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by Florence Mary Fitch
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by Theodore A. Cheney
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by Bil Keane
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by John Wesley Howard
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(Larger Image)
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Commencement (del Rey Discovery)
by Roby James
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Del Rey (1995-12-30)
ISBN: 0345400380
EAN: 9780345400383
Dewy Decimal #: 813.54
Mass Market Paperback: 356 pages
Release Date: 1995-12-30
SKU: mon0000048179
Condition: Very Good
Comments: Slight wear around the edges and edges of spine.
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
The Sting was what made Ronica McBride special -- that, and the years the interstellar government called the Com had invested in teaching her how to use it. Class C talents could use the power called gathering to control their own bodies; the less common Class Bs used pathfinding to alter the inner workings of mechanical things; but only the rare Class A could use the Sting -- and it was that unparalleled power over other minds that made Ronica the most valuable resource in the Com.
Newly graduated and ready to use her Class A talent, Ronica McBride should have had the worlds at her fingertips. But instead she was lost on an unknown planet, hurt, alone, with no memory of how she had gotten there -- and she had lost her Sting.
Gathering and pathfinding were tools, not weapons. Without her Sting, Ronica could not stop the Stonehouse dwellers who rescued her from promptly trading her away to the chief of a primitive tribe. And as Ronica struggled to find a place for herself on the wilderworld, accept her loss of talent, and regain her missing memories, she began to discover that everything the Com had taught her was a lie...
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Customer Reviews
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Could have been better
Rating  (4)
Date: 2007-02-18
I'd give this book a 3.5 stars if I could. Ms. James does a good job of creating a detailed scenario of psychic Talent in a futuristic world. I loved the detail of the telepaths with Class A, B, C. It seemed more believable to me. I also loved the culture of the Samothen. Although I do agree with one of the reviewers that the character of Ronica McBride is pretty selfish, egotistical, narcisstic, and at times childish. I found it hard to like and sympathize with her. I couldn't understand what the hero, Jemeret, saw in her that he fought so hard to save her. The ending was no surprise since the reader could see it coming from a mile away so that was a bit disappointing. I just felt like something was lacking in this book; probably due to the fact that the heroine was so unlikeable. I expected more character change/development from her. But even in the end of the novel she still seems a bit selfish and egotistical. She does mature a bit, but in my opinion not enough and not in the right ways. At the end of the novel I still found myself not particularly liking her. Despite that, Ms. James creates a very interesting and believable world that I found absolutely fascinating.
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ugh
Rating  (1)
Date: 2005-01-01
2 out of 5 customers found this reveiw helpful
What a terrible book. Unbelievable.
The book starts out in a typically ok sci-fi fashion, but then the main character proceeds to become more and more hateful as each page turns. How can you like a book when the main character makes you puke?
My eyes literally got sore rolling my eyes at the book. Ronica is selfish, shallow, annoying, frequently stupid, emotionally stunted, and altogether irritating. Her "sexual revelations" are just embarrassing to read. Fourteen-year-olds may find this book appealing, but not anyone with any life experience at all.
Also, the so-called surprise twist is cheap and disappointing. You endure the entire book to find out what this big amnesia secret is, and when you do you, you couldn't care less.
Basically, the entire book is like a teenager's really bad book of poetry. Save yourself some money, time, and contact embarrassment by staying away from this book.
I can't believe I read the entire thing. I am stupider now. Thanks, Ms. James.
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enjoyable read
Rating (4)
Date: 2003-11-27
I have to say I would give this about 4 and a 1/2 stars but since they only give out whole stars i'll go for 4. I loved the characters, the revelations, mostly the entire book! However i have one major glitch that pissed me off to the max! After the huge revelation (u know what i mean), Ronica seems to almost forget about it. The whole book builds and hints to it (making part of the revelation easy to guess while the other part impossible) and then once the initial (personal) revelation is made(the one we are dying to know), the book ignores it along with its emotional concequences to finish with several other revelations and a sequal style ending. i felt more time needed to be spent on this first revelation as it would be extremely hard to deal with... let alone the others. while i found the revelations excellent, i would have prefered a better reaction from ronica as it left me feeling uneasy and dissatisfied. perhaps it is cleared up in the sequel. overall this was an enjoyable book... a big thumbs up.
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the best
Rating  (5)
Date: 2002-06-27
0 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
When I first read this book I was amazed to see how fast Roby James world sucked me in. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen to Ronia Mcbride. It took me two days of just about nonstop reading and I was already wanting more.
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Amazing!
Rating (5)
Date: 2000-03-24
1 out of 3 customers found this reveiw helpful
This book had it all! An overarching know-it-all "federation" (the Con--our herione's employer)and an intuitive "primitive" society (where our herione is inexplicably stuck) -- wrapped in a very smart and sexy story. Although parts of the ending were no big surprise others were --- after it was done I was so set on getting the sequel I needed a rush delivery from Amazon.com (my local shops weren't carrying it). As a long time and prolific reader of SF I am shocked that it took me 5 years to find this author --- I hope she has more coming!
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