October to December 2008 book - Eon by Greg Bear (1985)

[fluffy bunny]

Above our planet hangs a hollow Stone, vast as the imagination of Man. The inner dimensions are at odds with the outer: there are different chambers to be breached, some even containing deserted cities.


Been a while since I last read this one. I do remember some big physics at work here and I'll go over what I though about the ending once some of you have had chance to read the book. What did you think about the secrets of the stone?

[suciul]

This is a book that passed its expiration date. I enjoyed it many years ago but I would not pick it up today since life is short and there are many more interesting modern sf books out there.

[Ropie]

This is a book that passed its expiration date. I enjoyed it many years ago but I would not pick it up today since life is short and there are many more interesting modern sf books out there.

Good point. As I remember, the first half of the book is very similar to Rendezvous with Rama in terms of the setting, exploration and adventure, sense of wonder (also the thin characterization ) but Bear takes it all a step further with the 'corridor'. These events lead to a lengthy postulation on the far future of humanity, not in itself an unreasonable prospect, but the combination of Bear's jargon-rich, rather stilted prose with an absolutely runaway plot line is just too trying. If you are young and have the time you might want to give it a go though, there are some amazing ideas buried in this book!

[Nicolas]

I'm 150 pages in, first time i read it, first book i read by Bear, and i can't put it down.

The premise is straight out of classic sf tales, the mysterious object appearing in the sky, the step by step adventurous exploration is part of an established tradition.

However, Bear ups the ante by making it a race against the clock, with humanity facing potential disaster. This may explain in return the thin characterization. There is no time for character development when the world is a stake !. It is reflected in the style of the writing, which is somewhat dry and straight to the point. The descriptions are precise, Bear sticks to the facts, the characters say what they have to and then move on. This directness makes it a very fast paced story.

I can see why the book seems outdated. The story is played against a cold war background which was relevant at the time of writing (Reagan's SDI, the german missile crisis...) but not anymore nowadays. So concessions may have to be made in order to fully appreciate this book today by putting it in an historical context. This, in return, works in the book's favor as it adds an element of perpetual tension to the story.

So, 150 pages in, it's compelling. I hope the progression and conclusion of the story will be as good as its start.

[suciul]

I'm 150 pages in, first time i read it, first book i read by Bear, and i can't put it down.

There are 2 or 3 more books following this one - Eternity and Legacy are two that I remember though there may be one in-between.

For me the only Greg Bear that stood the test of time till now is Moving Mars which I still enjoy to reread today and the recent novel City at the End of Time was one I dropped 10 pages in - maybe in a 10 sff books a year environment I would have read it, but when I barely can keep up with the books that truly absorb me even reading 15-20 novels a month, it's hard to make time for something acceptable but nothing out of the ordinary for me.

[Nicolas]

Finally found the time to finish it this morning and, while i do not understand fully all the scientific concepts (space-time shockwaves ?) i still found it a very interesting read on other aspects.

The two major conflicts in the book have two slightly different outcomes, the violent ending of the first being contrasted by a more measured solution, or solutions, in the second. Indeed, even if all the characters or factions do not necesserally get what they want they are given the possibility to choose between options. There is the idea that a future human race will not only have evolved technologically but also ethically and morally by putting scientific progress at the service of all its members, and not just an elite with a manichean view of reality .

That very optimistic point of view only becomes apparent towards the end, and the book feels sometimes like two books, one concerned with the petty pointless squabbles between US and USSR leaders, the other with a true "sense of wonder" description of the far future. The two do not feel like they are always related, but are still very enjoyable to read if you can appreciate a somewhat dry and concise style.

Originally Posted by Ropie
an absolutely runaway plot line

It is, isn't it, when you are dealing with a city located a billion km away in an infinite corridor?

Nick