What do You think about Killashandra (1986)?
This book deserves a full star higher rating than it's predecessor, in my mind. While 'Crystal Singer' certainly builds you a helpful basis to ensure you know what's going on, this book is where the action is at. Killa is shown as a much more well rounded character, beyond headstrong and capable of great cunning and self-sacrifice. In short, she didn't feel 'real' to me until this book. Again, McCaffrey's interweaving of her personal musical background came came through in a delightful form of insight. And the sense of interplanetary intrigue developed into a compelling plot device. Here also the romantic elements felt far more significant and authentic. In fact, I'd almost hazard to call this a sci-fi romance, were the ultimate love interest introduced earlier on. By the end, the emotional elements seemed well developed and believable. And without giving too much away, I'll say that I found the ending both fitting and satisfying.
—Angela Blount
The real meat of the story. The first volume was more like a Prologue, and the third was an Afterword, but this second installment in the trilogy is where interesting things happen. I'm still not a big fan of the main character, but she was more intriguing here and I could see the beginnings of the person she becomes in the third book. There are still things that were a mystery to me (e.g. why keep on about the crystal singers losing memory if that doesn't really happen to her yet?), but mostly this was just an entertaining tale. I may pick up the third book again as I think I'll get more out of it having read the previous two now (these books do not make sense as stand-alones; very much a complete story only if all three volumes read).
—Emily
Very readable, moderately recommended.: The second of Anne McCaffrey's books about Killashandra Ree is a pleasure to read although highly predictable and somewhat over-sentimental in places. The fact is that while you may have guessed exactly what will happen next you still want to read on. Unlike many books I could mention you end up caring about what happens to the characters, you can't help it - they are so well written. While Killashandra is hardly intellectually taxing I would still recommend it. Perhaps as a holiday book. It certainly contains the sun, sand and sex to get you into a holiday frame of mind.
—Peter
