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mikimeiko's review against another edition
4.0
Il primo libro che ho letto di Sawyer... ed è stato ammmore a prima vista! Nonostante tenda a farsi un po' troppo confuso sul finale...
sarah787's review against another edition
challenging
slow-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
3.25
teresadennis's review against another edition
3.0
Way too much science and the cultural references were jarring. (A couple page recap of To Kill a Mockingbird? Really?) The intertwining mysteries were mildly entertaining, but I have to wonder how these Nazis lived and prospered so long and so well. Finally, this book for me was a victim of its own timing. No spoilers, but the crux of the subject is no longer relevant. Although I wouldn't recommend it, you would have to read it to understand.
deadscreen's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting but outdated science, and typical Sawyer ending
furicle's review against another edition
4.0
I often peruse other reviews before I post my own - not to change my mind, but to make sure I'm not forgetting anything I thought was important. When I did that for this book I was surprised to find a bunch of pretty strongly critical reviews. That wasn't my reaction at all. To me this is the best book I've read so far this year, and more than deserving of it's Hugo nomination.
After reflection, I think I see where the critics are coming from.
This book jumps right in with some all-out action, and sets up plot elements like Neo Nazis and telepaths. Quickly though, it seemly abandons all that. It switches to posing tough moral quandaries, against a backdrop of sedate modern day living and everyday people.
I think it's frustration with this bait-and-switch that turned off many readers.
It worked well for me because I could really identify with some of the characters, and it held my interest firm even when the story didn't go where I thought it should. Some of the later turns and twists I found delightful, not contrived or disappointing, and I was literally tearing up in spots at the end.
Obviously my experience wasn't everyone's, but I suggest if you go into this novel with your eyes open and "go with the flow", you'll be rewarded with a sci-fi tale that'll make you start questioning your own world, and your own values.
After reflection, I think I see where the critics are coming from.
This book jumps right in with some all-out action, and sets up plot elements like Neo Nazis and telepaths. Quickly though, it seemly abandons all that. It switches to posing tough moral quandaries, against a backdrop of sedate modern day living and everyday people.
I think it's frustration with this bait-and-switch that turned off many readers.
It worked well for me because I could really identify with some of the characters, and it held my interest firm even when the story didn't go where I thought it should. Some of the later turns and twists I found delightful, not contrived or disappointing, and I was literally tearing up in spots at the end.
Obviously my experience wasn't everyone's, but I suggest if you go into this novel with your eyes open and "go with the flow", you'll be rewarded with a sci-fi tale that'll make you start questioning your own world, and your own values.
mdpenguin's review
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I think that what impressed me most about this book was how the story is incredibly convoluted – tying together the study of non-coding DNA together with neanderthals, hunting Nazi war criminals, coping with Huntington's disease, and an examination of how American insurance companies used to treat people with genetic disorders – and yet it wasn't at all hard to follow. The characters are well developed and believable and the ones you're supposed to like are likable and the ones you aren't supposed to like are awful in ways that are, sadly, not outlandish. The author also did a very good job, at least form my limited perspective, of explaining how DNA works without breaking the flow of the story. That said, there was something about the writing style that didn't quite connect with me; perhaps it was a little too straight-forward for the emotional content, though the emotional content of the story did come through well enough. It made it so that, even though I really enjoyed reading it while my eyes were on it, I didn't exactly feel drawn to pick it up every day. It's still good enough for 4.5 stars, though, because the story is incredible and I did greatly enjoy reading it.
betsybookwyrm's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting book, and a decent story. One of the things I like best about Robert J Sawyer is his complex-yet-understandable characters, and this book is no exception, though I don't think it's his best.
charleshb's review
3.0
Interesting genetic theory. Nazi and neo-Nazi bad guys we a little hard to swallow. The special talents and circumstances of the characters seemed to fit together just a little too neatly. It was a page turner though. I enjoyed it.
sarahhamatera's review
3.0
Three stars. It would have been two but the generous helpings of nonsense made me laugh out loud frequently.
The book seems to be the result of an unlikely pairing - a group of scientists and a gang of 8 year old boys had got to together to write the most AY-MAY-ZING(OMGLOLZ!!!1!) story in all the wide world.
Their check-list must have looked a little like this..
In the bestist story in the world we will need:-
Nazis!
The Human Genome Project!
Cavemen!
Nobel Prize Winners!
Hot women!
Mind-readers!
Baddies with guns!
Exotic people who speak French and Hebrew!
Some of the topics being a little more exciting-looking than others.
Despite myself I liked the characters, especially poor old Pierre and his wife Molly. Together they were supermarket-value version of the X-Men. Professor Xavier is only a Doctor and doesn’t have a super-cool chrome wheelchair, but Huntington’s Disease and a walking cane. Molly is hot but crucially not as hot as her sister, and her mind-reading skills are accepted as quite normal and not terribly exciting at all. Least said about the unfortunate Amanda, the better. I wonder how she coped through school. Maybe she's got a bright future an Olympic shot-putter.
Anyway, it was silly fun if you skip over the very involved genetic science sections, and the parts where Sawyer tells you in detail the plot of another film or book. Has the man never heard of spoilers?! I think I might give Flash Forward a go, as long as it's a bit more science-fictiony.
The book seems to be the result of an unlikely pairing - a group of scientists and a gang of 8 year old boys had got to together to write the most AY-MAY-ZING(OMGLOLZ!!!1!) story in all the wide world.
Their check-list must have looked a little like this..
In the bestist story in the world we will need:-
Nazis!
The Human Genome Project!
Cavemen!
Nobel Prize Winners!
Hot women!
Mind-readers!
Baddies with guns!
Exotic people who speak French and Hebrew!
Some of the topics being a little more exciting-looking than others.
Despite myself I liked the characters, especially poor old Pierre and his wife Molly. Together they were supermarket-value version of the X-Men. Professor Xavier is only a Doctor and doesn’t have a super-cool chrome wheelchair, but Huntington’s Disease and a walking cane. Molly is hot but crucially not as hot as her sister, and her mind-reading skills are accepted as quite normal and not terribly exciting at all. Least said about the unfortunate Amanda, the better. I wonder how she coped through school. Maybe she's got a bright future an Olympic shot-putter.
Anyway, it was silly fun if you skip over the very involved genetic science sections, and the parts where Sawyer tells you in detail the plot of another film or book. Has the man never heard of spoilers?! I think I might give Flash Forward a go, as long as it's a bit more science-fictiony.