Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
adventurous
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
The pace of this book is insanely slow. I did enjoy some aspects-the zone of thought are intriguing, and some of the aliens designs are incredibly imaginative and fun. Took me forever to finish.
A combination of space epic and medieval fantasy in the style of Star Wars that centers in the dangers of artificial intelligence run amok.
A small group of human scavengers awaken an evil AI program that threatens to enslave the whole universe.
The story is divided in two main plots that converge at the very end of the novel. The first one is set in a cosmopolitan intergalactic hub that offers communication services to many races in its surrounding galaxy. The second one is set in a primitive world inhabited by a race of humanoid dogs that form hive minds of a few individuals and are embroiled in a classical scheme for power and conquest. The special abilities that this hive-mind configuration gives to the race is very original and is fully explore by the author, making it one of the highlights of the novel.
I found the futuristic plot very good and the second one very boring. The futuristic conception of the author has a lot of depth and complexity making it very interesting and appealing, showing the interactions of races on very different stages of evolution and technological development and it's dealing with "powers", super advance beings that have evolved to become near Gods.
Overall a decent read, lacks a little on the character side but compensates with a very interesting fantasy world.
A small group of human scavengers awaken an evil AI program that threatens to enslave the whole universe.
The story is divided in two main plots that converge at the very end of the novel. The first one is set in a cosmopolitan intergalactic hub that offers communication services to many races in its surrounding galaxy. The second one is set in a primitive world inhabited by a race of humanoid dogs that form hive minds of a few individuals and are embroiled in a classical scheme for power and conquest. The special abilities that this hive-mind configuration gives to the race is very original and is fully explore by the author, making it one of the highlights of the novel.
I found the futuristic plot very good and the second one very boring. The futuristic conception of the author has a lot of depth and complexity making it very interesting and appealing, showing the interactions of races on very different stages of evolution and technological development and it's dealing with "powers", super advance beings that have evolved to become near Gods.
Overall a decent read, lacks a little on the character side but compensates with a very interesting fantasy world.
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I found it frustratingly slow. Two separate stories do come together at last, but while they are apart they seem to have no connection. One part is about Ravna, a librarian working for advanced aliens on a space station. The other part is about a species of dog-like sentients having their own feudal history on a backwater planet, when a human ship crashes there, stranding two children. The book has lots of interesting new (to me, at least) ideas like the layered aspect of the galaxy (slow at the bottom, fast and god-like at the top), and the dog-aliens who are packs of individuals without separate identity and unable to think separately.
This was sci-fi the way I like it. Full of big ideas, big stories and colorful characters. Looking forward to picking up the prequel and sequel eventually.
The tines (a race of... pack-minds) was interesting and the Prometheus-like aspects of the story were developed very neatly.
The tines (a race of... pack-minds) was interesting and the Prometheus-like aspects of the story were developed very neatly.
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Enjoyed the worldbuilding and was tempted to read on to hear more about zones of thought, but other than that, the characters, the dialog, the "plot"... yeah, sorry, this bored me to tears. It just isn't for me.
We made it, preciousss, we finished this book after three weeks!
O real life, why do you have to intervene while I am trying to finish this fantastic novel. The prologue was one of the strangest prologues ever, yet it is very intriguing. Lucky Tor released this for free a while ago for their ebookclub.
I won't say much about the Zones of Thoughts (see below) because I am still digesting the concept. Let me tell you though, it is literally and figuratively mindblowing and thoughtprovoking.
The aliens were fabulous - the Tines were my favorites, not just because they look like dogs (and their younglings were called puppies so there were some aww moments) but the way the POV characters were described and narrated, well, you will feel invested right away. And all were shades-of-grey characters, which made them even more realistic. The strangeness of having group minds also made the POVs very enjoyable to read. I believe I prefer the aliens and the children's chapters than the grownups.
Ravna, oh Ravna. She might be my least favorite POV characters, I found her a bit annoying. The other adult POV character, Pham, was also irritating and pompous. I wished we were given the POVs of yet another weird aliens, the Riders. I'll read the next novels in the series just to meet them again. And the puppies.
Overall, awesome worldbuilding and great, endearing aliens. A well-deserved four stars.
O real life, why do you have to intervene while I am trying to finish this fantastic novel. The prologue was one of the strangest prologues ever, yet it is very intriguing. Lucky Tor released this for free a while ago for their ebookclub.
I won't say much about the Zones of Thoughts (see below) because I am still digesting the concept. Let me tell you though, it is literally and figuratively mindblowing and thoughtprovoking.
The aliens were fabulous - the Tines were my favorites, not just because they look like dogs (and their younglings were called puppies so there were some aww moments) but the way the POV characters were described and narrated, well, you will feel invested right away. And all were shades-of-grey characters, which made them even more realistic. The strangeness of having group minds also made the POVs very enjoyable to read. I believe I prefer the aliens and the children's chapters than the grownups.
Ravna, oh Ravna. She might be my least favorite POV characters, I found her a bit annoying. The other adult POV character, Pham, was also irritating and pompous. I wished we were given the POVs of yet another weird aliens, the Riders. I'll read the next novels in the series just to meet them again. And the puppies.
Overall, awesome worldbuilding and great, endearing aliens. A well-deserved four stars.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes