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tkadlec's review
4.0
A sci-fi novel that splashes a bit of everything into one: time-travel, artificial life, aliens…you name it. The result was a story that is compelling, with some interesting exploration of the idea of what it means to be human. It doesn’t quite manage to land with as much impact as it tries to, but still an excellent book ahead of its time.
md0's review against another edition
3.0
Lo lei ya que "Ciudad" es uno de mis libros favoritos de sci fi. Entretuvo, pero hasta ahi. 6.5 mucha linea de trama que no llega a demasiado
casimiera's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
frakalot's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
A weird and absolutely wonderful story. Just like one of the main themes of this story, we jump straight into the future with bot servant AIs, mentophones, teleporters and extrasolar colonisation all displayed and discussed within the first two or three chapters. We also learn very early that there's something up with Sutton, something is definitely NQR, Not Quite Right with him but equally from his perspective something is also NQR at home on Earth.
Humanity is presented at once as both familiarly paranoid and regrettably regressive in this version of our future, which nonetheless seems fantastical in the extreme.
While reaching for and "conquering" the stars has apparently removed any need for violence, this lack of a release for our innate aggressive tendencies has been recognised such that the law allows for the declaration of duels, which any able person under one hundred years of age must participate in when challenged. It seems like every new comfort which we learn about pairs with some underlying tension.
There were two elements of this story which I instantly recalled from a much newer book that I'd read only a few weeks before this one. The book was called 'How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe' by Charles Yu and the matching concepts were the mechanics of the time travel and the idea of writing a book that you already know has been written.
There's a movement to grant equal rights to Artificial Intelligences which pops its head up from time to time and an interesting tangible existence is given to the idea of destiny. Destiny is described as having no conflict with religion and although I don't hold truck with any of these ideas they were written well and fun to read.
As any good story about time travel should do, this story comes full circle by the end and ties up all of the threads in a very satisfying way. I never really think ahead enough to guess this kind of thing but if you do then you might see it coming.
This classic ages well, although there was only one female character she was not a dainty or hysterical pushover. The only noticeable issue was the use of male centric generalisations, like saying mankind instead of humankind.
This is either my second or third by Simak and I'm impressed, a genuine giant of the genre who I will be looking forward to reading again and again.
Humanity is presented at once as both familiarly paranoid and regrettably regressive in this version of our future, which nonetheless seems fantastical in the extreme.
While reaching for and "conquering" the stars has apparently removed any need for violence, this lack of a release for our innate aggressive tendencies has been recognised such that the law allows for the declaration of duels, which any able person under one hundred years of age must participate in when challenged. It seems like every new comfort which we learn about pairs with some underlying tension.
There were two elements of this story which I instantly recalled from a much newer book that I'd read only a few weeks before this one. The book was called 'How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe' by Charles Yu and the matching concepts were the mechanics of the time travel and the idea of writing a book that you already know has been written.
There's a movement to grant equal rights to Artificial Intelligences which pops its head up from time to time and an interesting tangible existence is given to the idea of destiny. Destiny is described as having no conflict with religion and although I don't hold truck with any of these ideas they were written well and fun to read.
As any good story about time travel should do, this story comes full circle by the end and ties up all of the threads in a very satisfying way. I never really think ahead enough to guess this kind of thing but if you do then you might see it coming.
This classic ages well, although there was only one female character she was not a dainty or hysterical pushover. The only noticeable issue was the use of male centric generalisations, like saying mankind instead of humankind.
This is either my second or third by Simak and I'm impressed, a genuine giant of the genre who I will be looking forward to reading again and again.
belovedsnail's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
ajlewis2's review against another edition
Too confusing and not all that interested in what was going on.
ghost_name's review
1.0
Felt a little convoluted and hard to follow. Got it as an ILL so felt compelled to finish it.