The Long Way... To a Common Orbit flash group discussion

"Sissix peeked around the door frame. The hallway was empty. If she moved fast, she might make it to the med bay before anybody saw her."

Space pirate bird (?) people! I appreciate the non-violent conflict resolution although it feels like the author is depending too heavily on coincidence to make it work. Rosemary just happens to be the only crew member who knows a language the Akaraks can speak. If she hadn't, then what?

The situation between Welks and Lovey continues to be uncomfortable to read. This entire dialogue...

Welks: "So. We're doing this?"
Lovey: "Sounds like it to me."

...doesn't smack of enthusiastic consent to me. It sounds more like she's conceding to his desires under mild duress.

Beth wrote: "Space pirate bird (?) people! … The situation between [Jenks] and Lovey ...sounds more like she's conceding to his desires …"

Space Pirate Bird People is a wonderful phrase! And I like your take on Lovey's ability to consent, she seems to be "in love" with Jenks because … he's there? She says something along the lines of 'loving him from the moment she was installed' which wasn't as touching as perhaps the author meant it to be; more kinda creepy. She 'loved' him because he was the first person she'd ever met?

Beth, agree on the Rosemary-language issue. It was a pretty obvious way to get the crew to see Rosemary's skill set (which we did see earlier), which kind of seemed hokey to me. However, dealing with the issues from the robbery made it a little better plot arc than just "integrate Rosemary into the crew." It is also interesting how Chambers basically tried to make them sympathetic as well--providing for family, the captain insulted them, etc. A little cheap, but congruent with the overall them of likability/humanizing compassion towards others.

Beth wrote: "Space pirate bird (?) people! I appreciate the non-violent conflict resolution although it feels like the author is depending too heavily on coincidence to make it work. Rosemary just happens to be..."

Hmm. I agree to a point but also wasn't this part of why they hired her in specific? Her knowledge of languages as well as her other clerking skills? At this point almost everyone else has had a moment to show why they are important parts of the crew so I was just thinking it was now Rosemary's turn.

It reminded me of the whole episodic element at lot.

That's true, she was hired as an intermediary between the ship and trading posts, etc. Stands to reason she'd know more than just Klip.

I liked that a scene like this could end with little bloodshed (poor Ashby) instead of one group conquering another. It was a nice change from the norm (at least in what I read) and another way to show a shift toward pacifism in humans. At the same time, I didn't feel like she completely pulled it off, and it came across as an author showing her ideals through story, rather than simply the next piece of the story. I don't have an objection to authors doing this. I just object to their doing it in a way that I notice.

Emily wrote: "At the same time, I didn't feel like she completely pulled it off, and it came across as an author showing her ideals through story."

What about this scene made you feel this way?

I don't know if I can put a finger on it, what gives me the feeling of getting glimpses behind the curtain (which I think is better wording for what I'm trying to say). I liked what happened in the scene, but I didn't like how tidily it happened. To a certain extent, it felt like I was watching an author play with a neat idea-writing a confrontational scene that doesn't end in one group clearly winning over another. Maybe if the scene had taken longer to play out, I wouldn't have felt that way.

Emily, I think I had a lot of that feeling for most of the book. It didn't prevent me from enjoying it, but it kept it from a solid four or five star.

It's not keeping me from enjoying it either, as persnickety as I might be coming across. I like her imagination a lot. I love it that there's a bot for everything.

Toothbrush bots! So weird!

There's certainly a lack of...emotional depth that you would expect with such a small group stuck together for such long periods of time.

In a way, it reminds me of old school Romances - the sex and the real relationship building taking place completely off page.


Huh. Maybe I should move the rest of this comment below to the finished thread? Let me know if I should, Carol.
(view spoiler)[The relationship between Rosemary and Sissix was one of the things that made me feel that way. We never got a chance to see HOW the relationship changed their dynamics.

I felt that way somewhat with Corbin as well. I did get the fact that the Ohan situation happened more for Corbin than for Ohan or the group. Corbin is a grumpy bastard that prefers to be alone most of the time. And I think the way he was raised reinforced that - so when he was imprisoned I think he truly didn't expect anyone to come for him. But not only did they come for him - even though he was the grumpy loner who got on everyone's nerves - Sissix came for him and forced them to give him some type of clothing. I think it made him rethink some of his positions...and that maybe he wanted to save someone the way he had been saved. I had the feeling that Corbin was -in his mind- "coming for Ohan." (hide spoiler)]

Ah, interesting insight from a romance reader! Agree with the part about the spoilers. I think I might have said that somewhere as well, that there's kind of a lack of build or real consequence or maybe its the work of change.