glitterbomb47's review against another edition
2.0
I really tried with this book. I read about 2/3, well over 300 pages. The science hooked me right from the beginning - sunrise on Mercury specifically, as well as the descriptions of "terraria" (modified asteroids). But the fiction...much weaker.
The main character, Swan, was about 125 years old, yet was consistently moody, self-absorbed, and naive to the point of ridiculousness. She was floored when confronted by an evil act, genuinely surprised that evil existed in a "post-need" world. I guess she lived under a rock for 125 years. She was rude, abrupt and abrasive to everyone around her, yet everyone loved her and kept telling her how special she was.
There were some highly implausible societal aspects. Basically a world (or rather, worlds) in which all conservatism and apparently most religion had been eradicated, I think rendered so by technology, in Robinson's view. It was post-gender and post-family. People tried on genders, fathered a kid, mothered a kid, didn't seem to change them a bit, and at 100+ they were still wandering around the solar system debating the meaning of life. It all seemed pretty empty to me.
So I guess my recommendation is this: if you like sci-fi, read the first 100 pages or so to get a sense of the really cool world-building. I just can't bring myself to read more about Swan's angst.
The main character, Swan, was about 125 years old, yet was consistently moody, self-absorbed, and naive to the point of ridiculousness. She was floored when confronted by an evil act, genuinely surprised that evil existed in a "post-need" world. I guess she lived under a rock for 125 years. She was rude, abrupt and abrasive to everyone around her, yet everyone loved her and kept telling her how special she was.
There were some highly implausible societal aspects. Basically a world (or rather, worlds) in which all conservatism and apparently most religion had been eradicated, I think rendered so by technology, in Robinson's view. It was post-gender and post-family. People tried on genders, fathered a kid, mothered a kid, didn't seem to change them a bit, and at 100+ they were still wandering around the solar system debating the meaning of life. It all seemed pretty empty to me.
So I guess my recommendation is this: if you like sci-fi, read the first 100 pages or so to get a sense of the really cool world-building. I just can't bring myself to read more about Swan's angst.
cdeane61's review against another edition
5.0
Truly a master.
This book is a marvel, detailing the story of humanity at a pivotal time, the fate of the solar system moved on a certain path in the title year.
Great characters, great situations, a believable look at where we could be in the coming centuries.
Also beautifully written, and moved me to tears.
Highly recommended.
This book is a marvel, detailing the story of humanity at a pivotal time, the fate of the solar system moved on a certain path in the title year.
Great characters, great situations, a believable look at where we could be in the coming centuries.
Also beautifully written, and moved me to tears.
Highly recommended.
its_fuct's review
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
marians_'s review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
chamilto's review against another edition
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
juliana_aldous's review against another edition
4.0
I recommend Kim Stanley Robinson if you like your science fiction hard and you love reading about technology. I love reading him because his books (and this one is no different) is chock-full of ideas of what a Earth and colonization of our solar system might look like a few hundred years from now. Don't read it for characters to love--he always manages to create some characters that you feel ambivalent about. I can't really say I connected with the hero. But the ideas!? Yes. The ideas.
thatonewhoreads's review against another edition
1.0
Ehhh this is one of those books that becomes a task to read it. I hate forcing myself to read a book but 150 pages in and I’m out. This just isn’t the book for me. It’s too hard with its sci fi, I enjoyed when there was dialogue but other than that. It didn’t hold my attention
thehighepopt's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Thought I was reading a thriller to only find out it's a romance. Still very good
liadra's review against another edition
3.0
To be honest, I didn't finish reading this book. I still give it a three star rating because what I did read of it I enjoyed. Except...
Two things went on with this novel that led to my ultimately not finishing. The first being it is very science heavy - which in and of itself isn't a problem, but coupled with the second factor, did make it one. The second factor being the movement of the novel into the action/plot was so very slow that I found myself unable to sustain interest. Which was a shame - the story *sounded* like it probably was going to be very interesting, but I just couldn't get through the intro slog to that story. Because my copy was large print (just happened to be the book I was able to get my hands on) it's hard to say exactly how far along I got before throwing in the towel, but certainly more than 100 pages in that format.
I think that this may be a book that at another time I may have more patience to sit and plow my way through to when things start to pick up. Sometimes books are like that - it's just not the time nor place for them when you first stumble upon them. The writing itself was good. The characters were interesting. I just wanted more to be going on and it wasn't. Perhaps that's the bane of science fiction - sometimes the science setup slows you down.
Two things went on with this novel that led to my ultimately not finishing. The first being it is very science heavy - which in and of itself isn't a problem, but coupled with the second factor, did make it one. The second factor being the movement of the novel into the action/plot was so very slow that I found myself unable to sustain interest. Which was a shame - the story *sounded* like it probably was going to be very interesting, but I just couldn't get through the intro slog to that story. Because my copy was large print (just happened to be the book I was able to get my hands on) it's hard to say exactly how far along I got before throwing in the towel, but certainly more than 100 pages in that format.
I think that this may be a book that at another time I may have more patience to sit and plow my way through to when things start to pick up. Sometimes books are like that - it's just not the time nor place for them when you first stumble upon them. The writing itself was good. The characters were interesting. I just wanted more to be going on and it wasn't. Perhaps that's the bane of science fiction - sometimes the science setup slows you down.
rogan27's review against another edition
3.0
Not quite as good as the Mars Trilogy, Science in the Capital Series, or The Years of Rice and Salt; this was still a good read.