I don't give up on books very often, although I frequently set them aside and return to them. Crystal Line, however, appears to be one I'm willing to give up on. It's the third in a series and I haven't read the first two. Normally, I can enter a series in the middle or at the end without trouble. Crystal Line, however, doesn't stand on its own well. There are too many things that I've been trying to understand for 100 pages and I don't want to try to unravel the meaning, anymore. With 200 pages to go and seemingly little happening (although there's a lot of talk about crystal - I'm actually really tired of the word "crystal", at this point), I've decided to abandon the book. If I decide to pick it up, again, and hack through it I'll just post a review, later; but, I think that's unlikely. Instead, I may search for a different McCaffrey title because she's new to me and sci-fi-loving friends highly recommend her.And, about that robot I mentioned in this morning's early post . . . The spouse travels almost every week, as I may have mentioned. Usually, he warns me well in advance and I'm not particularly pleasant about his travel because it's been going on for almost our entire married life (with the exception of our early married days, when we were still at Oklahoma State University). Sometimes, he'll just spring the news on me at the last minute, as in: "Oh, by the way, I'm leaving for Timbuktu, tomorrow."
On Monday, I found out hubby was traveling via a completely different method: robotic phone call. When Delta called to confirm the spouse's first-class upgrade, he was home for lunch. I turned to him, as the robotic voice babbled in my ear, and told him the Delta robot was calling to inform me that he hadn't bothered to tell me he was flying somewhere and where are you going, you shameful husband? With a guilty grin, he told me he was leaving in the morning for Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He has not heard the end of this. When hubby called home, yesterday, I answered the phone, "Delta robot. Your wife is unavailable; please leave a message." Yes, he laughed.It's a good thing my husband and I like each other.
Off to read because the pollen is killing me and otherwise I'd just curl up and sleep off the sneezies . . .
LOL. Thanks for today's chuckle. He should definitely bring you back something nice after that!
ReplyDeleteBTW, I just read the long version of the review and while I still don't have any interest in reading it myself, I did enjoy your review. :)
LOLLL! Very lucky that you both like each other. I would've probably scalped him, but then again it sounds like you're probably used to it.
ReplyDeleteAs far as The Crystal Line goes...you're brave to have attempted it at all. That cover is scary! ;)
The only series I have read by her was the Acorna series and I really liked it. :)
ReplyDeleteNat,
ReplyDeleteI'd mention that hubby should bring me something nice, but I think he's hiding out. He hates Florida and tends to go two miles down the road, grab a quick bite at Wendy's and then bolt the hotel door. LOL
Thanks, glad you liked the long review. :)
Andi,
Hubby got an earful. Yes, I guess I'm used to it but I'm also very, very tired of his travel. For one thing, it means I'm in charge of all the kid routine. I'm so relieved that my kids are older. Just another year or so of ferrying youngest to the pool, etc., and I should be able to go back to school or get a job. Yea!
I'm just glad I didn't spend more than a quarter for Crystal Line. Not my favorite cover, but I thought I'd give her a try. Oh, well, maybe another time. :)
Krista,
You like everything!! I think if there are any more of her books in the library sale, I'll flip through them but I'm in no hurry to try McCaffrey, again. :)
I can't say that I've read anything by McCaffrey. Nothing has seemed too interesting to me.
ReplyDeleteAngela,
ReplyDeleteReally? I'm surprised, you being the Sci-Fi Chick. :) That's nice to know, though. I wondered if I was missing something, but you and I prefer a lot of action and this one just wasn't doing it for me. Nothing seemed to be happening. If you read anything exciting by her, ever, I'll know it and go hunting!
Well there's always the dragons of Pern series, which I read as a teen and loved loved loved!!! Start with DragonSong.
ReplyDeleteAcorna is the unicorn girl books, right?
Great story! He should've replied, though, with "We're not the droids you're looking for." That would've been classic!
ReplyDeleteSorry your allergies are kicking in with the pollen. Too soon for us, although I've had a headache for over a week now. Wait! I think it's gone! Must've been that awesome hour-long massage I had last night.
Diana,
ReplyDeleteI was sitting here saying, "Dragons of Pern, Dragons of Pern," and then I realized that I could just write Dragon Song down instead of trying to memorize. It's so fun being blonde because I can blame all those moments on my hair color. LOL Thanks. I looked and, yes, Acorna is the unicorn girl series. Thank you for the recommendation!
Les,
ReplyDeleteGood one. I know where you recently read that quote! I'll have to peek and see if you've reviewed the book, yet, but I'm betting you haven't if you've been downed by a headache. I'm glad yours is gone. I've got a whopper.
Massage? I'm envious. Kiddo gives me neck massages, though - he's got the touch; not too hard, not to soft.
I like your answer to him when he called - it would drive me crazy to have my husband travelling all the time. Although when he does go every once in a great while, I admit I enjoy the solitude. :)
ReplyDeleteLesley,
ReplyDeleteThe ironic thing about my husband's travel is that we moved to Mississippi because he was traveling too much on his first job (back home). We should have stayed closer to home! I do like not having to listen to the snoring, though. ;)
Yep, I got it from Cooper's book and nope, haven't reviewed it yet (have two reviews in the works). Sorry you have another headache. Mine's been a dull, yet persistent one for quite a few days. The city added extra chlorine to the water to counteract the sediment from the recent snowstorms (never heard of this before!) and I'm beginning to think there might be a correlation. Two friends have mentioned having week-long headaches, too, so it kindof makes you think. Anyhooo, I'm hoping to get those suckers written tonight.
ReplyDeleteLes,
ReplyDeleteExtra chlorine after a major weather thing is pretty common, I think. Hubby's MS is in bio-environmental engineering. It's scary what they have to put water through to make it drinkable, really. I used to have the process memorized because I helped him study. LOL
Sorry about the headache. You don't get migraines, do you? It could be the chlorine, definitely; lots of people are sensitive to chlorine. Sometimes, when it's really strong you can inhale a bit too much from the steam when you shower or bathe. I add bath salts to counteract the sinus pressure that can give me, but I'm a soaker.
I'll be watching for your review!
Crystal Line is just about my least favorite of all of Anne McCaffrey's books--and certainly can't be read without having read the two preceeding books. But Anne McCaffrey in general? Absolutely worth the effort. I've been a fan of hers since high school (so, 20 years now) and have rarely been disappointed . . . except these last few years where she's sort of passed the torch to her much-less-talented son. Don't give up on her, though! But, yeah, leave Killashandra to her misery....
ReplyDeleteOh, and my recommendation, if you care? (grin) Freedom's Landing and that original trilogy is highly enjoyable. (Ignore the extremely mediocre fourth book.) Her Pern dragons are classics, but of course, the first books are among her earliest writing, and not as good as the later ones in the series. Pegasus in Flight/in Space is a favorite of mine, too.... Really, I could keep going....
--Deb
www.chappysmom.com
Deb,
ReplyDeleteThanks, yes, I do appreciate your opinion! I'm hastily scratching titles down. There were times I thought I saw some promise in the writing, but Crystal Line just wasn't going anywhere, IMHO.
Many thanks!