From the Stacks: Crystal Singer

With August soon approaching, it seemed appropriate to highlight one of the amazing authors scheduled to make an appearance at the much anticipated Dragon*Con. For those of us East Coasters (or folks who don�t mind traveling), that would be from August 31 to September 2 in Atlanta, GA. What better way to spend Labor Day weekend than watching the 501st Legion of Stormtroopers rub shoulders with the Southeastern Browncoats? Seriously, I can�t think of one. Sure, you might say �stranded on a tropical island with Johnny Depp,� but I would ask you if that tropical island has a Miss Klingon Empire Beauty Pageant, because if it doesn�t, you should reconsider. Besides, Dragon*Con has more costumed Jack Sparrows than you can shake a bottle of rum at.

In any case, Anne McCaffrey, the author of dozens of science fiction novels and a fangirl favorite for many years, will be there this year. You would think, since I�m talking about Dragon*Con, that I would be doing a book review on one of the Dragonriders of Pern books. That would make sense of course, but you would be wrong. As much as I adore the Dragonrider series (and I did have a fangirl geek spasm when I found out she�d be at the Con this year), I thought Crystal Singer would be more appropriate for Pink Raygun. Chicks are even cooler than dragons.

The chick in question is Killashandra Ree, who, besides having the coolest name in any sci-fi book I�ve ever read, also has perfect pitch. That�s right; her super sci-fi power is a musical one. Maybe not so big a deal for us Earthlings who aren�t in the entertainment business, but for Crystal Singers, it is essential. A Singer a kind of miner, one that uses voice frequency in combination with a cutting device that allows for a special kind of crystal to be harvested from a planet called Ballybran. The catch? Once assimilated to Ballybran�s environment, planet-dwellers may never have the ability to leave because of a special symbiotic spore native to the planet. Anyone who adjusts well enough to leave won�t be able to leave for long. Crystal Singer or bust in other words, and that�s even before the actual dangers associated with the mining process.

Seems a pretty high risk for just a couple of shiny rocks, but these crystals are essential for communications systems across the galaxy. That means pretty big bucks. It�s a dangerous job that comes with a great deal of sacrifice, but Killashandra is nothing if not determined. Symbiotic spores? They only help her heal. High death rates for Crystal Singers? Ha! Killashandra laughs in the face of danger. (Actually she sings, but I promise she never once breaks out into �The Sound of Music�). Jealous classmates, galactic politics, even crazy mentors that try to cut her to bits with mining tools�Killashandra won�t let anything stand in her way.

No dragons in this one, but it is refreshing to see a book that takes a different approach to outer space living.

Why it�s Worth a Shot (From a Pink Raygun)

Anne freakin� McCaffrey, that�s why! Did you know that in 1968, she was the first woman to win a Hugo for fiction? Come on, how Pink Raygun is that?

About Trickster: I am a librarian. I like being a librarian. It goes beyond my natural tendency to hide from the light and bury myself in a stack of dust covers and dog-eared pages for a few hours. Being a librarian gives me a chance to talk about books with other people. Sadly, since I am a busy librarian, I can’t always afford the time to read all of the latest titles as soon as they hit the stands. Hell, I can’t even afford to buy them, much less read them. This is why I like to tell folks about the books they may have overlooked while still on whatever bestseller’s list, talk show, or celebrity book club rotation they were on when originally published. That way frugal book lovers can check some gems out from the library (which gives me job security), or buy them in paperback at a fraction of the cost.

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