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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The literary equivilant of a flower growing through a block of cement. The characterization is clumsy, obvious and in the case of the gin soaked country woman straight out of "Lady For A Day" borders on self parody. The social commentary is sometimes bizarre such as when our alien friend ruminates on the pros and cons of The Welfare State and sometimes obvious with it's JESUS WAS TEH ALIEN subtext. And lordy if you don't think that a book as slight as 160 pages can be overwritten within an inch of it's life look no further then here for your proof.
Still the centeral concept and character (for really they're one and the same) of Thomas is so sad, profound and achingly beautiful that one can't help but forgive the book for it's many many flaws.
Still the centeral concept and character (for really they're one and the same) of Thomas is so sad, profound and achingly beautiful that one can't help but forgive the book for it's many many flaws.
An interesting variation on the alien invasion theme. An alien who, for a change, is neither a monster or super powerful. Human society has more of an impact on him than he has on it. Set in the near future (only 20 - 25 years after publication), it is not overburdened with fanciful projections of the evolution of either technology or social and political institutions.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A weirdly right wing, nihilistic novela. I know John Campbell is at least partly to blame for the intellectual and political homogeneity of mid century SF. I don't know if Tevis was part of his crew, but this book reads like classic Campbell. Soft SF more interested in the disillusionment and loneliness of characters than in spaceships or the fact that there are other inhabited planets in the solar system. Jarring, unnecessary critiques of the welfare state (see the quotes for a couple examples). With, of course, a government filled with unimaginative, petty bunglers. All of the scientists, doctors, and lawyers are men. All the women are nurses, housekeepers, or welfare queens. Stranger in a Strange Land has much more to recommend itself. This was only saved from 1 star by brevity.
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
love love love. even with its pessimism i enjoyed it a lot
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Violence
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a take on visitors from another planet I haven't encountered anywhere else. The idea that this was written before the moon landing, and before the bulk of what has made science fiction what it is today, really shows in Tevis' characterization of the extraterrestrial. What struck me, though, is that in the end, Newton is surprisingly human.
Muž, který spadl na Zemi, měl poslání, na které byl více než dobře připraven. Na realitu společného soužití s lidmi ho však nikdo připravit nemohl. Postupně nasával lidské zvyky a nevyhnul se ani zlozvykům. Asimiloval se tak moc, až se z něj skoro stal jeden z nás. Od úspěšného vývojáře až po lidskou trosku, která se opájí alkoholem.
Sci-fi prostředí je zde upozaděno, proč mimozemšťan přišel na Zemi je vysvětleno, ale není to středobod příběhu - více je zde dán prostor tomu, jak Thomas postupně koexistuje s lidskou rasou a sbližuje se s lidskými návyky a ač je inteligenčně a biologicky mnohem vyspělejší, ani on se neubrání pocitu osamění. Přeci jen je jedinec vlastního druhu sám na celé planetě, na jeho bedrech spočívá těžký úkol - zachránit svou rasu, která tam někde ve vesmíru čeká, až se Thomasovi podaří mise, pro kterou byl vycvičen.
Je to krátká novelka, a je to spíše na 3,5*. Film jsem neviděla, ale někdy v budoucnu určitě mrknu, už jen kvůli Bowiemu :)
Obálka se Argu moc povedla, o tom žádná.
Sci-fi prostředí je zde upozaděno, proč mimozemšťan přišel na Zemi je vysvětleno, ale není to středobod příběhu - více je zde dán prostor tomu, jak Thomas postupně koexistuje s lidskou rasou a sbližuje se s lidskými návyky a ač je inteligenčně a biologicky mnohem vyspělejší, ani on se neubrání pocitu osamění. Přeci jen je jedinec vlastního druhu sám na celé planetě, na jeho bedrech spočívá těžký úkol - zachránit svou rasu, která tam někde ve vesmíru čeká, až se Thomasovi podaří mise, pro kterou byl vycvičen.
Je to krátká novelka, a je to spíše na 3,5*. Film jsem neviděla, ale někdy v budoucnu určitě mrknu, už jen kvůli Bowiemu :)
Obálka se Argu moc povedla, o tom žádná.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I adored this book! The characters felt lived in and realistic with each of them having their own unique quirks and flaws and point of view. Thomas Newton himself was incredibly well written, feeling just peculiar enough to be alien yet just familiar enough to be relatable. Experiencing earth from a non-human point of view was eye opening and made me question what it really means to be human, and if we are as intelligent as we think we are. A beautiful and timeless novel.