Last month, I read Probe, ostensibly by Bonanno. At the time, I realized that I'd never actually read Music of the Spheres, Bonanno's original manuscript for the book that became Probe after intervention by J. M. Dillard and Gene DeWeese. So, I downloaded the .pdf and began reading it during slow moments at work (i.e., all day). It's a curious experience, reading two versions of essentially the same book. There are things I liked better about Bonanno's version, there are things I liked better about the published version. The character of Rihan/Hiran certainly comes across better as published, and the way that Bonanno ties in her characters from Dwellers in the Crucible is a bit too "small world". (It probably doesn't help that I don't actually like Dwellers all that much.) But Bonanno has a more interesting writing/narrative style (in that she has a style), and her characterizations are a bit stronger. I have to admit, I like a lot of the changes introduced in the edits; if Bonanno had been allowed to implement them herself, I think we would have ended up with one very good book rather than two so-so ones. (originally written May 2008)

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