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Loading... The Gods Themselves (original 1972; edition 2000)by Isaac Asimov (Author)
Work InformationThe Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov (1972)
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. I really enjoyed the first part and I very much admire his ability to write characters that feel real. They are selfish, they are flawed but I like them anyway because I can relate. The struggle of characters recognizing their own flaws but being powerless to stop themselves from being influenced by them is something that very few authors can pull off successfully. But I just couldn't get into the second one on the other side. For many, it might be really fascinating to follow the imagination of a fundamentally different species from their perspective. These things might seem new, strange and fascinating to others but for me, it took no time to acclimatize to this new frame of mind and I just don't feel the fascination necessary to carry me through this incredibly long and repetitive introduction to these beings. I just didn't experience any real awe. And apart from that, there is just nothing happening. Call me impatient or unappreciative if you like but for my taste there just isn't anything interesting happening and all this information about this other species seems completely irrelevant. I love good worldbuilding if there is a point to it but in this case, it does nothing for me apart from destroying the pacing. What a tedious book. Look, get over the hagiography already; Asimov formed great ideas, brilliant conflicts between technological development and social evolution, and loved conspiracies but tended to write thin characters and absolute crap dialogue (I remember "The End of Eternity" as particularly guilty). This book features all of those in spades. Interestingly, it's the humans in Parts I and III that are two-dimensional, irritating, and converse in leaden, expository infodumps. Part I is marred by the stiff posturing of "scientist" caricatures, Part III hampered by weird gender politics and the author's repetition that Lunar residents are immodest. This has not aged well at all. Part II's aliens are the only truly fresh and original content. Asimov presents aliens with a truly alien biology whose life cycle dictates their own cultural development; the psychology of the main individuals we're shown is very consistent and allows for an engrossing story. This is the only really good SF part of this fix-up novel. Once and done. no reviews | add a review
Belongs to Publisher SeriesDelta Pocket (2) Gallimard, Folio SF (120) — 10 more Heyne Allgemeine Reihe (5126) Libro amigo [Bruguera] (262) Présence du futur (173) Science Fiction Book Club (2942) SF Masterworks (New design) Sündmuste horisont (41) Is contained inAwardsDistinctionsNotable Lists
Fiction.
Science Fiction.
Suspense.
Thriller.
HTML:In the twenty-second century Earth obtains limitless, free energy from a source science little understands: an exchange between Earth and a parallel universe, using a process devised by the aliens. But even free energy has a price. The transference process itself will eventually lead to the destruction of the Earth's Sun??and of Earth itself. Only a few know the terrifying truth??an outcast Earth scientist, a rebellious alien inhabitant of a dying planet, a lunar-born human intuitionist who senses the imminent annihilation of the Sun. They know the truth??but who will listen? They have foreseen the cost of abundant energy??but who will believe? These few beings, human and alien, hold the key to Earth No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813.54Literature English (North America) American fiction 20th Century 1945-1999LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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Part 1 occurs on Earth
Part 2 occurs on para-Earth
Part 3 occurs on the moon.
Have patience. It really is good.
Except the last few paragraphs. Could of done without the lovey-dovey stuff. ( )