torfi's review against another edition
4.0
Very interesting story and amazing to think about a generation starship going to Tau Ceti and back again! The author really brings out the difficulties that will be faced by humans travelling such a long distance, and the hardship faced on another planets.
sillypunk's review against another edition
3.0
Hmm, 3 ideas, none really well executed: https://blogendorff.ghost.io/book-review-aurora/
masonanddixon's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely remarkable. A poetic reckoning with the reckless optimism that defines the generation ship genre while at once retaining a very humanist core— a core that happens to be a goddamn sentient AI. An epic reminder to think small and question ideology but never humanity.
botchbehemoth's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
tense
4.0
I expected a complete tragedy from what I heard going into this book, but in the end it was much more bittersweet and fulfilling than that. Don't understand why some people seemed to like everything but the last chapter—the last chapter is essentially the whole point of the book, even if it's a less exciting read.
bailey_the_bookworm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
What a sprawling, interesting book. I liked the hard SF elements (although I’ll admit to skimming occasionally—there is such a thing as too much detail) plus the ship’s reflection on language. You don’t often see those elements woven together so nicely or to such powerful effect. The story is compelling, the characters are memorable—all in all a very good read.
gbentley's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
nbhatta's review against another edition
4.0
This has been on my to-read shelf for years. Once I started it, however, I quickly got sucked in.
I enjoyed it a lot, it was a fascinating concept of a story and I genuinely got attached to the AI character. I kinda loved the long paragraphs of an AI figuring things out for itself.
I enjoyed it a lot, it was a fascinating concept of a story and I genuinely got attached to the AI character. I kinda loved the long paragraphs of an AI figuring things out for itself.
michromeu's review against another edition
4.0
This review is gonna be all over the place but WHATEVZ YO.
I love that this was the last book I read in 2015, because it really closed my reading year out with a bang! Ever since I finished it, I still have not been able to stop thinking about it. The idea that the universe is so big, and that we would have the capacity to venture so far away; the idea of people who have only ever known life in space; the idea that we could travel so far and think, maybe we should never have left at all; the idea that on a generational ship, the decisions we make at the beginning will ultimately affect people who had no say in the matter - I could go on and on. I don't want to reveal too much in this review, but I feel like this book ultimately expanded my worldview. It made me realize that no matter how advanced our society becomes, we'll still be human, and human nature has remained and will remain the same. Finally, I loved the way the book ended with hope - that even though human nature can screw a lot of things up, it's our human nature that's ultimately gonna save us in the end.
Oh, and a kick-ass computer narrator who slowly reveals all these things to us. I CAN'T EVEN.
I love that this was the last book I read in 2015, because it really closed my reading year out with a bang! Ever since I finished it, I still have not been able to stop thinking about it. The idea that the universe is so big, and that we would have the capacity to venture so far away; the idea of people who have only ever known life in space; the idea that we could travel so far and think, maybe we should never have left at all; the idea that on a generational ship, the decisions we make at the beginning will ultimately affect people who had no say in the matter - I could go on and on. I don't want to reveal too much in this review, but I feel like this book ultimately expanded my worldview. It made me realize that no matter how advanced our society becomes, we'll still be human, and human nature has remained and will remain the same. Finally, I loved the way the book ended with hope - that even though human nature can screw a lot of things up, it's our human nature that's ultimately gonna save us in the end.
Oh, and a kick-ass computer narrator who slowly reveals all these things to us. I CAN'T EVEN.
juliana_aldous's review against another edition
5.0
I always caution that Robinson is not for everyone--but he is for me. And if you like your sci-fi on a grand scale and to be dazzled with ideas and possibilities, then yes he is a good author for you as well.
In his latest book-- a multi-generational starship is reaching the end of its voyage to reach a solar system that could possibly be colonized by humans. We meet the Chief Engineer on the project, her husband and her daughter. We also meet the ship's computer who becomes both a narrator and another character in the novel.
In a way this book is similar to the Martian--any thing that can go wrong does go wrong and things will need to be fixed. But while the Martian generally focuses on one person--well, actually now that I think about it, without Devi the chief engineer the rest of the people on the starship would be in far worse trouble.
I enjoyed Robinson's use of the ship's computer as part of the narrative rooted for the computer as strongly as I did for Freya, Devi's daughter and the other hero of the book. The book was in some ways more pessimistic than other Robinson's books. If you read it, I'd like to know if you felt that also.
Question though--why is that after reading two or three of any male sci fi or fantasy writer I can get the sense I can predict what kind of woman is his fantasy? With Robinson it is tall women. I swear, the guy has a thing for really tall, gigantic women. And I always look to see how he'll manage to get characters to stick around in a story that lasts hundreds of years.
That all said--I tore through this book and enjoyed every minute of it.
In his latest book-- a multi-generational starship is reaching the end of its voyage to reach a solar system that could possibly be colonized by humans. We meet the Chief Engineer on the project, her husband and her daughter. We also meet the ship's computer who becomes both a narrator and another character in the novel.
In a way this book is similar to the Martian--any thing that can go wrong does go wrong and things will need to be fixed. But while the Martian generally focuses on one person--well, actually now that I think about it, without Devi the chief engineer the rest of the people on the starship would be in far worse trouble.
I enjoyed Robinson's use of the ship's computer as part of the narrative rooted for the computer as strongly as I did for Freya, Devi's daughter and the other hero of the book. The book was in some ways more pessimistic than other Robinson's books. If you read it, I'd like to know if you felt that also.
Question though--why is that after reading two or three of any male sci fi or fantasy writer I can get the sense I can predict what kind of woman is his fantasy? With Robinson it is tall women. I swear, the guy has a thing for really tall, gigantic women. And I always look to see how he'll manage to get characters to stick around in a story that lasts hundreds of years.
That all said--I tore through this book and enjoyed every minute of it.