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maxed's review against another edition
4.0
I think the Ayn Rand, were she alive in 1996 would disown Flynn SO hard! He has the gall to mention that government regulatory agencies like EPA might actually be necessary because not every businessman is as high-minded as the main hero.
Also, Flynn places a big emphasis on education, while Rand seemed to think that genius-level employees must spring up at employer's doorstep from thin air.
Oh, and also the main hero mentions that some things might be more important than money (for example, investing into space program as not to get killed by an asteroid).
All-in-all, if one can call Michael Flynn a libertarian, he seems to be more of a Heinlein's stripe, then Rand's. Which is why his book is some much better than unreadable, preachy "Atlas Shrugged", and his heroes evoke much more sympathy. For example, they don't think they have THE correct answer to every question - a trait I find most infuriating in Rand's characters.
Also, Flynn places a big emphasis on education, while Rand seemed to think that genius-level employees must spring up at employer's doorstep from thin air.
Oh, and also the main hero mentions that some things might be more important than money (for example, investing into space program as not to get killed by an asteroid).
All-in-all, if one can call Michael Flynn a libertarian, he seems to be more of a Heinlein's stripe, then Rand's. Which is why his book is some much better than unreadable, preachy "Atlas Shrugged", and his heroes evoke much more sympathy. For example, they don't think they have THE correct answer to every question - a trait I find most infuriating in Rand's characters.
norma_cenva's review against another edition
5.0
This was a great Christmas present. I surely enjoyed it. Excited for the continuation of the series now.
supatrey's review against another edition
4.0
Meh.
I have many thoughts about this book. There are a lot of things that I really love about it. So many of the characters are really brilliant. And it's very well plotted, I think.
But it's so long. So. Very. Long.
And it ends without a real resolution. So, I guess to get the ending, I will have to keep reading the series. I doubt I will do that any time soon.
I have many thoughts about this book. There are a lot of things that I really love about it. So many of the characters are really brilliant. And it's very well plotted, I think.
But it's so long. So. Very. Long.
And it ends without a real resolution. So, I guess to get the ending, I will have to keep reading the series. I doubt I will do that any time soon.
jurassicreader's review against another edition
4.0
Really good book. It was very well-written, although the prose may be a little dense or descriptive for some people. I thought the plot was very good, though it is slow-moving. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, although I think Flynn does a good job of developing them. All in all a very good read but it just lacks that extra something to make it a 5 star. I look forward to reading more of Flynn's work.
kil3yp's review against another edition
2.0
I mean. It's 900 pages. And it's not 900 pages of fast-paced plot and insanely interesting characters. It's 900 pages of intensely described and well written (ish) characters and a pseudo-believable plot.
Putting aside the huge technology gaps that Flynn missed coming in the 2000s, the plot could be speculative fiction as easily as the hard sci-fi everyone flags it as. Privatization of public services is a real issue/solution (depending on which way you lean), and the ignorance of government with the value of space programs is continually demonstrated.
But I just did not need the 10 year span. Or the 12 character views. This book needed to be divided up further for the series (I can't imagine continuing on in this series as it stands), or a hard editor that killed a story line or POV. Think of it as Game of Thrones, but less compelling. And Flynn can't write females quite the way Martin can. As much as the narrator tried (I listened to this on audio), there were insanely dull portions, which 3 hours later, I realized I did not need to know. At all.
Overall, 2 stars is probably going to be seen as harsh. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, but if you're a hard sci-fi fan, I feel like it's one of those books that you have to read. Do your time kind of deal.
Putting aside the huge technology gaps that Flynn missed coming in the 2000s, the plot could be speculative fiction as easily as the hard sci-fi everyone flags it as. Privatization of public services is a real issue/solution (depending on which way you lean), and the ignorance of government with the value of space programs is continually demonstrated.
But I just did not need the 10 year span. Or the 12 character views. This book needed to be divided up further for the series (I can't imagine continuing on in this series as it stands), or a hard editor that killed a story line or POV. Think of it as Game of Thrones, but less compelling. And Flynn can't write females quite the way Martin can. As much as the narrator tried (I listened to this on audio), there were insanely dull portions, which 3 hours later, I realized I did not need to know. At all.
Overall, 2 stars is probably going to be seen as harsh. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, but if you're a hard sci-fi fan, I feel like it's one of those books that you have to read. Do your time kind of deal.
meags1's review against another edition
2.0
Near future sci-fi tends to age very, very poorly, and even though I found this book incredibly boring for the most part, it definitely feels like a plausible, alternate recent past.
A super right wing anti-government fantasy written in the most mind numbing prose, to be sure.
A super right wing anti-government fantasy written in the most mind numbing prose, to be sure.
braydin's review
3.0
A near future story about one person's quest to drive humanity into space. Firestar is the first book of a series, though it can be read as a self contained novel. It starts a bit like Stephen Baxter's Manifold series, but where Baxter eventually diverges into more futuristic and out there science fiction topics, Flynn stays with the near future practicalities of establishing a privately funded space program.
The book felt a bit long as it set up the back stories for a large group of people ranging from business executives to high school students. I will probably continue to read the series, but I can see how both the length and the some times tedious descriptions of project management would lose a casual reader. Still, for people interested in the political, scientific, and economic hurdles in the aerospace industry, Firestar makes for a good read.
The book felt a bit long as it set up the back stories for a large group of people ranging from business executives to high school students. I will probably continue to read the series, but I can see how both the length and the some times tedious descriptions of project management would lose a casual reader. Still, for people interested in the political, scientific, and economic hurdles in the aerospace industry, Firestar makes for a good read.
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