Book Review: The Death of Sleep – Anne McCaffrey & Jody Lynn Nye

Book two of ‘The Planet Pirates’ series. I hadn’t read book one, which didn’t appear to make a difference, though due to the ending of this book I need to read book three. Is it worth continuing?

This book was written over twenty years ago, though you would be forgiven for thinking it was much older, possibly a 60s or 70s storyline. There just isn’t the level of detail you would expect from a Greg Bear, Stephen Baxter or Paul McAuley book of a similar nature. Lets give you some background…

Set in the far future Lunzie Mespil a doctor needs to earn a living, so she has to leave her daughter in the care of others to embark on a journey to a mining colony. Without giving too many spoilers away she finds herself in the future, thanks to cryogenics. Not her far future, but enough to provide a further sense of isolation. How does someone adjust? Her training out-dated, technology advancement, minor cultural changes and yes it can leave you wondering how to use the toilet. More importantly Lunzie sets out to find out what happened to her daughter and if she is still alive. Then chuck in a spy and minor military story. Confused? Perhaps this book tried to cover too much ground.

Anne McCaffrey and Jody Lynn Nye produce a book that isn’t a scifi space thriller, but it plods along and is interesting neither the less. Lunzie’s journey itself and coping in a civilization slightly unfamiliar is intriguing.

I won’t hold back this book could have been a lot better, especially as it was first published in 1990. A book could have been written solely from the spy aspect or military one, but that is not what we have. Shame really.

At the end of the day you can’t fault the writing style and how the book flows. Yes the space aspect was hugely disappointing, the technology aspect also. Yet you couldn’t help but like Lunzie and her journey. It wasn’t an intense book, but to answer ‘is it worth continuing?’ and read book three, I say yes. I have no interest at all though in visit book one. I am intrigued enough to want to read book three.