Simply a remarkable book, even better than Gateway and probably one of the top 10 scifi books I have ever read (as of March 2012). The contributions are both anthropological and political. I also always enjoy Pohl's futurology settings, taking place at the beginning of the interesting part of the Space Age. Also, the main character is very accessible, a lot like other space inclined people without a real valuable trait that would earn them a spot in space. There is so much more...
Will be reading the rest of his work soon. ( )

Ugh, what thoroughly unpleasant people populated this book! The aliens were interesting, but they and I would have been much better off without the humans that invaded their world and immediately exploited it and them for their own shortsighted, selfish, immoral purposes. There was one moment of redemption near the end of the book, and a couple of good lines or memorable scenes, but overall, ugh!

Yes, Pohl is making a sharp and largely valid critique of humans and society here, but it was just so unpleasant to read. Ugh. ( )

Not to my taste with the main plot going up in mushroom clouds and the survivors 6 generations on having a subdued native population to do the dirty work. ( )

An imaginative world (conveniently with a breathable atmosphere and edible plants), with a typically Seventies message about how people ruin paradise. Not deadly dull, but not too engaging either. Despite the cover blurb, it did not "take its place among such classics as 1984, Brave New World, On the Beach, and Stanger in a Strange Land." If you've read the other four, you will know why.
No deep philosophical or psychological insights, no depth in the societal critique, just normal people doing dumb things.
Chronacronisms include: smoking (largely banned in 1990s); cassette tapes (replaced by CDs and now other media); very non-PC language. ( )

Rarely have I read such an apallingly negative view of humanity... that's not a bad thing, but nevertheless, I didn't love the book. It's probably the most interesting work by Pohl I've yet read, however. ( )