Reviews

Contact by Carl Sagan

thetigerwrites's review against another edition

3.0

Contact is an interesting story told in a completely dispassionate way. I don't know if that lack of passion is telling of the time it was written in, or the person who wrote it.

I'm happy I read it, because I can say I've read Mister Sagan's novel, but I'm not sure I'll read it a second time, or even look to see if he wrote more novels.

serinde4books's review against another edition

4.0

This was an ok read, a little dense.
For more reviews see my blog: https://adventuresofabibliophile.blogspot.com

grant_b's review against another edition

5.0

Numinous.

lucyhighland's review against another edition

4.0

Lovely book. I enjoyed it thoroughly the whole way through. Took me a while to read (as you clearly see!) because it’s so technically dense, but worth it! Giving 4 stars instead of 5 because some parts felt a little drawn out and there wasn’t enough time spent in space lol. One chapter! For SPACE!

lacyrubloff's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful informative reflective tense slow-paced

disconightwing's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

addystape's review against another edition

5.0

I read this book at a time where I felt like some curiosity at my high school and at a time when I wanted to know all there was to know. I found this part of me reflected in Ellie and was happy to find a kindred spirit (although she was infinitely more talented than me). I think here Sagan is making the point that the discourse between religion and science need not be strained. There is some common ground in those in either camp who have an authentic desire to know share the same ends even if the means/methods/modes we have chosen are different.

readingrandalls's review against another edition

2.0

The logistics for a good story are all here, but it is painfully clear that sagan is a scientific writer and not a fictional one. An explosion and death occur in the short length of a paragraph.

I enjoyed the first few chapters about ellies childhood. They had the best writing in them, but for the first time ever I recommend the film over the book. It makes the points I think the book was trying to make with much more clarity. I also love Jodie Foster and the musical score.

robrowe's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

exjf56's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This was pretty good. I really like that a sci-fi book from the 60s had a female lead who was brilliant and competent. 

This book did make me feel dumb. It was very technical but the problem is that I'm not knowledgeable at all on space and physic theories so any tech talk I had literally no idea if it was rooted in some existing theory or all just bullshit and it made it frustrating because some stuff I thought was silly but had know idea if maybe it was possible. I didn't detract that from the rating though cause that's just a deficiency on my side and nothing to do with the book.

Overall I thought it was good.

Would recommened. I recommended it to Charlie and he's reading it now.

Will probably read again in my life. 

Side note, last night I read Thrum by Meg Smitherman, horror sci-fi with a female lead, and the book she brought into space was Contact and it made me happy that I had just read it and could relate.