Action packed exploration of the ultimate Malthusian dilemma-- what if a technological species is bound by our current understanding of interstellar tAction packed exploration of the ultimate Malthusian dilemma-- what if a technological species is bound by our current understanding of interstellar travel and therefore cannot leave their home system?
Niven and Pournelle's exploration of this concept is full of great, but dark, ideas.
Overall brilliant work with a solid enough ending, which is in other works not present.
A few quibbles, like-- if the smart monks don't reproduce in orOverall brilliant work with a solid enough ending, which is in other works not present.
A few quibbles, like-- if the smart monks don't reproduce in order not to diverge from the base population (the presumption being intelligence is genetic) then wouldn't the removal of those same smart genes from the breeding pool when intelligent children are sent to live with the monks decrease the overall intelligence of the whole population? And yet we have Barb, who like Bean in Enders Game shows up halfway through and is smarter than anyone?...more
One of those extraordinary books that not only blows away everything else the author has written, and Powers is a fine author, but can be recommended One of those extraordinary books that not only blows away everything else the author has written, and Powers is a fine author, but can be recommended to people with absolute confidence. One of the best endings ever.
Mediocre Heinlein. 2 short novels. Waldo starts out as a proper technological fix the problem story then gets very weird, jumps the shark. Not satisfyMediocre Heinlein. 2 short novels. Waldo starts out as a proper technological fix the problem story then gets very weird, jumps the shark. Not satisfying as a story. Magic Inc. is readable but not outstanding; the depiction of the mechanics of the political process is however just as fresh and relevant as when it was written over 60 years ago. Nice ways to kill time if you have nothing better to do, but yeah, skip Waldo completely I reckon....more
Completely readable Wolfian modern day horror-fantasy-adventure in Eastern Europe.
Also of course deeply delvable as all Wolfe is. http://www.urth.net/Completely readable Wolfian modern day horror-fantasy-adventure in Eastern Europe.
This is a special and rare book. Doctorow has combined a erudite realistic near future extrapolation of the real world conseqExperienced as audiobook.
This is a special and rare book. Doctorow has combined a erudite realistic near future extrapolation of the real world consequences of massively multiplayer role playing games with a far rarer knowledge of the history of organized labor (unions).
If the word "union" pushes a button for you, perhaps examine your views on the trend changes to the standard of living of yourself and people you know and consider the judgement of this very recent and very well researched text which says that unions and catastrophic wars are the only things that tend to equalize wealth distribution in capitalist societies. Of the two, I'll take unions over wars any day. https://lareviewofbooks.org/review/to...
The result is HARD science fiction that has real human beings at its focus rather than military technology. A hopeful and yet in places tragically realistic book.
Maybe more like 4.5 stars, for the slightly cloying YA feel to the prose. Or maybe the voice of the very average reader of the audiobook, who did not pronounce "mamaji" correctly....more
2 stars for a book which I finished and then regretted the time spent reading it. I love Banks, but not everything he wrote. Give me Consider Phlebas,2 stars for a book which I finished and then regretted the time spent reading it. I love Banks, but not everything he wrote. Give me Consider Phlebas, Player of Games, Use of Weapons, The Algebraist, Excession, any day of the week. However I loathe this one: Inversions; Feersum Endjinn; The Bridge; Matter; Against a Dark Background....more
Listened to audiobook version recently; read upon first publication in paperback a while ago.
When I originally read this book I put it Bank's second tListened to audiobook version recently; read upon first publication in paperback a while ago.
When I originally read this book I put it Bank's second tier-- not as good as Player of Games, Use of Weapons, Consider Phlebas, but worth reading and far superior to the better missed Feersum Endjinn, Bridge, Matter, Against a Dark Background grouping. Satisfying to the Banks lover without being steadily amazing page after page.
Years later the audiobook leaves this judgment intact. I slept through parts of the book in the middle where lurk Bank's love of word count and lengthy descriptions which just give us something to do until he ties the plot threads together and do little to advance the narrative.
I also found the reader's voice to be sometimes too similar for different characters-- often the voice of the guy and the voice of the guy with a different personality running on a bit of hardware in the guy's head were indistinguishable, and those two guys talk together a lot, as you may imagine.
And super annoying-- the voice of the Homandan ambassador, a being from a civilization peer to the Culture who is read as a lumbering retarded human.
Otherwise very pleasant to listen to.
This one develops further the relationship between the Minds and the Humans of the culture in a more subtle, ideas oriented fashion than some of the exploding nova space opera Banks is so good at. Also lays the groundwork, not that you'd need it, and not that I recommend you read it, for the later novel exploring cyber heavens and hells....more
I love this book (these two books) BUT things start to drag a bit in the first half of the second volume and a bit of skimming won't hurt. DO start reI love this book (these two books) BUT things start to drag a bit in the first half of the second volume and a bit of skimming won't hurt. DO start reading more closely halfway through this second volume, and ponder the brilliantly structured and downplayed ending.
Really clear prose, thoughtful presentation of two groups of aliens who are about to have their world changed: the pre-industrial natives of the planet and the socialist crew of an earth starship.
Hard technical science fiction with the earth tech and hard social science fiction with the humans and aliens. Really a tour de force that fans of Le Guin, Robinson, and Wolfe should enjoy. ...more
The first chapter of this book is flawless and for the most part this and the subsequent volume (if you have the split edition) follows up on that proThe first chapter of this book is flawless and for the most part this and the subsequent volume (if you have the split edition) follows up on that promise. BUT: things start to drag a bit in the first half of the second volume and a bit of skimming won't hurt.
Really clear prose, thoughtful presentation of two groups of aliens who are about to have their world changed: the pre-industrial natives of the planet and the socialist crew of an earth starship.
Hard technical science fiction with the earth tech and hard social science fiction with the humans and aliens. Really a tour de force that fans of Le Guin, Robinson, and Wolfe should enjoy....more
Audiobook-- which does not play well with Varley's somewhat long winded writing style. I nearly gave up about half way through as Varley gives little Audiobook-- which does not play well with Varley's somewhat long winded writing style. I nearly gave up about half way through as Varley gives little reason to care about the fate of one of many clones. This book is definitely a sort of guided tour of his clever world building, and moves along mostly by deus es machina. The world building is very clever if you don't mind the ineffectualizing of the human race....more
2 stars for a book I finished and then wished I hadn't. Whatever it is with Paul J McAuley and I, no matter how well awarded or reviewed his books, I 2 stars for a book I finished and then wished I hadn't. Whatever it is with Paul J McAuley and I, no matter how well awarded or reviewed his books, I just don't like reading them....more
Audiobook, read by the Author and with 70's era electronic sound effects.
The surreal, visionary aspects of this book push the limits of the audio formAudiobook, read by the Author and with 70's era electronic sound effects.
The surreal, visionary aspects of this book push the limits of the audio format, but since it's Zelazny reading it, they are OK.
The plotting here is really ingenious. This is almost three books in one as what one thinks is the end of the plot occurs and then is revealed to be just the first or next step in a much bigger journey....more
Audiobook this time around, though I've read the paperback at least twice before.
This is quintessential Zelazny near the peak of his form. All containAudiobook this time around, though I've read the paperback at least twice before.
This is quintessential Zelazny near the peak of his form. All contained in one book we get an epic combining multiple mythologies, modernity, and a very ambiguous protagonist. Really amazing work, stands the test of time....more
The best of Harrison's early period work. Not too heavy on the jaded world weariness to be unbearable. Nice descriptions and action.The best of Harrison's early period work. Not too heavy on the jaded world weariness to be unbearable. Nice descriptions and action....more
What's especially notable about this book is that not only did I like it heaps but it can be recommended to other people and they really like it too. What's especially notable about this book is that not only did I like it heaps but it can be recommended to other people and they really like it too. If you haven't read it, do. If you have, don't necessarily go out of your way to read anything else by Card, as everything is a step or two down from here....more
Far worse books will get far better ratings. If you pick up a Stross book at all you are likely to be a bit clever and discriminating; and so the pickFar worse books will get far better ratings. If you pick up a Stross book at all you are likely to be a bit clever and discriminating; and so the picking apart begins, and I am no exception.
Stross is a very smart man and does not think things like human colonization of space, interstellar wars, and space piracy (for instance) are realistically possible, so he goes and invents a setting where all these things =can= happen. This is all very entertaining, but the protagonist has little volition and the plot serves to move her from spot to spot, checking out the latest marvel, mostly not knowing much about what is going on. More than the reader though-- the transit time is spent in her giving out background peacemeal. This is really the only movement or transformation in the narrative-- how much the reader knows about the setting.
It's polished, I like it a lot more than his other recent work such as the Laundry or Halting State or Merchant Princes books, it's clever, but in the end really a 3 star book for me-- a fine way to spend time if you have nothing better to do.
But does it measure up to accelerando or toast or singularity sky? No... maybe with his increasing popularity and hopefully pay rate he will be able to slow down output a bit....more
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