The Hidden Family (Merchant Princes)
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Review
"The Hidden Family"
A Book Sense Notable Title
"Charles Stross brings info-tech philosophy to the world of fantasy. . . .Stories unfold across three worlds that are brought to life with humor-laced action." -"The ""Denver"" Post"
"It's an obvious homage to Zelazny's Amber series, but I like it a good deal more." -"The San Diego Union-Tribune"
""The Hidden Family" is a festival of ideas in action, fast moving and often very funny, but underpinned by a rigorous logical strategy. . . .Stross's breezy, almost Heinleinian mode of narration is on fine display in "The Hidden Family"." --"Locus"
"Miriam Beckstein, aka Countess Helge Thorold-Hjorth of the Clan, finds her own world to conquer in this fast-moving sequel to "The Family Trade". . . . Stross continues to mix high and low tech in amusing and surprising ways. . . .[he] weaves a tale worthy of Robert Ludlum or Dan Brown." -"Publishers Weekly"
"English writer Charles Stross, whose books burst with pop-science ideas, intrigue, strong characters and even romance, continues his Merchant Princes series . . . . Stross is an energetic writer . . . who creates page-turning reads . . . . Readers will be relieved to learn that there is a lot to look forward to in "The Hidden Family", including a finale that is all Gothic Romance: regrets, a ball and a happy reunion." --"Bookpage"
A Book Sense Notable Title
"Charles Stross brings info-tech philosophy to the world of fantasy. . . .Stories unfold across three worlds that are brought to life with humor-laced action." -"The ""Denver"" Post"
"It's an obvious homage to Zelazny's Amber series, but I like it a good deal more." -"The San Diego Union-Tribune"
""The Hidden Family" is a festival of ideas in action, fast moving and often very funny, but underpinned by a rigorous logical strategy. . . .Stross's breezy, almost Heinleinian mode of narration is on fine display in "The Hidden Family"." --"Locus"
"Miriam Beckstein, aka Countess Helge Thorold-Hjorth of the Clan, finds her own world to conquer in this fast-moving sequel to "The Family Trade". . . . Stross continues to mix high and low tech in amusing and surprising ways. . . .[he] weaves a tale worthy of Robert Ludlum or Dan Brown." -"Publishers Weekly"
"English writer Charles Stross, whose books burst with pop-science ideas, intrigue, strong characters and even romance, continues his Merchant Princes series . . . . Stross is an energetic writer . . . who creates page-turning reads . . . . Readers will be relieved to learn that there is a lot to look forward to in "The Hidden Family", including a finale that is all Gothic Romance: regrets, a ball and a happy reunion." --"Bookpage"
Review
"English writer Charles Stross, whose books burst with pop-science ideas, intrigue, strong characters and even romance."
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
"The Hidden Family" continues the tale of Miriam Beckstein, a one time investigative journalist, business woman, liberal thinker and dimensional world walker.
In a direct continuation from "The Family Trade" (the novel starts a few weeks after the previous book's conclusion), Miriam continues her plans to lever herself some power within her recently discovered family whilst making sense of the ever twisting Family politics. And more importatly, figure out what and who the mysterious are that tried to assassinate her previously.
The Hidden Family draws together several plot strings first presented in book 1, revealing a little more of the history, custom, politics and future of the clans - all the while setting up more questions and plots for the future, as well as throwing in several big suprises to keep you on your toes!
This book is a step again better than book 1 (though really they should be one big novel) and if you read them on after another, you can really see the thought that has gone into the history of the alternate worlds.
A 4.576 stars if I could get that picky!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
....and it worked well for me. There is just enough back story to make the plot clear without spoiling my enjoyment of the first book - a neat trick from Charles Stross and one of the reasons he is a favourite author here.
This is highly inventive writing, with a tightly-woven plot that twists and turns, then doubles back just when you think that things are heading a particular direction. He uses the whole canvas available to him.
Our protagonist is a seemingly tough lady journalist with scientific training, I found that she grows on you as her underlying vulnerabilities and qualities are coloured in.
The character development is gradual but well fleshed-out in the main players - some of the supporting cast is more mysteriously depicted, but this can turn out to be necessary in the subsequent books. All is not entirely as it seems.
There is nothing predictable here, at least for me!
I am now on the fourth book, loved them all, and this one is a favourite, having started the series her.
Recommended for those who enjoy action-driven SF that explores alternative worlds with a retro flavour. Worth trying one of the books to see if you like it, since there is more of the same, and the pace never flags.
I loved it! Hope you do too.
This is highly inventive writing, with a tightly-woven plot that twists and turns, then doubles back just when you think that things are heading a particular direction. He uses the whole canvas available to him.
Our protagonist is a seemingly tough lady journalist with scientific training, I found that she grows on you as her underlying vulnerabilities and qualities are coloured in.
The character development is gradual but well fleshed-out in the main players - some of the supporting cast is more mysteriously depicted, but this can turn out to be necessary in the subsequent books. All is not entirely as it seems.
There is nothing predictable here, at least for me!
I am now on the fourth book, loved them all, and this one is a favourite, having started the series her.
Recommended for those who enjoy action-driven SF that explores alternative worlds with a retro flavour. Worth trying one of the books to see if you like it, since there is more of the same, and the pace never flags.
I loved it! Hope you do too.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
It's fortunate that I read "The Hidden Family" immediately after "The Family Trade" rather than buying them as they were published, as they are really one story split over two volumes, and neither volume completely makes sense on its own - indeed there's one scene in "The Family Trade" which makes no sense whatsoever as it is completely separate from the rest of that books' story. Read as one work, however, this is a very engaging parallel worlds story which I can heartily recommend.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Episode Two
I too am a big fan of Charles Stross, but I think that this book and the first in the 'Family' series should have been one book. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Garry Speight
Crudely hacked in two
This is the second half of what sould have been a single novel, and it shows. The explanation of mercantilism which was badly needed at the end of the first book is at the... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Robert Brenchley
Don't read this if you're English
I've enjoyed other books by Charles Stross, and I looked on Amazon to see which of the Merchant Princes titles had received the best reviews. Read more
Published on 26 May 2010 by John Fletcher
Good sequel, not so good in isolation
Carrying on from where the first book in the series left off, this is really the second half of the story that the previous volume started. Read more
Published on 25 July 2009 by D. R. Cantrell
Not Convinced
I am a huge fan of Charles Stross, particularly his pure sci-fi stuff. I bought this and its prequel based on my enjoyment of those earlier books. Read more
Published on 14 Nov 2008 by T. Waddle
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