Read this years ago and keep thinking about it. Two aliens from two universes come to earth after they find out there have been three extinctions in each universe. They seek to prove there was a higher intelligence responsible. I loved it, especially the aliens. ( )

Why do I keep subjecting myself to Sawyer's works? Because he's Canadian? Because he writes sci-fi? Because his premises are so darn interesting?

Yup.

But I can't actually say I've 'liked' any of the stuff I've read of his (Hominids, Flash Forward). This is the best of these 3, but still... why is there so much political complaining/ commentary? Just tell me the darn story... I don't care about the Canadian Government's funding of museums, and I don't think anyone else in the world does either. ( )

I was captivated from the first page of this book. It starts with a whimsical chapter reminiscent of Douglas Adams before delving into a much deeper story. There were enough plot twists to keep the story going and some very interesting theological speculation. I thought the atheism of the main character was written a bit heavy handed and there was an unnecessary side story mid-way through the book. But otherwise a very enjoyable read. ( )

Llevaba una racha de no poder leer libros todo lo que quisiera cuando cogí este libro de Robert J. Sawyer. Lo adquirí en una liquidación en Alcampo y lo compré por 1.5€. Sin duda alguna una de mis mejores inversiones en lo que a libros se refiere.

La historia es una reflexión sobre ciertas ideas sobre el origen del universo y la existencia de un Diós creador. El autor utiliza la llegada de un alienígena como forma de redirigir el debate sobre la existencia de Diós y sacarlo del planeta Tierra y del homocentrismo de la raza humana. Explota el debate entre el alienígena y un paeontólogo humano creando un debate que además de enseña, entretiene. Las ideas pueden ser más o menos afines a las del lector, pero lo que está claro que el autor busca no quedarse en las típicas discusiones terráqueas y plantea la posibilidad de que tanto evolucionistas como teólogos están equivocados en cierta manera, aunque también tienen razón desde otro punto de vista y que no son ideas que deban chocar tanto como se presupone en nuestra sociedad.

La parte que más me gusta es el diálogo terrestre vs alienígena que encuentro ameno y estimulante, aunque obviamente en el libro tienen que pasar más cosas para ser del agrado de más gente aparte de los que con una buena conversación nos conformamos.

Resumiendo, un libro muy recomendable para los amantes de la ciencia ficción dura y de cualquiera que guste de pensar y reflexionar poniendo en duda incluso aquello que daba por sentado. ( )

Starts out promisingly, but ends up having not much in the way of plot or storytelling. Basically seems like a vehicle for raising all manner of scientific information that's made the news in the last 10 or 15 years. It is presented in the form of an extended debate in the Royal Ontario Museum between a human and an alien paleontologist about whether science provides evidence for god's existence, followed by what is basically a variation on the ending to 2001: a Space Odyssey. The debate rotates around the cosmological Anthropic Principle. It began interestingly enough, but by about 2/3 of the way through I was thoroughly sick of the debate, which has nothing new or interesting to say to those who keep up with science journalism, and unimpressed by the conclusion.

On the plus side, the style, though not brilliant, does not suck. ( )