Scan barcode
antiwraith's review against another edition
1.5
Weird book. I finished it hoping the ending would be worth the slog.
It wasn’t
It wasn’t
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
t8r's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. The science behind some of the stuff really turned me off, but I guess that's why it's called science-fiction. Overall, a great, quick read.
There's one thing that bothers me about the plot:
There were a few places that I had a hard time understanding what was going on in the book, meaning that I often had to read a few more sentences before I understood the action taken or the thing being described in a previous sentence. I know that that is a style thing, but I didn't really like it. Maybe I'm just not smart enough to appreciate it.
There's one thing that bothers me about the plot:
Spoiler
Corbell's sex-drive, or supposed lack thereof. Before he gets on his spaceship, he can't bring himself to sleep with someone "out in the open," but seems perfectly capable of it during the orgy scene when he returns to Earth. I assumed it had something to do with his finding Dicta Immortality, but that doesn't add up because of later scenes with the "norn."There were a few places that I had a hard time understanding what was going on in the book, meaning that I often had to read a few more sentences before I understood the action taken or the thing being described in a previous sentence. I know that that is a style thing, but I didn't really like it. Maybe I'm just not smart enough to appreciate it.
badseedgirl's review against another edition
3.0
Several years ago (and by several I mean much more than 20!) I read Larry Niven's novel [b:The Integral Trees|939740|The Integral Trees|Larry Niven|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1383249816s/939740.jpg|7420631] and enjoyed it so much I went on to read [b:The Smoke Ring|100351|The Smoke Ring (The State, #3)|Larry Niven|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386922036s/100351.jpg|2207228]. Now imagine my surprise when I found out that there was in fact a novel before these two. Now I am (at least) 20 years older since I read these "first" two novels, but I remember I loved the world building and the characterization. I went on to read what became one of my favorite novels of all time [b:Lucifer's Hammer|218467|Lucifer's Hammer|Larry Niven|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388268115s/218467.jpg|1842237]. It is with this Larry Niven background that I gleefully dove into reading A World Out of Time.
This was a good novel, but, I don't know, there seemed to be something missing in this novel, and I'm not sure why. I liked Corbell, but did not love him. I enjoyed the adventure of seeing unknown space through the authors eyes. I loved the "Cattails" and wished there were more of the in the book.
spoiler coming up here...
Ok, You can open your eyes again.
I guess I just did not like the ending. It felt like a let down and that after all his struggle and fight to get away from the state Corbell just kind of laid down and died at the end. It made the last third of the novel seem just a tad pointless to me.
I may have to go back and re-read the other two novels in "The State" series, maybe years (and years.. and years.. and years) have made the novels seem better than they were.
This was a good novel, but, I don't know, there seemed to be something missing in this novel, and I'm not sure why. I liked Corbell, but did not love him. I enjoyed the adventure of seeing unknown space through the authors eyes. I loved the "Cattails" and wished there were more of the in the book.
spoiler coming up here...
Spoiler
Wouldn't it have been A-W-S-O-M-E if the Cattails had been the source of immortality. Think of how they could become the must have fashion accessory of the future.Ok, You can open your eyes again.
I guess I just did not like the ending. It felt like a let down and that after all his struggle and fight to get away from the state Corbell just kind of laid down and died at the end. It made the last third of the novel seem just a tad pointless to me.
I may have to go back and re-read the other two novels in "The State" series, maybe years (and years.. and years.. and years) have made the novels seem better than they were.
albyatross's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
2.5?
Part of my "read the unread books you think you'll unhaul" project I'm causally doing in case I have to move.
Part of my "read the unread books you think you'll unhaul" project I'm causally doing in case I have to move.
I've not to my knowledge read a Niven before, but I know I'll at least have to go through the other book I own of his later in the project.
The first chapter is good, it slowly slides downhill from there, then takes a sharp dive at the middle.
There is like one good quote on page 83 that says "Too much imagination and I'll scare myself to death. Too little and I'll get myself killed." That Corbell thinks while zooming around the under-ocean 3+ million year later subway(?) tunnel on his way to maybe-antarctica. The rest, eh.
Not much happens here? Corbell spends a lot of time thinking if he's actually himself or not since his memories have been injected into a new body, and the rest of his time arguing with Peerssa, the maybe-personality of his ship's computer, that's borrowed from the guy that injected his memories into the newer body in the first place. It feels like it wants to be 1984 but with a spaceship and not managing it.
Around page 90, it starts to get wildly off course from its dystopian-flaired-science-of-the-time sources and turn more into a soap opera with time travel and a quest for immortality drugs and dictators that are also children.
I think if you wanted to know the plot of this book for any reason, honestly, read the wiki page for it, you'll get through it 200 pages faster. There's neither much character work or purple prose imagery/description here. It's very sparse writing.
Maybe if I'd read any of James Branch Cabell's work (the person Corbell's name is mutilated from), I'd get more inter-textual substance out of it.
More books covering the topics here (reanimation, dystopian state systems, immortality in a dying universe, computers with AI personalities, etc.) and in far more nuance and depth have come out since 1976. Would probably not have read if I didn't, apparently, already own it.
I guess I did learn about the existence of filk music from the copyright page though ("Little Teeny Eyes" by Tom Digby).
+ It is at least a fast read, and idk maybe it's because it's 2024 now and not 1976, it also has misplaced fanfiction plot mechanic vibes, if you're into that?? The copyright page also said this was released partly in serialization format originally, and that "make it up as we go along!!" feel fanfic can have certainly comes through after that middle point.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma
Moderate: Animal death and Colonisation
Minor: Cancer, War, Terminal illness, and Sexual content
andreaedits's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
jclermont's review against another edition
4.0
My first book from Larry Niven. I tend to enjoy hard sci-fi and Niven didn't disappoint. Very fast moving for the genre too, which was a pleasant surprise.
jonathanpalfrey's review against another edition
2.0
I have a copy of this book, and according to my records I’ve read it twice, but the only part I remember is Chapter 1, which has been published elsewhere as a short story. It’s not one of my favourite short stories, but it’s OK and somewhat unusual; I might give it three stars as a separate item.
The other chapters seem to have made no impression on me, so I’m sorry, I can’t give the book a proper review.
The other chapters seem to have made no impression on me, so I’m sorry, I can’t give the book a proper review.
handyj's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Xenophobia
apryde6226's review against another edition
3.0
It's an interesting idea, and often considered in scifi. If you're dying, put yourself into stasis and in the future when they can cure you then you can live again. The problem for the protagonist is that he woke up in a criminal's body with no rights and was told if he didn't cooperate, then he would be erased and that was the end.
After being trained as an interplanetary, sublight pilot Jaybee Corbell is sent on a mission, for the State. The problem being that once he was in charge of a scoop ramship, there wasn't much the State could do to control him, so he decides to go see the galactic center, not follow his mission.
In many places the story is plodding and I think he did a better job with the Integral Trees, but this nebulous State is not a beneficent government.
It's worth a read once, but I wish I had gotten it from Amazon Unlimited versus buying it...
After being trained as an interplanetary, sublight pilot Jaybee Corbell is sent on a mission, for the State. The problem being that once he was in charge of a scoop ramship, there wasn't much the State could do to control him, so he decides to go see the galactic center, not follow his mission.
In many places the story is plodding and I think he did a better job with the Integral Trees, but this nebulous State is not a beneficent government.
It's worth a read once, but I wish I had gotten it from Amazon Unlimited versus buying it...