Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
Four and a half stars. Excellent writer with an incredible imagination. I wasn't thrilled with the doggie pack/group mental arc, but it was still well written, and I did really enjoy the space opera parts very much. It suffered a tad from the simple fact that with so many billions of species and with dangers causing entire species to be wiped out, it was impossible for the mind to wrap itself around the incredible amount of death going on, making it too casual. But that is a problem with the sheer scale of the galaxy, and that is one of the great things about the story, causing you to truly try to grasp the size and complexity of the galaxy. Not sure it's a story I would want to read again (hence the half star), but certainly one I'm glad I read once.
Just delightful. Characters are a little flat, but their environments are so interesting that it doesn’t matter.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Novel both in its collective mind dog species and its universe with various zones of thought/ technology/ sophistication.
adventurous
slow-paced
One of the best scifis I've read in ages. Jaw dropping in its scope.
3.5 rounded down
---
My first mistake with this book was attempting to listen to it rather than read it. Through no fault of the narrator, there is simply too much going on in this book to follow via narration.
While there are a lot of neat ideas, fun characters, and interesting concepts in this book, I found that overall it isn't told in a particularly engaging way. I kept thinking that I would care about the characters and the world under threat--eventually. But it simply never happened and I am sort of relieved it's over.
Sorry, friends. I get why this one is an award-winner, it simply isn't for me.
---
My first mistake with this book was attempting to listen to it rather than read it. Through no fault of the narrator, there is simply too much going on in this book to follow via narration.
While there are a lot of neat ideas, fun characters, and interesting concepts in this book, I found that overall it isn't told in a particularly engaging way. I kept thinking that I would care about the characters and the world under threat--eventually. But it simply never happened and I am sort of relieved it's over.
Sorry, friends. I get why this one is an award-winner, it simply isn't for me.
This is top notch science fiction. The aliens are bizarre, complex, and somehow still relatable. The Tines are now my favorite aliens. The Skroderiders are also one of a kind. The idea of zones based on mass density of the different areas of the galaxy is genius. Transcend, beyond, slow zone, unthinking depths each have their own physics and limitations and protect lower beings from the higher technology and intelligence of the transcendent powers. This creates a unique and engaging story platform. This book is challenging for the first 100 pages or so, but well worth the effort.
A classic piece of hard sci-fi and a must-read to anyone who enjoys grand scale space operas with all the trimmings. Has a slightly 80s/90s feel to it and no lack of colorful characters - the sophonts introduced here are one of the most interesting in SF (the only parallel of comparable imaginery that comes to mind is Ken Liu or perhaps Ted Chiang). All in all, a captivating read.
I read this after A Deepness in the Sky, which perhaps unfairly taints my impression of A Fire Upon the Deep. This is another excellent space epic, a great example of hard sci-fi. The Tines are an intriguing non-human race. However, I found the characters more frustrating – everyone is waaay too trusting –and the plot not as well-developed.