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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
Delightful, entertaining, and occasionally treacherous aliens conspire both for and against the humans who journey to save themselves and the whole galaxy from a newly born mysterious galaxy eating superpower called The Blight
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
tense
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
First of all - I read the Sci-fi Masterworks version of this book. I have NO Idea what the front cover of that version has to do with the story line.
I really REALLY struggled with this book at first. The first chapter was confusing as hell, as you slowly realise the people in the chapter are not humanoid AT ALL. It's not until later on that it's explained what these people are like - a pack intelligence. A "person" - as in, an intelligent, conscious being - is considered to be a pack of 4 or more individual dog-like beings. A singleton can never be a person, only have the potential to be one when melded with other singletons. It's a weird and fascinating idea, I wish it were real!
Anyway like I said, it took me a long while to properly get into this book, but I'm so glad I stuck with it. It was brilliant. A proper space opera - I think I understand what that term means now! If you're a fan of hard core science fiction, I definitely recommend this book.
I really REALLY struggled with this book at first. The first chapter was confusing as hell, as you slowly realise the people in the chapter are not humanoid AT ALL. It's not until later on that it's explained what these people are like - a pack intelligence. A "person" - as in, an intelligent, conscious being - is considered to be a pack of 4 or more individual dog-like beings. A singleton can never be a person, only have the potential to be one when melded with other singletons. It's a weird and fascinating idea, I wish it were real!
Anyway like I said, it took me a long while to properly get into this book, but I'm so glad I stuck with it. It was brilliant. A proper space opera - I think I understand what that term means now! If you're a fan of hard core science fiction, I definitely recommend this book.
This is the first Vernor Vinge piece I've read. I really enjoyed it!
Right out of the gate there's a lot to absorb and the action comes on fast and furious. The story is a bit long and dragged in spots a bit but I found it easy to sit and read for hours.
"A Fire Upon the Deep" is told with several story lines that eventually coalesce at one point in spacetime. There is a lot of interpersonal content as well as galaxy wide interaction. A chase across light-years! The pacing is quick, the plot twisty, and the science aspects dealt with is easily graspable.
Aliens! Treachery! War! Kidnapping! Murder! Space travel! Science! Beings that exist across multiple bodies simultaneously. And a universe where your location determines the level of technology you can achieve and/or utilize. "A Fire" has them all!
This is sci-fi at its best. There is now more Vernor Vinge on my TBR list!
Right out of the gate there's a lot to absorb and the action comes on fast and furious. The story is a bit long and dragged in spots a bit but I found it easy to sit and read for hours.
"A Fire Upon the Deep" is told with several story lines that eventually coalesce at one point in spacetime. There is a lot of interpersonal content as well as galaxy wide interaction. A chase across light-years! The pacing is quick, the plot twisty, and the science aspects dealt with is easily graspable.
Aliens! Treachery! War! Kidnapping! Murder! Space travel! Science! Beings that exist across multiple bodies simultaneously. And a universe where your location determines the level of technology you can achieve and/or utilize. "A Fire" has them all!
This is sci-fi at its best. There is now more Vernor Vinge on my TBR list!
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Definitely a page turner and it was rewarding to see how Vinge tied together the plot lines of the spaceship bound ‘rescue’ team and the events on the Tines’ world. The different types of intelligence were thoughtfully explored and I thought that the group minds of the Tines were a really unique concept. The different layers of the galaxy were also a very interesting take on why we haven’t made contact with other (more advanced) alien civilisations. Definitely one I would recommend to fans of hard Sci-fi.
adventurous
challenging
funny
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
How long must a fish study to understand human motivation... We are like dumb animals to the Powers of the Transcend.
Cool concepts with the deep and intelligence over ranges of space. Organic electronic (acoustic) warfare. Space fights with jumps.
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced