This is a funny little novel... the first half is solidly hard sci-fi.. with just a scientist character explaining his theory of a wheels-within-wheelThis is a funny little novel... the first half is solidly hard sci-fi.. with just a scientist character explaining his theory of a wheels-within-wheels universe, that there is a greater one 'above' us to which the Earth is just an atom. The main characters, though a rocket that can somehow go faster than light and thus make them less dense and larger, they manage to get to this greater universe, and find a planet that is pretty Earth like.
From there it's full on teen boy wish fufilment fantasy complete with aliens to fight and a literal island of virgins to save. I know Cummings was an early pioneer in the field, but there's a reason he's alot less famous than some... nothing really memorable here. ...more
The story here is pretty basic. A ship full of human space Explorers return to Earth after a 3 year mission to find the planet destroyed and missiles The story here is pretty basic. A ship full of human space Explorers return to Earth after a 3 year mission to find the planet destroyed and missiles guarding it. They decide to figure out what happened, and to find other survivors.
The neat thing about this book is Anderson's takedown of the usual Alien societies in Sci fi. He talks about how any sort of Galactic Federation would be ridiculous, because space is so large, how would they meet up? He envisions infinite galactic neighborhoods that have little or no contact. So intelligent societies abound, but don't interact much.
The book focuses on a few near Earth.. the bad guys of the talk are a nomadic people that were about to apply their military system to the stars and set up a loose empire of sorts.
It was very different from your standard fare, which is always good. He even manage to get a shocking bit of equality in, as the plot demanded an all-female crewed ship.
There are plenty of plot flaws...the main character decides the best way to make other humans find them (there is no faster than light communication here) is to be so legendary they must hear about them. No searching, no messages, no asking for help (they consider and quickly disregard each). While the all-female ship leaves completely and sets up a trading business.. which was a bit odd.
Since this was a book about what to do when the planet dies, there isn't any space battles, and only a bit of tech. It's 60s sci fi, so of course we clever humans outthink and out innovate everyone else.
It defnitely had some bits to make me think though, so worth the read. ...more
I really want to like this book.. it's got alot to it. That's the problem though, there's just too much. Between the huge amount of characters (all ofI really want to like this book.. it's got alot to it. That's the problem though, there's just too much. Between the huge amount of characters (all of which are getting equal time) and the multiple plot threads, it's just going nowhere. 200 pages in and things seem like they're kinda starting to come together, but I'm still struggling to keep the characters straight. Just not motivated to finish.
This definitely makes it on the list of 'good sci fi makes you think'... it's a REALLY weird world... the inhabitants of 'the City' have to constantlyThis definitely makes it on the list of 'good sci fi makes you think'... it's a REALLY weird world... the inhabitants of 'the City' have to constantly move to keep close to 'the optimum' to stay alive.. all while battling hostile natives. Natives from where, you say? And why are they human? and Why is the sun that shape?
The answers are... disappointing, but in hindsight, make alot more sense than any of the things I was guessing. There is definitely some interesting commentaries on the human condition in here, a closed society that makes some hard choices to survive. One could definitely make some parallels to the pre-World War British Empire and some of their choices. And it was pretty progressive for it to be a woman that 'solved' the mystery, and she didn't even (quite) live happy ever after with a manly hero! Still, the ending was a bit too... I guess pathetic would be the word, for me to really be pleased with the book. ...more
I hadn't read this for a while.. between my recent book organizing (which lead thinking I need to re-read more things since I have all these books) anI hadn't read this for a while.. between my recent book organizing (which lead thinking I need to re-read more things since I have all these books) and the show (which I'll probably never watch), I figured it was time.
It definitely felt like a visit to an old friend...this is just a great book. There are so many tropes that started here.
One that that occurred to me that hasn't before... what would this look like it if was written today? Or even 20 years later. When Asimov wrote this in 1951, there were not even any computers, never mind internet. The whole concept of preserving knowledge would be a bit silly now...knowledge, even specialized knowledge, is pretty ubiquitous. Could invisioning the collapse of the internet create the same effect? I'm not sure.
Then there's the absolute confidence in the fact that nuclear power was the be all and end all of the future.. no hint of any other possibilities. I mean, the whole strategy of Hober Mallow was basically 'control the batteries and control the Galaxy'.. and it worked!
I'd love to see some current writer try to take on the task of writing this as a viable story with modern tech... Scalzi sort of tried, but that was all based on losing the ability to travel, which is a very different thing.
Our wonderful local librarian hooked me up with the book when it was being discarded... always good to have friends in the high places.
While there areOur wonderful local librarian hooked me up with the book when it was being discarded... always good to have friends in the high places.
While there are a few of the usual suspects, such as Arthur Clarke and Asimov himself, who were writers first, then others who were scientists first, and wrote just a bit of fiction.
In general, it's a great collection. It definitely lives up to it's billing as science based fiction, and spans alot of different topics.
Asimov's entry, The Winnowing, is fantastic, as is a great alternate look at evolution from Chad Oliver titled 'Transfusion'. I suspect David Weber read this.. it could very easily fit as the prelude to the 'Safehold' universe. "Learning Theory' is a stand out on an old theme as well... very few stinkers here... very glad to have been able to read it....more
This is definitely a unique book... it's presented almost like it was a pile of research you were doing in your were writing a grade school report preThis is definitely a unique book... it's presented almost like it was a pile of research you were doing in your were writing a grade school report pre-internet...charts, reports, first person accounts, excerpts, even a song. It works.. I definitely felt immersed in the world and story.
That world is a near future one at the beginnings of interstellar travel.. with the some unique twists. There's a weird mix of careful explaining of some of the science, but more often, hand waves or stuff that the people in the book don't understand either. At heart, it's mostly a first contact novel, and a pretty typical one at that. The unique format makes it worth the read though. ...more
This book really surprised me. I expected it to be in the vein of Redshirts, only for Kaiju. A fund spoof/homage that makes you laugh.
It definitely mThis book really surprised me. I expected it to be in the vein of Redshirts, only for Kaiju. A fund spoof/homage that makes you laugh.
It definitely made me laugh a couple times, but, shockingly, it's actually very old school sci fi. The plot and set up could have easily been written in the 60s.. I've, in fact, read books with a similar framework, but with aliens instead of kaiju.
There's also some science.. Scalzi actually tries to come up with science on HOW they can exist. I didn't expect that at all.
In fact, I would have been very happy reading several hundred pages of the KPS just going about their days and researching stuff. I know, I usually hate that sort of thing.. I guess I just really like Scalzi's style. Sure, every character is the same, but it's a fun character, so I'll allow it.
To be honest, the action part of the story at the end? I could have done without it. Things didn't have to go wrong and get fixed... it was definitely my least favorite (but fastest to read through) part of the book. I guess if you write a book about kaiju they have to stomp a little something, after all.
The back of the book talks about how this book was basically a 'pop song' to get him out of a COVID-funk, and I can totally see that. It's a darn fun book. He's got a bit of current event-ish politics in there, but he's on my team so I'm good with it.
Based on the story of how the book came to be, I doubt it'll happen, but I sure would love a sequel! ...more
I was really surprised to find this at a library book sale... you don't see alot of EE Smith around, and a non-lensman book at that!
This was a strangeI was really surprised to find this at a library book sale... you don't see alot of EE Smith around, and a non-lensman book at that!
This was a strange mix of attempts at Hard Sci-fi (As best as one can do in the 40s at least) and Burroughs' style planetary travel.. which each planet and moon having their own biosphere and aliens.
The language and style scream the time period, when science could do anything if someone just tried hard enough and thought about it. I suspect there was written originally as a few short stories, as there are pretty distinct parts.. some space battles, some parts where the aliens take center stage (including some flying snake creatures), and a Robinson Crusoe part where two of the heroes are stuck on Ganymede and proceed to build their own ship.
Much of the tech is ridiculous.. massive techincal leaps are made in days but just reviewing alien tech, and everyone who knows science seems to know everything, but that's ok, it's a fun old sci fi book. ...more
I feel like I should like this book, but it was just boring. It takes us through human history through the eyes of a few immortals, who are ageless buI feel like I should like this book, but it was just boring. It takes us through human history through the eyes of a few immortals, who are ageless but otherwise mostly normal. Sounds like a great concept, but it just didn't work. It's difficult to tell which character is which (they change their names alot) at the beginning, and honestly there's not alot of character development anyway. It seems more about the progress of society, which is a good topic, but just fell flat.
The historical scenes go out of their way to be generic, so in alot of cases it's difficult to place them (they do give time references at the back, but those would be alot better to have in the chapters). There were definitely a few good moments, but as a novel it doesn't really hold together well....more
Apparently, the person who sold a this recent couple books at got at an Annies a couple months back was a fan of these 'how we get to space' books wriApparently, the person who sold a this recent couple books at got at an Annies a couple months back was a fan of these 'how we get to space' books written in the 50s... despite the cover, this is another of them.
It's definitely the best of the time I've read... the main character, of course, is a too-smart and too-perfect teenager that everyone loves, but he actually makes mistakes, which is refereshing. As is typical of these stories, they go through all the potential problems the author sees, including surviving accidents, communist spies, and the like, but also adds a unique element.
Del Rey talks about a world wanting the hope of a new dawning of science, instead of the cold war wrangling that was going on at the time... and that the station (as this is a 'we need a station in high orbit to get into space scenario, rather than one that hand waves some sort of atomic power).. we need more of that now for sure.
While anyone with a brain can predict the exact plot and even most of the details, del Rey's writing is spot on as always... he really doesn't get enough credit in the history of sci fi, IMO. The book is both entertaining and realistic, without being as preachy as Clarke can be. ...more
This is definitely a book that you have to read in context... it was written before there was anyone in space. Clarke does a pretty darn good job of gThis is definitely a book that you have to read in context... it was written before there was anyone in space. Clarke does a pretty darn good job of guessing at what it would be like though.
This is definitely meant as 'juvenile' SF, it focuses on a boy that wins a contest on a quiz show and finagles the prize to be a trip to 'Inner Station'.. the lowest orbit of the various stations in orbit and jumping off point to the solar system.
It's clear Clarke's goal here is not to tell a story, but rather to correct some of the myths of space travel (which is interesting, since space travel is yet a few years away).. and he talks to the reader at several points about how ray guns and space monsters are not REALLY out there, but tries to show how exciting space is anyway. It's pretty effective for that, I'd say.
I'm a big fan of Arthur Clarke... he does great Hard sci-fi... this is not what Clarke does generally.
Tales from the White Hart is a collection of shoI'm a big fan of Arthur Clarke... he does great Hard sci-fi... this is not what Clarke does generally.
Tales from the White Hart is a collection of short stories told at the White Hart Tavern, a pretend bar that the sci fi writers, scientists, and their buds hang out in to pass the time on Wednesday nights. Like Asimov's Black Widower Mysteries, I'm sure the people therein are fictionalized versions of Clarke's writer friends... (wikipedia also says so, though I didn't look at the sources, since none of the people are writers I am familiar with).
The stated purpose of the books is to be funny, but Clarke, being both British and scientifically minded, has a very dry sense of humor... the humor totally evaporates at times. There are definitely some good ones, though. The last one is especially hilarious, as it also serves as a finale for the fictional story teller.
Fun for a change of pace for sure, but not your usual Clarke fare. ...more
Book club encouraged me to finally grab this... I loved the Martian, and was very curious as to what this one would be like.
Turns out... VERY similar.Book club encouraged me to finally grab this... I loved the Martian, and was very curious as to what this one would be like.
Turns out... VERY similar. Ryland Grace could easily have been Mark Watney... I guess the excuse of being a middle school science teacher was why he knew alot about, well, everything. It borders on comic 'scientists' where if you're any sort of scientist you know all about everything.
That doesn't mean it was bad... on the contrary, it takes the Martian, and turns it up to 11 with a world -saving mission to deep space. The format is the same though.. . the main character talking to himself (but really the reader) for alot of it. In the Martian, the excuse was a journal... here it was amnesia, but had the same purpose. That, of course, in interspersed with flashbacks on how thing got to where they were.
I REALLY hate that every writer feels that linear story telling is passe. I think it could have really helped here... there were some bits of the story that were just not a big deal because you don't care about them until after you know how they turn out. It's funny, in a world where people get so upset about spoilers, many writers go ahead and spoil their own story.
That said, this really good hard sci-fi, with a good, logical plot and reasonable science once you take the Astrophage as existing. It's internally consistent and makes sense. The pages definitely turn quickly, especially once Ryland gets going on his mission.
Two things I didn't like.... one had to do with Ryland himself (which I won't describe as not to spoil it, but it's so silly, you can't miss it) and the 2nd was the ending... we don' t REALLY know what happened, we're left to guess, and I HATE that. If needed an epilogue badly. Even with it's faults though, its nice to see someone writing hard sci-fi in such an understandable, relatable way.
I'm a big fan of Arthur Clarke in general... this is one of his later books, but seems to follow the pattern of several of the others. Here, he focuseI'm a big fan of Arthur Clarke in general... this is one of his later books, but seems to follow the pattern of several of the others. Here, he focuses on the possibility of the Space Elevator.. which is one of my favorite maybe-possible sci-fi concepts.
As is typical of Clarke, most of the science is pretty reasonable, with the exception of the material used, which is a future-discovered superstrong filament, just perfect for the task.
There's also an alien first contact thrown in, because Arthur Clarke, and why not? It kinda muddles the time line of the book a bit, and doesn't really add anything to the story of the Space Elevator, but it's fine as a side story, and somewhat unique for a first contact.
I really loved that the alien computer that visited was more influential in philoposphy than technology (Because, of course, every species follows the prime directive). I'm not so sure religion would become irrelevant to the world so easily, but it's be nice if that was the case (I'm definitely on Clarke's side there... causes nothing but trouble in the world)
Overall, I definitely wouldn't call this the best of Clarke's work, but it's a pretty representative example.
I often lament when I ready 50s and 60s sci-fi that it makes me feel like society has failed when I see they expected colonies on Mars and world peaceI often lament when I ready 50s and 60s sci-fi that it makes me feel like society has failed when I see they expected colonies on Mars and world peace by 1980. I have read something this recent that had that effect, and this book almost did. Vinge's near future is filled with technology that we don't have yet and isn't coming anytime soon.
I'm glad, though, because it's a pretty horrifying place. I don't think it's supposed to be, and the medical advances are WAY out of whack with modern science, but I definitely do not want to live in a world where people have wearable computers that filter their world view to whatever they want to see.... we get that enough today without having it go straight to your brain.
And perhaps that was what I didn't like about the plot.. the main drive (if you can consider anything the main plot) was concern over brain washing capabilities.. but yet they seem to already have it. Between the casual, constant VR and the ability to casually remove memories (which happens) and add skills to ones brain (though that at least has side effects), why is that a big deal?
While I can't say this is an atmospheric, since LOTS of things happen, they are all seemingly unimportant events... another similarity to old school sci fi. It felt like this was a bunch of short stories strung together rather than a novel. Then, in the end, the action ends, but the plot dangles in every way possible (all the bad guys escape and their project seems to still be hanging). Perhaps there was intent to write more books?
Anyway, this could easily be a 2 star (more like 1.5 really) but the point of sci fi is to make one think, and this book definitely accomplished that, so it gets points for that. It's just that it's not put together or enjoyable at all. ...more
I haven't read a book for the Hugo Award book club for a while, but this was just the one to bring me back in. I always say good sci-fi is a story thaI haven't read a book for the Hugo Award book club for a while, but this was just the one to bring me back in. I always say good sci-fi is a story that makes you think (and this book does that in spades), but there's also a long tradition of wish fufillment in science fiction.. where the marketed-to teen age boy sees a normal teen age boy like himself got on fantastic adventures (and of course get the girl).
I'm a bit more mature than that (really, I am! don't laugh!), but this book is it for me... people that don't have to sleep, and oh, by the way, the only side effect is you don't age? I'm in!
Kress comes up with new tech that provides free. unlimited energy, and that brings about a new tech revolution.. interesting stuff. She also has a really interesting pseudo-religion that I like alot based on fair exchange. Lots of good stuff in there to think about.
The plot, though, is a bit scattered. Each book section skips a generation, so it ranges from 'current' to about 100 years in the future, and I would have liked to read more about the times and events that were skipped more that what was in the book in alot of cases. Then there's the main character, who was far too competent until she wasn't.. and totally gave up on life for a good portion of the book to sulk, which I hated.
Overall, though, this was a really good book. I would definitely recommend it just for Yagaiism... Kress has some really interesting thoughts on society that are well worth pondering. ...more
I really enjoyed this book, but I can't decide if it's good or not.
On the one hand, the basic story of building a better human to colonize Mars to avoI really enjoyed this book, but I can't decide if it's good or not.
On the one hand, the basic story of building a better human to colonize Mars to avoid Armegeddon is good, but I almost think the book was trying to do too much.
The political bits gave an idea of what was going on in the world, but it seems like it was far too different from the writer's world of 1976 to have a President in office born during World War II.
Even if you just ignore that throw away line and assume it's 50-100 years forward from that, it's hard to believe that the political and enviornmental situation would change drastically, while social attitudes and most of the technology would not. There's nothing resembling a cell phone or the internet (though at the end.....)... they're writing reports on typewriters and filing them. Gender roles are still very set, and the amount of time spent on who was cheating on who (which utlimately played little role in the story or plot), felt an astounding waste.
Pohl's wit is all there though, which I enjoy, and the ending was awesome. ...more
This is definitely one of those books I can appreciate more than I actually enjoyed. At it's heart, one could call it 'a guide to the Revolution'. ForThis is definitely one of those books I can appreciate more than I actually enjoyed. At it's heart, one could call it 'a guide to the Revolution'. For me, having just read Animal Farrm, it was a stark contrast... here we have socialism as the obvious best choice for government.
We have 'Prof' who seems the poster child for that thought, a rational anarchist that things people are inherently good and that the trapping of power and government cause all evil. Not something I agree with, but an amazingly optimistic view for a guy who I feel like is mostly negative in his writing.
I was hoping Mike was going be awesome, but his early character development was abandoned for having him be a literal Deus ex Machina.
While I did enjoy the book and it progressed logical in the story of the Moon going from a prison colony to Free Luna, things were far too easy, to the point where some obvious points were dropped in the service of the plot (the fact that Earth wouldn't attack because of food stopping? never mentioned again after Earth attacked). Heinlein also had a somewhat nonsensical view of technology... nothing wireless exists, yet a computer can drop a rock with pinpoint accuracy on Earth? Radar just isn't that good.
We'll give a pass to the fact that he's decided the Moon has water, nitrates, etc. in such abundance they can send food to Earth for years.
OVerall, I'm very glad I was encouraged to read this by the Hugo/Nebula group, but I definitely wouldn't rate it as one of my favorites. ...more
This was a really hard book to rate... I liked it, but it could have been so much better. The concept is fantastic hard sci-fi, which uses that uniqueThis was a really hard book to rate... I liked it, but it could have been so much better. The concept is fantastic hard sci-fi, which uses that unique situation to give us a few excellent looks at the psychological reprocussions of events, but there was just too much focus on the relationship between the main characters for my liking. There was nothing new or exciting about those relationship, and quite frankly at times it seemed a waste, especially a few particular items.
I feel like more time spent on the world at large, and less on the Lawton family, or even better, more about Mars, would have been most welcome.
Then there's a storytelling... for reasons unknown, the author decided to spoil his own story with a non-linear set up.. switching back from the 'present' (where the Spin had been essentially resolved) and the lead up to it. I'm not big on caring about that sort of thing, but in this case it was really vexing.
Not sure yet if I'll read the rest of the series... it seemed a pretty decent ending to me. I'm not sure I need to know more... I suppose it'd be nice to know what the motivation of the 'Hypotheticals' are, but I'm not sure I believe that'll be revealed, or that I"ll like the answer. We'll see. ...more
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