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adastrame's review against another edition
I just couldn't really get into this book, which probably explains why I needed almost a year to finish it. It's got a very interesting premise and a very interesting universe, but I found the plot rather lacking. It just all seemed a bit too random for me and it took the entire book to recognize a connection.
joshhall13's review against another edition
It's so dry. The characters all have the same voice, same level of intelligence, same conversation style. It makes it all run together and makes it a bit boring. Too boring for me.
txaggie2016's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
jurgenappelo's review against another edition
2.0
I honestly don't understand why some novels are praised so highly. Take Singularity Sky, for example. It was nominated for both Hugo and Locus awards. And what does it offer? A boring plot that goes nowhere, flat uninteresting characters, pages full of irrelevant jargon about physics, a cringeworthy love interest, random POV switches, and absurd technologies, strung together with cliches and stereotypes. I found myself skimming the last 100 pages because the writing was unbearable. And then I think, "Seriously, THIS was worth nominating? Why?" I honestly don't get it.
But I'm sure some offended Charles Stross fans will be able to explain it to me.
But I'm sure some offended Charles Stross fans will be able to explain it to me.
stlorca's review against another edition
5.0
Charles Stross’ Singularity Sky is set in the far future, after the advent of a godlike AI named the Eschaton. "I AM NOT YOUR GOD," it intones. The Eschaton is pretty much hands-off when it comes to humanity, except when the apes try to manipulate causality in order to erase the AI. Then the computer comes down--hard--on the offenders. As in, 150-kilometer-wide asteroid dropped on their planet. So many governments try to tiptoe around the ban with varying degrees of success.
But that's all background; the main plot revolves around the Festival, a mysterious civilization that visits low-tech (think Industrial Revolution-level) colonies and gives them...whatever they want. One of these colonies is the New Republic, a classist society that sharply prohibits advanced technologies. When the central government of the New Republic learns of the Festival's arrival, all hell breaks loose.
On one level, Singularity Sky is a superb space opera: thrilling action sequences and lots of stuff what Blows Up Real Good. On another level, it's a meditation on revolutions and what happens during them. And it's a nice spy thriller. Some of the infodumping gets tedious, but it all serves the story. Like Leviathan Wakes or Legion, this would make a great miniseries. Sci-Fi Channel, get on it!
But that's all background; the main plot revolves around the Festival, a mysterious civilization that visits low-tech (think Industrial Revolution-level) colonies and gives them...whatever they want. One of these colonies is the New Republic, a classist society that sharply prohibits advanced technologies. When the central government of the New Republic learns of the Festival's arrival, all hell breaks loose.
On one level, Singularity Sky is a superb space opera: thrilling action sequences and lots of stuff what Blows Up Real Good. On another level, it's a meditation on revolutions and what happens during them. And it's a nice spy thriller. Some of the infodumping gets tedious, but it all serves the story. Like Leviathan Wakes or Legion, this would make a great miniseries. Sci-Fi Channel, get on it!
the_other_yvonne's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
thisisstephenbetts's review against another edition
2.0
An unusual foray into Sci-fi for me. I enjoyed this, and certainly found it readable enough. I was a little let-down by the scope of its ambition. The topics it's based around are huge - in particular the concept of cornucopia machines and time-travel via faster-than-light. Unfortunately, though, these aren't really explored to their full extent (although, to be fair, I guess time travel is a pretty well-worn trope by now).
Stross actually manages to work his limited exploration into the plot - the first by largely dealing with a society that has banned cornucopia machines (along with nanotechnology and other exciting plot twists); and the second by positing a mysterious god-like entity called The Eschaton that will obliterate you if you attempt any causality-violating time travel (the only interesting kind). While these are interesting devices, I kinda felt that they were obscuring even more interesting possibilities. A bit more exploration of The Eschaton would have helped, but maybe that's for later books.
There were quite a few stabs at relating to genuine science, which worked, and the plot did have some nice touches. It kept my interest, but I hoped for something a little more ambitious.
Overall I was reminded of The Diamond Age, but while that book's scope was smaller, its ambition was still larger.
Stross actually manages to work his limited exploration into the plot - the first by largely dealing with a society that has banned cornucopia machines (along with nanotechnology and other exciting plot twists); and the second by positing a mysterious god-like entity called The Eschaton that will obliterate you if you attempt any causality-violating time travel (the only interesting kind). While these are interesting devices, I kinda felt that they were obscuring even more interesting possibilities. A bit more exploration of The Eschaton would have helped, but maybe that's for later books.
There were quite a few stabs at relating to genuine science, which worked, and the plot did have some nice touches. It kept my interest, but I hoped for something a little more ambitious.
Overall I was reminded of The Diamond Age, but while that book's scope was smaller, its ambition was still larger.
humanignorance's review against another edition
2.0
2 stars. The premise was interesting, and some aspects of the plot were engaging and thought-provoking, but overall this was a book that tried to do too much. There were too many factions, plotlines, and motivations introduced, but not enough information was given about them so they remained vague for far too long. There were too many unnecessary details about events that happened in space, and the sections on the ground were often boring, particularly towards the beginning when they were nearly incomprehensible.
_sinity's review against another edition
3.0
At first book was perfect, I really like concept of Eschaton, but then I suddenly gotten lost in the book. WTF was this rabbit? Temporarily I will give 3 stars, but I will probably reread it in the future and give higher rating.