Uncharted Territory

by Connie Willis

Paperback, 1994

Status

Available

Call number

813.54

Genres

Science Fiction

All Topics

Fiction

Collection

Fantasy & Science Fiction

Publication

Spectra (1994), 160 pages

Description

Fiction. Science Fiction. Humor (Fiction.) HTML:"Connie Willis deploys the apparatus of science fiction to illuminate character and relationships, and her writing is fresh, subtle, and deeply moving."�??The New York Times Book Review Findriddy and Carson are two explorers sent to Boohte to survey the ridges and scrub-covered hills of the planet. Back home, their adventures are followed by countless breathless fans, but the reality is far less romantic as they deal with dust, nitpicking regulations, and uncooperative aliens. Teamed with a young intern whose specialty is mating customs, and a native guide of indeterminate gender, the group sets out for a previously unexplored sector of the planet. As they survey canyons and cataracts, battle dangers, and discover alien treasures, they will soon find themselves in alien territory of another kind: exploring the paths and precipices of sex. And lo… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member trinityofone

The best and worst of Connie Willis, in one slim volume! The first half of this book annoyed me so much I almost considered not finishing it. In describing the problems facing interplanetary surveyors Carson and Findriddy, Willis, as she often does, pokes fun at the stupidity of bureaucracy;

however, it felt like all the humor in this book totally missed the mark. It was like *actually* being stuck in line at the DMV as opposed to reading a funny satire about such a situation. But then, Willis does something very, very cool—a little narrative trick that I admire immensely and don't want to spoil here. It turns the whole narrative on its ear, and while it doesn't *cure* the other problems, it certainly made me want to keep reading.

The novel, however, remains uneven. The romance plotline(s) never seemed believable to me, which rather lessens the impact of the end. Still, that one twist—I do feel like all the annoying stuff was worth wading through for that. I'm glad I did.

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LibraryThing member bluesalamanders

One of my SantaThing gifts. I've heard of the author, but never read her before.

It was an enjoyable SF book. Some humans are exploring an alien world with a native guide. There are various disasters and discoveries and miscommunications and nobody quite knows what's going on. I don't know if it's

part of a series, but it reads like it is, like there are things I'm missing from before this book and more exciting adventures to come in later books.

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LibraryThing member TheDivineOomba

I'm wondering if this is Connie Willis's Earlier Work - It has the elements of her work, but its missing some of the finesse that would make this book really sparkle.

In this story, we find two surveyors surveying a newly found planet. Between the natives taking a large chunk of there pay due to

fines, a planet hopper intent on using the planet, and a paranoid government that is trying to protect the planet and the indigenous species.. it leaves poor Fin and Carlson between a rock and a hard place.

I liked the book - truly, I did. But it there wasn't enough plot, the elements of mystery weren't really defined very well and when the plot finally resolved, I didn't know something else was going on.

It is a good book. Ms. Willis knows how to make intriguing characters that you really enjoy reading about. It would be a great book if the rest of it was equally well written.

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LibraryThing member sonofcarc

A few months back I found, in a thrift shop in Indiana, a novel co-written by Connie Willis and another author; can't remember her name, can't remember the name of the book. Of course I grabbed it, second-hand Willis being hard to find. I wasn't 30 pages in when it dawned on me: This is a romance

novel! It's also a Western, and it's set on an alien planet so it's sci-fi too, but at heart it's a romance novel. I plodded halfway through it, but the romance novel cliches got thicker and thicker, and eventually I quit and dumped it.

Then the other day I found this little book, and what do you know? It's a Western set on an alien planet, thus also sci-fi. And I was more than halfway through before Willis pulled a Gotcha on me, and I realized that this book is also a romance novel. But a delightfully loopy one. Recommended.

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LibraryThing member dbsovereign

Just okay – expected something else after having read _Doomsday Book_. The humor a bit too silly for me. And repetitive.

LibraryThing member kvrfan

A pleasant diversion.

LibraryThing member elenaj

This is a very odd little novel, but in the end, the Connie-Willis-ness of it all won me over.

LibraryThing member Kristelh

Uncharted Territory is a novella of 3 explorers on planet Boohta and their indigenous guide that is full of humor and satire of political correctness.

LibraryThing member DinadansFriend

We have an alien planet, with an indogenous population, o use the exploration by Terrans as a revenue source. The Terrans are bitter and grouchy about that, but at the same time, are trying to give the natives some chance of resisting their eventual exploitation. The best weapon appears to be

personal popularity of the exploration team. High jinks ensue.

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