DBS: Is there a main character in this book?

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

I perhaps made the wrong choice in picking the audio version of this book (it seemed tricky and/or expensive to get hold of otherwise) since I'm finding it quite difficult to keep track of things. I'm enjoying it as an interesting splash of colour - there is a nice atmosphere and a sense of events unfolding - but I'm on the 6th chapter now, and I can't feel any connection to any of the characters. Whose story is this? Is anyone else feeling the same way, or am I just missing the obvious? I know there was a woman mentioned somewhere in the second chapter, I think, but I didn't catch her name of get much of a sense of her.

[Sean]

There really aren't that many more POV characters than A Song of Ice and Fire -- the three main Konstantins, Talley, Ayers, Kressich, Lukas, Mallory and Satin. All are main characters.

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

...Okay...but in A Song of Ice and Fire, I always knew which point of view I was following, and they each had a specific voice. I'm not sure I've met many of the characters you mention above except for the Konstantins, but I didn't think we were following any of those, just looking at them. As I say, a lot is probably because I'm listening, and I find it hard to keep track of names etc, but the novel does seem to drift - or am I wrong about that? >.< Like I say, I'm not dis-liking, just unclear.

[P. Aaron]

Ruth wrote: "...Okay...but in A Song of Ice and Fire, I always knew which point of view I was following, and they each had a specific voice...."

Until that voice got muffled, permanently, in some hideous death. I'm thinking of sitting out the rest of SoIaF until the final book, read that one to see who lives, then go back and read through, knowing where I can safely deposit my empathy.

I hates me the feeling that the axe may fall on any of these characters, at any time. I've been manful and resisted spoilers so far, but from prior reading of Cherryh I know she's not shy about wiping out even major POV characters. My Whedonsense is tingling.

[Gary]

Whoa, someone call the cops, this thread just got hijacked! ;)

[David Sven]

P. Aaron wrote: "I hates me the feeling that the axe may fall on any of these characters, at any time."

I'm more worried about who will pop back up again! Imagine reading the end of the last book and "WHAT! They are all supposed to be DEAD!"

[Timm]

I feel like the storytelling style of this book definitely bears comparison to Song of Ice and Fire (so not a total hijack! ;) ). Lots of difference stories, forming a web of political intrigue. And like Game of Thrones, there is no main character-- you could argue it's a book about a world, or a history, but not a particular person. Same goes for Downbelow Station. It seems that the Station itself-- the central hub of all of these characters-- is the main character, in some sense.

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

Okay...but I'm still unclear who I was following throughout the first 6 chapters of the book. I don't know if it was the same person, or more than one person... Sean mentioned some pov characters...I just don't know which, if any, I've been following. Ha, maybe I should just read the page on wiki like Tom suggested. Or try listening more closely. lol Ah, but it's hard to focus when I don't know who or what or where I am. I really should have tried to get hold of a physical copy and not audio.

[Rob, Roberator]

I'm reading it vs. listening to it. I had similar feelings as you at the start, but by the end of Book 1 I feel connections to some of the characters.

[bookthump]

It is a shame that the audio version seems to be causing so many problems for people. I am reading the book and it is very clear who the POV character is at the beginning of each chapter. Each main character is very distinct, but as others have said in other threads, this book takes some concentration. This is not going to be a fluffy quick read you can listen to while doing housework.

[Paul]

Definitely not the same person.

The following are based on my paper copy of the book. I'm not sure how the chapters relate to the audio version:
(view spoiler)[Chapter 1 is an overview of 300 years of history leading up to the time the book is set (2352/3). There's no character voice here.

Chapter 2(i) is from the POV of Signy Mallory captain of the Norway which is a ship in the Earth Company Fleet. Although they technically work for the Company the Fleet tends to act independently as Mallory's actions here show.

2(ii) is Damon Konstantin's POV. He's the Legal Affairs officer on the space station Pell.

2(iii) is Mallory again, though Damon is involved. These two sections are about the arrival of refugees from a station attacked and destroyed by the Union which Mallory is handing over to Pell in the form of Damon Konstantin.

3(i) is Damon again and introduces his brother Emilio.

3(ii) is Vassilly Kressich one of the refugees arriving in Q (the quarantine area of Pell).

4 is Mallory again. It introduces Segust Ayres, a Company man who is requesting Mallory transport him to the border with the Union. She gives him short shrift and he has to get a merchant freighter instead.

5 is Angelo Konstantin - Damon's father and in charge of Pell station. He's dealing with a new arrival amongst the refugees - Joshua Talley, a Unioner who is requesting Adjustment.

6(i) is set on Downbelow itself (i.e. Pell the planet) and is from the POV of Jon Lukas, head of the Lukas company (not to be confused with the Earth Company, usually just "The Company") which handles some of the construction on the planet.

6(ii) concerns a meeting between Damon and Talley. Take your pick as to which you consider POV (Damon I'd say)

6(iii) is Kressich. Here he's approached to become a councillor for Q and in effect the spokesperson for the gang that runs it. (hide spoiler)]

I think I've got that right, but I might have missed some details.

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

LatePaul, THANK YOU!!!! :D I would never have guessed from listening to the audio, as all that skipping around even within the same chapter had me horribly confused. I remember Tally quite clearly, and agree his wasn't the pov we were watching, but I couldn't guess who it was when so many names were mentioned. I'm hoping the skipping will calm a little as the book goes on, but if not, I at least have a better idea of who is who.

[Tad]

Sean wrote: "There really aren't that many more POV characters than A Song of Ice and Fire -- the three main Konstantins, Talley, Ayers, Kressich, Lukas, Mallory and Satin. All are main characters."

You have a really weak narrator. I listened to that version last summer. Compared to Dina Pearlman, who does Cherryh's Chanur novels, he is weak. I always felt that Mallory was the main character. But I think that is my bias.

[Michelle]

I'm going to get artsy here. Pell is the main character. o.O

While I mean that both seriously and as a joke, I don't think I have a connection more with one character vs. another and I don't think you're meant to have one. I do have certain POVs I enjoy a lot more than others (Satin and Emilio are awesome). I do find myself even reading a physical copy that I sometimes have to look back to remember who I am reading about, like Damon vs. Angelo. I guess that's a luxury to be had by reading vs. listening?

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

Having read a little further now, I do agree that Pell is the main character, and focus point of the story. The story is best, I find, when it is giving background information about Pell and current circumstances. However, I still seem to have trouble knowing who's point of view I am piggybacking at any point in the story, so I find it very difficult to care most of the time. I recognise the Hisa, if only for the awful voices on the audio, and I know Tally and Damon (though if Damon is ever seen without Tally, or at least without mentioning him, I'll probably mix him up with all the other Konstantins, because they seem to be pretty much the same person). That leaves me with a bulk of the book that I just can't seem to follow.

And yes Michelle, I definitely wish this book had been easier to get hold of in print, then I could have simply flipped back to find out who's who with more ease. :)

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

I think Pell is the main character as well, but I am concerned about most of the 'good' protagonists in their welfare and survival. These people are alive to me - at least while I'm submerged inside the book. (I want to be comforted by a Hisa).

I love audiobooks, but I think this book would be a nightmare to listen to. I think it would be a problem as well if you started it and then put it down for a couple of days. When I've made a mistake in listening to a densely plotted book instead of reading, I take written notes, guessing at spellings, as I go along. It really helped me. I only felt stupid a couple of times doing it, like when my husband asked me what I was doing. ("Why the heck don't you go to the library then?" )

[John]

I am listening to the audio version and have also struggled to get into the story; after a great opening chapter, the following chapters jump about quite a bit and there is quite a slow pace to it.

I don't think this is unique to the audio book version as the story is quite dense and as Daniel has already noted I would struggle if I couldn't concentrate on it.

That having been said about a third of the way through all the threads it had been weaving suddenly merged as it suddenly shifted gear and and the story took off.

I am looking forward to listening to the rest of the story as I am actually caring how it turns out for Pell station and its residents

[W.R.]

Michelle wrote: "I'm going to get artsy here. Pell is the main character."

I 100% agree. The station came off as the main character for me too. It was so richly imagined and coloured by the people and aliens in and around it. In the end, it is the only 'character' that I had any real connection with.

[Christopher]

I find it a bit sad if the station is the only character with whom you could connect, but i also understand. Honestly the station is the only thing that felt real.