Top
20Internet
Top 100 Short
Stories
Novellas, NovelettesHomeHugosNebulas P.K.
Dick Locus
Grand
MastersNewbery
Top
20Internet
Top 100 Short
Stories
Novellas, NovelettesHomeHugosNebulas P.K.
Dick Locus
Grand
MastersNewbery
Combination of old sci-fi themes
blended into an interesting story with a few innovative twists. We have a Star
Trek like environment with a space ship chartered to explore the universe and
a soul-searching, forthright but somewhat confused captain. We have star faring,
sapient dolphins reminiscent of David Brin's Startide Rising.
We have portals into unknown realms of space a la Pohl's Gateway.
Discovering new aliens, time traveling, space warsa rehash of almost all
the traditional themes.
I had trouble with the power, prestige, and success of the main character, Keith Lansing, juxtraposed to his obvious inadequacies. How could someone so below average rise to such a lofty status? This happens enough in our political, sports, and entertainment worlds; I would rather not see it happen in our sci-fi world as well.
Some of the situations as well were too unbelievable. While Tim Powers in books like Expiration Date can make the most fantastically unbelievable situation seem normal and real, here even an unexpected encounter with a strange new being seems completely far-fetched. Not the situation itself but the way the character relates to it. He finds himself confronting a glass being in a transformed environment and all he does his reminese about his wife and lost friend. No awe or eager inquisitiveness or even questionsjust a disdainful, introspective irreverence.
A better book than Sawyer's last effort, The Terminal Experiment, and good reading; but, far from making our Top 20 list or even the Top 100.
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Please email comments about this book or review to stroy@jademountain.com.
HomeHugosNebulas P.K.
DickLocus
Grand
MastersNewberyTop
20 Internet
Top 100Short
StoriesNovellas,
Novelettes