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jmoses's review against another edition
3.0
It was....interesting. Lots of semi-math and physics that made my brains hurt, but at the root, the story was interesting. I like it, and would read more about the universe.
scheu's review against another edition
2.0
Egan took a great concept and made it into a dull and impenetrable story. It's sad. I like the other Egan books I've read. I feel as though this book, in the hands of another hard SF author (Stephen Baxter for instance), would have sung.
astroemi's review against another edition
5.0
Mi novela de ciencia ficción favorita hasta ahora. Siento que abrió mi cerebro a posibilidades de cómo funciona la realidad que nunca había contemplado.
La historia por sí misma es muy interesante (sobre una burbuja donde las leyes de la física son diferentes a la de nuestra realidad que devora todo a su paso mientras sigue creciendo), pero lo más interesante para mí es el detalle con el que es contada, siempre apegándose a lo que conocemos sobre mecánica cuántica hasta ahora e incluso enseñándonos conceptos matemáticos en el camino.
No es una novela fácil. Si no te interesan estos temas probablemente la tecnicalidad que maneja sea frustrante en lugar de divertida. Si sí te interesan, no puedes equivocarte con este libro. Cada página estalla de imaginación y curiosidad por el universo en el que vivimos. Si algo de esto suena a que te puede gustar, espero le des una oportunidad.
La historia por sí misma es muy interesante (sobre una burbuja donde las leyes de la física son diferentes a la de nuestra realidad que devora todo a su paso mientras sigue creciendo), pero lo más interesante para mí es el detalle con el que es contada, siempre apegándose a lo que conocemos sobre mecánica cuántica hasta ahora e incluso enseñándonos conceptos matemáticos en el camino.
No es una novela fácil. Si no te interesan estos temas probablemente la tecnicalidad que maneja sea frustrante en lugar de divertida. Si sí te interesan, no puedes equivocarte con este libro. Cada página estalla de imaginación y curiosidad por el universo en el que vivimos. Si algo de esto suena a que te puede gustar, espero le des una oportunidad.
aix83's review against another edition
1.0
Gaaaahhhh, this book is so depressing!
The sci-fi concepts are meh. In fact, the whole theme of the quantum void collapsing into a different state and giving rise to a fluidic-space universe was treated much better and resulted in more fun in the Star Trek Next Generation episodes where they introduced Species 8472, the enemies of the Borg. Not to mention that the new universe is at most interesting to a biologist since all its descriptions make it feel so organic. Actually I'm not sure if it's not by any chance inspired from one of those movies where they get miniaturized and injected in someone's body to treat some disease or wound. Because that's how it feels, like the 90s pseudofuturistic movies where people take on the role of nanites.
The whole way the author treats and views his characters is enough to give one an advanced state of existential dread. You get the sacrificial femto-machines, which are what happens when the author is the worst kind of reductionist, the sort who thinks that if you can't isolate qualia in region X of the brain, then it doesn't exist. (Surprise! It exists but it's an emergent phenomenon!). Everyone in this book is dehumanized and reduced to component parts, which makes it absolutely impossible to care for the characters in the least. At worst, this can throw the reader in a state of advanced existential depression.
The sci-fi concepts are meh. In fact, the whole theme of the quantum void collapsing into a different state and giving rise to a fluidic-space universe was treated much better and resulted in more fun in the Star Trek Next Generation episodes where they introduced Species 8472, the enemies of the Borg. Not to mention that the new universe is at most interesting to a biologist since all its descriptions make it feel so organic. Actually I'm not sure if it's not by any chance inspired from one of those movies where they get miniaturized and injected in someone's body to treat some disease or wound. Because that's how it feels, like the 90s pseudofuturistic movies where people take on the role of nanites.
The whole way the author treats and views his characters is enough to give one an advanced state of existential dread. You get the sacrificial femto-machines, which are what happens when the author is the worst kind of reductionist, the sort who thinks that if you can't isolate qualia in region X of the brain, then it doesn't exist. (Surprise! It exists but it's an emergent phenomenon!). Everyone in this book is dehumanized and reduced to component parts, which makes it absolutely impossible to care for the characters in the least. At worst, this can throw the reader in a state of advanced existential depression.
regnarenol's review against another edition
4.0
Read this a few years ago and recall enjoying it, but don't recall enough to write a proper review. Just that it was proper, proper committed hard science fiction done well.
avetzan's review against another edition
5.0
One of the hardest science fiction works out there and yet only occasionally did I get lost in the advanced quantum mechanics and speculative theories that this story is based upon. Characters are relatable and humourous even though they are very far removed from the humanity of today. The worldbuilding is expansive and fun. I think these are all testaments to the quality of Egan's writing when he takes such situations that are barely within human understanding and makes them not only plausible and believable but interesting and intriguing alongside providing good dynamics and subtleties and commentary.
I listened to this on audible and the performance is very good, though I did listen to most of it at 2x speed.
My only complaint is that the ending comes sooner than I wished it would, and that I think there's still a lot of interesting things to explore. It feels as though it ends after the highest point of action is resolved but I still wanted to see how the story went on just that little bit further beyond the events depicted, though I won't stray into spoilers.
Definitely recommended to anyone who likes hard science fiction stories.
I listened to this on audible and the performance is very good, though I did listen to most of it at 2x speed.
My only complaint is that the ending comes sooner than I wished it would, and that I think there's still a lot of interesting things to explore. It feels as though it ends after the highest point of action is resolved but I still wanted to see how the story went on just that little bit further beyond the events depicted, though I won't stray into spoilers.
Definitely recommended to anyone who likes hard science fiction stories.
shanth's review against another edition
5.0
The most brilliant Egan that I've read so far. I think writing non-dystopian sci-fi which truly raises compelling moral and ethical questions which have almost no simple analogies in our current sociopolitical landscape is what Egan excels at. Not to mention that the science is solid all the way till it necessarily must dive into speculation, unlike the cheap deus ex machina jargon of warp drives and teleportation. Definitely my favourite scifi author.
elefelanterosa's review against another edition
3.0
While physical models and mathematics used in this book, to justify it being called hard sci-fi, is awesome; it can be dismissed at times because characters don't leave a great impression.
Albeit, there were some chapters that really drew the attention, so it ended up being an ok book. I'll maybe try reading something else by him next year
Albeit, there were some chapters that really drew the attention, so it ended up being an ok book. I'll maybe try reading something else by him next year
extragravy's review against another edition
4.0
Another great read by Egan. I like his style, abstract, heady, hard sci-fi.