I read this because I've been very intrigued by the TV show based on this book. I found the first part of the engrossing but, there was deffinitely a change of pace during the second half when moving to the year 2030. The story seemed to split into too many directions and seemed to loose some continuity. I enjoyed the science discussions, although I was lost many times but, it didn't impact the plot. ( )

I picked up this book because I like the TV show so much that I wanted to learn more. There are major differences between the two, mainly that the flashforward in the book is 20 years in the future, while the flashforward in the TV show is only 6 months. I think 6 months makes the story more compelling, and has a more immediate effect on the characters and the choices they start making.

While the book centered on scientists and explained the scientific cause of the flashforward, I prefer the FBI agents on the show not knowing the cause. I have to admit that all of the scientific explanations bogged the story down and I skimmed over those pages.

Gave this a 3 out of 5 rating as it's a great premise and I enjoyed it, but it was a little on the dry side and I could have done without all of the science. Not a must read, but just okay. ( )

Set in 2009, Sawyer takes as his premise that in the midst of ordinary life one day everyone on the planet loses consciousness for a few minutes and wakes up knowing his or her future in the year 2030. For some it is a good thing, but not for all. As scientists puzzle over what caused the flashforward (as the phenomenon came to be known), others are trying their best to deal with their futures that haven't yet occurred.

Sawyer offers his readers the opportunity to enter the debate over destiny vs. free will, having his characters enter into philosophical discourse as well as lectures on certain concepts of quantum physics, the nature of God, and reality.

There are really only two negatives about my experience with this book. First, the characters are a bit cardboardish and ultimately forgettable. I liked them as scientists but when they were in their own personal lives they were a bit flat. Second, the ending of the book (which I won't give away) didn't seem to fit for some reason.

Overall, the story itself was a good one, although at times it became a bit dense while trying to slog through the science. I think that people who enjoy more technical (hard) science fiction will really like this one. If you're not up on the discussion of Schrodinger's Cat, you may want to spend some time reading about it before you start this book. I spent a long time trying to figure it out, since I was not blessed with a brain that does science. Others who may be interested in the philosophy behind the story (free will vs. an immutable destiny) will also enjoy it. I can definitely recommend it. ( )

No es el libro que tenía planeado leer, pero ya que lo tengo lo leeré antes de que empiecen a emitir la serie.
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A pesar de que no ha colmado mis expectativas, se deja leer. La idea de base del libro es muy buena. En manos de alguien como Greg Egan hubiera dado lugar a una novela tremenda, pero Robert J. Sawyer no le saca suficiente partido. Mi impresión es que no sabe trabajar los personajes (aunque Theo es ok) ni el impacto emocional de las situaciones. Te da un poco igual lo que les pase, pero lo lees porque quieres saber cómo acaba y una vez acabado, el final se queda corto. ( )

Interesting; technical jargon definitely made for skimming parts to get jest, but was enough understandable to allow me to figure out main idea of what was going on. Fascinating theory.
We'll see. This was set different time arc and location that our US TV show. ( )