furicle's review against another edition
3.0
This book is a real mixed bag of pretty good and pretty weak.
The concept is pretty good. It uses parallel worlds and Neanderthals as a great tool to compare and contrast with all of us.
That's something good sci-fi should do, and it's hard to come up with that 'almost human' alien in a believable way. Using a genetic kissing cousin makes sense. It's not original - cue Brin's dolphins and chimps as just one more recent example - but it works.
The human characters in the story are, well, a little too good to be true, even or especially while they honestly point out how lousy everyone else can be.
The Neanderthals are even nicer, and their bad guys would be the good guys in your average modern comic book.
It's a quiet story with the action all in the dialog, once you're past the first couple of chapters. That's a nice change of pace from the summer CGI blockbuster sci fi we see so much of lately, but it's all just too nice to ring true.
Those first two chapters reflect my mixed feelings about the whole book quite neatly. One chapter is a wonderful pastoral world building exercise that I really enjoyed. The next is a depiction of a horrible crime that in the end seems unnecessary and unrealistic.
Hominids is considerably less dense than the other novels by this authour I've read, probably too much so. It's worth reading, but not his best work.
The concept is pretty good. It uses parallel worlds and Neanderthals as a great tool to compare and contrast with all of us.
That's something good sci-fi should do, and it's hard to come up with that 'almost human' alien in a believable way. Using a genetic kissing cousin makes sense. It's not original - cue Brin's dolphins and chimps as just one more recent example - but it works.
The human characters in the story are, well, a little too good to be true, even or especially while they honestly point out how lousy everyone else can be.
The Neanderthals are even nicer, and their bad guys would be the good guys in your average modern comic book.
It's a quiet story with the action all in the dialog, once you're past the first couple of chapters. That's a nice change of pace from the summer CGI blockbuster sci fi we see so much of lately, but it's all just too nice to ring true.
Those first two chapters reflect my mixed feelings about the whole book quite neatly. One chapter is a wonderful pastoral world building exercise that I really enjoyed. The next is a depiction of a horrible crime that in the end seems unnecessary and unrealistic.
Hominids is considerably less dense than the other novels by this authour I've read, probably too much so. It's worth reading, but not his best work.
a_little_off_center's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Definitely read content warnings! There is a very difficult graphic SA scene early on.
The story overall fascinated me. I do wish we had spent more time in the Neanderthal world, and fleshed out the world building more, but I am hopeful that books two and three will get that. We also don’t get to see much interaction from Ponder with the wider human world, though it seems implied in a couple places in the beginning of a couple chapters where “news” excerpts are included. I enjoyed the interaction between Mary and Ponder, but the last conversation(regarding the possibility of a more intimate relationship) seems a bit contrived when there wasn’t much early in the book to suggest that they were very interested in each other.
The story overall fascinated me. I do wish we had spent more time in the Neanderthal world, and fleshed out the world building more, but I am hopeful that books two and three will get that. We also don’t get to see much interaction from Ponder with the wider human world, though it seems implied in a couple places in the beginning of a couple chapters where “news” excerpts are included. I enjoyed the interaction between Mary and Ponder, but the last conversation(regarding the possibility of a more intimate relationship) seems a bit contrived when there wasn’t much early in the book to suggest that they were very interested in each other.
corbear's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
Great premise, loved reading the science bits, but the rest of it was kind of juvenile. Didn't see the point of how the geneticist Mary Vaughan was introduced. It seems like a lot of geeky male sci-fi writers don't do dialogue or characterization very well. I am pretty surprised this won the Hugo.
Great premise, loved reading the science bits, but the rest of it was kind of juvenile. Didn't see the point of how the geneticist Mary Vaughan was introduced. It seems like a lot of geeky male sci-fi writers don't do dialogue or characterization very well. I am pretty surprised this won the Hugo.
penguinwithtie's review against another edition
2.0
This book irritates me. It hits the reader over the head with the Cain and Able allegory and spells out the conclusion of the trilogy 2/3rds of the way through the novel. The third act feels exceptionally rushed and the end is action movie esque
brucehoward's review against another edition
4.0
Good read, comfortably 3 stars but I bumped to 4 despite the limited character development due to the interesting idea driving this and the other books of the series.
cwgk85's review against another edition
4.0
A pretty unique take on the "fish out of water" story.
I was impressed by the amount of research that went into this book (even though it's not all accurate, having been written over a decade ago), and the differences between human and Neanderthal culture and biology made for an intriguing read.
That being said, there were a few story elements that didn't quite sit right with me (*THAT* scene during Mary's introduction immediately comes to mind..) though overall I didn't feel that they detracted from the story enough to make it unenjoyable. I'll certainly be reading the sequels at some point.
I was impressed by the amount of research that went into this book (even though it's not all accurate, having been written over a decade ago), and the differences between human and Neanderthal culture and biology made for an intriguing read.
That being said, there were a few story elements that didn't quite sit right with me (*THAT* scene during Mary's introduction immediately comes to mind..) though overall I didn't feel that they detracted from the story enough to make it unenjoyable. I'll certainly be reading the sequels at some point.
jstamper2022's review against another edition
3.0
The concept was interesting, the writing was a bit bad. Felt very elementary, like he was following a guide on How to Write Stories volume 1. Were it not for some adult themes, this could easily be a novel read in grade school. I guess I've grown to expect more from Award-Winning Sci-Fi, especially those written in the 21st century.
ebrooks's review against another edition
2.0
Content warning: rape.
This book has some interesting ideas but they are hamstrung by lazy characterization. The female lead's entire character is her religion and her recent rape. In fact the rape occurs in her introductory scene, which I guess is fitting since it drives all of her actions and reactions during the story.
I have read and enjoyed other books by Robert J Sawyer, but this is one series that I regret starting. Hard pass.
This book has some interesting ideas but they are hamstrung by lazy characterization. The female lead's entire character is her religion and her recent rape. In fact the rape occurs in her introductory scene, which I guess is fitting since it drives all of her actions and reactions during the story.
I have read and enjoyed other books by Robert J Sawyer, but this is one series that I regret starting. Hard pass.
blissof_jvanderhoof's review against another edition
5.0
After reading Clan of the Cave Bear I sougt out similar books, early humans and neanderthal interaction. Luckily, in my search, I found Robert Sawyer. Although his writing isn't historical, more sci-fi, combining not time travel, more like multi-verse, alternative reality travel, writing about a world in which humans didn't survive in the other universe but neanderthals. In the first book, by a fluke in a scientific experiment, the two worlds, ours and the neanderthals, the two seperate universes, are open for travel, a back in forth in which, one human woman goes to their world and a neanderthal man comes and goes to ours. As their relationship develops we see the differences and what it may take for them to stay together. I have never been so happy to stumble upon a reader while searching for new books and continues to read all of Sawyer, loving him to this day. He will remain one of my favorite top authors (for over 15 years now)!!
linzbassett's review against another edition
4.0
Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer was a new subject for me to read about, and I'm really glad I took the time to do so. I've never read much Speculative Fiction, and I have definitely never read anything regarding Neanderthals. I thought the way the parallel world was approached was really interesting and logical. The characters were likable, and the science was approachable and not overwhelming.
For my entire review check out: https://linzthebookworm.blogspot.com/2022/08/book-review-hominids-by-robert-j-sawyer.html
For my entire review check out: https://linzthebookworm.blogspot.com/2022/08/book-review-hominids-by-robert-j-sawyer.html