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The Avatar - Poul Anderson Book Review

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Review Summary
A new kind of technologically advanced spaceship is discovered that lets people explore the farthest reaches of the galaxy.
C.E. Mosher, Resident Scholar


Detailed literary breakdown of The Avatar
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%




Tone of book - very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Explore/1st contact/ enviro story Yes
Plotlets: - exploring a wondrous planet or phenomena - lost in spaceship
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - wealthy
Age: - 40's-50's
Eccentric: Yes - eccentric
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - an organization
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - politician/elected ruler
Eccentric: Yes - emotionally unstable
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount

Setting
Terrain - Water - Mountains - Planet surface, need spacesuit - Space, need spacesuit
Earth setting: - near future (later in 21st century)
Spaceship setting: - alien spaceship - a space station - futuristic human freighter/transport
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body: - inhabited by friendly aliens - neutral aliens - primitive aliens - empty, or nearly empty world
Takes place on Earth? Yes
Planet outside solar system? Yes
Takes place in spaceship? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
scientific jargon? (SF only) - quite a lot of techical jargon
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references only - descript of kissing - descript of touching personal anatomy
How much dialogue? - significantly more descript than dialog
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Wildside by Steven Gould
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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