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themanfromdelmonte's review
4.0
I think that this is one of Brin’s better books. It’s not nearly as long winded as some of his others and has a reasonably good thriller balanced on top of the plot device
tashva's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
lesliefh's review against another edition
2.0
I couldn't shake the vibe that the world the protagonist(s) were living in was designed by a libertarian SF writer and it was really annoying. "Look at how great the world would be if only libertarian dreams would be implemented, we'd solve everything with civil contracts and pay informants/whistleblowers a lot of money, so organised crime and corporate overreach would disappear!" Yeah, right. Still, I liked the worldbuilding with duplication technology.
kerstincullen's review against another edition
5.0
This book is way way to much fun. Is it silly? Yes. (Oh my goodness all the clay puns). Do the ideas get really really weird? Yes. (Disposable bodies get taken to their full potential). Is there a plot? Surprisingly, yes (It's action-packed too!)
I read this years ago and thought it was kind of weird. When I reread it recently, I couldn't stop laughing.
I read this years ago and thought it was kind of weird. When I reread it recently, I couldn't stop laughing.
rocketiza's review against another edition
4.0
Despite being clunky, I was a little relieved that some of the twists were unsubtly revealed because holy moly did this twist. And it worked. I was a little disappointing it went the metaphysical route at the end when it could have easily gone the other way, but again, it worked and felt earned.
kaylielongley's review against another edition
4.0
Whoa. How do I summarize this hefty, provocative volume by acclaimed sci-fi great David Brin? I can’t, and I won’t. I truly think this is a book filled with questions and little answers, surely to result in polarizing results from readers. As such, my thoughts are perhaps best summarized in a pros and cons list:
Pros:
While many Goodreads readers critique Brin for his metaphysical philosophies, his tangents about individuality in an increasingly inhibited world kept me reading.
The scope of this novel is colossal, from physical to psychological. Brin explores a range of topics: from the force(s) that hold us together: religion, time, space, individual and collective thought; one’s sense of self and society when technology subsumes a person’s ‘oneness’; and the malleability of space and time and their effects on life as we know it.
Filled with puns, Brin’s writing is often tongue in cheek yet the tone is never self-satisfied. This is a difficult balancing-act, and Brin usually succeeds. Even main character/clone Albert is aware how his world feels a bit like a bad sci-fi movie.
By cloning himself, Albert observes his world in different perspectives, and each clone receives an individual chapter. Each clone has a different function and capability, and their shared and divergent thoughts and actions reveal his true self and soul.
Cons:
This novel can easily be condensed a good 100 pages and deserves a sharp edit to eliminate fundamental grammatical errors.
Brin assumes his readers understand dit-tech (how ‘real’ people clone themselves). Though he often shows, not tells, the first chapters do not establish setting and left me confused.
While Brin tries to give his female characters more layers than the last few sci-fi books I’ve read, Albert’s girlfriend has limited page space, though her power surpasses more than Albert’s attraction to her.
Overall, I was fascinated by this book. By exploring souls, clones, and their ever-changing world, Brin weaves together a novel that is both repelling and captivating. Take a chance on this book!
Pros:
While many Goodreads readers critique Brin for his metaphysical philosophies, his tangents about individuality in an increasingly inhibited world kept me reading.
The scope of this novel is colossal, from physical to psychological. Brin explores a range of topics: from the force(s) that hold us together: religion, time, space, individual and collective thought; one’s sense of self and society when technology subsumes a person’s ‘oneness’; and the malleability of space and time and their effects on life as we know it.
Filled with puns, Brin’s writing is often tongue in cheek yet the tone is never self-satisfied. This is a difficult balancing-act, and Brin usually succeeds. Even main character/clone Albert is aware how his world feels a bit like a bad sci-fi movie.
By cloning himself, Albert observes his world in different perspectives, and each clone receives an individual chapter. Each clone has a different function and capability, and their shared and divergent thoughts and actions reveal his true self and soul.
Cons:
This novel can easily be condensed a good 100 pages and deserves a sharp edit to eliminate fundamental grammatical errors.
Brin assumes his readers understand dit-tech (how ‘real’ people clone themselves). Though he often shows, not tells, the first chapters do not establish setting and left me confused.
While Brin tries to give his female characters more layers than the last few sci-fi books I’ve read, Albert’s girlfriend has limited page space, though her power surpasses more than Albert’s attraction to her.
Overall, I was fascinated by this book. By exploring souls, clones, and their ever-changing world, Brin weaves together a novel that is both repelling and captivating. Take a chance on this book!
jennchandler's review against another edition
3.0
In many ways, this was good. To some extent, even enjoyable. But ironically enough (when it comes to this book), I like continuity. Because the main character had four to five different stories, I had a hard time connecting to what I was reading. Because of this, the book became all about asking "important questions" and imparting "important themes." For me, the best themes are imparted through meaningful characters, and the "important questions" naturally come from them. Because there were no meaningful characters, I didn't care about the "ideas" the author was trying to impart. In short, I was very ready for the book to end.
burritapal_1's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
<Spoiler>
In this novel the author has created a future where humans can make copies of themselves called Dittos. They can do these so that they can release their organic cells to do whatever they care to. They're Dittos can do chores that we all hate to do. For an example a green doodle can be created to tackle that pile of dishes in the sink and then scrub toilets. Maybe clean the whole house while they're at it and vacuum. I would love this myself. There are ebony Dittos who are created for super intelligent work, who are buffered in the brain cells in some way to concentrate more organic intelligence in Ditto brains. There are gray Dittos who can do the mundane part of detective work of the protagonist Albert Morris. Things like stakeouts, or the dangerous work of chasing villains.
In this novel the author has created a future where humans can make copies of themselves called Dittos. They can do these so that they can release their organic cells to do whatever they care to. They're Dittos can do chores that we all hate to do. For an example a green doodle can be created to tackle that pile of dishes in the sink and then scrub toilets. Maybe clean the whole house while they're at it and vacuum. I would love this myself. There are ebony Dittos who are created for super intelligent work, who are buffered in the brain cells in some way to concentrate more organic intelligence in Ditto brains. There are gray Dittos who can do the mundane part of detective work of the protagonist Albert Morris. Things like stakeouts, or the dangerous work of chasing villains.
A favorite part of mine is where one of Albert's dittos, a gray, is hired to be a spy in the Universal Kilns factory. Universal Kilns is where the clay bodies used to make Dittos are created. He's equipped with a prion bomb, though he doesn't realize it.
He supposedly was healed of numerous wounds that happened to him in the nightclub that Queen Irene owned. In reality, while he was anesthetized, the bomb was planted in him.
So at the last second he was informed by another of his Dittos that he had to get out of the factory or he would kill actual organic workers. He ran outside and saw a forklift Golem and threw himself under its legs.
"ignoring our shouts, he searched frantically, then found what he was looking for - a place to die without hurting anybody.
Well, anybody except that poor forklift driver who never understood why a stranger suddenly wanted to burrow up his gloaca. And that was just the fellow's first Rude surprise. The giant dit worker let out a bellow, then began expanding to several times his former size, like a distended balloon... like some cartoon character blowing too hard on his own thumb. I thought the Unlucky forklift was about to explode! Then we'd all be finished. Me for sure. Everyone in the factory. Universal Kilns. Maybe every Ditto in the city?
...
Lucky for us, the hapless forklift stopped expanding at the last moment. Like a surprised blowfish, he stared about with goggle eyes, as if thinking, this was never in my contract. Then the Soul glow extinguished. The clay body shuddered, hardened, and went still."
This book lagged a bit for me. I expected some more dirty scenes, like what people did with their Dittos or did those they rented. Nah it was pretty tame. Cool idea though.