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A review by eiion
Earthlight by Arthur C. Clarke
adventurous
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Earthlight by Arthur C. Clarke follows the story of the Moon and its residents as they are caught in the middle of an interplanetary war of politics and fighting. Set in a time where Man has begun to colonize even the most distant planets, an uneasy alliance has been struck between resource-poor but research-rich celestial bodies and Earth, stingy with her metals and even more careful with her money. As a political entity, the Federation, begins to form against Earth's strict policies, innocent men and women, scientists and civilians alike, all begin to feel the tensions rising, beginning to boil over.
Arthur C. Clarke is a brilliant writer and a master of sci-fi. He's got a great grasp on how to blend science, plot, and loveable characters. His books are easy to read and understand, and it continues to amaze me how a book with less than 200 pages can have all the depth and ingenuity as one double the size.
This book had a much larger cast of 'main' characters than the other books of his I have read. It had one leading character, but at least 3 others that were important too. I found myself invested in different plots, and loved seeing the way they all worked together. It was really nice to feel like we always got to read about the center of the action, but that one man wasn't always experiencing it.
My main criticism on these books is that there's just not a whole lot of women. I understand that this is 50s and 60s we're talking about, but for Clarke, who I have read some things that do seem quite progressive, it's just a bit disappointing.
Earthlight had a much more politics-heavy approach to sci-fi, which unfortunately isn't my favourite trope. It was a lot of talking, a lot of theorizing, and a lot of twists and turns. While not inherently bad, in a short book, it just felt like we were being pushed and pulled back and forth. It didn't have the same magic of space that I really have come to love in Clarke's work, and didn't focus on the science or the discovery as much as I wish it would have. There was definitely action in this book, and if I had read this as my first book of his, I likely would have rated it higher, but as it stands, it just fell a little bit short for me.
Fans of Isaac Asimov's Foundation will really enjoy this one, as well as anyone who finds themselves looking for a more political, real world sci-fi book.
Arthur C. Clarke is a brilliant writer and a master of sci-fi. He's got a great grasp on how to blend science, plot, and loveable characters. His books are easy to read and understand, and it continues to amaze me how a book with less than 200 pages can have all the depth and ingenuity as one double the size.
This book had a much larger cast of 'main' characters than the other books of his I have read. It had one leading character, but at least 3 others that were important too. I found myself invested in different plots, and loved seeing the way they all worked together. It was really nice to feel like we always got to read about the center of the action, but that one man wasn't always experiencing it.
My main criticism on these books is that there's just not a whole lot of women. I understand that this is 50s and 60s we're talking about, but for Clarke, who I have read some things that do seem quite progressive, it's just a bit disappointing.
Earthlight had a much more politics-heavy approach to sci-fi, which unfortunately isn't my favourite trope. It was a lot of talking, a lot of theorizing, and a lot of twists and turns. While not inherently bad, in a short book, it just felt like we were being pushed and pulled back and forth. It didn't have the same magic of space that I really have come to love in Clarke's work, and didn't focus on the science or the discovery as much as I wish it would have. There was definitely action in this book, and if I had read this as my first book of his, I likely would have rated it higher, but as it stands, it just fell a little bit short for me.
Fans of Isaac Asimov's Foundation will really enjoy this one, as well as anyone who finds themselves looking for a more political, real world sci-fi book.