A Sci Fi Reading Odyssey - 50 Novels

[Randy M.]

After spending the last two months packing and moving I finally got a chance to read The Pillars of Eternity that @Matt H reviewed so well.

It's a difficult book to categorise. It's science fiction but it owes far more to Michael Moorcock and Robert E. Howard than it does to Asimov, Clarke or Bester. Bailey could have set this story in any fantasy world and it wouldn't be out of place.

The main character, Joachim Boaz, has more in common with Elric than Gully Foyle. He requires an outside force to keep him alive that is little different than spells and potions. While there is a certain relentlessness to Boaz he never quite achieves Foyle level obsession.

The book covers a lot of different philosophical ideas but none of them too deeply. While the treatise involves were somewhat interesting I think I could have done with a little more action than discussion at times.

I would say The Pillars of Eternity is a good book and well written with a classic feel, but not one I'd gush about. I think a reader of primarily fantasy would enjoy this book very much. Hard core sci-fi nerds like myself might find it a little lacking in the end.

Not sure if this is helpful in considering the novel or not, since I haven't read it: Boaz and Jachin. I remember it from the title of the Russell Hoban novel but never bothered to look it up before.

Anyway, just a thought.

Randy M.

 

[Matt H.]

Thanks, Vince! Yep, I saw a resemblance to Beste'rs, Gully Foyle, too. I agree it's a little glib on various philosophies... But I especially like the way all these grand theories are challenged or perhaps superseded.

Btw, I have a book of Howard stories I hope coming soon. Looking forward to it.

 

[Vince W]

Not sure if this is helpful in considering the novel or not, since I haven't read it: Boaz and Jachin. I remember it from the title of the Russell Hoban novel but never bothered to look it up before.

Anyway, just a thought.

Randy M.

Oh, yes. Boaz's name is taken from those pillars but couched in the story as Colonnader history.

 

[Vince W]

Thanks, Vince! Yep, I saw a resemblance to Beste'rs, Gully Foyle, too. I agree it's a little glib on various philosophies... But I especially like the way all these grand theories are challenged or perhaps superseded.

Btw, I have a book of Howard stories I hope coming soon. Looking forward to it.

It's certainly a Grand Idea book. Bailey did well to make the book cover a huge amount of territory both physically and mentally, he just didn't develop things quite far enough for the ending it had. It was too sudden and there were a few characters I would have liked to see developed further.

 

[Matt H.]

... he just didn't develop things quite far enough for the ending it had. It was too sudden...

Yep, totally legit and reasonable. I can even agree. Not sure of the ultimate key to my strong liking of this book. I did admit it's not a work of super-slickness.

 

[Vince W]

I think what worked for me the best was the fact that it was written very conservatively. It was expressive without being flowery or verbose. Many authors today seem to be writing with the aim of only a massive word count. It takes far more skill to write an engaging story in such a short format.

I remember when Dune was the one of the biggest books I ever read. Now it doesn't even rate as a mid-size book.

 

[pogopossum]

Thanks Vince. I had asked you to post your reaction to Pillars since Matt and I had disagreed significantly.
Guess that I am in the (nasty dissenting ) minority.

 

[Ropie]

I read Pillars of Eternity about 10 years ago but the thing I like about all of Bailey's books is his way with a description of something that is almost beyond description. When he gets to the nub of the matter (as Joe Pesci would say) it's as if someone twangs a string in your brain. He was a complete genius at that and he manages it in every book of his I've read, even when the books themselves are not that wonderful or dated in their use of language. For example, in Rod of Light, he manages to describe the change from being a sentient being one moment to a non-sentient robot the next, in a way that transcends any doubt on the matter. And his descriptions of infinity almost make infinity make sense! His best 'read' for plot and characters, IMO, is Soul of the Robot.