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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
Reread!
Last stop on my Niven revisited tour. This was the last Niven novel I read decades ago. Hoping this 3rd book is the charm in terms of holding up to expectations.
So the verdict?
In today's eyes parts of this might be considered slightly sexist but not to a degree that it weakens the story. In fact, this story has held up very well over the years. I may check out the sequel after I read a few goodreads reviews on it.
Last stop on my Niven revisited tour. This was the last Niven novel I read decades ago. Hoping this 3rd book is the charm in terms of holding up to expectations.
So the verdict?
In today's eyes parts of this might be considered slightly sexist but not to a degree that it weakens the story. In fact, this story has held up very well over the years. I may check out the sequel after I read a few goodreads reviews on it.
I couldn't get into this highly-rated book by two of my favourite science fiction authors. I think it's the fantasy element that puts me off. I have no taste for fantasy literature beyond J.R.R. Tolkien. It's been a bit of a hurdle for me, since sci-fi tends to leak over into the fantasy genre and vice versa. If I get a whiff of it via fantastical names or god forbid, fancy maps, I run.
DNF very early on. Way too bro-ey. Got tied of hearing constant comments about women's bodies.
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Boring
While the monster is superbly created, as is the world, and I do love the plot very much, on third read the stand out in this book is the insistent misogyny and objectification of human beings. A product of its times sadly.
The grendels are an fascinating and terrifying alien species, and I really enjoyed reading about colonists' conflict with them. The last third of the book when the conflict comes to a head is easily the best part. The subplots about the humans relationships and love triangles were much less interesting to me. Perhaps because of this, most of the character deaths have limited impact, as in many cases the reader knows little about the person getting eaten by a grendel beyond their name. Still, grendels made this book very enjoyable.
These are the ROCK STARS of modern SF! This is one (of a bushel-ful) of their finest work. A tremendous retelling of Beowulf vs. Grendel with great science behind the plot. Set in a far off world, a human settlement is besieged by a faster-than-the-eye beast - which will be your heart rate, too, as this captivating story unfolds. Brilliant! Classic literature meets contemporary masters - could it get any better? I say NO!
It was pretty good! I thought it got kind of slow towards the ending, but the surprise twists in the book are what makes it really worth your while.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Definitely a part of the "told-you-so" tradition of science fiction, wherein the lone person with a belief in some great monster is pooh-poohed by everyone else, and is proven right in the worst possible ways. In the end this reminded me a lot of Dragonsdawn, which was apparently published in the same year. Maybe there was something in the air.
The characterization and action were well-done; I liked Tau Ceti 4, though it was not as alien as one might expect from an alien world; and the highlight, of course, thealien "African frogs with nasty habits" , were a great driver for the story. I wish the investigation of these had been more central to the narrative, though.
Overall, a pretty good book.
The characterization and action were well-done; I liked Tau Ceti 4, though it was not as alien as one might expect from an alien world; and the highlight, of course, the
Overall, a pretty good book.