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twstdtink's review against another edition
4.0
A gripping scifi with multiple climaxes that will leave you in anticipation all the way to the very end. McDevitt obviously put a lot of thought and imagination into this book. I can't wait to read the sequel.
willia4's review against another edition
4.0
There is a certain genre of science fiction where human beings find a massive and ancient alien artifact or ship. They explore that artifact while being completely ignored by the it and whatever attendants it may have (automated or otherwise). They marvel at the age and history and unfathomable alienness of the thing. Then they leave, having found more questions than answers but opening the eyes of our species to a new level of cosmic wonder.
When done well, books in this genre can be a page-turning adventure story about a group of people overcoming tremendous obstacles — all set against an amazing and rich backdrop. When done poorly, books in this genre become monuments to how much math the author has done to arrive at something fantastical yet plausible.
This book was done well. The characters are fleshed out and engaging. The ancient artifacts are compelling and they leave the reader with the same questions that it leaves the book's human civilization: "Who built this? Where are they? Can we find them? Can we talk to them? Can we learn from them?" The other relics of other civilizations our heroes find have their own shades and layers of mystery, leaving the reader with even more questions and idle fantasies while painting a picture of an and well-populated galaxy. The adventures are fast-paced and exciting. The AI is charming.
And ultimately, the chief adversary of the humans in Chindi turns out to be the hubris of members of their own team. Which, in a book that chronicles the self-destruction of countless other civilizations, serves as a solid theme and a good reminder to not do that.
This book was both satisfying and entertaining. I look forward to finding other entries in the series.
When done well, books in this genre can be a page-turning adventure story about a group of people overcoming tremendous obstacles — all set against an amazing and rich backdrop. When done poorly, books in this genre become monuments to how much math the author has done to arrive at something fantastical yet plausible.
This book was done well. The characters are fleshed out and engaging. The ancient artifacts are compelling and they leave the reader with the same questions that it leaves the book's human civilization: "Who built this? Where are they? Can we find them? Can we talk to them? Can we learn from them?" The other relics of other civilizations our heroes find have their own shades and layers of mystery, leaving the reader with even more questions and idle fantasies while painting a picture of an and well-populated galaxy. The adventures are fast-paced and exciting. The AI is charming.
And ultimately, the chief adversary of the humans in Chindi turns out to be the hubris of members of their own team. Which, in a book that chronicles the self-destruction of countless other civilizations, serves as a solid theme and a good reminder to not do that.
This book was both satisfying and entertaining. I look forward to finding other entries in the series.
tanya_the_spack's review against another edition
3.0
I liked it. I could not in good conscience call this quality literature, but it was enjoyable fluff of the sci-fi persuasion.
mjfmjfmjf's review against another edition
3.0
Exhausting. An endless cycle of bravery and idiocy and desperate rescue missions in which someone must die. Interesting and inventive but still with a minimum of believable character development. But the ideas and concepts are mostly worthwhile. But too long and with too much repetition. So not soft enough for space opera and not hard enough for hard science. And not gripping enough to really recommend. 3.5 of 5.
spinnerroweok's review against another edition
4.0
This book is a little long. I liked the mystery aspects of it, but the action was a little too Hollywood and a little too drawn out.
gamma's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
furicle's review against another edition
2.0
Fun concept, but the characters are unbelievably stupid time after time. UFO nuts have spaceship, will travel.
Laura Croft is a cautious, careful, reverent, painstaking archeologist in comparison.
Not to mention the really far fetched forced problems used to push the story. Compare 30 km/r to 1/3C....
Skip this one.
Laura Croft is a cautious, careful, reverent, painstaking archeologist in comparison.
Not to mention the really far fetched forced problems used to push the story. Compare 30 km/r to 1/3C....
Skip this one.
majkia's review against another edition
5.0
Archaeology in SSSSssspppppppaaaaaacccccceee! Dangerous Archeology in space. Especially when you turn up an alien space craft you don't understand, and get trapped there.
I really enjoy this series. Lots of fun stuff, lots of nail biting, great main character who is a kick-ass female captain, who backs off from nothing, and will do all in her power to protect her passengers, even when they are exceedingly stupid.
Definitely continuing on with this series.
I really enjoy this series. Lots of fun stuff, lots of nail biting, great main character who is a kick-ass female captain, who backs off from nothing, and will do all in her power to protect her passengers, even when they are exceedingly stupid.
Definitely continuing on with this series.
jerefi's review against another edition
5.0
My friend sent this to me with a post it saying, "I don't know what you will think of this, but it set my imagination on fire."
Well friend, it set my imagination on fire too. I really liked this book. Very interesting prospective.
Well friend, it set my imagination on fire too. I really liked this book. Very interesting prospective.
garretreece's review against another edition
4.0
Another Library of Babel recommendation; I'd never heard of [a:Jack McDevitt|73812|Jack McDevitt|http://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1225722326p2/73812.jpg] before. The one line review is "Indiana Jones, in space, no Nazis."
This is not the first book in this series; it appears that [b:Deepsix|352780|Deepsix (The Academy, #2)|Jack McDevitt|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1322689032s/352780.jpg|1117220] chronologically precedes this one. That said, as only passing reference to the first book is made (and if I hadn't noticed it on the shelf at the library when I got this book, I could believe that no book existed), this book stands on its own just fine.
The plot follows a small exploration ship that is tracing narrow signals found from something orbiting a neutron star way out in space; this signal is the first indication of a still extant spacefaring alien species, and the ship is owned and crewed by members of a society whose main goal is intelligent alien contact.
For lack of a better term (I'm crazy short on sleep) this is a very comfortable book; fun to read, engaging, and overall quite pleasant.
This is not the first book in this series; it appears that [b:Deepsix|352780|Deepsix (The Academy, #2)|Jack McDevitt|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1322689032s/352780.jpg|1117220] chronologically precedes this one. That said, as only passing reference to the first book is made (and if I hadn't noticed it on the shelf at the library when I got this book, I could believe that no book existed), this book stands on its own just fine.
The plot follows a small exploration ship that is tracing narrow signals found from something orbiting a neutron star way out in space; this signal is the first indication of a still extant spacefaring alien species, and the ship is owned and crewed by members of a society whose main goal is intelligent alien contact.
For lack of a better term (I'm crazy short on sleep) this is a very comfortable book; fun to read, engaging, and overall quite pleasant.