Reviews

Blue Remembered Earth by Alastair Reynolds

nirgal's review against another edition

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4.0

Ero rimasto molto affascinato dal titolo del romanzo così approfittando di un offerta mi sono tolto lo sfizio dell'acquisto.
Devo dire che il romanzo non delude, anzi grazie ad un ottimo finale riesce a mettere in risalto alcune tematiche più profonde che aleggiano per tutto il romanzo, ma che possono sfuggire mentre si è impegnati a decifrare il mistero narrato.

Il romanzo è ambientato su una terra che si è ormai ripresa dai disastri provocato dal riscaldamento globale, in cui le nazioni africane sono diventate potenze economiche e l'umanità si è espanda per tutto il sistema solare, con la Luna e Marte ormai pienamente colonizzati, ed il resto del sistema che inizia a vedere la presenza umana diffondersi.

La storia inizia con la morte della della matriarca di una grande famiglia industriale africana,; la revisione degli asset della società porta alla luce un'incongruenza che da origine ad una caccia al tesoro che porterà i protagonisti in giro per tutto il sistema solare, dalle pianure dell'Africa alle colonie lunari e marziane, passando per una nazione oceanica popolata di post umani acquatici.

Nel complesso Reynolds riesce a creare un buon romanzo, decisamente interessate ed originale che unisce avventura e riflessione scientifica in modo decisamente stimolante.
Sebbene non mi abbia completamente appassionato durante la lettura del romanzo il finale riesce ad evidenziare come forse sia stato io a focalizzarmi troppo sulla avventura/mistero, senza notare tutto il contorno.
Perché l'anima del romanzo è costituita dai dilemmi scientifici legati alle ricerca ed alle scoperte di nuove tecnologie e gli impatti che possono avere sull'umanità, sia a livello personale che globale.

Il volume è il primo di una trilogia, ma può essere letto senza problemi indipendentemente dagli altri due volumi, è pienamente autoconclusivo anche se lascia aperte le porte a nuove avventure.

piyushn's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

lucardus's review against another edition

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4.0

Wie schon Robinsons 2312 ist unser Sonnensystem die Bühne, und wie dort zeigt Reynolds eine nahe und nicht dystopische Zukunft. Die Gesellschaft hat ihre Schwächen, ihre Fehler, aber im Grundsatz ist die Menschheit besser davongekommen, als viele SF-Romane der letzten Zeit es zulassen wollten. Die Skala, mit der BRE spielt, ist genau richtig, und der zweite Band der Trilogie wird diese Skala erweitern, aber so ist Blue Remembered Earth genau das, was es versprochen hat: Der Start in eine Zukunft der Menschheit zwischen den Sternen.

Trotz allen Lobes bleiben die fast schon traditionellen Schwächen von Space Operas: die Charaktere bleiben auf Distanz zum Leser und für wirklich erfahrene SF-Kenner und Science-Freaks gibt es keine echten Novitäten, hier ist Robinson von den Ideen einen Tick voraus. Zumindest hat 2312 mir persönlich mehr "Wonder" vorgesetzt, was natürlich ein rein persönlicher Eindruck ist.
Bedauerlicherweise bleibt die afrikanische Abstammung/Kultur der Hauptprotagonisten nahezu unspürbar, obwohl gerade dieses Detail in Zusammenhang mit "Blue Remembered Earth" immer wieder hervorgehoben wird.

Fazit: Ein sehr vielversprechender Anfang einer Trilogie.

timinbc's review against another edition

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5.0

There are better five-star books, but that didn't stop me. It's large, jammed with ideas, and tells an engaging story. Most of all, I enjoyed reading it.

It would be unfortunate to expect this to be like other Reynolds works. It's more like a book from one of the established stars of 30 years ago. I've read a lot of those, and maybe that's why I liked this.

What Reynolds adds is a wonderful casualness about all the whizbang technology, and an offsetting realism in areas where there has NOT been a tech leap. Ching binds, golems, the Mechanism, spacegoing whales, .. all just casually presented as if we already knew about them.

Plus one for a good solid ending, so the book stands on its own as well as being a solid foundation for future books.

I was glad this one wasn't another of the currently fashionable attempts to top Olaf Stapledon, whipping between multiple universes or past the end of time Into A Place Where Space And Time Have No Meaning! and Vast Bodiless Intelligences Float Between Galaxies!

Just a good solid SF story. Yay.

mraiwalmsley's review against another edition

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Gave up after 280 pages

cseefurth's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

leflambeur's review against another edition

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4.0

When I started the story I wasn't sure if I would like it. In the end it turned out to be a very solid book, perhaps the best Alaistar Reynolds book I have read.

jmoses's review against another edition

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5.0

I greatly enjoyed this book. It took a few times starting it for me to get into it, but I think that's mostly on me. I'm....fickle....sometimes.

Regardless, the book is wonderful. The characters are well written, and believable, with easily understandable motivations and feelings. The settings are well described, from the hot African savannah to the immensity of Mars' surface features. The plot is lovely as well. Unexpected twists and turns, but not so much that you don't have any idea what's going on, and always a little bit of a hint at the future before switching perspectives. Not enough to drive you nuts, but enough to keep you wondering what's going to happen next.

I also *really* enjoy that not of the tech described is truly "ultra far future" stuff. For the vast majority, it's sensible extrapolations from what's current, and soon to be cutting edge. Sure, some of it is a little farther future that the rest (the nano machines/mech/surveilled society stuff), but the rest is easily graspable. I love me some "million year in the future" "magical" scifi, but sometimes I like something I can understand and believe.

I'm very much looking forward to further entries in this series.

brian9teen's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes

4.75

sgerner's review against another edition

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5.0

I can't wait till the sequel! Characters are well developed, relatable, and compelling. The narrative is both plausible and challenging and I love this unique vision of the future Reynolds develops.