Your thoughts on these Science fiction novels

[Mithfânion]

Would be appreciated. Let me know why you think it's great, average or downright miserable.

Gateway-Pohl
Childhood's end-Clarke
Rendezvous with Rama-Clarke
Evolution-Baxter
Manifold trilogy-Baxter
Replay-Grimwood
Man in the high castle-PK Dick
Stars my destination-Bester
Blood Music-bear
Idlewild-N.Sagan
Contact-C. Sagan
Where late the sweet birds sang-K. Wilhelm
Dying inside-Silverberg
Flowers for Algernon-Keyes
Mockingbird-W. Tevis

 

[odo]

* Gateway-Pohl: Excellent. One of my all-time favourites. Full of sense of wonder
* Childhood's end-Clarke: Not bad, but I expected much more.
* Rendezvous with Rama-Clarke: Excellent. Another favourite. Hard SF and sense of wonder
* Replay-Grimwood - Almost perfect. A pageturner but also thought-provoking. Most people say it's fantasy, but for me it's SF.
* Man in the high castle-PK Dick: Read it a long time ago. Don't remember much.
* Stars my destination-Bester: I hate it. It was BOTM in the SF Book Club not long ago. Look for the post and you'll read a lot of different opinions.
* Blood Music-bear - Very good. Also a pageturner.
* Contact-C. Sagan - Very good. I saw the movie first and then read the book and I wasn't dissapointed at all. I like the Science/Religion controversy in there.
* Dying inside-Silverberg - I didn't like it, but I don't like Silverberg very much so...
* Flowers for Algernon-Keyes - Good, but I was not impressed (I knew the ending in advance)

I haven't read any of the rest.

 

[Ropie]

Everybody likes to be asked their opinion

Of those I've read:

Childhood's End and Rendezvous with Rama By Clarke. Both deal with the BIG themes that Clarke loves but on a very personal level which is what gives his work the sense of scale that always impresses. Of the two I much prefered Rama, though that's not to say CE isn't a great book, because it is. Rama is just so focused and gripping and could easily be read in one, long sitting if you have the time. CE is a bit naive in places but would still get 4 stars; Rama gets 5/5.

Manifold:Time by Stephen Baxter. Baxter is obviously influenced by Clarke and it really comes across in his exploration of big ideas. Unfortunately some his ideas are just too woolly around the edges and his story telling is a bit hackneyed compared to Clarke's. M:T had some really great chapters in it, particularly the time jump sequences and getting vertigo on a small asteroid, but the book as a whole would get 3 stars as it is quite flawed.

Contact by Carl Sagan. Again, bold ideas, poorly realised. Horrendous characterisation and glossy-novel prose, but had moments of interest. 2 stars.

The Stars My Destination by Bester. I fell for the aura of hype that surrounds this book and as such was a bit disappointed. I didn't think it is as good as everyone says, it was just 'pretty good'. Some really nice writing and strong use of characters (though some were very similar to eachother) but the whole premiseof the plot bothered me. It was also pretty dark and I wasn't totally enamoured of Bester's rather comic portrayl of the future. 3 stars.

 

[Randy M.]

I read the following four long enough ago that I'm left with few details, though very strong impressions:

Gateway-Pohl: One of the most well-rounded, textured, thoughtful s.f. novels I ever read. It is both a fine s.f. novel and a solid novel of character.

Childhood's end-Clarke: Second full-length s.f. novel I remember reading. It sparked my sense of wonder, and left me dazed on completion.

Man in the high castle-PK Dick: Thoughtful, a bit slow, but involving and interesting.

Stars my destination-Bester: One of the best s.f. novels I've ever read. It is dark, but having come to s.f. from mystery, horror and fantasy, it didn't seem excessively so to me.


I read the short story Flowers for Algernon-Keyes was based on years ago, and never got around to the novel. I felt the short story was sufficient, and still can't figure what a novel could do that the story hadn't already done. Great short story, by the way.

Randy M.

 

[Rob B]

Gateway-Pohl
I remember enjoying it quite a bit, but I don't think it lived up to its reputation.

Man in the high castle-PK Dick
Wonderful, one of my favorite alternate histories (not that I've read too many of them)


Contact-C. Sagan
Thoughtful and engaging. I liked it very much.

 

[Monty Mike]

Replay-Grimwood

As time goes by I realise that this book was better than I first gave it credit for. Definately worth picking up if you're interested in a story with suspense, twists, and a variety of realities! It's generally very believable and well written. Read it once, wait a year or two, and read it again

Man in the high castle-PK Dick

I'm only half way through this but it's been an intriguing read so far, with a bunch of interesting and incredibly realistic characters. As an alternate history, it's very well done.

Dying inside-Silverberg

I haven't personally read this, though my friend currently is. The main thing that I've gathered is that the author uses a number of narratives throughout the book, and does it well. As a story I don't know too much, though as it's in the Masterworks series I doubt you can go too far wrong

 

[PlanetRetcon]

Of those I've read:
Gateway-Pohl Fantastic, not only as a standalone book but as the beginning of a series.
Rendezvous with Rama-Clarke Again, good book. The series kinda faltered, sadly, but was readable throughout.
Contact-C. Sagan Very powerful book. I could see it happening this way.
Flowers for Algernon-Keyes I read this in school, so don't remember much. I remember knowing what was going to happen but reading on in horror anyway. I liked it.

 

[Nottobrite]

I have only read three of them. The first two were Replay by Grimwood and Childhood's End by Clark. Both of those I basically agree with what was said below, Replay was excellent, and Childhood's End was a great concept, but for the most part, and average book.

One that I don't think has been taked about is Where late the sweet birds sang by Kate Wilhelm.

I would probably rate this book as good. The book is basically three interelated short stories. If you can get throught the first story, the last two stories are where the payoff is. Now, I don't read as much Science Fiction as most people on this boardm but she took what seemed like a predictable story dealing with cloning, and flipped it around in a way that I have never seen before and created an outcast character that I really enjoyed. I think it's worth the read if you can get your hands on it.

 

[B5B7]

Gateway-Pohl - I liked the Heechee series (but haven't read the concluding book yet).So, yes this is fairly good.
Childhood's end-Clarke - I really like this, consider it a classic.
Rendezvous with Rama-Clarke - I have only read the first of this series, a long time ago, unfortunately, but seemed OK.
Evolution-Baxter - haven't read yet [my local library has a copy of this].
Manifold trilogy-Baxter - I disliked the basic concept of the Carter Prophecy [based on a 'real' theory of a British philosopher]
Replay-Grimwood - haven't read
Man in the high castle-PK Dick - another classic, enjoyable
Stars my destination-Bester - I like it, but think 'Demolished Man' is better
Blood Music-bear - it's OK, but is overpraised for its originality [I thought the basic idea was similar to Martin Sherwood's 'Maxwell's Demon']
Idlewild-N.Sagan - haven't read
Contact-C. Sagan - I have read this but don't remember much [pretty similar to movie as I recall, and therefore good]
Where late the sweet birds sang-K. Wilhelm - haven't read [have read some of her other books though that are quite good]
Dying inside-Silverberg - I loved this
Flowers for Algernon-Keyes - I have read the novel & short story, and seen a couple of different screen adaptations - all good.
Mockingbird-W. Tevis - haven't read

 

[Dawnstorm]

Blood Music: I loved the idea, it was well executed. Unfortunately, the idea (and it's execution) was all that was interesting about it. Would have made a great novellette, makes a so-so novel.

Dying Inside: This is an exceptional novel. If you like character centered novels, this one's for you. (Unfortunately, I lent my copy away, and it didn't find its way back home. )

 

[Dwemer]

Rendezvous with Rama-Clarke

Great book. Sense of vast wonderment, exploration. The rest of the books in this series become quickly silly, but I do recommend this one.

 

[Archren]

Of the ones I've read:

Gateway-Pohl: I hated this one, but that's because I generally dislike whiny anti-heroes. It was certainly ground-breaking for its time, and it's well written, but I couldn't get past loathing the main character.

Childhood's end-Clarke: One of my all-time favorite books. However, I first read it when I was 14, and I wonder if I'd think so incredibly highly of it if I encountered it for the first time now. Still, it's got some really beautiful big-idea stuff in it.

Rendezvous with Rama-Clarke: Enjoyable, but didn't blow me out of the water. Good Big Dumb Object exploration/adventure story.

Manifold trilogy-Baxter: Enjoyed the books individually (except #3 which really dragged), but hated it in total. You get to the end of all three books and discover that there was no real central driving force. The three books never really connect to each other. In the end it turns out to have basically been an exercise in (pardon the crudity), intellectual masturbation.

Man in the high castle-PK Dick: I can't do better than Randy M: "Thoughtful, a bit slow, but involving and interesting."

Stars my destination-Bester: Again with the anti-hero, I had a hard time with this one. However, it's connection to "The Count of Monte Cristo" was cool. A bit surrealist in tone, can be confusing.

Blood Music-bear: Not my favorite Greg Bear. I had trouble suspending my disbelief at the start (that a scientist would smuggle a biological compound out of his lab by injecting himself with it strikes me as on-beyond-stupid), and I never really recovered from that.

Contact-C. Sagan: Good, enjoyable, has some good science in it and doesn't cross the mysticism line too badly. I related to the protagonist more than would be normal (being myself a female astronomer (at the time, later switched to physics) with a close relationship with my father), so it probably spoke to me more than to others.

Flowers for Algernon-Keyes: Very emotional, very movingly written. Total classic; one of the few books I was forced to read in school that was worth it.

 

[ricoboc]

I’m not one to follow hype. I don’t care who shot what book out of what canon. I never jumped on the Arthur C. Clarke bus nor have I been tempted to steal a ride with Mr. Sagan. Maybe I missed a few good books; I think I’ll be able to live with that.

The only book I read from the list was Keyes. I had to read it in school. I was rather bored with it. I seen the movie and knew the outcome.

 

[Eönwë]

Classics: Childhood's End, The Man In The High Castle, The Stars My Destination

Very Good: Blood Music, Dying Inside, Gateway

Marginal: Rendezvous with Rama, Contact