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kreppen's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
tandemjon's review against another edition
4.0
A fascinating idea and a story well told. It deserves more than the 3.7 rating too.
brnycx's review against another edition
3.0
Somehow, in a process totally unknown to the scientists who look after them, a complex web of AIhas managed to image the happenings on alien worlds many years ago. Two centres have sprung up to study these strange planets and the creatures who inhabit them, until one centre is placed under a sudden lockdown and it all starts to get a bit haywire.
It's a genuinely really cool concept for a book and I mostly enjoyed reading it. It tackles some complex questions about the limitations of our own ability to imagine forms of life alternative to our own. And I'm a sucker for any well-imagined alien. But the bits that let the book down for me were the kitchen-sink dramas which the cool alien/metaphysical bits were interlaced with. These characters were uniformly dull and pretty hard to relate to. I resented the time I had to spend with them and was desperate to get back to the alien planet bits - a situation I'm sure any researcher at Blind Lake could empathise with.
It's a genuinely really cool concept for a book and I mostly enjoyed reading it. It tackles some complex questions about the limitations of our own ability to imagine forms of life alternative to our own. And I'm a sucker for any well-imagined alien. But the bits that let the book down for me were the kitchen-sink dramas which the cool alien/metaphysical bits were interlaced with. These characters were uniformly dull and pretty hard to relate to. I resented the time I had to spend with them and was desperate to get back to the alien planet bits - a situation I'm sure any researcher at Blind Lake could empathise with.
futuregazer's review against another edition
5.0
Great book! Robert Charles Wilson (the books of his I've read at least) always comes up with the most inventive ways to make....how do I say this without spoilers....communication viable through non-space-opera-traditional ways. I'll admit that on this one, the (main) story was slow, but I think that was mostly to let us get ahold of the characters, who were VERY well fleshed out. Half the story was about what was happening with the whole of Blind Lake and the world, but the other half was really about this little community of people; which gives it that kind of "Under the Dome" feeling, though this one came out before that, and while tense does not have what I think of as such a bleak despairing view of human nature.
Listening to this on audiobook, the narrator REALLY helped sell it. As I said, the story is a slow one, and the sonorousness and solemnity with which he would often speak really played into that, making me feel the tension raise with my ear rather than just my brain. I'll admit, he didn't do female voices, especially that of the little girl Tess, very well; and I thought it might have been better if he just stuck with his normal set of more male voices and let us pretend, as some narrators do. But I only thought that once or twice; it doesn't make or break the book.
That's it. If you like this, read Spin. If you like Spin, read this. It's like a cycle. And it could end at any tim
Listening to this on audiobook, the narrator REALLY helped sell it. As I said, the story is a slow one, and the sonorousness and solemnity with which he would often speak really played into that, making me feel the tension raise with my ear rather than just my brain. I'll admit, he didn't do female voices, especially that of the little girl Tess, very well; and I thought it might have been better if he just stuck with his normal set of more male voices and let us pretend, as some narrators do. But I only thought that once or twice; it doesn't make or break the book.
That's it. If you like this, read Spin. If you like Spin, read this. It's like a cycle. And it could end at any tim
holly_studies's review against another edition
5.0
I picked up this book at a used bookstore on a whim and I’m so glad I did. The story was so interesting, the characters so well fleshed out. I never knew what was going to happen next, especially in the last 150 pages.
Also, I’d love to punch Ray in the face
Also, I’d love to punch Ray in the face
rmichno's review against another edition
4.0
Between 3.5 - 4 stars.
I liked large parts of this book, including the main characters and the pacing of the plot. I also liked how the alien and his/her planet was described. It felt unique.
What let me down was the ending and some large parts at the end of the book where it felt like long monologues. Those took me out of the story. The ending tried to wrap up loose ends but it didn't fit together in a satisfying way for me.
I'm still a big fan of Robert Charles Wilson so I'll read more of his books, but this isn't one of my favorites.
I liked large parts of this book, including the main characters and the pacing of the plot. I also liked how the alien and his/her planet was described. It felt unique.
What let me down was the ending and some large parts at the end of the book where it felt like long monologues. Those took me out of the story. The ending tried to wrap up loose ends but it didn't fit together in a satisfying way for me.
I'm still a big fan of Robert Charles Wilson so I'll read more of his books, but this isn't one of my favorites.
titusfortner's review against another edition
3.0
A solidly enjoyable read with good story and interesting characters. The ending didn't quite land for me, but I'm glad I read it. 3.5 stars
seitenreise's review against another edition
4.0
Das war ein total spannendes Leseerlebnis! Ich liebe diese teilweise distanziert-traumhafte Schreibweise, die ähnlich zu Justin Cronins ist.
Nach dem etwas holprigen Start, der durch einen leichten Infodump entstand, konnte man sich auf die Geschichte und Charaktere einlassen. Die Geschichten entfalten sich vor den Augen und ich fand die Auflösung für die Geschehnisse extrem spannend und den Gedanken an so eine Möglichkeit so gruselig wie wunderschön.
Nach Lesen des Klappentextes habe ich etwas komplett anderes erwartet, aber das Buch ist regelrecht philosophisch und dadurch eine positive Überraschung!
Nach dem etwas holprigen Start, der durch einen leichten Infodump entstand, konnte man sich auf die Geschichte und Charaktere einlassen. Die Geschichten entfalten sich vor den Augen und ich fand die Auflösung für die Geschehnisse extrem spannend und den Gedanken an so eine Möglichkeit so gruselig wie wunderschön.
Nach Lesen des Klappentextes habe ich etwas komplett anderes erwartet, aber das Buch ist regelrecht philosophisch und dadurch eine positive Überraschung!
amynbell's review against another edition
3.0
The scientists at Blind lake find themselves quarantined without warning. Could it be because of the lobster-like alien life form that they are observing with their super-telescopes?
The story was interesting enough to keep me reading, but I found the story as a whole simply okay. Also, I'm starting to notice that Wilson seems to have a thing for otherworldly-possessed children like Stephen King does. I think maybe I figured out how this story was going to end too soon in the book to really enjoy any sort of unraveling mystery. I'd rather be surprised than figure it all out too quickly.
The story was interesting enough to keep me reading, but I found the story as a whole simply okay. Also, I'm starting to notice that Wilson seems to have a thing for otherworldly-possessed children like Stephen King does. I think maybe I figured out how this story was going to end too soon in the book to really enjoy any sort of unraveling mystery. I'd rather be surprised than figure it all out too quickly.