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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
It's a spin on the classic Humans Vs Aliens tale. A straightforward and entertaining read. Not much to dig deep at. Humans tries to survive in a galaxy with a established hierarchy where every race is helped to evolve to higher levels of intelligence by other races. But humans defy the rules and get there themselves, without help from anyone. The established order cannot except this ofcourse, and goes into conflict with humans. The humans ultimately triumph against all odds through sheer human ingenuity and will. Who doesn't like a book where the underdogs come out on top, especially if the underdogs are humans, or chimpanzees in this case.
Entertainment value aside, there are a few issues. Despite having plenty of alien races and characters, all the aliens feel slight variations of fanatical humans. Most alien characters lack individuality. Every alien race is defined by one characteristic and all alien characters are stereotypical of their race. This makes all the aliens a bit one-dimensional. Most keep admiring human characteristics, adopting human ways and even falling for humans, despite some of them being at war with them. Humans and chimpanzees are depicted as a bit superhuman. There is a library of knowledge spanning millions of years and put together by a galaxy full of races, but still all these alien races manage to get outwitted by humans.
It was a fun read, but let down by the character work.
Entertainment value aside, there are a few issues. Despite having plenty of alien races and characters, all the aliens feel slight variations of fanatical humans. Most alien characters lack individuality. Every alien race is defined by one characteristic and all alien characters are stereotypical of their race. This makes all the aliens a bit one-dimensional. Most keep admiring human characteristics, adopting human ways and even falling for humans, despite some of them being at war with them. Humans and chimpanzees are depicted as a bit superhuman. There is a library of knowledge spanning millions of years and put together by a galaxy full of races, but still all these alien races manage to get outwitted by humans.
It was a fun read, but let down by the character work.
Just a perfect SF book. More frighteningly pertinent now than ever; if the Galactics showed up now, we wouldn't be scored well at all with how we've taken care of our own planet, and how we've shepherded those other species who share it with us, that's for sure.
The long, long narrative arc of Uthacalthing's "jest" and how it resolves during the climax is probably top five plots for me in everything I've ever read in my life.
The long, long narrative arc of Uthacalthing's "jest" and how it resolves during the climax is probably top five plots for me in everything I've ever read in my life.
Shares a universe with the other books of the series, could stand alone. Describes life in an occupied land (world), and is somewhat better than the previous book. Still suffers from clunky descriptions and poor passages at times.
In its favor are stronger characters, especially Fiben. He and others are fully 3D, a welcome change from the previous book. Some of the clever technology used for tracking or attacking are also neat. Chief among the downsides are the pace - this book is slow. Took me a month and a half to finish it, as I would put it down and feel little compulsion to pick it up again.
Reviewing the series, the wide web of characters and plots is pretty interesting, and probably took a book to keep track of. Turns out one was published - [b:Contacting Aliens: An Illustrated Guide to David Brin's Uplift Universe|101888|Contacting Aliens An Illustrated Guide to David Brin's Uplift Universe (The Uplift Saga)|David Brin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1386923847s/101888.jpg|98229]. Three following books make up a new series, the Uplift Storm trilogy. I plan to catch up with some other books first, but will likely tackle at least the first of that series soon.
In its favor are stronger characters, especially Fiben. He and others are fully 3D, a welcome change from the previous book. Some of the clever technology used for tracking or attacking are also neat. Chief among the downsides are the pace - this book is slow. Took me a month and a half to finish it, as I would put it down and feel little compulsion to pick it up again.
Reviewing the series, the wide web of characters and plots is pretty interesting, and probably took a book to keep track of. Turns out one was published - [b:Contacting Aliens: An Illustrated Guide to David Brin's Uplift Universe|101888|Contacting Aliens An Illustrated Guide to David Brin's Uplift Universe (The Uplift Saga)|David Brin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1386923847s/101888.jpg|98229]. Three following books make up a new series, the Uplift Storm trilogy. I plan to catch up with some other books first, but will likely tackle at least the first of that series soon.
Hmm, not what I was expecting. Some good characters, and some interesting aliens and interactions, but the Neo-chims all too often harked back to 1970s Planet of the Apes, and the story was altogether too pat. Difficulties ensue. They are resolved. More difficulties, more resolutions, that just happen to work just right. It is not surprising that the birds were beaten by the supposedly inferior 'Wolflings', because they were incompetent, unimaginative, clownish and dumb. Just pins, set up to be knocked down, with little actual tension.
The concept of Uplift, and the organisation of galactic society is good, but it would have been far better in a story about said society, rather than as the backdrop for a minor skirmish.
The concept of Uplift, and the organisation of galactic society is good, but it would have been far better in a story about said society, rather than as the backdrop for a minor skirmish.
This is the concluding book in David Brin’s original Uplift trilogy. These stories take place in an imaginative universe.
The last book, [b:Startide Rising|234501|Startide Rising (The Uplift Saga, #2)|David Brin|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320455583s/234501.jpg|251634], dealt primarily with the neo-dolphins that humanity has Uplifted into intelligence. This book deals primarily with the neo-chimpanzees that have been similarly Uplifted.
Startide Rising dealt almost entirely with the neo-dolphins. The Galactics were in the story but we only got cursory glimpses of them and didn’t become familiar with any one race. The Uplift War turns that around.
The action takes place on the planet of Garth, a human and neo-chimp colony. Garth is invaded by the Gubru (an avian species). Several of the chimp characters take leading roles. Humanity is allied with another alien species, the Tymbrimi. The story also features Athacleana, the daughter of the Tymbrimi ambassador.
I liked this focus on the chimp and Tymbrimi characters. David Brin does a pretty good job at bringing a non-human perspective to the story. (I did feel, at times, that Athacleana was acting too much like a human female though.)
Brin has hinted in the previous books about the different species, their behaviors, and Galactic customs. In this book, he moved from hints to specifics. He used this story to narrow the focus from all of the Galactics to just two or three specific species. He then dove into the details of how the races acted, politicked, and made war. It gave a lot of depth and realism to his universe.
This was a very good end to Brin’s original trilogy. It didn’t answer any of the big mysteries from [b:Startide Rising|234501|Startide Rising (The Uplift Saga, #2)|David Brin|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320455583s/234501.jpg|251634], but it expanded the scope of the story and made it clear that there are many, many more stories that could yet be told.
All races in the Galaxy have been “uplifted” into sentience by a prior alien race, in a chain stretching back to the Progenitors. Humans have even uplifted dolphins and chimpanzees into sentience. But who uplifted humanity? This is a great mystery and the other races are antagonistic towards the “wolfing” human race, without patrons or lineage.
The last book, [b:Startide Rising|234501|Startide Rising (The Uplift Saga, #2)|David Brin|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320455583s/234501.jpg|251634], dealt primarily with the neo-dolphins that humanity has Uplifted into intelligence. This book deals primarily with the neo-chimpanzees that have been similarly Uplifted.
Startide Rising dealt almost entirely with the neo-dolphins. The Galactics were in the story but we only got cursory glimpses of them and didn’t become familiar with any one race. The Uplift War turns that around.
The action takes place on the planet of Garth, a human and neo-chimp colony. Garth is invaded by the Gubru (an avian species). Several of the chimp characters take leading roles. Humanity is allied with another alien species, the Tymbrimi. The story also features Athacleana, the daughter of the Tymbrimi ambassador.
I liked this focus on the chimp and Tymbrimi characters. David Brin does a pretty good job at bringing a non-human perspective to the story. (I did feel, at times, that Athacleana was acting too much like a human female though.)
Brin has hinted in the previous books about the different species, their behaviors, and Galactic customs. In this book, he moved from hints to specifics. He used this story to narrow the focus from all of the Galactics to just two or three specific species. He then dove into the details of how the races acted, politicked, and made war. It gave a lot of depth and realism to his universe.
This was a very good end to Brin’s original trilogy. It didn’t answer any of the big mysteries from [b:Startide Rising|234501|Startide Rising (The Uplift Saga, #2)|David Brin|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320455583s/234501.jpg|251634], but it expanded the scope of the story and made it clear that there are many, many more stories that could yet be told.
adventurous
challenging
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
I might just be enraged from forcing myself to finish this extremely long and boring slog, but this might be one of the worst books I’ve read in the last few years.
Startide rising was in many ways a better Sundiver, and in the same way Uplift war is basically just a worse Startide Rising. It’s longer, there’s less mystery and intriguing complexity, the characters are all extremely unlikable and the last hundred pages feel like a sermon. In fact I think this book even makes me like Startide Rising a little less.
Well at least it’s over now. I would say I never want to read a Brin book ever again but I’ve got Postman in the mail so I guess he gets one more shot from me.
Startide rising was in many ways a better Sundiver, and in the same way Uplift war is basically just a worse Startide Rising. It’s longer, there’s less mystery and intriguing complexity, the characters are all extremely unlikable and the last hundred pages feel like a sermon. In fact I think this book even makes me like Startide Rising a little less.
Well at least it’s over now. I would say I never want to read a Brin book ever again but I’ve got Postman in the mail so I guess he gets one more shot from me.
adventurous
hopeful
tense
fast-paced