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jonathanpalfrey's review against another edition
3.0
This was Clement's second novel, and the story flows much better than in the first. The plot is more lively and interesting. It makes quite pleasant reading, if you don't mind that:
1. It reads like a book for children, or at least for teenagers.
2. Clement was clearly fascinated by science in general, and expected his readers to be much the same: for him, science fiction is fiction with plenty of scientific content. You don't need to be a scientist to follow the story, but if scientific details bore you to death then this may not be the right author for you.
1. It reads like a book for children, or at least for teenagers.
2. Clement was clearly fascinated by science in general, and expected his readers to be much the same: for him, science fiction is fiction with plenty of scientific content. You don't need to be a scientist to follow the story, but if scientific details bore you to death then this may not be the right author for you.
furicle's review against another edition
3.0
It's a shame when the aliens are more understandable than the humans.
Written in the 50's, I guess it's proof the past is more alien than we realize.
I might be overselling it, but it is dated. The only non male characters are bit parts, who are "just as smart" as the rest, but never actually participate in the plot, really... The rest of the family is very typical Heinlein-ish capable man, jack of all trades, master of the household stuff. I suspect I would have really enjoyed this as a teen several decades ago.
I wish I knew more chemistry, I suspect that's the best part of the novel.
The opening chapter has a sting in the tail I won't ruin, but I'm not sure it gets a whole lot better than that.
Interesting concept, and science, but just not enough there to make we want to pick it up again now that I finished it once.
Written in the 50's, I guess it's proof the past is more alien than we realize.
I might be overselling it, but it is dated. The only non male characters are bit parts, who are "just as smart" as the rest, but never actually participate in the plot, really... The rest of the family is very typical Heinlein-ish capable man, jack of all trades, master of the household stuff. I suspect I would have really enjoyed this as a teen several decades ago.
I wish I knew more chemistry, I suspect that's the best part of the novel.
The opening chapter has a sting in the tail I won't ruin, but I'm not sure it gets a whole lot better than that.
Interesting concept, and science, but just not enough there to make we want to pick it up again now that I finished it once.
barryhaworth's review against another edition
4.0
Taking a side quest from the Heinlein Juveniles, this is book is a YA story from SF legend Hal Clement. In it, a sulfur -breathing interstellar drug enforcement agent is investigating a (to him) alien planet, where the temperature is so low that hydrogen oxide liquefies.
Much of the story revolves around how planet earth appears to creatures from a much, much hotter place, and how they learn to deal with conditions there, as well as how their efforts are viewed by the humans they come into contact with. All quite entertaining, in a high school chemistry made into a story kind of way.
Much of the story revolves around how planet earth appears to creatures from a much, much hotter place, and how they learn to deal with conditions there, as well as how their efforts are viewed by the humans they come into contact with. All quite entertaining, in a high school chemistry made into a story kind of way.
daedalusjr's review against another edition
4.0
Besonders beeindruckend sind die gut beschriebenen chemischen Vorgehensweisen.
rosenectur's review
3.0
Good sci-fi story, told from the viewpoint of an alien teacher forced into a scientist role. Earth is a terribly inhospitable world to them, and yet Earth is the only place in the galaxy that can supply a drug-ring with it's addictive cargo. I highly recommend it to those who enjoy sci-fi.
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