notes while reading:
I'm found it a strange book to read, one minute I'm facinated and reading it with very few breaks and then in the next breath I'm wondering why I'm reading it and putting it down wondering if I should continue. The sun is calling and I'm going to bring it into the back with a cup of coffee and see where that takes me.

It would probably appeal to a lot of people I know who are into linguistics - it's about a jesuit linguistic making first contact.

Though I do like the quote in it, which occurs quite early, about learning language

"'Sometimes,' he told her... I begin with songs. They provide a sort of skeleton grammar for me to flesh out. Songs of longing for future tense, songs of regret for past tense, songs of love for the present.'
...
"'Isn't that interesting,' she said..., 'I do the same thing. Have you noticed that llullabies nearly always use a lot of command form?'"

I'm a bit ambivalent about this book, it is quite a good read and I'm not sorry I did but it's a bit of a trudge through some parts, although those parts are actually plot-important.

A worthwhile read, just not something I'd probably read again, tho it is going into a pile to reconsider after I read the sequel.