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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So... I found this book to be merely OK. I don't know if I just didn't read closely enough, if I just missed something, or what, but I didn't get it.
I know it's another 'fix-up' novel, published as a series of short stories in the publication which became Analog. These stories have a theme running through them - the decline (or what have you) of the human race and the rise of the canine race. It's told as a series of stories/fables/legends with brief anthropological (or whatever the canine equivalent is) "field notes" between, except for the epilog, which the author explains himself (it was not originally part of the stories).
These stories are old, and not just old, but dated. The science is incredibly dated (evolution by surgery?), and a lot of the story feels dated, too. I know many of the stories were written long ago, so the future is now, and while the future is not just not what Simak wrote, it just wasn't feasible or plausible in any way, shape or form so that it leaves sci fi and hit fantasy for me.
I know it's supposed to be one of Simak's best, but I just didn't care for it. I hope discussion over the book will help me appreciate it more and maybe I can/will update my review.
I know it's another 'fix-up' novel, published as a series of short stories in the publication which became Analog. These stories have a theme running through them - the decline (or what have you) of the human race and the rise of the canine race. It's told as a series of stories/fables/legends with brief anthropological (or whatever the canine equivalent is) "field notes" between, except for the epilog, which the author explains himself (it was not originally part of the stories).
These stories are old, and not just old, but dated. The science is incredibly dated (evolution by surgery?), and a lot of the story feels dated, too. I know many of the stories were written long ago, so the future is now, and while the future is not just not what Simak wrote, it just wasn't feasible or plausible in any way, shape or form so that it leaves sci fi and hit fantasy for me.
I know it's supposed to be one of Simak's best, but I just didn't care for it. I hope discussion over the book will help me appreciate it more and maybe I can/will update my review.
The back of this book was a little misleading. It talks about a future earth with AI, 'uplifted animals', interplanetary travel, genetic modification etc, making it sound a lot more exciting than it is.
It is, at the heart of it, a collection of short stories about an imagined future world, as imagined in the 1950s, where talking dogs rule the earth. Aside from dogs talking however, the earth doesn't seem massively different from how it was in the 1950s. There are houses with roaring fires, farms, cities - though they are beginning to become extinct. It doesn't even feel futuristic. Even the robots feel like an ancient idea of robots. Thousands of years pass at one point and there isn't all that much physically different on planet earth. The genetic modification and interplanetary travel are only really discussed in detail in one of the stories and then mentioned in passing in the others. The dogs take centre stage.
It was more philosophical than science-fiction I would say, and the science-fiction elements felt thrown together and not properly explained, like there were no solid rules to how the world worked.
The writing was nice, and there were some interesting ideas discussed in some of the stories, but apart from that, I didn't enjoy it much.
It is, at the heart of it, a collection of short stories about an imagined future world, as imagined in the 1950s, where talking dogs rule the earth. Aside from dogs talking however, the earth doesn't seem massively different from how it was in the 1950s. There are houses with roaring fires, farms, cities - though they are beginning to become extinct. It doesn't even feel futuristic. Even the robots feel like an ancient idea of robots. Thousands of years pass at one point and there isn't all that much physically different on planet earth. The genetic modification and interplanetary travel are only really discussed in detail in one of the stories and then mentioned in passing in the others. The dogs take centre stage.
It was more philosophical than science-fiction I would say, and the science-fiction elements felt thrown together and not properly explained, like there were no solid rules to how the world worked.
The writing was nice, and there were some interesting ideas discussed in some of the stories, but apart from that, I didn't enjoy it much.
Truly a remarkable book. The real gem is the historical mystery that the first pages set up. Rivals Dune and Star Maker in distance into the future the story travels. Between the serial structure and robot relations, the book most closely resembles one of Asimov's. However, these robots serve not only man...
I never managed to finish it. It was nice writing but I just didn't see anything either emotional or action-based enough to keep my interest.
What a strange book. The editor's comments before each story were wonderful, evoking a sense of weird academic infighting and pseudo-Biblical scholarship among the dogs.
Pretty fucking bleak, though. Even when 99.9% of humanity achieves true Paradise, it's a giant bummer.
There's also a strong streak of anti-individualism that didn't jibe with me.
Pretty fucking bleak, though. Even when 99.9% of humanity achieves true Paradise, it's a giant bummer.
There's also a strong streak of anti-individualism that didn't jibe with me.
This book is a true gem of science fiction. I always enjoy pulp sci-fi over the contemporary because of the unique vision of the future, pre mordern tech. The narrative is beautifully crafted, with a perfect balance of suspense, mystery, and philosophical musings. The way the author explores profound questions about humanity's place in the universe and the meaning of existence is thought-provoking and deeply resonant.
One of the standout aspects of City is the way it explores the relationships between humans and non-human beings. Simak's portrayal of robots, sentient dogs, and other creatures is both heartwarming and thought-provoking. These characters have their own perspectives and motivations, and they challenge our preconceived notions about what it means to be sentient.
City is a book that transcends genres. Simak's vision of the future is both captivating and cautionary, urging us to contemplate our role in shaping the world and our relationship with the environment.
One of the standout aspects of City is the way it explores the relationships between humans and non-human beings. Simak's portrayal of robots, sentient dogs, and other creatures is both heartwarming and thought-provoking. These characters have their own perspectives and motivations, and they challenge our preconceived notions about what it means to be sentient.
City is a book that transcends genres. Simak's vision of the future is both captivating and cautionary, urging us to contemplate our role in shaping the world and our relationship with the environment.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced