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Type of bind: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN num: 9780765316981
ISBN number: 0765316986
Label: Tor Books
Manufacturer: Tor Books
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 336
Printing Date: August 19, 2008
Publishing house: Tor Books
Release Date: August 19, 2008
Sale Popularity Level: 2702
Studio: Tor Books
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
How do you tell your part in the biggest tale in history?
I ask because it's what I have to do. I'm Zoe Boutin Perry: A colonist stranded on a deadly pioneer world. Holy icon to a race of aliens. A player (and a pawn) in a interstellar chess match to save humanity, or to see it fall. Witness to history. Friend. Daughter. Human. Seventeen years old.
Everyone on Earth knows the tale I am part of. But you don't know my tale: How I did what I did — how I did what I had to do — not just to stay alive but to keep you alive, too. All of you. I'm going to tell it to you now, the only way I know how: not straight but true, the whole thing, to try make you feel what I felt: the joy and terror and uncertainty, panic and wonder, despair and hope. Everything that happened, bringing us to Earth, and Earth out of its captivity. All through my eyes.
It's a story you know. But you don't know it all.
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
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Well, I just went out and grabbed this book based on my high regard for Scalzi's work, without any research. I should have looked here first. The retelling of the Last Colony from the standpoint of a teenage girl and companions is not something I would have normally sought out, since I'm way past being much interested in the interpersonal trials and tribulations of teenagers, present or future. Been there, done that. Perhaps Scalzi is trying to expand his reader base into another demographic, like Pratchett and Hiassen have, with youth-oriented books alongside the adult novels. If so, he's off to a good start.
Overall, the book is well written as are all of Scalzi's works. He is a very skillful craftsman, treating the language and the reader with respect. His stories hold together, and they keep the reader turning those pages.
As a general comment, I do wish Scalzi would spend a few more lines in his books describing his aliens -- or get an artist to do a beastiary -- so the reader could better envision what the human characters are interacting with. In his finest-by-far book, The Sagan Diaries, there are a few drawings, and they add a lot to the reading experience.
Rated by buyers 
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I saw Old Man's War in the store a few years ago, and grabbed it. Began reading, and was instantly hooked. Fast forward to today, and having blazed through Zoe's Tale in about 4 hours, I have begun re-reading the entire series from the beginning. It usually takes about 5-10 years before I want to re-read a series; not with Scalzi's work. If you were ever a fan of Heinlein, or just a fan of good science-fiction, John Scalzi is one of today's greats. I highly recommend Zoe's Tale, as well as all the rest in the series.
Rated by buyers -
Stayed up late finishing "Zoe's Tale", and I'm too tired to write a long review. The bottom line: it's excellent - easily my favourite Scalzi work. Read "The Last Colony" first, so you can appreciate how well he handles the "same events, different perspective" approach. Five stars; now stop preening, John, and get back to work!
Rated by buyers -
Scalzi just keeps banging out great Sci Fi.
"Zoe's Tale" is a touching story of a young girl's coming to grips with reality and responsibility in a dangerous colony world.
Everything Scalzi has written is great, and he's one of the bright lights of modern Science Fiction in the current gusher of vampire, werewolf, and demon fantasy novels.
Like Robert Heinlein, Scalzi's worlds are real.
As one person once said about Heinlein, "His worlds are so real, you can hear the water running through the pipes".
Scalzi's pipes are in good order, and I'm looking forward to anything he writes.
Rated by buyers 
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When I very first picked this book up, I was a bit nervous to see if I would be able to grasp the plot or not, seeing as how this book connects to a larger series. I was pleased to find however, that this book stands very well on it's own. Though the plot at very first appears to be the type that would be over-used, there were many smaller arcs that ranged from exploration to a life-or-death gamble. These all contribute to Zoe's personal growth, which an interesting story in itself. Anyone who is expecting a simple colonization story will be surprised.
My biggest complaint about the book was lack of detail in the characters as far as their looks went. Personality wise,they were lovable and was able to become attached to them. When it came to what they looked like, I was always hoping I would be lucky enough to recieve more detail on them in a physical sense, as to picture them in my mind. This mostly applied to Hickory and Dickory, the other Obin, the fantie, and General Gau.(I ended up picturing him as a giant ape in futaristic battle armor)Being the very first book written by John Scalzi that I have read, I understand he might have added more detail in his previous books, still, detail should be present in every book.
Still, the book is good none the less, and provides a nice twist by viewing it through the mind of a teenage girl. Any major fan of the genre who wants something newer than just the average hack and slash should pick this book up.
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