This book takes place in the same universe as Kirith Kirin, though it is not a sequel. It has some of the same strengths as its predecessor and suffers from some of the same faults. Specifically, its prose is outstanding, but too much so. In place of suspense and emotional depth, we get paragraph after paragraph of wordy world-building. It becomes a snooze-fest. It’s a shame, because the concept of the book is inventive. There are two worlds on a distant planet joined by a portal. The two worlds...

puzzling. pleasant enough. id read the sequel, but im not eager to

I loved almost all of this book. The first two parts had it all: a fascinating, well-built world, an interesting magic system, great characters, compelling and lyrical writing, juicy description that wasn't overdone, and a rich soup of thoughts about religion, magic and science. The third part was much shorter and abandoned the main character, but it was still intertwined and it fleshed out two other major characters in ways the reader couldn't have gotten otherwise, so it was a valuable part of...

This was a reread, but I still think it is a really interesting read. The first time through I couldn't quite grasp what was happening in the storyline (I think I was distracted by a different book I'd just finished). This time around I'm rereading it because I'm reading the next book set in the same universe. The first half of the story is a fairly straight forward contact between two humanoid civilizations that are very different where one is scientifically focused and the other believes in an...

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...

There were times when I was reading this book about two worlds where I was terrified it would end. I loved the very most the part where the manner of magic in the fantastical world is explained, as a form of singing that recreates---well I won't tell it all. I found I couldn't breathe, I was so interested. The world building is the finest part, and the fact that one civilization has just encountered another ( that was there all along---this is on the first chapter) and that other civilization ha...

The first third is pretty bad because the author totally fails to flesh out the setting - he just uses nouns for places, things, and concepts that are fictional but go unexplained.The second third gains steam and is pretty good - it sets up a plausibly epic story arc and a universe with many interesting possibilities.The last third is boring again - a whirlwind tour of one character's history. Ultimately none of it has any effect on the plot.The final chapter is a total cop-out; there's no actua...

This is an interesting hybrid of SF and fantasy that made me wish it were longer. There is something about it that feels like a young adult novel, but the sex scenes and gay characters probably rule it out for most families. The pacing is erratic and some of the characters' actions and attitudes seem unlikely, but it's a good read.

More like 3 1/2 stars and the only reason it is not four is personal taste. Good but I tend to like a bit more straight forward style. World jumping, time jumping, has character a met b before b met a in personal timelines. Big brother scrutinizing everything through personal electronics versus introducing oneself by a generic alias.

This was a 4 (maybe even more) star book right up until the last section when I did not get the resolution I expected from the story. Liked the start and the twist away from initial expectation, really wanted to know more about the mysterious woman and I expected when I didn't that this must be a series. Unfortunately the author's note made it clear there is a sequel planned. More books in this world maybe but not a direct continuation of this story and I'd have liked more of Jedda and Malin.

My library classifies The Ordinary as science fiction. I call it fantasy. The back cover says it is a powerful and entrancing tale of magic, science and the mysterious truth that binds them together (so i guess that's somewhere in between?) The author, Jim Grimsley, also calls it science fiction even though it shares the same world with his early fantasy novel Kirith Kirin (though it is not a sequel to that novel). He says that he is "exploring the interface between a culture that believes in m

I really sort of struggled over whether to give this a 3/5 or a 4/5. It deserves the 4, I think -- it's fabulously written, in a way that reminded me a bit of Ursula Le Guin or Joan D. Vinge, both in plot and in attention to detail, the story is well-rounded, I cared about the characters... BUT, it left me frustrated, because I felt like the book was a big set-up for books or short stories to follow. In many ways, it felt like a short story, in that like many short stories, it ends right BEFORE

I don't think I've ever read a book where I enjoyed the middle more than the beginning or the end. I struggled to get into the book at first, but then warmed to it once the plot got started up. Once I reached the end though, I felt like it had been rushed or maybe like I had been cheated of seeing more of the world. It's an interesting book for sure though and I'd recommend that people check it out despite my misgivings.

I really enjoyed this book despite the fact that I felt there were some big plot holes that needed filling. The relationship between Malin and Jedda was interesting, and I was sad that the book ended on such a pivotal moment. I intend to go back and read Kirith Kirin and the follow-up to the Ordinary, just to get some more information on these two very different worlds.

I picked this book up from the library because it had a very interesting premise: There is one world that is very science-oriented, logical, over-populated and high-tech. There is another world that is flat, plentiful, and where magic is a proven reality. And suddenly there is a gate between the two. Talk about narrative tension! The beautiful dichotomy sets up an intriguing 'what if' story, with likeable characters, engaging plot and just enough mystery and suspense to keep you guessing. My onl...

I couldn't decide between 3 or 4 stars. I was fascinated with the details of the magic. The time skipping was interesting.I didn't really start to like this book until the last 100 pages or so, when I learned more about Malin and Jessex. I liked the theory that we all have a place in time. If one did live forever, how would that bend your perception of people, places and time? More stars because it was thought provoking. Malin and, Jessex were interesting. Less stars, I didn't feel the conflict

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.

Jim Grimsley is basically the only SciFi author I will read. Narrow, true, but he transcends most genres I usually don't like. He's just that good. This is a continuation of Kirith Kirin, his fantasy novel, and has a couple of the same characters.It is a wonderfully intricate, elegant novel that melds SciFi and Fantasy and draws the reader into a great world.

a fun blend of sci-fi and fantasy, when a high-tech civilization discovers a gate to medieval society. throw in time travel and magic, and this is a fun read. however, the build up to the climax is never resolved, and you'll have to read the next book (The Last Green Tree) to find out what happened.

The Ordinary is engaging, smart, colorful and just a whole lot of fun. At times the prose becomes almost lyrical, for good reason. In a world where magic and scinece collide, The Ordinary takes the reader on a wild ride into the far-future. I now want to return to that world and look forward to reading the other books in this series.