Summer Queen - book 3 of the Snow Queen trilogy - Joan D. Vinge - cover artist Michael Whelan
Warner Book - hardbound - ISBN 0-446-51397-0 - first printing - November 1991
comments by CR:
The Whelan cover illustration of the masked Queen is exceptional in that it is very descriptive of events that take place in the book. Elaborate masks are worn during high festivals. Note the two vials she is carrying: Waters of Life and Death; the aquatic seal-like animals around her forehead are the Mers; the circuitry shown represents "Old Empire Technology" and there much more, but you know what they are since you read the book too!
"The Summer Queen" is the concluding book in the "Snow Queen" trilogy. The three books in chronological order are "The Snow Queen" (1980); "World's End" (1984) and "The Summer Queen" (1991).
Warning - in my humble estimation these books must be read in order published. Characters and events cascade forward from one book to another. Ms. Vinge wrote a 4th book set in the "Snow Queen" universe, "Tangled Up In Blue"(2000) but is independent of the trilogy.
"The Summer Queen" is a "big read" in my estimation. Taking into consideration the word count per page and font size used it would be over 1000 pages in your typical paperback format. My hard bound edition was an "arm wrestle" positioning it to read comfortably. I mention this because I ask myself when reading a lengthy SF novel: does this story seems bloated with wordy dialog or superfluous plot digressions. Just how "tight" does the author's narrative flow - or does it seem that the editor give her free reign and printed every single paragraph she submitted. My conclusion is that, with one major thematic exception, the entire book, and the series for that matter, holds together well.
"The Snow Queen" trilogy is an impressive hard science-fiction epic that utilizes, for the most part successfully, many of the tropes common to this type story - a planetary adventure of mixed societies in conflict with an overbearing galactic empire.
There are many remarkable characters in this complex epic that interact with one another...eventually. The reader in alternating chapters follow the machinations and miss-steps of these individuals. Primarily we have the Winter Snow Queen - Arienrhod, member of the Winter clan, ruler for 150 years, kept young by using "the waters of life" obtained from slaughtered Mers - aquatic beings of undetermined intelligence. Starbuck the Winter Queens off-world consort who harvest the "waters of life". Moon Downtreader, a member of the Summer clan who is the cloned daughter of the Winter Queen and becomes the Summer Queen - subject of book 3 "The Summer Queen". Sparks Downtreader, cousin to Moon and eventual consort to the Winter Queen - and that's just in the first book "The Snow Queen".
To summaries the plot of the entire trilogy in any detail would take a many paragraphs and be ultimately confusing to the reader I believe. In general the Winter Queen intends to prolong her reign by substituting her cloned daughter. This is like stating the Lord of the Rings is about "Frodo Baggins wanting to destroy a ring in Mount Doom"! The pleasure of these books like LOTR trilogy is the plot details, the world/universe creation and the interactions of the characters and how they overcome almost insurmountable obstacles. Highly recommended.
My negative comment concerns the author's over-the-top description of the romantic entanglements of Moon Downtreader and the off-worlder official BZ Gundhalinu. We are made to believe these two mature, seasoned diplomats, locked in contentious political intrigues would respond like star-struck adolescence experiencing their first romantic encounter when ever they even think about one another. Well that my estimation anyway.
I greatly admired the authors choice of terminology used in this story: Blues - intergalactic police, Starbuck - the Queen's consort and enforcer, Mers - artificially created aquatic beings, Carbuncle - island residence of off-worlders and the Queen, Dillyps - aliens in the service of the Queen and others.
I enjoyed my time in Carbuncle on the planet Tiamet in the company of Moon Downtreader and her family along with the Summers and the Winters. May you also enjoy getting to know them and their stories.
Summer Queen - book 3 of the Snow Queen trilogy - Joan D. Vinge - cover artist Michael Whelan
Warner Book - hardbound - ISBN 0-446-51397-0 - first printing - November 1991
comments by CR:
The Whelan cover illustration of the masked Queen is exceptional in that it is very descriptive of events that take place in the book. Elaborate masks are worn during high festivals. Note the two vials she is carrying: Waters of Life and Death; the aquatic seal-like animals around her forehead are the Mers; the circuitry shown represents "Old Empire Technology" and there much more, but you know what they are since you read the book too!
"The Summer Queen" is the concluding book in the "Snow Queen" trilogy. The three books in chronological order are "The Snow Queen" (1980); "World's End" (1984) and "The Summer Queen" (1991).
Warning - in my humble estimation these books must be read in order published. Characters and events cascade forward from one book to another. Ms. Vinge wrote a 4th book set in the "Snow Queen" universe, "Tangled Up In Blue"(2000) but is independent of the trilogy.
"The Summer Queen" is a "big read" in my estimation. Taking into consideration the word count per page and font size used it would be over 1000 pages in your typical paperback format. My hard bound edition was an "arm wrestle" positioning it to read comfortably. I mention this because I ask myself when reading a lengthy SF novel: does this story seems bloated with wordy dialog or superfluous plot digressions. Just how "tight" does the author's narrative flow - or does it seem that the editor give her free reign and printed every single paragraph she submitted. My conclusion is that, with one major thematic exception, the entire book, and the series for that matter, holds together well.
"The Snow Queen" trilogy is an impressive hard science-fiction epic that utilizes, for the most part successfully, many of the tropes common to this type story - a planetary adventure of mixed societies in conflict with an overbearing galactic empire.
There are many remarkable characters in this complex epic that interact with one another...eventually. The reader in alternating chapters follow the machinations and miss-steps of these individuals. Primarily we have the Winter Snow Queen - Arienrhod, member of the Winter clan, ruler for 150 years, kept young by using "the waters of life" obtained from slaughtered Mers - aquatic beings of undetermined intelligence. Starbuck the Winter Queens off-world consort who harvest the "waters of life". Moon Downtreader, a member of the Summer clan who is the cloned daughter of the Winter Queen and becomes the Summer Queen - subject of book 3 "The Summer Queen". Sparks Downtreader, cousin to Moon and eventual consort to the Winter Queen - and that's just in the first book "The Snow Queen".
To summaries the plot of the entire trilogy in any detail would take a many paragraphs and be ultimately confusing to the reader I believe. In general the Winter Queen intends to prolong her reign by substituting her cloned daughter. This is like stating the Lord of the Rings is about "Frodo Baggins wanting to destroy a ring in Mount Doom"! The pleasure of these books like LOTR trilogy is the plot details, the world/universe creation and the interactions of the characters and how they overcome almost insurmountable obstacles. Highly recommended.
My negative comment concerns the author's over-the-top description of the romantic entanglements of Moon Downtreader and the off-worlder official BZ Gundhalinu. We are made to believe these two mature, seasoned diplomats, locked in contentious political intrigues would respond like star-struck adolescence experiencing their first romantic encounter when ever they even think about one another. Well that my estimation anyway.
I greatly admired the authors choice of terminology used in this story: Blues - intergalactic police, Starbuck - the Queen's consort and enforcer, Mers - artificially created aquatic beings, Carbuncle - island residence of off-worlders and the Queen, Dillyps - aliens in the service of the Queen and others.
I enjoyed my time in Carbuncle on the planet Tiamet in the company of Moon Downtreader and her family along with the Summers and the Winters. May you also enjoy getting to know them and their stories.