Romance Lovers for the Challenge-Impaired discussion

The familiar old SF "planet of women" chestnut is reversed in the planet of Athos — an all-male planet made possible by the invention of the uterine replicator. Ethan, drawn out of his beloved Athos by a quest, finds himself an alien in more mainstream human society, and cannot help but find women disturbing aliens as well, especially the ultra-competent, ultra-beautiful Elli.

Ethan of Athos is Lois McMaster Bujold's third novel. It departs from the concerns of the Vorkosigan family to explore the ramifications of advanced biotechnology, turning many a cliché on its head along the way.

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The author writes her books so that each can be read on its own. I hope more people will join the buddy read!

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Expect Spoilers

I enjoyed this book, (view spoiler)[ the men like what they like and there isn't a yearning to be anything else. I liked that she didn't set them up to want something different. (hide spoiler)]

After I finished Falling free, I was thinking about how her characters aren't all perfect , they don't look like supermodels and they have flaws.They are short , have physical disabilities , have thinning hair and so on .

I was thinking what would the characters in this one be like,what imperfection they would have?

I think that like most people, they think they're way is the right way and everyone else is wrong. I kept expecting there to be this great revelation by Ethan, but no, he's happy with his life and who he is.

I love that too about her books ShoSho. They're like the real world and not everyone is gorgeous. And I also like how non-perfect characters don't have to settle. I just finished CryoBurn. I can't wait until you guys catch up. I only have the last book left.

We have a long way to get there yet but we'll try to catch up ;)

I just got my copy from the library! it has the scariest cover!

Eep!

Oh my gosh, what a ridiculous cover!

It's the cover of the audio book . I don't know why the title isn't English!

I'm going to start this on the 22nd ,all by my lonesome !

Aww...

I'll join you, ShoSho. I'll see if I can get to Falling Free before then.

Sorry for disappearing on you! I had way too many things going on.

Yaay :D

ShoSho, you started EoA? I'm planning to start it later today.

huh! Me too :D I'm going to start in an hour or so.

Vi,have you started? this is so good :D

chapter 6
Do you remember the characters(view spoiler)[ in Cetaganda ? Have met these Cetagandan in book before? (hide spoiler)]

OK I found it in(view spoiler)[ Cetaganda. Ghem-colonel millisor calls haut Rian ,tells her they had tracked the lost Lx10-Terrance-C to Jackson's whole.And Rian gives him full authority to go after it. This happens in one of Mile's meetings with her and when he questions her, she say it has nothing to do with him. (hide spoiler)]

Sorry ShoSho, I had some net issues yesterday and I gave up. It's working now.

I did start it yesterday and I'm really liking it so far. I have to admit, I got sidetracked by the puzzles in the TTRC game. Back to reading now. I'll check in again.

Still in Chapter 4 - didn't feel like reading much today. But so far with the workd, my thoughts:

1. So if majority of the ovum are from the same woman, then most of the people are what, half-brothers? This is taking incest to the next level.

2. Is homosexuality by choice or because it is the only option available?

3. I find it hard to believe that all males have no hormonal surge during their teens.

I know- I'm probably nitpicking but I couldn't stop thinking about the world.

1.They are not. It seems when the founders came to Athos ,they brought live ovarian cultures with them. It doesn't say how many what is the population of Athos .Now they have ordered 450 new ones , so you see they are from different women . and I doubt it that they were from actual live women at all. The live tissues probably have been made in laboratory . It didn't even occur to me that they all could be brothers. "Mother" doesn't have a place in their lives.They can't even say the word "woman".

2. I say that's the only thing they know ,it's a default and norm form them. They don't know anything else. There isn't even a photo of a woman on their planet .

3. They have :D they just ... you know!!!

I loved the world.I thought it was really well built.

at about 80% Elli Quinn says :"Sneaky little dwarf ,I love you " (referring to Miles )

Was it literal or just something she said ?

Bloody Hell, GR just swallowed my BIG comment. I'm sooo mad!!

I hate it when that happens! I see that you didn't like much!

I finished it a few minutes ago. I didn't like ending much much but loved the world! What didn't you like?

1. True but I still think the possibility of incestuous stuff is high. Even if the population is say, a million, and say they have 500 live ovarian cultures, with 60% success rate, then you can see they have to reuse their cultures. There will definitely be half-brothers meeting somewhere. And I wonder what is the possibility of a grandson/great breeding with the same ovary..

2. That works if you assume Homosexuality is a choice. I believe it's not a choice but rather how you're wired. So I find it a little hard to believe everybody in the planet is a homosexual. Unless, they've isolated the gene responsible for that and manipulate it..

3. True :D

I like the world too. The details given intrigue me yet they are vague enough to frustrate. I would love to read more of the world.

It was ok-ok. As always, the world was great but it was lacking in details. I needed more details about Athos. It's been 200 years and they're this isolated? And I still can't get over the rampant homosexuality of the whole planet. I can't believe the author saying homosexuality is by choice and there are NO heterosexuals.

Secondly, Ethan is not that interesting a hero. Given Miles & Aral as heroes before, I'm probably spoilt but they were loads more interesting. Ethan was really more whiny and a little bit close-minded for my taste. The pace was as always fast but it just fell flat for me.

Vi wrote: "It was ok-ok. As always, the world was great but it was lacking in details. I needed more details about Athos. It's been 200 years and they're this isolated? And I still can't get over the rampant ..."

I agree with you about lacking in details .I would've loved a few more chapters about Athos.
I liked Ethan he has one thing in common with Miles and Aral, he wasn't perfect.
I read this review, I thought it was interesting

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Carolyn F. wrote: "I enjoyed this book, the men like what they like and there isn't a yearning to be anything else. I liked that she didn't set them up to want something different."

I just read Carolyn's comment again,now I understand it better and agree with it!

I agree - they're certainly not perfect.

I, too agree with Carolyn's comment - I really liked that Ethan didn't change at the end. He was the same guy as in the first except for the change towards Janos which I liked. I liked Ethan for the most part - just that I'm really spoilt by Miles that Ethan in comparison, sort of pales. As I said, I really like the world - I just want more of it. An all-male planet sounds very interesting.

Vi wrote: "I agree - they're certainly not perfect.

I, too agree with Carolyn's comment - I really liked that Ethan didn't change at the end. He was the same guy as in the first except for the change towards..."

This morning there was an old movie (1958)on TV. The queen of outer space. It was about a planet with only females but they ended up with some males from earth:D

About their homosexuality, I really like to know what would have happen in this situation and if men would turn to each other if they've never seen and known women. It would be an interesting research.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethan_...

Read th's part about athos

That's interesting about the references for Athos. Thanks for the link ShoSho

:)

We are going back to Miles for the next book. We have the 2 novellas next Labyrinth and The Borders of Infinity and then .

I have a few audiobooks lined up for November , I don't when I can get to them. When do you want to read them?