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patrocinioempresa's review against another edition
5.0
Uno de los mejores libros que he leído nunca. Lo terminé hace unos meses y pienso en él casi diariamente. La primera parte refleja de una forma muy fehaciente el difícil mundo de la investigación científica, con sus tramas personales y políticas; así como el nacimiento de una de esas "estrellas investigadoras" que eclipsan al resto y parecen tener la razón solo por el hecho de ser quiénes son. La segunda parte es la mejor de las tres. La forma en la que Asimov es capaz de introducirnos en ese mundo paralelo como si hubiera vivido en él es simplemente magnífica, y más importantemente una hazaña creativa que merece los más altos cumplidos. Es cierto que la tercera parte del libro se hace más pesada, al volver del paraíso creativo del parauniverso a la "normalidad" de la vida en la luna; y también es cierto que las tramas políticas que se entretejen aparecen en otras de sus obras (como puede ser cuevas de acero), pero aún así es un final satisfactorio del relato que además da para pensar sobre el inicio mismo de nuestro universo. Sobre la rigurosidad científica del relato en sí mismo no puedo decir más que me pareció coherente, sin poder añadir más que esto porque no estoy demasiado versado en el mundo de la física.
En definitiva, si alguien quiere empezar a leer Asimov, yo les recomendaría este libro. Si no les gusta, les parece pesado o enrevesado es probable que el resto de la obra de este autor provoque sentimientos muy similares.
En definitiva, si alguien quiere empezar a leer Asimov, yo les recomendaría este libro. Si no les gusta, les parece pesado o enrevesado es probable que el resto de la obra de este autor provoque sentimientos muy similares.
butterknifu's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
5.0
valentinrodriguez's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
mlkaggie's review against another edition
5.0
Slightly dated in places, but still holds up well today. A very intriguing read chock full of thought provoking ideas.
cumulonimbus's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
grayjay's review against another edition
3.0
Humans have discovered an energy source that is abundant but may blow up the universe in the future. Can the few scientists who know convince people that this risk is great enough to give up the energy for? Does our desire for comfort in the present take precedent over the cost for future generations.
This novel by Asimov feels particularly resonant in our time, even though it pre-dates the climate crisis by half a century.
These is also a significant amount weird sex and gender dynamics material going on both with humans and with aliens.
This novel by Asimov feels particularly resonant in our time, even though it pre-dates the climate crisis by half a century.
These is also a significant amount weird sex and gender dynamics material going on both with humans and with aliens.
pm612's review against another edition
3.0
Honestly, not my favorite Asimov. Of the three parts, the last was the most enjoyable. I found the pacing of Part 1 to be too slow making it hard to get into. Part 2 was honestly too odd for me and just when the plot was building it ended. I wish we could have revisited the Para universe.
nkarthouse's review against another edition
3.0
The alien parts and the human parts seem very disconnected. Slow paced, had a lot of interesting ideas but poorly executed.
aprilmei's review against another edition
4.0
My first Asimov book. I came upon it in the Little Free Library in my neighborhood and snatched it up. I liked the three parts it was divided into and the view and reasoning behind each Universe's need for the Electron Pump. Then, how the dangers could be canceled out with a solution by the end of the book. Interesting themes on empathy, arrogance, the greater good, human psychology (of comfort, ease, and denial of danger to future generations of humans and to the future), and what's possible with science and technology in the future. All with the need for ethical considerations, always. I also enjoyed that Asimov included some diversity in terms of ethnicities, genders, and gender roles. Am I being presumptuous that all his books are like this?
Book coincidences:
- The name “Schiller” appears in this book when the author talks about the title phrase and in the book I just read, Lolita, that became Dolores’s last name: “Schiller. A German dramatist of three centuries ago. In a play about Joan of Arc, he said, ‘Against stupidity, the gods themselves contend in vain.’” pg. 64-65
Are there only two billion people on Earth (pg. 57) during this period when the story takes place? Maybe that’s how many people are left? [I found out this is discussed briefly later on pg. 184]
“‘The plutonium/tungsten can make its cycle endlessly back and forth between Universe and para-Universe, yielding energy first in one and then in another, with the net effect being a transfer of twenty electrons from our Universe to theirs per each nucleus cycled. Both sides can gain energy from what is, in effect, an Inter-Universe Electron Pump.’” pg. 18
“‘It is a mistake,’ he said, ‘to suppose that the public wants the environment protected or their lives saved and that they will be grateful to any idealist who will fight for such ends. What the public wants is their own individual comfort. We know that well enough from our experience in the environmental crisis of the twentieth century. Once it was well known that cigarettes increased the incidence of lung cancer, the obvious remedy was to stop smoking, but the desired remedy was a cigarette that did not encourage cancer. When it became clear that the internal-combustion engine was polluting the atmosphere dangerously, the obvious remedy was to abandon such engines, and the desired remedy was to develop non-polluting engines.
‘Now then, young man, don’t ask me to stop the Pumping. The economy and comfort of the entire planet depend on it. Tell me, instead, how to keep the Pumping from exploding the Sun.’” pg. 50
“‘You understand, first, that everything is made up of tiny particles called atoms and that these are made up of still tinier subatomic particles.’
‘Yes, yes,’ said Dua. ‘That’s why we can melt.’
‘Exactly. Because actually we are mostly empty space. All the particles are far apart and your particles and mine and Tritt’s can all melt together because each set fits into the empty spaces around the other set. The reason matter doesn’t fly apart altogether is that the tiny particles do manage to cling together across the space that separates them. There are attractive forces holding them together, the strongest being one we call the nuclear-force. It holds the chief subatomic particles very tightly together in bunches that are spread widely apart and that are held together by weaker forces. Do you understand that?’
‘Only a little bit,’ said Dua.
‘Well never mind, we can go back later. . . . Matter can exist in different states. It can be especially spread out, as in Emotionals; as in you, Dua. It can be a little less spread out, as in Rationals and in Parentals. Or still less so, as in rock. It can be very compressed or thick, as in the Hard Ones. That’s why they’re hard. They are filled with particles.’
‘You mean there’s no empty space in them.’
’No, that’s not quite what I mean,’ said Odeen, puzzled as to how to make matter clearer. ‘They still have a great deal of empty space, but not as much as we do. Particles need a certain amount of empty space and if all they have is that much, then other particles can’t squeeze in. If particles are forced in, there is pain. That’s why the Hard Ones don’t like to be touched by us. We Soft Ones have more space between the particles than are actually needed, so other particles can fit in.’
Dua didn’t look at all certain about that.
Odeen hastened onward. ‘In the other Universe, the rules are different. The nuclear-force isn’t as strong as in ours. That means the particles need more room.’
‘Why?’
Odeen shook his head, ‘Because—because—the particles spread out their wave-forms more. I can’t explain better than that. With a weaker nuclear-force, the particles need more room and two pieces of matter can’t melt together as easily as they can in our Universe.’” pg. 132-134
“The lack of her hurt more with each passing day. And with each passing day, he realized that there was a gathering fright inside himself over her absence. He didn’t know why.” pg. 156
“‘The population is two billion now from its six billion peak.’
‘Earth is much better for that, isn’t it?’
‘Oh, undoubtedly, though I wish there had been a better way of achieving the drop. . . . But it’s left behind a permanent distrust of technology; a vast inertia; a lack of desire to risk change because of the possible side-effects. Great and possibly dangerous efforts have been abandoned because the danger was feared more than greatness was desired.’
‘I take it you refer to the program on genetic engineering.’
‘That’s the most spectacular case of course, but not the only one,’ said Montez, bitterly.
‘Frankly, I can’t get excited over the abandonment of genetic engineering. It was a tissue of failures.’” pg. 184
“‘It could make sense to suppose that our own Universe is the only one that can exist or does exist, because it is the only one we live in and directly experience. Once, however, evidence arises that there is a second Universe as well, the one we call the para-Universe, then it becomes absolutely ridiculous to suppose that there are two and only two Universes. If a second Universe can exist, then an infinite number can. Between one and the infinite in cases such as these, there are no sensible numbers. Not only two, but any finite number, is ridiculous and can’t exist.’” pg. 240
Book: borrowed from the Little Free Library on Evergreen.
Book coincidences:
- The name “Schiller” appears in this book when the author talks about the title phrase and in the book I just read, Lolita, that became Dolores’s last name: “Schiller. A German dramatist of three centuries ago. In a play about Joan of Arc, he said, ‘Against stupidity, the gods themselves contend in vain.’” pg. 64-65
Are there only two billion people on Earth (pg. 57) during this period when the story takes place? Maybe that’s how many people are left? [I found out this is discussed briefly later on pg. 184]
“‘The plutonium/tungsten can make its cycle endlessly back and forth between Universe and para-Universe, yielding energy first in one and then in another, with the net effect being a transfer of twenty electrons from our Universe to theirs per each nucleus cycled. Both sides can gain energy from what is, in effect, an Inter-Universe Electron Pump.’” pg. 18
“‘It is a mistake,’ he said, ‘to suppose that the public wants the environment protected or their lives saved and that they will be grateful to any idealist who will fight for such ends. What the public wants is their own individual comfort. We know that well enough from our experience in the environmental crisis of the twentieth century. Once it was well known that cigarettes increased the incidence of lung cancer, the obvious remedy was to stop smoking, but the desired remedy was a cigarette that did not encourage cancer. When it became clear that the internal-combustion engine was polluting the atmosphere dangerously, the obvious remedy was to abandon such engines, and the desired remedy was to develop non-polluting engines.
‘Now then, young man, don’t ask me to stop the Pumping. The economy and comfort of the entire planet depend on it. Tell me, instead, how to keep the Pumping from exploding the Sun.’” pg. 50
“‘You understand, first, that everything is made up of tiny particles called atoms and that these are made up of still tinier subatomic particles.’
‘Yes, yes,’ said Dua. ‘That’s why we can melt.’
‘Exactly. Because actually we are mostly empty space. All the particles are far apart and your particles and mine and Tritt’s can all melt together because each set fits into the empty spaces around the other set. The reason matter doesn’t fly apart altogether is that the tiny particles do manage to cling together across the space that separates them. There are attractive forces holding them together, the strongest being one we call the nuclear-force. It holds the chief subatomic particles very tightly together in bunches that are spread widely apart and that are held together by weaker forces. Do you understand that?’
‘Only a little bit,’ said Dua.
‘Well never mind, we can go back later. . . . Matter can exist in different states. It can be especially spread out, as in Emotionals; as in you, Dua. It can be a little less spread out, as in Rationals and in Parentals. Or still less so, as in rock. It can be very compressed or thick, as in the Hard Ones. That’s why they’re hard. They are filled with particles.’
‘You mean there’s no empty space in them.’
’No, that’s not quite what I mean,’ said Odeen, puzzled as to how to make matter clearer. ‘They still have a great deal of empty space, but not as much as we do. Particles need a certain amount of empty space and if all they have is that much, then other particles can’t squeeze in. If particles are forced in, there is pain. That’s why the Hard Ones don’t like to be touched by us. We Soft Ones have more space between the particles than are actually needed, so other particles can fit in.’
Dua didn’t look at all certain about that.
Odeen hastened onward. ‘In the other Universe, the rules are different. The nuclear-force isn’t as strong as in ours. That means the particles need more room.’
‘Why?’
Odeen shook his head, ‘Because—because—the particles spread out their wave-forms more. I can’t explain better than that. With a weaker nuclear-force, the particles need more room and two pieces of matter can’t melt together as easily as they can in our Universe.’” pg. 132-134
“The lack of her hurt more with each passing day. And with each passing day, he realized that there was a gathering fright inside himself over her absence. He didn’t know why.” pg. 156
“‘The population is two billion now from its six billion peak.’
‘Earth is much better for that, isn’t it?’
‘Oh, undoubtedly, though I wish there had been a better way of achieving the drop. . . . But it’s left behind a permanent distrust of technology; a vast inertia; a lack of desire to risk change because of the possible side-effects. Great and possibly dangerous efforts have been abandoned because the danger was feared more than greatness was desired.’
‘I take it you refer to the program on genetic engineering.’
‘That’s the most spectacular case of course, but not the only one,’ said Montez, bitterly.
‘Frankly, I can’t get excited over the abandonment of genetic engineering. It was a tissue of failures.’” pg. 184
“‘It could make sense to suppose that our own Universe is the only one that can exist or does exist, because it is the only one we live in and directly experience. Once, however, evidence arises that there is a second Universe as well, the one we call the para-Universe, then it becomes absolutely ridiculous to suppose that there are two and only two Universes. If a second Universe can exist, then an infinite number can. Between one and the infinite in cases such as these, there are no sensible numbers. Not only two, but any finite number, is ridiculous and can’t exist.’” pg. 240
Book: borrowed from the Little Free Library on Evergreen.
w0carolina's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25