OK - NOT GREAT

It has been a very long time since I read this book but I remember loving it. It is science fiction but based on a lot of true chemistry facts. Some of the chemistry parts are hard to follow but the overall story is quite well put together. The author presents three stories that are intertwined together into one amazing major story. Whether you like science fiction normally or not, I would definitely recommend this story about technology, advancement and love. ( )

The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov, first published in 1972, won both of the biggest awards in science fiction: the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award. It has always been one of my favorite books of one of my favorite authors. Much of the plot can be summarized by the lyrics of “Modern English” in “I’ll Melt With You”:

I'll stop the world and melt with you
You've seen the difference and
It's getting better all the time
There's nothing you and I won't do
I'll stop the world and melt with you

The book concerns our own universe and a parallel, or “para” universe. In the para-universe, there are three types of beings, a Rational, an Emotional, and a Parental. As adults they enter into triads, and to reproduce, they “melt” together with one another. The Emotional thins, and the other two immerse themselves in her shimmer and in each other. They melt for days at a time, and through this process merge into a oneness that provides ineffable joy.

The focus in the paraverse is on Odeen, the Rational, Dua, the Emotional, and Tritt, the Parental. Another group, the “hard ones” do not melt together, but seem to exist as teachers to the rationals, bringing them to adulthood under their tutelage. And critically, in this universe, energy is food.

Back in our universe, energy is just as vital, if not in such a direct sense, and so when energy-releasing material is exchanged from the para-universe to ours, scientists jump on the opportunity. Electron Pumps multiply to facilitate the exchange, and earth is soon freed from any energy dependence.

But there are doubters in both universes: is it a good idea to disturb the laws of a universe? What might happen to the earth as the balance of nuclear charges becomes disrupted?

This is a lovely book, for many reasons. For one, Asimov’s earth has its problems, but he doesn’t create the nightmarish dystopias that characterize contemporary science fiction. Secondly, he is not afraid to teach his audience science, and he remains, even after death, an enormously popular “popularizer” of esoteric concepts in physics. And finally, his romantic visions of love are unparalleled (and unlike Heinlein, for example, a respect for the intelligence and contributions of women are part of any world Asimov creates).

For anyone who has ever thought of sex as a way to merge, to become one, and to experience fully the essence of one another, this book is for you. For anyone who has not read this, this book is for you. In my opinion, it is one of the best science fiction books ever. ( )

I love this book. It shows an alien culture that is truly alien. It is not an alien invasion story. Its about sharing technology and discovery and reminding ourselves that not everyone, human or not, has our best interest in heart. ( )

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

In The Gods Themselves, Asimov presents a tale of three cultures woven around a device which offers unlimited free energy. The Electron Pump offers two universes a way to feed their need for energy, but at what cost? As para-physicist Dr. Lamont delves into the pump’s past he uncovers a critical flaw that could endanger both universes. He is thwarted by the self-proclaimed Father of the Electron Pump, Dr. Hollam, who is loathe to believe his invention is anything but a panacea. Dr. Lamont and his associate, Dr. Bronowski, attempt to communicate with the beings of the para-verse in a final effort to end the pumping project. The messages they receive are cryptic and disturbing. The tale turns to the lives of the para-beings, a strange species divided into four classes and finally to the moon colony and Dr. Denison whose snide remark started it all.

Though the first two thirds of the book are plotted remarkably well, the entire work is plagued by poor writing. Reading the first few pages, I was struck by the relative poverty of Asimov’s writing style. How could such a revered writer produce such stumbling and cliché-ridden prose? As I pressed on, the excellent plot veiled the poor writing and I was utterly immersed in the story.

I was thoroughly enjoying myself until the end of part one. At the beginning of part two, I thought I would have done things differently. The book is divided into three parts each with different main characters and plots that hang together on the string of the Electron Pump and it’s dangers. The problem with this method of story telling is that readers are often irritated when asked to leave an interesting set of characters behind for a new set. I put the book down at this point and almost didn’t pick it back up. Obviously, anything that causes a reader to contemplate abandoning a book is something to avoid. So when I saw that the new section would not retain any of the characters from the previous, I was a bit annoyed. However, after reading the second section, I realized it was one of the strongest points of the book and was glad Asimov structured the book in this way.

I’m sorry to say I cannot be so generous of the third part. It was by far the weakest part of the book, which is unfortunate as the end should be at least the second strongest section. If I were Asimov’s editor, I would have suggested he begin the book with the development of the pump, rather than relying on long and distracting info-dumps throughout the narrative. Then the original part one would become part two and part two becomes part three, with the book ending on the combination of the Trit-Dua- Odeen triad into Estwald. This would have created an interesting and open ending and avoided the cliche “older scientist man gets younger girl” that plagues so many earlier sci-fi works. If Asimov wanted to end the book with a happy ending, he could have drug out the para-verse section a bit longer and shown Estwald to have a new consciousness thanks to Dua’s wanderings through the rocks- perhaps having absorbed some worldly wisdom from them.

All in all, I’m not sorry I read it, but I don’t think I’d recommend it unless you’re a fan of Asimov or parallel universe theory. ( )