Daughter of Elysium

Following a couple centuries after "A Door into Ocean", "Daughter of Elysium" revisits the planet Shora, home of the ocean-dwelling Sharers and the city-dwelling Elysians. Raincloud Windclan came to Elysium accompanied by her family to help avert a war. Her scientist husband was invited to assist in delving into the secrets of Elysians' longevity and in solving the Elysians' inability to bear children. The technologically superior Elysians live a pleasurable existence surrounded by their robot servants, who are slowly gaining sentience despite various precautions. In this epic sci fi tale, various threads entwine and produce a glorious and compelling exploration into compassion and humanity that fascinates as it entertains. Slonczewski deftly portrays the complex nuances of the bevy of characters, leading readers to explore their own human natures and giving us much to ponder.

Slonczewski does a fantastic job of creating different cultures in this novel. Many SF novels suffer from poorly thought out cultures; a particular problem is that of monoculture, when the various cultures presented in the book have only superficial differences. Ms. Slonczewski avoids that completely. There are, by my count, four main cultures in this book: the ageless Elysians, the Clickers from Bronze Sky, the Urulites, and the Sharers. There are also several other cultures which play a less important part in the book.Each of these cultures is completely distinct from the others, with regard not only to manners, customs, and dress, but also some of their fundamental assumptions about how human society should be organized. The interplay between members of these cultures -- their conversations, arguments, and differing opinions -- bring to life a novel which might otherwise have been tedious. Excellent reading!

I am not a big fan of sci-fi books (mainly secluded to Kurt Vonnegut), but this book was engrossing. It wasn't a great literary feat, but it kept me interested. It is good FICTION.

I think syoung summarizes the situation well. This book is not the equal of A Door Into Ocean, which is simply astonishing. However, it's better than 90f all the sf out there, and all the "mainstream" fiction, as well. I particularly admire the author's willingness to tackle the biggest issues, and her thoughtful consideration of them.

For anyone who has read Joan Slonczewski's "A Door Into Ocean", finding another book by the same author is extremely exciting. The reader, however, is in for a few minor shocks if he/she actually reads this next book. First of all, don't expect a sequel to the sci-fi classic "A Door Into Ocean". Daughter of Elysium takes place long, long, LONG after "A Door Into Ocean". There is a whole new dimension added to the already complex Shora, as a civilization of beings which never grow old has settled on the ocean moon and is coexisting peacefully with the Shorans. If you're wanting more of the Shorans themselves, this book is only sometimes for you -- the text is interwoven with some "ancient" Shoran history, namely what happens after the end of "A Door Into Ocean". On the whole, both the history and the new plots are intriguing and well-written. It's the kind of book that you can't put down -- as much as for its own greatness as for that of the one which came before it. It's a must-read, but don't expect it to be QUITE as dazzling as "A Door Into Ocean"