gullevek's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of those books where you just get lost in time while reading it. Missing stations, Missing exists, Missing everything because you can't stop reading it. Amazing world building, amazing writing, amazing overall story arch.
While it is placed as Sci-Fi, I would also add that it has a touch of fantasy too.
Overall highly recommended
While it is placed as Sci-Fi, I would also add that it has a touch of fantasy too.
Overall highly recommended
pam_sartain's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very different sci-fi book than I'm used to!
Other reviews mentioned that the planet Helliconia was the protagonist of the book, and that didn't make sense to me, until I had read the book for a while.
The book is looking down on the planet of Helliconia, and showing us the changes that happen to the planet over the years, and so we see different people in power, different races, and we're reminded all the time that every action has an impact on the future, and sometimes it takes us on a brief venture into that future, and tells us what happens, but then it might go back to the 'present', or we might have moved a couple of generations.
Other reviews mentioned that the planet Helliconia was the protagonist of the book, and that didn't make sense to me, until I had read the book for a while.
The book is looking down on the planet of Helliconia, and showing us the changes that happen to the planet over the years, and so we see different people in power, different races, and we're reminded all the time that every action has an impact on the future, and sometimes it takes us on a brief venture into that future, and tells us what happens, but then it might go back to the 'present', or we might have moved a couple of generations.
imyerhero's review against another edition
3.0
I don’t really care for books which get you all involved with one character and then leap forward several generations and introduce you to another entirely new set. Which this book did and the next two will probably do also. However, once we got to the second set, I was very satisfied with Aldiss’ level of intimacy with his characters. His ability to add depth to the world of Helliconia was wonderful.
But sometimes I felt I was just missing something important – there seemed to be obvious foreshadowing with bone disease and all of the astronomical information, but I couldn’t really decipher what it was foreshadowing. I felt like I was supposed to understand something but wasn’t able to. I’m not sure if this was through lack of follow up on Aldiss’ part, or my own inability to look deeper into the story. Either way, it was frustrating.
But sometimes I felt I was just missing something important – there seemed to be obvious foreshadowing with bone disease and all of the astronomical information, but I couldn’t really decipher what it was foreshadowing. I felt like I was supposed to understand something but wasn’t able to. I’m not sure if this was through lack of follow up on Aldiss’ part, or my own inability to look deeper into the story. Either way, it was frustrating.
cornreads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
jonmhansen's review against another edition
4.0
It's a James Michener style epic, illustrating the life of this world with an unusual season setup. Characters are definitely secondary to the world-building. It's good. There are two more books, so I'm curious as to how the rest of it will go.
snowbenton's review against another edition
2.0
Aldiss has a great ability to invent worlds and cultures, and a near-complete lack of ability to write characters. After a prelude that followed a young boy on a 1000-light-years-distant planet as he survived the loss of his father, made his way to a new town, became a priest, shed his priesthood, and founded a town, the story rapidly devolves into what feels like an anthropology textbook that someone has scribbled emotional parentheticals into.
The appendices were the only interesting part of the book.
The appendices were the only interesting part of the book.
medea_jade's review against another edition
5.0
I have read this book three times now and I find it more and more compelling each time I read it. I have never found another scifi novel like it. I wish I could find more of Aldiss' work. This can be a tough read. It's got an unusual style of writing and it can take some time to get into, but I would encourage the reader to stick with it. It's a fascinating and richly imagined world and this books reveals only a few of its secrets and hints at many more. I would also suggest that the reader look up some explanations of the planet and its solar system. It can be a little challenging to follow at times and it helps to visualize it.
valjeanval's review against another edition
4.0
World-building is a term that gets tossed around a lot. I think Patrick Rothufuss, N.K. Jemisin, and lots of others are magnificent world-builders. That said, I know of relatively few authors who are both excellent world-builders and planet-builders, which is wha makes Helliconia Spring (and I assume the following two books) such an impressive achievement. The amount of research Aldiss put into the science of his world must have been intense. And yet, the book does not end up as dry science fiction, but a vivid, fantastical tone grounded in hard science. Not an easy marriage.
I was also impressed by how un-dated the book feels. The characters are all interesting and could have been written about at any point. The idea of women founding a scientific academy and working through the scientific method while being repressed by a pre-enlightenment society is an interesting twist on what usually happens to women in traditional SFF. Vry stands out as unique in her independence and thought process, even among her cohorts.
It's an acclaimed series that I'm glad I finally had motivation to read, and I'd highly recommend it to people who like sweeping but still sciency sagas.
I was also impressed by how un-dated the book feels. The characters are all interesting and could have been written about at any point. The idea of women founding a scientific academy and working through the scientific method while being repressed by a pre-enlightenment society is an interesting twist on what usually happens to women in traditional SFF. Vry stands out as unique in her independence and thought process, even among her cohorts.
It's an acclaimed series that I'm glad I finally had motivation to read, and I'd highly recommend it to people who like sweeping but still sciency sagas.
winterscomin's review against another edition
2.0
Finally complete. This book took ages and for good reason. It felt like it was going on forever. Honestly the Prologue would have been an alright stand alone short story, the rest of the book sort of just kept meandering onward!
The idea of the world and what it means, with 2 suns - the science behind it is fairly interesting. The characters and plot leave me wanting a lot more.
The idea of the world and what it means, with 2 suns - the science behind it is fairly interesting. The characters and plot leave me wanting a lot more.