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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
God damn this is probably the hardest sci-fi book I've ever read. "So hard I chipped a tooth", as one other reviewer put it. The book seems to be 60% diatribes on star life-cycles, fundamental physics and some seriously funky spacetime manipulation. Luckily, the remaining 40% rescues itself with a sense of cosmic awe almost unparalleled, rigorously and deeply explored consequences of the physics and cultures the author postulates, and a (somewhat) interesting and (relatively) diverse cast of characters (even if they do like a bit of exotic-physics-masturbation every now and then).
A star is deducted for inaccessibility of the science. Nothing is really explained, so steer clear unless you have a good qualitative understanding of physics..
A star is deducted for inaccessibility of the science. Nothing is really explained, so steer clear unless you have a good qualitative understanding of physics..
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book continues Baxter's sweeping narrative of the entirety of human history - covering over 5 millions years. As with each of them, the book stands independent, but draws on themes and casual tie-ins to the other books of the Xeelee Sequence.
Baxter weaves quite a rich and imaginative environs for humanity and subsumes the history of humanity within the greater scope of the universe.
A great series of reads and well worth the time investment.
Baxter weaves quite a rich and imaginative environs for humanity and subsumes the history of humanity within the greater scope of the universe.
A great series of reads and well worth the time investment.
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
Quite a disjointed climax to the original Xeelee sequence. The different sections of the book break up the pace of the story and make the novel feel bloated. The problem with weak characterisation persists. Baxter is enamoured with terse, sarcastic heroes who irritate each other in unbelievable and uninteresting ways. The stoicism is occasionally ruptured by revealing asides (like the love affair that develops between two 'virtual' humans), but these are few and far between. The main draw of the book is Baxter's talent for describing truly mind-boggling astrophysics, particularly towards the end, which has a similar uplifting sense of possibility and discovery as his debut Raft. There is quite a bit to trudge through until you get there.
1st taste of Baxter. Immediately realized that his were the type of stores I'd been searching for since reading Clarke's Childhoods end. So very good.