and I'm like "Don't worry about it, I'm sure it will make sense in the end." I guess I haven't gotten into it enough to get a feel for that yet. Also, I don't really like the war aspect of it. And the book I got from the library is really dusty and smells kind of off. So there's that. I'm not going to give up just yet, though.

[Thane]

Joseph wrote: "Jenny wrote: "The only copy I found was mass market paperback and the yellowed pages don't scream "read me!".... Maybe today."

The only copy I found was the mass market paperback I purchased somet..."

Joseph wrote: "Jenny wrote: "The only copy I found was mass market paperback and the yellowed pages don't scream "read me!".... Maybe today."

The only copy I found was the mass market paperback I purchased somet..."

You guys beat me too it. Merchanter's Luck is a great read, and pretty short! I'd actually recommend reading this first, especially if you're having trouble getting into Downbelow.

[Guillermo]

Rob wrote: "My Google-fu is strong today.

Pell schematic: http://bothelungfish.com/shejidan/dow...

Norway schematic: http://bothelungfish.com/shejidan/nor...

Source: http://shejidanacherryhpit...."

Thanks for those links, Rob. I really appreciate it.

[AndrewP]

Even though I am 400 pages in, if I read 'dumping velocity' or 'dumping speed' one more time I am going to lem this one.

[Walter]

I'm definitely drifting as a read. Maybe this is just me, but the writing style feels strange. I keep having to read sentences more than once. I'm only 40 pages in, but I already feel overwhelmed.

[James]

Gotta say that while it was difficult at first once I got past book 1and figured out who all the characters were Im really starting to like it. It feels so much like song of ice and fire where it's hard for me to keep all the stories straight but there are a couple povs I really love that make me want to keep reading.

[W.R.]

From skimming over these messages, it looks like I am not the only person struggling with the start of the book. I'm 80 pages in (just about through book one) and, while I can follow everything going on just fine, I'm having trouble caring.

This is really surprising as Cherryh usually sucks me down and doesn't release me until the book is done. I absolutely loved the Chanur Saga and the Foreigner books. I shall keep slogging on then!

[Marick]

David(LA,CA) wrote: "Still with it. Have gotten to a point where something big is happening in the story. And I'm still having moments of "wait... when did we switch to this pov character?""

That is exactly what I thought today! I had a hard time getting through the first 40 pages. The layout of the stations and all the characters was a bit of a quagmire at first, which surprised me because I don't normally have trouble navigating "new worlds:. I think that it took some time getting used to Cherryh's writing style.

[Robert of Dale]

I'm at page 80, and am now hooked. After reading the first few chapters, I looked at LatePauls post here: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1..., and wrote everything of relevance on a note-card (I'm reading the paper book, so I use note cards as bookmarks for keeping up with stuff like this). It's helpful to keep a section for the Konstantin family and for Jon Lukas and his family/allies.

I refer to and amend that card as I go, and it's starting crystalize my understanding of the plot, and the peril of Pell (by way of the Konstantin viewpoint) and Downbelow.

It took me a bit and a little cheating, but I think it's going to be worth the early efforts to familiarize myself with the cast.

[David(LA,CA)]

Robert of Dale wrote: "I'm at page 80, and am now hooked. After reading the first few chapters, I looked at LatePauls post here: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1..., and wro..."

At which point, I feel like I've moved from reading something for enjoyment to studying something for school credit.

[Victor]

You mean I'm not the only one? Whew! I enjoyed The Old Man's War so much that I was really looking forward to this one. Oh well, I've learned not to force myself into reading something that doesn't readily capture me. I'm going to put this book aside and wait for the next book.

[Susan]

Interesting to hear how many of you had a hard time in the beginning. As the owner of virtually everything CJ has ever written I was all - wow! But I remember back to the very first novel of Cherryh's I picked up and I did find the sentence structure hard going. Then it clicked and she's had me hooked ever since. I adore the way she builds up the impetous through her writing. How she can make you hate or love a character because they become so real within the story.
Yes, it does take time, but I prefer to get my teeth into something like this that makes me think and care. Personal preference, of course, but I really feel her novels are worth it.

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

I loved this book and when I review it, I'm giving it five stars. I wish I could give it ten.

I'm glad I read it and did not listen to it. The audio version seems to be destroying some listeners' enjoyment because of the voices reading the book. Others are being impacted by the dense, complicated story which is harder to follow with the audio version.

The first chapter was so dry I almost quit reading, because I thought the plot typical of a complex military science fiction, which I'm not usually a fan of, but I am really liking this.

[AndrewP]

I didn't have a hard time getting started, but I'm sure having a hard time finishing :)

[Derek]

The audio version and I just couldn't get along. I think I've found a style of writing that just doesn't lend itself well to narration. The world building was tedious and Cherryh's version of a POV style just didn't work for me. In the end, I decided that life was too short and will hope for a better selection to come from Mr. Merritt next time. #Lemmed

[Robyn]

AndrewP wrote: "I didn't have a hard time getting started, but I'm sure having a hard time finishing :)"

Same here. Which is odd, since I'm enjoying the story and, overall, loving the book.

It seems to be one of those mismatches, when the time is just not right to read this book.

I had this problem with a few books before, specially God Emperor of Dune. I remember starting it 4 times and eventually putting it aside, until I eventually read it to the end in pretty much one sitting, on my 5th attempt.

[Candice]

Phew! I was getting a bit worried, but I'm about 1/3 of the way through and finally getting into it!

[Firstname]

Joseph wrote: "Robin wrote: "I'm wonder how she is going to address the whole Union making clones thing.
..."

If you really want to know about the azi (the clones; I'm not sure if that term is even used in Down..."

Forty Thousand in Gehenna was GREAT and what keeps me trying to read Cherryh.