A somewhat limpid followup to Crystal Singer, Killashandra focuses on the Crystal Singer Ree as she journeys to distant Optheria on an assignment to repair the Optherian organ-and spy on the planet.
The Optherian Elders are panicked- it seems that a musician named Comgail has shattered the main manual for the grand Organ, which is vital to the annual Summer Festival (which naturally brings in large revenues from the tourism). Killashandra, as an experienced pianist and crystal singer, must not only repair the organ but spy in Optheria.
Curiously, Optheria is a perfect world. It is the picture of prim and proper, a planet of chastity. But no one ever leaves Optheria, even though there are hundreds of other planets to see.
As Killashandra explores, she discovers new love and a dark, startling secret. Optheria's Elders are using the organs to subliminate and brainwash the populace, making them docile and ruthlessly suppressing any opposition from the rebel islands. Furthermore, Killashandra finds herself in a terrible dilemna: for to leave Optheria, she must consign the man she loves to trial...
Killashandra follows in the same style as its predecessor, Crystal Singer. Our heroine Killashandra Ree is a bratty, melodramatic soprano courting the audience with her flashy on-off stage dialogue and actions.
The story begins some time after Crystal Singer: it is here that the one value that should have been repeated appears. Killashandra is ruined: her black crystal claim has been destroyed, a sickness rages through her veins, and she must leave the man she loves to save him. But it is soon that her despair ends and an all-too perfect story begins.
Right off the bat Killashandra is the perfect heroine with no flaws except her self-centered personality (which is actually a good attribute in this story!). She sweeps into the scene, disrupts a dinner with the leaders of a foreign planet, and sweeps out to greet some delicacies that were placed in her room in the hopes they would satisfy her insatiable needs. Every move Killashandra makes is absolutely perfect and flawless, as are those of Lars Dahl. The rest of the cast, with few exceptions, is positively ludicrous.
With the exception of Killashandra's character (which, as a side note, was better in Crystal Singer but not by much and dramatically improves in Crystal Line) and the perfect plot line, there are quite a few "goodies" in here. McCaffrey's weaving is clear, and enjoyable to read. Though I didn't find the island scenes enjoyable to read, many others have. Furthermore, there is also the usual "dark secret to the perfect paradise" plot. Very good, but as a whole not as good as Crystal Singer was. Certainly there is room for improvement in this one.
