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yourfriendryanj's review against another edition
3.0
The first half of the book is much more interesting then the last half.
dreagan's review against another edition
3.0
Started off pretty promising, but the twist ended up to farfetched for me.
rebelbelle13's review against another edition
3.0
This book feels like it started off on one track, the author wrote himself into a corner and ran out of ideas, then went for something completely different and unexpected, either to subvert expectations or halfway through writing it decided to start taking an illicit substance. It's that jarring, and that much of a shift in storytelling. If this was written by two authors, I would say they each wrote half of a story and challenged themselves to make them into one. Both first half and the second half are good stories by themselves, but together, they make a mish-mash confusing mess. I found myself having to reread massive sections just to attempt an understanding at what was happening, and wondering why the narrative had to take place over 80 years of time. There was a massive buildup to a battle that waged over 20 pages, and the most important parts are glossed over. The parts that Wilson chose to tell versus the parts he left untold baffled me. There were tens of pages that left me wondering why they were included and to what end.
It's an interesting idea, to be sure- Europe one day simply disappears in a blast of light, leaving behind a brand new continent with its own vast history, ready for the human race to explore. A man named Guilford Law is part of one of the first exploration parties, and horribly awful things happen to them in the wilds of this new continent. That part is interesting enough, but then it devolves into ghosts and The Matrix type elements combined with sci-fi futuristic black hole- history and universe spanning consequences, and it feels too big for the story that Wilson started in the first place. It's jarring and unexpected, and not in a good way.
I can see why people walk away from this, because the tone shift is wild. Winner of the Hugo award? Um, okay, sure. It's decent enough, but not really for me. I, like most readers, really enjoy consistency in their sci-fi. This ain't it.
It's an interesting idea, to be sure- Europe one day simply disappears in a blast of light, leaving behind a brand new continent with its own vast history, ready for the human race to explore. A man named Guilford Law is part of one of the first exploration parties, and horribly awful things happen to them in the wilds of this new continent. That part is interesting enough, but then it devolves into ghosts and The Matrix type elements combined with sci-fi futuristic black hole- history and universe spanning consequences, and it feels too big for the story that Wilson started in the first place. It's jarring and unexpected, and not in a good way.
I can see why people walk away from this, because the tone shift is wild. Winner of the Hugo award? Um, okay, sure. It's decent enough, but not really for me. I, like most readers, really enjoy consistency in their sci-fi. This ain't it.
corvinaq's review against another edition
3.0
This book is worthy of recommendation, even if it doesn't quite fulfill the promise of that dynamite introduction. The story is a little gappy, and not wholly satisfying, but it's still strange, surprising, and affecting. Worth a read.
concernedangryhuman's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-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
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide, Colonisation, War, Racism, Racial slurs, and Death
rebie's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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
1.0
alwroteabook's review against another edition
3.0
Read it ages ago. Some good ideas, but somewhat slow. A nice throwback to authors like HG Wells though.
reasonpassion's review against another edition
4.0
Like a great science-fiction book just when you think you know what's going on, the author puts a spin on it that both flips you on your butt and broadens the plot to make it more than a fiction but also meaningful. Carrying aspects of the "Manifold" trilogy, Wilson gives us a central character both lovable and determined, beaten down by the harsh truths of his reality and yet still dedicated to living a life truly lived. The story drags at spots but only for short periods, quickly stepping back into the pace and leaving you desperately wanting to see the ending.