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kmccaleb's review against another edition
5.0
Great concept on possible evolution. The scientific explanations can be bit over whelming, but he you can tell he really researched and tries to explain things in very plausible, understandable ways. Really enjoyed reading the book. Great mixture of science, history, romance, politics, and action.
hannah_doc's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.0
liorlueg's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Death, Miscarriage, and Sexual content
Minor: Pregnancy
thesmudge's review against another edition
3.0
Well, I did like the story concept but for me the "big reveal" just did not satisfy me. Also, it seemed to drag on the last fourth of the book. Having said that, I have no plans to read he second one.
athryn's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
A little clunky at first, but once I settled into Bear's writing style, I found it to be pretty engaging. I will say that 20+ years on, some of the ideas in this don't hold up, especially post-covid pandemic. The idea that the population would just roll over for the "evil" CDC is pretty laughable.
chandrika_moka's review against another edition
4.0
It starts off quite slow. The first 50 pages or so could get a little frustrating but once you are past that, it's un-put-downable. I wish he had written this at the time Hull Zero Three came out. Though the plot is very intriguing, his writing style was not as good as it is now. He was still really good with Darwin's Radio. I liked it so much that I am going to start reading Darwin's Children really soon.
The science is quite a lot in this one. Its good he has an appendix explaining things but you don't really need it. Even though it is a lot of biology, you kinda catch on.
You have to be a hard science fiction fan to love this one. Overall, wonderful. Greg Bear never disappoints!
The science is quite a lot in this one. Its good he has an appendix explaining things but you don't really need it. Even though it is a lot of biology, you kinda catch on.
You have to be a hard science fiction fan to love this one. Overall, wonderful. Greg Bear never disappoints!
matthewftbailey's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 / 5 [listened on audiobook ]
Book: Some interesting concepts, but nothing I found hugely compelling. I enjoy books with a lot of science, but I tend to be more interested in physics than biology, so I think I'm just willing to listen to / enjoy listening to a lot of science jargon when it's physics; the biology lost me a little bit. The end had a couple of nice little twists/surprises, which is why I would give it a 3.5 rather than a straight three.
Audio: I really enjoyed George Guidall's reading of American Gods; I felt like the often playful tone of his voice really shined in that context. In a dryer, more serious story, it didn't work as well for me. Also, his rendition of Kay made her seem weaker and more frail than the character deserved. Still, his overall quality was good...maybe just not a great fit. 2.5/5
Book: Some interesting concepts, but nothing I found hugely compelling. I enjoy books with a lot of science, but I tend to be more interested in physics than biology, so I think I'm just willing to listen to / enjoy listening to a lot of science jargon when it's physics; the biology lost me a little bit. The end had a couple of nice little twists/surprises, which is why I would give it a 3.5 rather than a straight three.
Audio: I really enjoyed George Guidall's reading of American Gods; I felt like the often playful tone of his voice really shined in that context. In a dryer, more serious story, it didn't work as well for me. Also, his rendition of Kay made her seem weaker and more frail than the character deserved. Still, his overall quality was good...maybe just not a great fit. 2.5/5
bmcraec's review against another edition
5.0
Ever wonder if the current trend in the so called civilized countries to polarization along liberal and conservative lines? Research in mindset and functional anatomy suggests it's biological. This novel was the first glimmer I had that, as usual, creative, skillful science fiction does a pretty damn good job of predicting distant futures for humanity. If you haven't read it, please do. Greg Bear is one of the best.
cammiixy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
jokapy's review against another edition
2.0
Idea tässä kirjassa oli ihan mielenkiintoinen, mutta toteutus tökki. Varsinkin kirjan alkupuolella oli liikaa tieteellistä höpinää, joka meni minulta ihan ohi. Loppua kohti kirja sentään muuttui hiukan kiinnostavammaksi. Suomennoksessa oli häiritsevän paljon kirjoitusvirheitä.