This is surprisingly good book. I was expecting something a bit fluffier, and instead found a very well written story. The plot is simple, a gate has formed between two worlds, one running on technology, the other on magic. And the world of technology sees the open spaces, and the backwards ways of the world of magic.

Jedda is a linguist, providing her services to merchants who trade across the gate. When she is asked to be the linguist with a delegation to see Malin, a mysterious leader of this world.

The plot of the book seems simple, but its incredibly nuanced. Between Jedda getting a taste of this world that is usually hidden from her people, to the culture of this world. This book is second in a serious, but you can read it without the first book. However, things aren't explained. Why something works isn't given, but enough detail is given so that a reader can pick up on whats happening.

The other thing is that this book is beautifully written. It has a fairy tale feel to it, while being grounded in a reality. The mystical is there, but as a background.

Highly recommended. ( )

I love the original treatment of a fantasy world connected to a far future "science fiction" world. I'm a little worried that it's given me spoilers for Kirith Kirin, but I'd like to read that one also. The protagonist is middle aged and mellow - character development often suffers compared to intense world building, but the setting is so intriguing, that didn't bother me too much. ( )

The book begins like a normal scifi story--a group of diplomats, scientists and their linguist go on an expedition to meet the leader of the world they recently discovered. From there, it gets a bit awesome. Seriously, this story goes from solid tale to enthralling in one unexpected switcheroo. It rapidly becomes an incredible tale that spans thousands of years, told from several points of view. It reminded me a bit of Patricia McKinley's incredible "Riddle-Master of Hed" series, with a taste of Ursula K LeGuin. Overall, a fascinating look at the intersection between science and magic, with some novel characters. Watching Jedda and Malin slowly shift their stances over time was great fun, and I could barely contain my excitement and anticipation over their eventual meeting. I highly recommend this book.

Jedda is a linguist from a scientifically advanced people who value conformity and fear being noticed. Every citizen is linked and recorded via a "stat"; privacy is an illusion. To her mingled consternation and pleasure, she is selected to be part of a small diplomatic envoy through the mysterious Twill Gate to Irion. Irion is a technologically backward country where the common people believe in wizards and magic. Jedda and her superiors are astounded when a fleet of their best ships is easily destroyed by Irion's magic. The rest of the Hormlings go home, but Jedda stays behind to learn about this strange new world. She begins to learn magic, time-travels to the beginnings of Irion, and falls in love with a powerful sorceress.

Grimsley has a gift for names--they are musical, fantastical, yet easily remembered. He is not good with magic, however, and his dragging explanations of mediation and energy slow the second half of the book. I expected to like this novel, but there is no conflict or climax--deus ex machina *literally* saves the day every time. Even the Big Bad is defeated off-stage, without any trouble at all, while Jedda lies unconscious. It is frustratingly boring.

Despite my annoyance, there were a lot of details I liked about this book. Jedda really reads like a linguist; she's continually noticing language shifts or figuring out what the root of a word means. Her interest and skill carries the story of her uncovering of the truth about Irion. Grimsley describes sex and desire well--no ridiculous euphamisms, and the right combination of intellect and heat. And I loved that because Irion's stars were mutable and changed every night, the people tried to explain their world through intuition and magic instead of clockwork and science. Makes sense! ( )

This book bills itself as a stand alone novel, but I got about halfway through and found I couldn't go on without reading Kirith Kirin. I really wanted to like this book because I think that the author's Hormling short story "120 Hours of Sodom" was a brilliant piece of work, but The Ordinary after a really slow start and a long pause to read Kirith Kirin, seemed very rushed and unsatisfying at the end. ( )

Dense, many-layered, complex science fiction. Puts me in mind of Le Guin's early stuff. A little too complex for me, but I enjoyed dropping into the narrative and being carried downstream. I cared about the characters, even as I struggled to place them in context. ( )