A review by manuphoto
Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer

adventurous emotional hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

This is my first novel by Robert J. Sawyer; I’ve been looking forward to it for quite some time. 
 
The core idea of the book is very cool and is introduced in a punchy, effective way. It does feel a bit 90s TV (a sort of X-Files vibe), but it’s interesting nonetheless. 
 
From the get-go, Sawyer’s prose is straightforward and efficient. Don’t expect anything lyrical—it’s not the point here—but it’s clear and easy to read without ever feeling dumbed down. Not an easy feat, as authors tend to be boring or frustrating when they try to be more readable. Sawyer manages to avoid these traps—nicely done! 
 
I also liked the whole Canadian vibe of the book, which is fairly absent from most sci-fi novels. Everything that doesn’t happen in space is either in the USA, Europe, or Southeast Asia. It was nice to see some Canadians, Québécois, and local entities represented—I really enjoyed that. Although I felt that the Québécois slang was sometimes misused, I can imagine it’s very hard to place for a non-Québécois author. It’s really me being hard on him here. 
 
Be aware that the book can surprise with its violence (only one real occurrence). It sort of comes out of nowhere, which is the intent, I guess, to intensify the effect. I don’t mind that actually, but some might, so I thought I should mention it. 
 
The novel is fast-paced, a bit too much for my taste. As I’ve said, it feels very TV-like, like an episode unfolding before our eyes. On the one hand, it’s very entertaining and enjoyable; on the other hand, it lacks depth and gravitas, at least for me, but maybe I’m a snob. 
 
It’s strange—I’ve read some John Scalzi stuff that is even faster-paced and worked a bit better, maybe because the core concepts are so bonkers that the fast pacing makes a lot of sense. Sawyer gives us a much more interesting premise than most of Scalzi’s work, but he treats it in a way that makes me want him to slow down and let me immerse myself more in the story. His ideas are great, his characters are great—they are also very diverse, which is fantastic—and it all happens in my country. All those are positives. But I always found myself wanting more attention to those elements, for a slower-paced tale. 
 
It really comes down to me, the reader. I like a slower burn when exploring big ideas. Vernor Vinge does that beautifully, as does Kim Stanley Robinson. Sawyer is clearly aiming for something different here. Although I enjoyed reading this story a lot, I’m not sure that it’ll stay with me as much as it should have. It does feel like a missed opportunity in a way. 
 
It explores very important themes—prejudice, social and sexual statuses, violence, our humanity, etc. And you can see Sawyer does have many things to say; he clearly thought all of it through and it transpires through the novel. I just wish it transpired a bit slower. It’s really a detail in his whole approach when you think about it, but one that mattered to me a lot. 
 
In the second half of the book, Sawyer does slow down a bit and focuses on some aspects of our society, especially religion and physics. But even then, it feels a bit superficial and "too easy," if that makes sense. 
 
I'm really torn here. This is an intelligent, thought-provoking book... that reads like a quick-paced adventure novel. It's a weird mix, and I think it’d be better served with a slower pace and more analytical plotting. Then again, maybe Sawyer did just that in the sequels—I don’t know. 
 
Nevertheless, Hominids is very interesting, quite original, and very enjoyable to read.