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Petaybee #2
Power Lines
Yanaba Maddock's short-lived career as a company spy had ended the moment the planet Petaybee and its people had adopted her as one of their own. Now she was dedicated to keeping Intergal from exploiting and wounding--or even killing--the world she had come to love. For Intergal persisted in denying that Petaybee was sentient, and nothing would stop it from stripping the ore-rich planet--sentient or not.
Only solid evidence would convince the company to leave the planet alone, and for all its sentience, Petaybee's communications were highly subjective; indeed, some outsiders seemed entirely immune to its voice. So Yana and her friends would have to find some other way to prove that the planet was worth more to the company alive than dead...
Only solid evidence would convince the company to leave the planet alone, and for all its sentience, Petaybee's communications were highly subjective; indeed, some outsiders seemed entirely immune to its voice. So Yana and her friends would have to find some other way to prove that the planet was worth more to the company alive than dead...
336 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
About the author
Anne McCaffrey
578 books7,413 followersAnne Inez McCaffrey was an American writer known for the Dragonriders of Pern science fiction series. She was the first woman to win a Hugo Award for fiction (Best Novella, Weyr Search, 1968) and the first to win a Nebula Award (Best Novella, Dragonrider, 1969). Her 1978 novel The White Dragon became one of the first science-fiction books to appear on the New York Times Best Seller list.
In 2005 the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America named McCaffrey its 22nd Grand Master, an annual award to living writers of fantasy and science fiction. She was inducted by the Science Fiction Hall of Fame on 17 June 2006. She also received the Robert A. Heinlein Award for her work in 2007.
In 2005 the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America named McCaffrey its 22nd Grand Master, an annual award to living writers of fantasy and science fiction. She was inducted by the Science Fiction Hall of Fame on 17 June 2006. She also received the Robert A. Heinlein Award for her work in 2007.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
April 15, 2024
A good sci-fi yarn; could have done without the profanity and sexual content, though.
August 2, 2016
The first book was almost magical: people and animals living in harmony with their world. Now reality begins to creep in, through the greed and selfishness of people who prefer to manipulate others and gather to themselves more than they need, and Peytabee won't stand for it.
January 5, 2022
The second book in the trilogy starts pretty much where the last one ended, and there is more of the same. This time, it's the Company bigwigs that the Petaybeans need to convince over the sentience of their planet -and they really don't want to be convinced.
Again, as in the first book, my only criticism is that the good guys are all good and the bad guys are all bad. Not that you really mind too much in this sort of book. There's plenty of action and an almost slapstick-like humour to how some of the baddies get their comeuppance. I'm looking forward to seeing how the trilogy ends.
Again, as in the first book, my only criticism is that the good guys are all good and the bad guys are all bad. Not that you really mind too much in this sort of book. There's plenty of action and an almost slapstick-like humour to how some of the baddies get their comeuppance. I'm looking forward to seeing how the trilogy ends.
September 2, 2022
1997 Grade B+
2011 Grade B+
2022 Grade C
Series book PL2
Written with Scarborough
A good story has world building, character development, and a story. Almost all the world building was done in book one. The only new characters to develop this time were the villains. Most of the story seems to follow the villains who are truly stupid, evil, mean, and nasty. The story is eventually about the inhabitants "defeating" the villains but the almost trivial end does not justify the means.
Clearly my tolerance for mean people and nasty behavior has dropped. And this story has a massive amount of insensitivity including to cruelty to children, attempted rape, animal beatings, environmental destruction, and false imprisonment. The story also jumps from character to character so often it was frustrating. I ended up speed reading a massive amount, marked places to sped thru and skip only to find I never want to read it again. The odd thing is my notes from 2011 all mention the same things but not so forcefully.
NOT recommended.
2011 Grade B+
2022 Grade C
Series book PL2
Written with Scarborough
A good story has world building, character development, and a story. Almost all the world building was done in book one. The only new characters to develop this time were the villains. Most of the story seems to follow the villains who are truly stupid, evil, mean, and nasty. The story is eventually about the inhabitants "defeating" the villains but the almost trivial end does not justify the means.
Clearly my tolerance for mean people and nasty behavior has dropped. And this story has a massive amount of insensitivity including to cruelty to children, attempted rape, animal beatings, environmental destruction, and false imprisonment. The story also jumps from character to character so often it was frustrating. I ended up speed reading a massive amount, marked places to sped thru and skip only to find I never want to read it again. The odd thing is my notes from 2011 all mention the same things but not so forcefully.
NOT recommended.
June 27, 2019
This is the second novel in the Petaybee series and I want to start off with some trigger warnings for child abuse, both physical and mental, forced child marriage, attempted rape of a teenage girl and allusions to other girls in the past who were raped and abused. Also animal abuse. Most of this isn't graphic but it's not subtle either so just be warned that there are some bad men in these books. They are portrayed as the villains and none of this horrible behavior is condoned or approved of and I think that comes off very clearly.
This book introduces a lot of new characters. There are a number of company board members and assistants who come to examine the claims of a sentient planet. Some of them are good and are on the side of the colonists and some of them are greedy and evil.
The book continues to explore the relationship between Sean and Yana on the sidelines while the main plot focuses on their fight to protect the planet from being pillaged by the company. They have strong allies but their enemies are also strong and they uncover a plot from within to help the company by killing off the sentient parts of the planet.
We also get to meet a young girl called 'goatdung' by the evil people who raised her and murdered her mother. She runs away to avoid a forced marriage at the age of around 12, I believe and for a time lives happily with one of the telepathic and highly intelligent cats who live on the planet. This cat, Coaxtl, becomes a surrogate mother until the child's real family is found.
But just when it seems like her life will finally be happy she is manipulated by an evil company board member who decides to use her for his own ends, bringing her right back to the horror she'd run from and he's quite willing to trade her for what he wants.
I enjoyed this story and I do recommend it because despite the TWs. The world is filled with bad stuff and bad people and it's rare that karma gives them what they deserve. The plot was a little predictable in that I knew exactly who the little girl was as soon as she was introduced, but I loved her anyway.
This book introduces a lot of new characters. There are a number of company board members and assistants who come to examine the claims of a sentient planet. Some of them are good and are on the side of the colonists and some of them are greedy and evil.
The book continues to explore the relationship between Sean and Yana on the sidelines while the main plot focuses on their fight to protect the planet from being pillaged by the company. They have strong allies but their enemies are also strong and they uncover a plot from within to help the company by killing off the sentient parts of the planet.
We also get to meet a young girl called 'goatdung' by the evil people who raised her and murdered her mother. She runs away to avoid a forced marriage at the age of around 12, I believe and for a time lives happily with one of the telepathic and highly intelligent cats who live on the planet. This cat, Coaxtl, becomes a surrogate mother until the child's real family is found.
But just when it seems like her life will finally be happy she is manipulated by an evil company board member who decides to use her for his own ends, bringing her right back to the horror she'd run from and he's quite willing to trade her for what he wants.
I enjoyed this story and I do recommend it because despite the TWs. The world is filled with bad stuff and bad people and it's rare that karma gives them what they deserve. The plot was a little predictable in that I knew exactly who the little girl was as soon as she was introduced, but I loved her anyway.
June 28, 2017
This is the 2nd book in the Petaybee series by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough. The planet Petaybee was terraformed two hundreds years ago. It is still an arctic world so it was forcibly settled by Inuit peoples from old Earth. They have adapted to their new world and have thrived but they hold a secret form Intergal, the company who terraformed Petaybee and owns the rights to the entire planet. When new mineral deposits are discovered, research teams are sent but many of them disappear and those that are found report strange sightings and even stranger animals. They turn to disabled combat veteran Yanaba Maddock who is being forcibly retired there to investigate these occurrence. She is supposed to gain the confidence of the native population and discover their secret but she soon finds herself on the side of the natives against the company. In this one the fight to protect the planet and it's people from being taken over by Intergal continues. Yanaba and her friends must try to prove that Petaybe is in fact sentient and that it will protect itself and the people and animals that live there. There is more action in this book as well as a developing story that spans the entire planet. This book is better than the first one and makes me want to read the rest of the series.
August 6, 2021
Following on from book one, this book brings more than a touch of reality to the people of Petaybee.
We have child molesters, rapists, and men who are willing to tear the planet apart, along with it's people, its flora, and it's fauna, as long as they can gain by it!
We also have Matthew Luzon still trying to blame all of our favourite characters for things that he can't, or won't, believe in, until it gets to the point where he kidnaps absolutely everyone he thinks is to blame for Intergal's lack of progress, in getting the ores out of the planet.
This book really tells it how it is, when greed is at the forefront of people, or companies - It's also brutally honest where the deviances of certain men are concerned, too.
Despite so much reality, I never once dropped out of the world that Anne & Elizabeth had written together, and that, to me, is the sign of a first class yarn.
I guess this was because the horror of those realities were leavened with the kindness, love, and caring, of so many of the main characters, new and old.
I absolutely loved the ending to this book, and can't wait to read the third, and last one in this series. I know I read it years ago but, thanks to my memory problems, can't remember a thing about it, so it'll be like reading it anew, once more.
So it's on to Power Play, to see what happens next!
We have child molesters, rapists, and men who are willing to tear the planet apart, along with it's people, its flora, and it's fauna, as long as they can gain by it!
We also have Matthew Luzon still trying to blame all of our favourite characters for things that he can't, or won't, believe in, until it gets to the point where he kidnaps absolutely everyone he thinks is to blame for Intergal's lack of progress, in getting the ores out of the planet.
This book really tells it how it is, when greed is at the forefront of people, or companies - It's also brutally honest where the deviances of certain men are concerned, too.
Despite so much reality, I never once dropped out of the world that Anne & Elizabeth had written together, and that, to me, is the sign of a first class yarn.
I guess this was because the horror of those realities were leavened with the kindness, love, and caring, of so many of the main characters, new and old.
I absolutely loved the ending to this book, and can't wait to read the third, and last one in this series. I know I read it years ago but, thanks to my memory problems, can't remember a thing about it, so it'll be like reading it anew, once more.
So it's on to Power Play, to see what happens next!
June 5, 2018
a comfortable enjoyable read
As are all McCaffrey's works, this book is well-written, engaging and filled with likeable people: human, animal and other--along with their rather cardboard enemies. The good guys win, of course, without taking too much damage (though some of the secondary characters did go through horrific experiences off screen) and all ends very well.
Despite how that sounds, I like reading McCaffrey books because they're comfortable reads and I enjoy her notions of intelligent animal species and the importance of living cooperatively with the planet one depends on. She also values music, storytelling and crafts of all sorts, as they all reliably appear in her books, and so do I, so that's another pleasure for me. The main issue I have with her writing are the predictably narcissistic evil bad guys and the over-angelic good guys, both of whom limit the impact of her work and make it only pleasant. Sometimes all you want is a reliably well-written story that you know will end well, and McCaffrey always delivers one if those.
As are all McCaffrey's works, this book is well-written, engaging and filled with likeable people: human, animal and other--along with their rather cardboard enemies. The good guys win, of course, without taking too much damage (though some of the secondary characters did go through horrific experiences off screen) and all ends very well.
Despite how that sounds, I like reading McCaffrey books because they're comfortable reads and I enjoy her notions of intelligent animal species and the importance of living cooperatively with the planet one depends on. She also values music, storytelling and crafts of all sorts, as they all reliably appear in her books, and so do I, so that's another pleasure for me. The main issue I have with her writing are the predictably narcissistic evil bad guys and the over-angelic good guys, both of whom limit the impact of her work and make it only pleasant. Sometimes all you want is a reliably well-written story that you know will end well, and McCaffrey always delivers one if those.
April 26, 2023
The starts and finishes of this trilogy are a bit blurry for me. I went from one to the other. I can tell you that, by the time I was in the middle of the second one, I was beginning to wonder if there was going to be any significant action or plot beyond the somewhat basic one from the first book.
I did enjoy Marina Sirtis's narration of the second book. I think that it took some adjustment, in the beginning, but I grew to really enjoy her reading.
I also noticed that people said the audio version was abridged. I have to admit that I'm glad it was abridged. I don't know if I would have wanted to finish these books, if they were longer. They were fine for a morning listen, but I didn't want them to go on longer (especially not with the slow plot/lack of action/plot).
I did enjoy Marina Sirtis's narration of the second book. I think that it took some adjustment, in the beginning, but I grew to really enjoy her reading.
I also noticed that people said the audio version was abridged. I have to admit that I'm glad it was abridged. I don't know if I would have wanted to finish these books, if they were longer. They were fine for a morning listen, but I didn't want them to go on longer (especially not with the slow plot/lack of action/plot).
June 29, 2017
I like this universe, and I like many of the characters in the series. But this felt quite disjointed to me - the curse of co-writing, maybe.
There was too much going on - the plotlines could have made two books - and far too often the wrap-up was a bit 'And it was all a dream!!' (I mean, it was never a dream, but the thing with having a sentient planet is that you can have all the deus ex machina you want. Apparently.)
There's at least one more in this series, and I will read it, because a) I'm a completist, b) I own it, and c) I like Petaybee. And Yana.
There was too much going on - the plotlines could have made two books - and far too often the wrap-up was a bit 'And it was all a dream!!' (I mean, it was never a dream, but the thing with having a sentient planet is that you can have all the deus ex machina you want. Apparently.)
There's at least one more in this series, and I will read it, because a) I'm a completist, b) I own it, and c) I like Petaybee. And Yana.
June 22, 2022
As a rule I have loved all the Anne MacCaffery books, so I wonder if it’s the contribution of Elizabeth Ann Scarborough that I object to.
Overall, my problem is belief suspension overload: it is not enough to have a sentient planet, which would have been interesting enough to explore on it’s own, but there’s a selkie ? And unicorns? And evil manipulators who are supposedly intelligent and hold leadership positions and yet froth at the mouth?
I just can’t.
Overall, my problem is belief suspension overload: it is not enough to have a sentient planet, which would have been interesting enough to explore on it’s own, but there’s a selkie ? And unicorns? And evil manipulators who are supposedly intelligent and hold leadership positions and yet froth at the mouth?
I just can’t.
August 17, 2018
The Petaybee Triogy
This is the third time reading this set and I enjoy it more with each reading. The characters are all specific to their roles. I love to love the good guys and hate the bad guys. I will continue reading these books for as long as I can! The authors definitely know their character emotional tone levels! B Maders
This is the third time reading this set and I enjoy it more with each reading. The characters are all specific to their roles. I love to love the good guys and hate the bad guys. I will continue reading these books for as long as I can! The authors definitely know their character emotional tone levels! B Maders
March 18, 2019
Anne McCaffrey is an author I always enjoy reading. I really loved the way this series started although I felt it lost a bit of its appeal as the books went on.I do find it to be a very fascinating world with great characters but I am not sure I love the formula of the story telling. But I still quite like it.
August 25, 2020
Fascinating storyline!
Reading this book and following the stories and adventures of people on Petaybee just enriched my mind and soul. To believe a planet has a soul! Oh my! So captivating and expressive you want to know what happens next!! To discover the rest of the journey the people and planet are on!!
Reading this book and following the stories and adventures of people on Petaybee just enriched my mind and soul. To believe a planet has a soul! Oh my! So captivating and expressive you want to know what happens next!! To discover the rest of the journey the people and planet are on!!
January 3, 2022
It’s been interesting to re-read this series as a more jaded adult who has dealt with waaaaaaay more government/corporate bureaucracy than I had been exposed to when I first read it. Appalling characters, great characters, and definite re-confirming the idea of a symbiotic relationship with the world we call home.
Also, cheekily funny. Harrison’s Fjord indeed 🤣🤣
Also, cheekily funny. Harrison’s Fjord indeed 🤣🤣
July 22, 2020
Direct follow up to Powers That Be. Big bad corporate people come to destroy things. Well, one corporate person isn't an evil stereotype but a rich woman stereotype. Another very simplistic story, but an ok read.
May 28, 2022
ideas are great as ever, execution is just not as good
Really like the ideas as ever but it is just a bit clumsily written and the convenient plot lines a bit too obvious to make this a good read.
Really like the ideas as ever but it is just a bit clumsily written and the convenient plot lines a bit too obvious to make this a good read.
July 27, 2017
The villain was too thinly written for me to give this more stars. I love the at that young 'Cita develops as a character. Having the sentient planet as a secondary character is quite cool.
August 27, 2017
Nice world building, good characters. The plot and writing were good. Solid series, but I don't love it.
July 30, 2018
My main complaint is that the villains are just too bad. Life seldom is as black or white. Still, it is an enjoyable book.
Read
March 19, 2019Very good series
April 7, 2019
Great character development and really good intrigue in this story. I really enjoy the character of Clodaugh.
May 19, 2020
Just as the first time I read it, I couldn't put this book down. Without a doubt, my favourite characters are the cats. Just read it!
February 13, 2021
What can I say? I'm on an old school sci-fi kick. Re-reading all the books I read as a high school student, I guess. This second book is a great addition to the series and doesn't disappoint.
March 5, 2022
Great second book in the PTB series. Very intense with numerous points in the book where you worry about the main characters but such a great story.
December 27, 2023
Rereading the series, now that I have all the installments. This is a fun concept and I enjoy the blending of myth and sci-fi.
Read
February 7, 2013
From Publishers Weekly
In this sequel to Powers That Be , the hardworking inhabits of the sentient planet Petaybee continue their struggles with the magnates controlling Intergal Company. While chairperson Dr. Whittaker Fiske has been convinced of the planet's intelligence--and the necessity of negotiating with it--other members of the board believe that he and the Petaybeans are suffering from a collective delusion. Two representatives arrive to investigate: the first, Marmion de Revers Algemeine, maintains an open mind, but cultural anthropologist Matthew Luzon uses his training to cheat non-technical cultures out of their heritage. A group of Petaybeans and sympathizers set out for other villages to win over those willing to continue mining despite the planet's requests to stop. After numerous convoluted plot turns, a Petaybean resistance leads to a satisfactory conclusion. This lackluster tale suffers from excessive sentimentality, while characters are no better developed than in the first volume. Both independently and together, these collaborators have displayed their gifts to better advantage elsewhere.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Former Intergal officer Yanaba Maddock allies herself with the residents of her adopted planet Petaybee against her one-time employers to prevent the mineral rape of a sentient world. Shortsighted opportunists clash head on with stubborn defenders of a world and a way of life in this sequel to Powers That Be (LJ 5/15/93). McCaffrey and Scarborough collaborate seamlessly to tell a first-rate sf adventure with strong male and female protagonists and a life-affirming theme.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
October 25, 2013
Power Lines by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough is the second book set in the Petaybee Universe. This book continues from where the last book leads off however the company has caused more problems again. While Dr. Fiske agrees with the natives that the planet is sentient the view is not shared by his son who manages to get the company to send out their prized trouble maker Matthew Luzon to try open the world for mining. At the same time certain dissident factions exist on the world which start moving with the new actions of the company. I enjoyed the cat and mouse adventures of this story much more than I did the first book in the series as I found it easier to root for the heroes when they were spouting human decency rather than Gaia theories of being. I found the villains very convincing especially the mad pedophile prophet and the pirates turned miners. I think however that what I learned most from the book is that we should not attempt to use science or reason to try and prove a view which we already have. Matthew Luzon does it very convincingly because he merely wants facts which back up his case. We must instead look at the total picture instead of simply denying facts that we disagree with without looking into them first. If we are truly going to live in this world the way God intended us to we must inspect our beliefs and face our fears while attempting to learn how to best achieve his goals. We must be willing to face things we don't like but do so in a way that we can discover why we fear them.
November 13, 2016
Power Lines (1994) by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Scarborough is a narrative catastrophe continuing the Petaybee storyline. In this book, the plot line disintegrates into incoherence, but does eventually stumble about to a conclusion of sort.
In the first book of this series, Anne and Elizabeth showed how they could world together to build a fun world, even if the results were sort of blah. In this book, they struggle back and forth over who has the plot line, demonstrating exactly how not to to write a shared book. They start numerous plot lines, run down equally numerous dead ends, with equally swerves and veers as the plot line gets pounded this way and that with no subtlety, and finally, crawls its way over the finish line and reaches its word count.
Some parts of the book read like summaries rather than plot, especially toward the end, where the writers vainly hope to give us a conclusion, but there's no way that they can give us a satisfying conclusion because what came before produced no coherent narrative to cumulate.
I don't even know who the main character is supposed to be. The book feels more like a bunch of short stories crammed together into a power cord tangle than a proper book. I'd say that the short stories were satisfying, but they're not.
I am truly agog that two experienced writers would produce such a catastrophe.
In the first book of this series, Anne and Elizabeth showed how they could world together to build a fun world, even if the results were sort of blah. In this book, they struggle back and forth over who has the plot line, demonstrating exactly how not to to write a shared book. They start numerous plot lines, run down equally numerous dead ends, with equally swerves and veers as the plot line gets pounded this way and that with no subtlety, and finally, crawls its way over the finish line and reaches its word count.
Some parts of the book read like summaries rather than plot, especially toward the end, where the writers vainly hope to give us a conclusion, but there's no way that they can give us a satisfying conclusion because what came before produced no coherent narrative to cumulate.
I don't even know who the main character is supposed to be. The book feels more like a bunch of short stories crammed together into a power cord tangle than a proper book. I'd say that the short stories were satisfying, but they're not.
I am truly agog that two experienced writers would produce such a catastrophe.
February 25, 2017
My full review is here on my personal website. I'll post my conclusion here, though:
4.5 out of 5.0 stars
As with “Powers That Be,” the missing half-star is because of Yana and Sean. I never really see their relationship working romantically. Maybe it’s just the way my mind works or something, but I can’t quite put them together as the perfect couple. And just an FYI, by “perfect couple” I do not mean the kind that never fights and always gets along. I mean the couple that works through their problems no matter what comes their way. Technically, Yana and Sean fit that definition, but the way I interpret their personalities just doesn’t let them fit together that way.
Everything else about the book is perfect! :-D I may be biased, but McCaffrey’s books are worth taking the time to read. All of them are.
The very worst thing about this book is still Yana’s relationship with Sean. It still feels a little artificial to me. :-/
The very best thing about this book is, also, still Petaybee the sentient planet! Petaybee is more involved in this book, I think, and that makes it even better!
4.5 out of 5.0 stars
As with “Powers That Be,” the missing half-star is because of Yana and Sean. I never really see their relationship working romantically. Maybe it’s just the way my mind works or something, but I can’t quite put them together as the perfect couple. And just an FYI, by “perfect couple” I do not mean the kind that never fights and always gets along. I mean the couple that works through their problems no matter what comes their way. Technically, Yana and Sean fit that definition, but the way I interpret their personalities just doesn’t let them fit together that way.
Everything else about the book is perfect! :-D I may be biased, but McCaffrey’s books are worth taking the time to read. All of them are.
The very worst thing about this book is still Yana’s relationship with Sean. It still feels a little artificial to me. :-/
The very best thing about this book is, also, still Petaybee the sentient planet! Petaybee is more involved in this book, I think, and that makes it even better!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews