Scan barcode
adrith's review
5.0
Found the book on the NYT bestseller list, and put myself on the wait list for the Playaway. Just started listening to it today on my way in to work, and so far it's very interesting.
Edited to add, 7/1/15 - just finished the book. It was a fascinating "what if" - a realistic look at how humanity, with all its foibles, might meet such a crisis.
Edited to add, 7/1/15 - just finished the book. It was a fascinating "what if" - a realistic look at how humanity, with all its foibles, might meet such a crisis.
therealkateclysm's review
3.0
I love reading just about anything by Stephenson... but sometimes his stories leave me wondering what he was trying to say. Not that he's not expressing it well, more that I am unable to grasp what may in some cases be abundantly obvious to others.
The first two-thirds or so of the book almost seem to me like they could have been a standalone. First of a series maybe... the latter portion of the book seemed like it could have gone a little longer and been less rushed.
Overall I enjoyed it even though the first part gave me anxiety and a little depression ;)
The first two-thirds or so of the book almost seem to me like they could have been a standalone. First of a series maybe... the latter portion of the book seemed like it could have gone a little longer and been less rushed.
Overall I enjoyed it even though the first part gave me anxiety and a little depression ;)
premat's review
4.0
so... you know that feeling you get when you finally receive the notification that the book you had made it almost all the way through before your 21 day lending period was up is back available... & then you race to finish the other book you're reading so you can get back to the epic tome you were all excited about... & then it takes you days & days to get back into the pacing & the story & then you realize it's over & you want more?! yeah. that.
culuriel's review
4.0
I think this works best as a manual of a possible escape/resettlement of Earth’s population during and after an extinction event. There’s a story attached, and Stephenson does a great job on the characters, they really drive the story within the catastrophe manual. Stephenson also introduces The Purpose, which could lead to future stories within this premise.
The parts where Stephenson explains the science behind what’s about to happen in the story is well done, even if it’s obvious while one is reading it. It enables Stephenson to concentrate on the action in intense parts because the reader should already know why/how they’re happening.
Do I buy that the human race could be in 7 distinct Genetic groups with little to no mixing in 5000 years? He’s not positing that they wouldn’t be human, just genetically different enough for whatever advantage their Eve planned. But they seem so purposely different and it’s hard not to buy that there isn’t enough intermarriage to blend these groups back together.
Do I buy that humanity could survive a lunar catastrophe like the Hard Rain? Yes, if we had just enough of the people Stephenson has in his book. It’s hard not to see a lot of unselected people just launching themselves into space and expecting to join the Cloud Ark and be accepted. It’s hard to accept that people would abandon their Earthly loyalties once the Hard Rain hits. And people certainly brought their flaws into space with them, which Stephenson shows in detail with two characters in particular.
None of this detracts from the way this becomes an inspiring read, especially when survivors of the Hard Rain are found where least expected...
The parts where Stephenson explains the science behind what’s about to happen in the story is well done, even if it’s obvious while one is reading it. It enables Stephenson to concentrate on the action in intense parts because the reader should already know why/how they’re happening.
Do I buy that the human race could be in 7 distinct Genetic groups with little to no mixing in 5000 years? He’s not positing that they wouldn’t be human, just genetically different enough for whatever advantage their Eve planned. But they seem so purposely different and it’s hard not to buy that there isn’t enough intermarriage to blend these groups back together.
Do I buy that humanity could survive a lunar catastrophe like the Hard Rain? Yes, if we had just enough of the people Stephenson has in his book. It’s hard not to see a lot of unselected people just launching themselves into space and expecting to join the Cloud Ark and be accepted. It’s hard to accept that people would abandon their Earthly loyalties once the Hard Rain hits. And people certainly brought their flaws into space with them, which Stephenson shows in detail with two characters in particular.
None of this detracts from the way this becomes an inspiring read, especially when survivors of the Hard Rain are found where least expected...
themtj's review
3.0
Woof. Stephenson's books are a chore.
Let's start with what I loved:
The premise! The moon blowing up and the world falling into political anarchy is a great concept. Even better, fast-forwarding 5,000 years until the earth has been terraformed and watching people repopulate the earth.
What I didn't love... excessive and excruciating detail on scientific miscellany. I don't know who the audience for that is, but it isn't me. He seems to get his jollies doing scientific research and consultation about speculative problems. The issue is that it isn't interesting... at all. More than likely, it will date the book in years to come. That is the danger in hitching yourself to "hard science" rather than speculative sci-fi. Also, you open yourself to criticism since the areas he chooses to go "hard sci fi" on are arbitrary. For instance, would people speak 21st-century English 5 centuries from now?
The characters are mostly forgettable and the political jockeying is a substantive portion of the plot but isn't particularly interesting either since the reader has no vested interest in any particular party or outcome.
I think I would have loved this book if it were a 250-300 page thought experiment or else a series of books. No reason these three parts couldn't have been a fascinating trilogy. But writing a single volume of this length makes the reader question the length of certain sections and reluctant to ask for more of anything.
Finally, give us some damn chapter breaks! Seriously, what the hell. I was reading this at bedtime and my wife said, "are you ready to goto sleep?" I said, "yeah, just let me finish this chapter." I flipped, and flipped, and flipped, only to discover that I was 300 pages away from the next chapter break.
Let's start with what I loved:
The premise! The moon blowing up and the world falling into political anarchy is a great concept. Even better, fast-forwarding 5,000 years until the earth has been terraformed and watching people repopulate the earth.
What I didn't love... excessive and excruciating detail on scientific miscellany. I don't know who the audience for that is, but it isn't me. He seems to get his jollies doing scientific research and consultation about speculative problems. The issue is that it isn't interesting... at all. More than likely, it will date the book in years to come. That is the danger in hitching yourself to "hard science" rather than speculative sci-fi. Also, you open yourself to criticism since the areas he chooses to go "hard sci fi" on are arbitrary. For instance, would people speak 21st-century English 5 centuries from now?
The characters are mostly forgettable and the political jockeying is a substantive portion of the plot but isn't particularly interesting either since the reader has no vested interest in any particular party or outcome.
I think I would have loved this book if it were a 250-300 page thought experiment or else a series of books. No reason these three parts couldn't have been a fascinating trilogy. But writing a single volume of this length makes the reader question the length of certain sections and reluctant to ask for more of anything.
Finally, give us some damn chapter breaks! Seriously, what the hell. I was reading this at bedtime and my wife said, "are you ready to goto sleep?" I said, "yeah, just let me finish this chapter." I flipped, and flipped, and flipped, only to discover that I was 300 pages away from the next chapter break.
booktopus52's review
5.0
This was an incredibly satisfying book. Incredibly well thought out and developed. The author does an impressive job of making all of the science easy to follow along with. Definitely worth the read, even if it tests your endurance a bit.
mmchale's review
4.0
This is two-thirds really solid near-future, hard sci fi, followed by one third semi-hard sci fi set 5000 years in the future. Both pieces are fine, but I found myself kind of wanting a break after the first 600 pages and not really wanting to make a "fresh start" into reading about the future setting.
Still, overall, it's a solid read, and has one of the best opening sentences in modern fiction.
Still, overall, it's a solid read, and has one of the best opening sentences in modern fiction.
mdaneman's review
3.0
The first 600 pages or so were page turners. Then it started turning somewhat flat. But overall, worthwhile read though not his best.