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archergal's review
2.0
The Frozen Sky starts off with a dramatic discovery (alien life) and a dramatic chase/escape FROM that alien life.
There's life under the frozen surface of Europa. This is a novel about discovering that life and deciding what to do about it. There's also a rogue AI, not to mention nationalistic issues and conflict between different countries doing research on Europa (i.e., politics).
I hate stories with politics like this in them. Because usually nothing is done for GOOD reasons, just for what is expedient and what can be compromised on. And these folks may have heard of a Prime Directive, but they're definitely Not Having It. I kinda hated all the characters too. :(
That said, it's a competent hard SF book. I couldn't quite visualize how the "sunfish" (what the researchers called the aliens) moved around under the frozen surface of Europa. I was also astonished by the amount of tech -- bio and non-bio -- these researchers had with them. They could replace damaged eyes and limbs, even. Wow.
All that caused a bit of a strain to my WSOD, along with how quickly they decoded the aliens' communications. Hence the low rating. :(
There's life under the frozen surface of Europa. This is a novel about discovering that life and deciding what to do about it. There's also a rogue AI, not to mention nationalistic issues and conflict between different countries doing research on Europa (i.e., politics).
I hate stories with politics like this in them. Because usually nothing is done for GOOD reasons, just for what is expedient and what can be compromised on. And these folks may have heard of a Prime Directive, but they're definitely Not Having It. I kinda hated all the characters too. :(
That said, it's a competent hard SF book. I couldn't quite visualize how the "sunfish" (what the researchers called the aliens) moved around under the frozen surface of Europa. I was also astonished by the amount of tech -- bio and non-bio -- these researchers had with them. They could replace damaged eyes and limbs, even. Wow.
All that caused a bit of a strain to my WSOD, along with how quickly they decoded the aliens' communications. Hence the low rating. :(
trumpeta19's review
4.0
Very entertaining read that uses plausible science to explore what would happen if we discovered life on other planets/moons within our own solar system. Would recommend for anyone who is interested in futuristic science books.
erickayscifi's review
3.0
I liked it, but mixed feelings on a few things.
Beginning: Great.
Ending: Satisfying.
Middle: I felt like I was just pushing through. Didn't care for the political stuff. Space is huge people, why land near each other and mess up one another's base? Just land somewhere else and do your own thing.
Enjoyed Vonnie and Lam and their interaction.
Beginning: Great.
Ending: Satisfying.
Middle: I felt like I was just pushing through. Didn't care for the political stuff. Space is huge people, why land near each other and mess up one another's base? Just land somewhere else and do your own thing.
Enjoyed Vonnie and Lam and their interaction.
mmadans's review
3.0
Enjoyed the first contact element if this story and overall this had a number of entertaining SF elements. I found myself not liking the main character at times and found the political elements distracting.
dancarey_404's review
2.0
I imagine this was better in its original novella length. This version just struck me as somewhat overly padded. Cool aliens, though.
starshipengineer's review
5.0
A truly unique and thought-provoking look at First Contact. The characters are fun and the technology futuristic, but both ultimately serve the real stars of this book, the fictional sunfish and the Big Ideas behind them. Ranks right up with my other favorites of the alien contact subgenre, 'Blindsight' and 'The Mote in God's Eye'. Easily one of my favorite novels in the broader range of science fiction as well.
realboatsrock's review against another edition
4.0
This was a good read. First contact stories are always interesting from a humanist perspective -- inevitable questions are raised about the place of humanity in the greater scheme of life. Frozen Sky does this well through the introduction of a truly alien form of life, one that is not bound by typically human-centric philosophy. Refreshing!
My only complaint is that the middle section of the book drags as human politics are infused into the first contact story. Of course, this is just a matter of personal preference ... I simply do not want to read in-depth about politics and conflicts against the background of a first contact story.
That said -- I recommend this book to any fans of first contact or science fiction books in general. Exciting/Entertaining/Thought-provoking/Unique!
My only complaint is that the middle section of the book drags as human politics are infused into the first contact story. Of course, this is just a matter of personal preference ... I simply do not want to read in-depth about politics and conflicts against the background of a first contact story.
That said -- I recommend this book to any fans of first contact or science fiction books in general. Exciting/Entertaining/Thought-provoking/Unique!
alexctelander's review against another edition
4.0
In Jeff Carlson’s ebook novella, The Frozen Sky, he takes on the genre of hard science fiction, taking readers to that distant moon of Jupiter, Europa, where there are frozen seas and oceans, but beneath the possibility of alien life.
Carlson uses a great storytelling method of short chapters and jumping back and forth. In the present our main character is dealing with the alien life that exists beneath the ice, trying her best to stay alive using her futuristic spacesuit that works practically as a fully-servicing vehicle along with the downloaded knowledge and abilities of her dead colleague. Carlson throws in the details here and there of great scifi tech without bogging the story down or confusing the reader. In alternate chapters, the reader is taken back to different periods in time, when the main characters first set foot on Europa, what they hoped to find and what they actually found, which were very different things.
In less than sixty pages, Carlson skillfully manages to tell a great story, present some possible ancestry to these alien creatures, put in a bunch of cool technology that makes sense and is believable. To top it all off, he manages to send the message of when we do finally start traveling to the stars, we better be sure we’re fully prepared for everything we might come up against, and that maybe we should look and think before we leap into that mysterious hole in the ground on an alien planet.
Originally written on April 10, 2011 ©Alex C. Telander.
For more reviews, and exclusive interviews, go to BookBanter
Carlson uses a great storytelling method of short chapters and jumping back and forth. In the present our main character is dealing with the alien life that exists beneath the ice, trying her best to stay alive using her futuristic spacesuit that works practically as a fully-servicing vehicle along with the downloaded knowledge and abilities of her dead colleague. Carlson throws in the details here and there of great scifi tech without bogging the story down or confusing the reader. In alternate chapters, the reader is taken back to different periods in time, when the main characters first set foot on Europa, what they hoped to find and what they actually found, which were very different things.
In less than sixty pages, Carlson skillfully manages to tell a great story, present some possible ancestry to these alien creatures, put in a bunch of cool technology that makes sense and is believable. To top it all off, he manages to send the message of when we do finally start traveling to the stars, we better be sure we’re fully prepared for everything we might come up against, and that maybe we should look and think before we leap into that mysterious hole in the ground on an alien planet.
Originally written on April 10, 2011 ©Alex C. Telander.
For more reviews, and exclusive interviews, go to BookBanter
archergal's review against another edition
2.0
The Frozen Sky starts off with a dramatic discovery (alien life) and a dramatic chase/escape FROM that alien life.
There's life under the frozen surface of Europa. This is a novel about discovering that life and deciding what to do about it. There's also a rogue AI, not to mention nationalistic issues and conflict between different countries doing research on Europa (i.e., politics).
I hate stories with politics like this in them. Because usually nothing is done for GOOD reasons, just for what is expedient and what can be compromised on. And these folks may have heard of a Prime Directive, but they're definitely Not Having It. I kinda hated all the characters too. :(
That said, it's a competent hard SF book. I couldn't quite visualize how the "sunfish" (what the researchers called the aliens) moved around under the frozen surface of Europa. I was also astonished by the amount of tech -- bio and non-bio -- these researchers had with them. They could replace damaged eyes and limbs, even. Wow.
All that caused a bit of a strain to my WSOD, along with how quickly they decoded the aliens' communications. Hence the low rating. :(
There's life under the frozen surface of Europa. This is a novel about discovering that life and deciding what to do about it. There's also a rogue AI, not to mention nationalistic issues and conflict between different countries doing research on Europa (i.e., politics).
I hate stories with politics like this in them. Because usually nothing is done for GOOD reasons, just for what is expedient and what can be compromised on. And these folks may have heard of a Prime Directive, but they're definitely Not Having It. I kinda hated all the characters too. :(
That said, it's a competent hard SF book. I couldn't quite visualize how the "sunfish" (what the researchers called the aliens) moved around under the frozen surface of Europa. I was also astonished by the amount of tech -- bio and non-bio -- these researchers had with them. They could replace damaged eyes and limbs, even. Wow.
All that caused a bit of a strain to my WSOD, along with how quickly they decoded the aliens' communications. Hence the low rating. :(