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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
‘The Uplift War’, book three in the Uplift Trilogy (start with [b:Sundiver|96472|Sundiver (The Uplift Saga, #1)|David Brin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388176548l/96472._SY75_.jpg|461555]), is a terrific finish to the Uplift trilogy that David Brin so imaginatively has created. Well, not quite finished as he has left two particular strings dangling - a mystery regarding the Progenitors and what has happened to the uplifted Dolphins piloting the fugitive water-filled spaceship Streaker.
Who were the Progenitors, a mysterious species which disappeared long ago? Why did they begin uplifting pre-sentient animals they discovered on other planets in many galaxies? Because of what they did to evolve animals into sentience and space travel, a motivation which was pursued far far away and historically distant beyond the memories of any current civilization, the entire universe (the one Brin has so brilliantly conceived in these science fiction novels) has as its one overriding moral imperative to uplift appropriate species. There is very little else to otherwise bind the various uplifted species together morally. There have been many many wars. The different species hate each other, generally. However, none of them openly defy the moral precedents and laws set by the Progenitors, preserved in the Great Library.
The Great Library contains written records of amazing discoveries and engineering marvels and history, which by a law recognized by the entire universe of sentient species, must be open to everyone who requests admittance. Or, in other words, everyone who wants a library card must be given one!
Cool.
However, humans do not seem to have been uplifted, or if uplifted, appear to have been abandoned by their sponsors. Abandonment of a species by a Patron race is a crime, the worst. There is no record of Humanity in the Great Library, either. Since Earthlings joined the community of space civilizations after having been discovered two hundred years ago by the space-traveling Patrons, most of the Patrons are extremely disturbed by the existence of humans. On so many levels. Number one issue - the species is considered a wolfling one, apparently having learned how to become spacers and a Patron race on their own, without any assistance or guidance from a Patron species or the Great Library. Despite that Humans do not conform as do all of the other species fully educated by the Library and Patrons, they have uplifted, without Library or Patron guidance, chimpanzees and dolphins. Humans also color outside of the lines often, or drive unexpectedly off-road! Very very disturbing.
I have copied the book blurb as it is accurate:
”David Brin's Uplift novels are among the most thrilling and extraordinary science fiction ever written. Sundiver, Startide Rising, and The Uplift War--a New York Times bestseller--together make up one of the most beloved sagas of all time. Brin's tales are set in a future universe in which no species can reach sentience without being "uplifted" by a patron race. But the greatest mystery of all remains unsolved: who uplifted humankind?
As galactic armadas clash in quest of the ancient fleet of the Progenitors, a brutal alien race seizes the dying planet of Garth. The various uplifted inhabitants of Garth must battle their overlords or face ultimate extinction. At stake is the existence of Terran society and Earth, and the fate of the entire Five Galaxies. Sweeping, brilliantly crafted, inventive and dramatic, The Uplift War is an unforgettable story of adventure and wonder from one of today's science fiction greats.”
‘The Uplift War’ is very long. It spends quite a bit of time in world-building and on its main characters. Fiben Bolger, a young Chimpanzee fighter pilot, Robert Oneagle, a young human, son of the Planetary Coordinator of the colony on the planet Garth and a recent graduate from college who has joined the military, and Athaclena, daughter of the Tymbrimi ambassador Uthaclathing, grow up from untested youngsters to seasoned warriors after becoming part of a resistance force on the planet Garth.
The Gubrus, an uplifted Patron race of birds, have invaded Garth hoping to find clues to where the dolphins’ space ship Streaker might be. They plan on holding human colonists hostage until Earth gives up the whereabouts of the Streaker. Everyone believes the Streaker holds clues to the Progenitors (see previous novel, [b:Startide Rising|234501|Startide Rising (The Uplift Saga, #2)|David Brin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1476445711l/234501._SY75_.jpg|251634]). The Gubrus have superior technology and numbers. Everyone expects the human/chimpanzee colony to lose this war, including the mature humans.
But the young adults have a different plan….
Did anyone else think, aha, this is reminiscent of Star Wars IV, V, and VI?
Who were the Progenitors, a mysterious species which disappeared long ago? Why did they begin uplifting pre-sentient animals they discovered on other planets in many galaxies? Because of what they did to evolve animals into sentience and space travel, a motivation which was pursued far far away and historically distant beyond the memories of any current civilization, the entire universe (the one Brin has so brilliantly conceived in these science fiction novels) has as its one overriding moral imperative to uplift appropriate species. There is very little else to otherwise bind the various uplifted species together morally. There have been many many wars. The different species hate each other, generally. However, none of them openly defy the moral precedents and laws set by the Progenitors, preserved in the Great Library.
The Great Library contains written records of amazing discoveries and engineering marvels and history, which by a law recognized by the entire universe of sentient species, must be open to everyone who requests admittance. Or, in other words, everyone who wants a library card must be given one!
Cool.
However, humans do not seem to have been uplifted, or if uplifted, appear to have been abandoned by their sponsors. Abandonment of a species by a Patron race is a crime, the worst. There is no record of Humanity in the Great Library, either. Since Earthlings joined the community of space civilizations after having been discovered two hundred years ago by the space-traveling Patrons, most of the Patrons are extremely disturbed by the existence of humans. On so many levels. Number one issue - the species is considered a wolfling one, apparently having learned how to become spacers and a Patron race on their own, without any assistance or guidance from a Patron species or the Great Library. Despite that Humans do not conform as do all of the other species fully educated by the Library and Patrons, they have uplifted, without Library or Patron guidance, chimpanzees and dolphins. Humans also color outside of the lines often, or drive unexpectedly off-road! Very very disturbing.
I have copied the book blurb as it is accurate:
”David Brin's Uplift novels are among the most thrilling and extraordinary science fiction ever written. Sundiver, Startide Rising, and The Uplift War--a New York Times bestseller--together make up one of the most beloved sagas of all time. Brin's tales are set in a future universe in which no species can reach sentience without being "uplifted" by a patron race. But the greatest mystery of all remains unsolved: who uplifted humankind?
As galactic armadas clash in quest of the ancient fleet of the Progenitors, a brutal alien race seizes the dying planet of Garth. The various uplifted inhabitants of Garth must battle their overlords or face ultimate extinction. At stake is the existence of Terran society and Earth, and the fate of the entire Five Galaxies. Sweeping, brilliantly crafted, inventive and dramatic, The Uplift War is an unforgettable story of adventure and wonder from one of today's science fiction greats.”
‘The Uplift War’ is very long. It spends quite a bit of time in world-building and on its main characters. Fiben Bolger, a young Chimpanzee fighter pilot, Robert Oneagle, a young human, son of the Planetary Coordinator of the colony on the planet Garth and a recent graduate from college who has joined the military, and Athaclena, daughter of the Tymbrimi ambassador Uthaclathing, grow up from untested youngsters to seasoned warriors after becoming part of a resistance force on the planet Garth.
The Gubrus, an uplifted Patron race of birds, have invaded Garth hoping to find clues to where the dolphins’ space ship Streaker might be. They plan on holding human colonists hostage until Earth gives up the whereabouts of the Streaker. Everyone believes the Streaker holds clues to the Progenitors (see previous novel, [b:Startide Rising|234501|Startide Rising (The Uplift Saga, #2)|David Brin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1476445711l/234501._SY75_.jpg|251634]). The Gubrus have superior technology and numbers. Everyone expects the human/chimpanzee colony to lose this war, including the mature humans.
But the young adults have a different plan….
Did anyone else think, aha, this is reminiscent of Star Wars IV, V, and VI?
Not as good as Startide Rising and only tangentially related. I wanted to learn about the fate of the Streaker!
I read this one without reading the first two because of a sci-fi book club choice, which may have kept me from a better investment in the story. It felt really really long. I liked the characters - funny, connected, well balanced. Overall it was worth it but again, not as good as it could have been with more background on my end.
I really wanted to like this book, especially after re-reading Startide Rising, but it simply doesn't hold a candle to its predecessor.
Not quite 5 stars, but pretty excellent anyway, detailed review to follow.
Pretty disappointing ending to the trilogy. I sort of expected this book to resolve some of the questions in the first two books, but that didn't really happen. Maybe I need to read the next trilogy for those answers?
The third, and the best of the trilogy. The Uplift War concerns the attack by the bird-like race The Gubru on the Earth Colony Garth, and the resistance movement coordinated by the neo-chimpanzee population.
Again the perspective shifts between the various central characters as events unfold. The depiction of the Gurbu society is interesting and inventive. The chimps are fun and you are always on their side.
There's a rich vein of humour running through this book that was absent in the first two.
If you read the first books you must read this one. Apparently there are 3 more. Yay
Again the perspective shifts between the various central characters as events unfold. The depiction of the Gurbu society is interesting and inventive. The chimps are fun and you are always on their side.
There's a rich vein of humour running through this book that was absent in the first two.
If you read the first books you must read this one. Apparently there are 3 more. Yay
A storyline that runs parallel to, but does not intertwine with, Startide Rising. The best written, and best story, of the trilogy