Bear, Greg

Average customer rating:

Rogue Novel
Shockingly Great and the details....WOW
rogue novel
Great Book! Ties the Old Republic to the New Jedi Order!
rogue planet

Rogue Planet (Star Wars)
Greg Bear
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345435400
Release Date: 2001-05-01

Amazon.com

It's an unexpected combination: Greg Bear, author of so many ambitiously complex SF novels, writing about the colorful simplicities of the Star Wars universe. But he carries it off well, with a mix of action-adventure and thoughtful world building that entertains while keeping to the spirit of Lucas's saga.

A few years after the events of The Phantom Menace, young Anakin Skywalker is getting restless--sneaking away from Jedi Temple training to gamble his life in a flying game that's much more bizarre and dangerous than the movie's podracing, even before an alien Blood Carver assassin intervenes. Anakin's character is taking shape now:

<blockquote>But above all, he loved winning.</blockquote>

To turn the boy's frustrated energy to useful ends, the Jedi Council has Obi-Wan Kenobi take Anakin to investigate the remote, enigmatic world Zonama Sekot, whose organic technologies produce magnificent spacecraft, and where a Jedi has vanished without a trace. Secretly pursuing them is a battle squadron captained by the weapons designer who has already blueprinted the Death Star and is being double-crossed by his employer Commander Tarkin.

Rogue Planet's action climaxes as the Jedis learn to grow their own spaceship, the Blood Carver strikes, and two heavily armed fleets converge on helpless-seeming Zonama Sekot. Every faction has secret cards up its sleeve--and Anakin's is a very dangerous wild card indeed. There's final victory and heartbreak, but also loose ends (including even stranger, deadlier aliens) that suggest sequels to follow. Bear does a solidly workmanlike job. --David Langford, Amazon.co.uk

Book Description

MASTER AND APPRENTICE

The Force is strong in twelve-year-old Anakin Skywalker . . . so strong that the Jedi Council, despite misgivings, entrusted young Obi-Wan Kenobi with the mission of training him to become a Jedi Knight. Obi-Wan? like his slain Master Qui-Gon?believes Anakin may be the chosen one, the Jedi destined to bring balance to the Force. But first Obi-Wan must help his undisciplined apprentice, who still bears the scars of slavery, find his own balance.

Dispatched to the mysterious planet of Zonama Sekot, source of the fastest ships in the galaxy, Obi-Wan and Anakin are swept up in a swirl of deadly intrigue and betrayal. They sense a disturbance in the Force unlike any they have encountered before. It seems there are more secrets on Zonama Sekot than meet the eye. But the search for those secrets will threaten the bond between Obi-Wan and Anakin . . . and bring the troubled young apprentice face-to-face with his deepest fears?and his darkest destiny.

Customer Reviews:

Rogue Novel.......2007-06-19

Generally reviews are on the mark as a whole. I should have followed the trend for this book because the negative leanings are there for a reason. Any Star Wars novel will be read with a critical eye and is certain to have flaws. The weaknesses of "Rogue Planet" are much more profound than the strengths.

While Star Wars novels are far from fine literature, I was immediately aggravated by the structure of the chapters. Many chapter are literally less than a page in length and add little to the story. The story would have flowed better if some of the shorter chapters were combined. In terms of the plot, I found it humorous that certain elements of the story seemed to be similar to other movies. A powerful leader ruling from behind a mask of deception reminded me of "The Wizard of Oz". A planet where everything is alive reminded me of an episode of Star Trek gone horribly wrong.

There are some positive aspects of the story. The theme of Anakin's struggle with fear and anger is developed. Also, the young Anakin character is not nearly as annoying as he is in the movies. "Rogue Planet" also furthers the theme of Qui-Gon Gin being a rebel Jedi and having a negative impact on young Anakin is brought to light.

This is the first Star Wars novel that I really did not like. At times, the pace made it painful to read. A better plot would have also helped to develop the Anakin character. The living planet theme seems terribly out of place as a vehicle for developing Anakin.

Shockingly Great and the details....WOW.......2007-06-13

I purchased the audio cassette because it was cheap. I listened to it and listened again and again. This book is one of the best in the Star Wars series. You wouldn't think it would be, but it is. It takes place on a living planet called Zonoma Sekot (which plays a huge role down the road in the Vong war). The description of the planet and the seeds that make the ships are awesome. Once you get past the oddities of it, it truly is genious. It is different and excellent. Not only do we see the very beginnings of Anakin's turn to the dark side, but we also get confusion and concern from Obi wan and an intro to the future Moff Tarkin and the designer of the first Death Star Seinar. There is even a reference to Darth Sidious. This book is exciting, original and entertaining. It can be had cheap right here on Amazon in any format (though the one penny CD might be your best value). If you love Star Wars, this is one to read or listen to right away

rogue novel.......2007-05-20

This novel has a little action in the beginning, a long boring middle, and a little more action at the end. The middle was mostly composed of great details about the process of growing a living starship. You read that right, living starships. Now, I'm sure Greg Bear is a great sci-fi author. But the problem here is that Star Wars is NOT sci-fi! It is space opera, a very different genre. I feel the whole premise of this story was way out of place in the Star Wars universe. This book also lacked that galactic feel as it concentrated on this one, starship-growing planet.

Another issue is that parts of this story were contradictory to things established in Episode II, like the fact that Jedi are forbidden to get married and have children. The Coda felt tacked on and was also proven untrue by Attack of the Clones anyway. Now we know the TRUE origin of the Death Star project (Geonosians). And Episode II implies that Anakin's slaughter of the Tuskan Camp is the first time he has killed in rage. (It definitely makes more sense that way.)

The only nice touch in this book is that Anakin talks to the spirit of a planet, reminiscent of an earth goddess.

If you like sci-fi, like the idea of growing living starships, don't mind a sci-fi Star Wars story and don't mind all the contradictions to the movies, then you might like this novel. But I think it sucked and I don't recommend this book. The only book worse than this is one is Crystal Star. Instead of this book, I highly recommend the following 5-star novels that are much more relevant to the film series:

Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)

Great Book! Ties the Old Republic to the New Jedi Order! .......2007-01-06

First up, I thought Bear nailed the relationship between Obi-Wan and Anakin. Kind of a father/son, brother, master/student, rival thing going. It seems that all aspects of their bonds were explored as hinted at in Episode I and A New Hope.

Anakin was great. He's definitely in that transition state between a boy and a Jedi. He misses his mother while still mastering becoming a Jedi Knight. Most intriguing of all is getting to see the first hints of Darth Vader emerging in his mind. It was also interesting to see how the Jedi Council treated him after their rather cold reception in Episode I.

Bear also did a great job with some of the new aliens. They are definitely strange and otherworldly, as you'd hope for. They also play upon the "symbiosis" themes that George Lucas loves so much.

As you know, Tarkin is one of the major bad guys in this book. It was truly a treat to finally see him in action outside of A New Hope. I've always wanted to know more about Tarkin, and Bear delivers. He's cold, ruthless, and overconfident just as Peter Cusing portrayed him.

Final Thoughts: I love the fact this novel ties the Prequel Era, A New Hope era, and the Post-Return of the Jedi Era all together. There's a subtle tie in with the New Jedi Order series that will suprise you. This is a must read for true Star Wars fans!!

rogue planet.......2006-11-20

quickly-growing anakin and maturing master obi-wan are sent to a mysterious planet to investigate both the amazing ships suddenly being constructed there and the disappearance of a previous knight. unbeknownst to the council, however, are the nefarious plans of one wilhuff tarkin, intent on taking the secrets of the ship-builders regardless of the cost.
this is an enjoyable entry in the reasonably unexplored era between 'the phantom menace' and 'attack of the clones'. while the middle of the book reads as very episodic, with the chapters strictly alternating between two plotlines, everything comes together for an exciting climax. the look at raith seinar is interesting, and the characterisation of tarkin is perfect. if you have not read the 'new jedi order' series, this book contains many fascinating surprises; unfortunately, i have read the series, so all i could do was sit back and be told what i already knew. one or two mentions suffer due to age (such as thracia cho-leem, jedi knight's many husbands), but overall 'rogue planet' is a great entry to the 'star wars' universe.

Average customer rating:

The Time Machine
intelligent and intriguing sci-fi
Entertaining, influential story
H.G. Wells is the classic sci-fi writer.
The Alien Voices Presents: The Time Machine (Alien Voices)

The Time Machine (Signet Classics)
H.G. Wells
Manufacturer: Signet Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451528557

Book Description

The story that launched Wells's successful career-the classic tale of the Time Traveler and the extraordinary world he discovers in the far distant future. A haunting portrayal of Darwin's evolutionary theory carried to a terrible conclusion.

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When the Time Traveler courageously stepped out of his machine for the first time, he found himself in the year 802,700--and everything had changed. H.G. Wells's famous novel of one man's astonishing journey beyond the conventional limits of the imagination is regarded as one of the great masterpieces in the literature of science fiction.

Customer Reviews:

The Time Machine.......2007-05-18

The Time Traveler was dirty and disheveled when he finally came to dinner. His friends asked what happened and he began to tell them that he finished his time machine and of his trip to the year 802,701. He encountered a descendent of the human race called the Elois. He found these people very friendly. They took him to their dining hall and he began to learn their uncomplicated language. When he finished eating he found that his time machine was gone. For many days he and his new friend Weena looked for it. The Time Traveler decided to look down in one of the shafts. There he encountered one of the Elois' greatest fears, the cannibalistic Morlocks. He escaped and thought that they might be the ones that took his machine. A few days later, they encountered the Morlocks again. Weena fainted and the Time Traveler tried to scare them off with fire but the fire started to spread. He never saw Weena again. He found the time machine and head back to his own time. A few days after telling his friends he went back in his time machine and never returned. This is a great book about time traveling and the mysteries of the future.

The first two chapters would introduce the topic of which the story was based upon. It opened up with a group of men talking about the dimensions--length, thickness, width, and time. They were discussing whether or not it was possible to travel through time, either in the past or in the future. Then the Time traveler brought in a metallic clock. He had one the Psychologist pull a lever and the little clock began to spin then it disappeared. After a little more discussing, the meeting ended. The next meeting was when the Time Traveler told of his adventures.

The novel was very uniquely written. At the very beginning and at the end of the book the story was told in first person by an onlooker who apparently "wrote" the story on paper. The majority of the novel was written in first person limited to the Time traveler. He told his amazing adventures to his friends at one of their meetings.

Although most of the novel did not involve many major characters, the author gave the characters very interesting names. He mentioned a few of their real names but other than that they were called based their occupation. Some of the characters were named the Psychologist, the Journalist, the Provincial Mayor, and the Medical Man. The Silent Man and the Editor were a couple of other characters.

The element I liked most about The Time Machine was that the author used very elaborate and sophisticated details. When the Time Traveler first came to the year 802,701 A.D. he described himself as an African, who was just brought from his tribe in the middle of Africa to the busy streets of London. The Elois were delicate four foot tall people. They had a very limited and simple language. They wore elegant fabrics and sandals. Weena was very child like. She would cling to the Tim Traveler and give him flowers. The evil Morlocks were of a hazy whitish color with pink eyes. This novel was a great story about the future in a way that is different than machinery and robots. This is definitely a great book to read if you like tales of the future.

By K. Lissner

intelligent and intriguing sci-fi.......2007-05-14

visionary short novel, one of the best science fiction novels ever without a doubt. not only does it deal with one of the most fascinating mysteries of science (time travel), the storyline itself is also very interesting. apart from his views on communism and capitalism and their consequences in the long run, the author provides a very interesting, though mostly pessimistic, view of the future. the last few chapters are especially chilly and really stick to the mind.

Entertaining, influential story.......2007-02-20

It's hard to believe it took this long for the concept of time travel to enter the body of literature. Of course, it's so obvious once you're aware of the possibility, that's it's probably unfair to judge in hindsight.

Overall the book was quite entertaining. I've seen something like three or four renditions on TV and in movies, and while each puts its own stamp on the telling of the story (e.g. the 1970's version has a model that travels forward five minutes into the future; and the most recent remake includes the death of the inventor's wife), the basic elements all come directly from the book. There's also a scene from the book that takes place in the far future, and that I haven't seen done in any of the movies.

A brilliant example of what happens when one asks "what if..." and follows the answer to its logical conclusions, this book has been hugely influential in opening up entirely new avenues for fiction storytelling.

H.G. Wells is the classic sci-fi writer........2007-02-20

Well written and imaginative, The Time Machine demonstrates the immense talent and creativity that H.G. Wells possessed all through his writing career. The Time Machine began my love for science fiction when I was only seven and it continues even till this day.

The Alien Voices Presents: The Time Machine (Alien Voices).......2007-02-18

This is a review of the audibook "The Alien Voices Presents: The Time Machine (Alien Voices)"

An original script, full-cast, full-production, original score, radio adaptation. If there was an audio-book "Hollywood", this is what it would sound like. Leonard Nimoy stars as the time traveler. It is helpful that Nimoy's reputation as a space faring time traveler gives the story an extra degree of verisimilitude. Although many of the finer details from Well's original story are lost in this abbreviated version, for the most part it sticks to the original plot and is highly entertaining and makes for a wonderful listening experience. Recommended.

Average customer rating:

Eons of boredom
Still holds its fascination
cool ideas, crappy book
Alice in Wonderland meets the Twilight Zone.
Well Developed Tale of Exploration and Future Possibilities

Eon
Greg Bear
Manufacturer: Tor Science Fiction
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Eternity
The Forge of God
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ASIN: 0812520475

Book Description

The 21st century was on the brink of nuclear confrontation when the 300 kilometer-long stone flashed out of nothingness and into Earth's orbit. NASA, NATO, and the UN sent explorers to the asteroid's surface....and discovered marvels and mysteries to drive researchers mad.For the Stone was from space--but perhaps not our space; it came from the future--but perhaps not our future; and within the hollowed asteroid was Thistledown. The remains of a vanished civilization. A human-English, Russian, and Chinese-speaking--civilization. Seven vast chambers containing forests, lakes, rivers, hanging cities....And museums describing the Death; the catastrophic war that was about to occur; the horror and the long winter that would follow. But while scientists and politicians bickered about how to use the information to stop the Death, the Stone yielded a secret that made even Earth's survival pale into insignificance.

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Perhaps it wasn't from our time, perhaps it wasn't even from our universe, but the arrival of the 300 kilometre long stone was the answer to humanity's desperate plea to end the threat of nuclear war. Inside the deep recesses of the stone lies Thistledown: the remnants of a human society, versed in English, Russian and Chinese. The artifacts of this familiar people foretell a great Death caused by the ravages of war, but the government and scientists are unable to decide how to use this knowledge. Deeper still within the stone is the Way. For some the Way means salvation from death, for others it is a parallel world where loved ones live again. But, unlike Thistledown, the Way is not entirely dead, and the inhabitants hold the knowledge of a present war, over a million miles away, using weapons far more deadly than any that mankind has ever conceived.

Customer Reviews:

Eons of boredom.......2007-06-18

I am not sure what the point of this book is, but it was exhausting. It starts with an interesting mystery of a strange asteroid which suddenly appears in orbit around the earth and the story unfolds with people trying to avert a nuclear war because of the information, they find inside the stone that is from the future. They fail to stop the disaster, and war commences although a few weeks late, which indicates that the stone is from an alternate universe. (Maybe none of the universes in this story our ours.) What they do find are alternate worlds, with staggering technology and strange cultures and politics that are painfully boring to follow. However I stuck to the end of the book as I am a glutton for punishment. I admired the humans who were brave enough to go back to the earth after the destruction to help the inhabitants rebuild but I thought Patricia, who was supposed to be the savior and heroin, was a selfish self-centered dreamer and a coward to go off looking for an alternate earth where her world was still in perfect order, hoping her alternate self was dead, and her boyfriend was still alive, so she could slip into her identity and have her life back. Well, fat chance of that happening. I'm glad she didn't find it.

It was hard to read, with too many characters. The author approached the act of sex (twice) as something that must be performed once in a while in order for a person to be able to think strait. (That's just insulting.) In reading a book I try to imagine what the author's message is overall. Okay I get it, we are not alone in the Universe, we don't understand the nature of space and time, there might be in infinite number of parallel worlds, and we will probably reek havoc and death upon the earth, but don't worry, life goes on.... somewhere.

Still holds its fascination.......2007-04-20

The nice thing about a SF novel that deals in alternate realities is it's staying power: when current events go differently than imagined in the book, you can always just say "That's the way things went in that reality." The strength of Eon is this staying power. Despite the fall of the Soviet Union in the real world, the conflicts are still credible (compared to works like Ben Bova's Kinsman series, which just seems quaint and dated now). As for the mystery of the Stone, it soon overwhelms any background story -- to say more would spoil all the fun for new readers. If you read Eon when it first came out, try a revisit: you'll be surprised how well it holds up.

cool ideas, crappy book.......2007-02-08

I put this one in the same category as Ringworld. Neat ideas and concepts, but silly, comic-book style characters and buck-rodgers style storytelling make this a mere potboiler. I would give it three stars for the concept, except for two reasons: 1) It's so freaking LONG. It's not interesting enough to maintain interest for 500+ pages, and 2) It's partly a ripoff of Rendez-Vous with Rama (a GREAT book).

Alice in Wonderland meets the Twilight Zone. .......2006-08-11

Take Isaac Asimov's brain, Stephen King's wind, blend in a vacuum and you get a Greg Bear novel.

Page 256... "Directly ahead, two broad cubes were strung in sucession along the pale thread of the singularity. Each of the visible faces of the cube were marked with a broad horizontal cleft; the front of the foremost cube welcomed the singularity through a large hemispheric dimple, marked by glimmering spokes. At the center on the indentation was a red hole, and there the singularity was engulfed."

Don't spend too much time trying to comprehend Greg's grueling gambits or you'll lose track ever expanding cast. I Lost count at about 30 charachters. (Mirsky rocks!) If you do chose to sift through all 500 pages of this hard epic, may I suggest using your own slate and a tall stack memory cubes.

Why did those silly russians biuld a compound from fallen trees in an asteroid full of abandoned cities? "Tools were scarce, everything was scarce." And where did the ham dinner come from?

The (Ralph the Gentle Man) Naderites had dossiers and "knew everything" about the Americans, except the fact that they were approaching Axis City on their all-important singularity. Hmmmm.

Even with a few contradictions and frequent incomprehensible passages, Eon is thoroughly enjoyable. Few can create images with Mr. Bear's grace and vision. Worthy of five stars... asteroids... stones.

Well Developed Tale of Exploration and Future Possibilities.......2006-07-13

This story describes the sudden appearance of an asteroid into the Solar system during the Cold War. The US (and allies) sends teams of scientists and soldiers to explore and secure the asteroid, which is hollow and filled with cities and advanced technology. It turns out that the original creators of the asteroid are descendants of Earthmen, and the explorers find the historical record of a cataclysmic war that will take place several years after the appearance of the asteroid after which humanity will be reduced to barbarism. This is really only the beginning of the story, and it turns out that there is more to the asteroid than meets the eye, of course, as forces both internal and external begin to shape the destinies of the characters. The story proceeds along several different threads and follows the events from several perspectives. There are definitely some similarities between this book and Clarke's `Rendezvous with Rama', although the exploration stage really only presents a minor subtext to the plot in the first 100 pages or so. This story lacks the gravitas and mystery of `Rama'; it is not a story that one will remember forever. It is probably more comparable to the Giants Novels of James Hogan or the work of Hal Clement. There is a little bit of space opera, some contact with greatly advanced civilizations and `aliens' (that are well fleshed out and have an interesting political and cultural system described in detail), bureaucratic intrigue, and political maneuvering. There are several things I really liked about this story. Bear makes good use of basic physics combined with some speculative ideas about time travel, alternate universes, and the space-time continuum. The characters are realistic and refreshingly well-developed (something lacking in most sci-fi), and the plot is complex and well thought-out. There are a few negatives as well, however. This book was written during the Cold War (1985), and the rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union is crucial to the development of the story. This gives the tale a definite dated feel. Many of the Russian characters are cliched characatures and not particularly imaginative. Second, this is a fairly long novel (500+ pages), and the ending is somewhat weak with many unresolved threads, presumably to leave space for the sequel. I felt a bit cheated at the end (although I liked the story enough to buy the sequel). Overall, this is a solid, if not uniquely outstanding novel. This is my first novel by Greg Bear, so I can't compare it to his other work, but I think that anyone who likes hard sci-fi (such as Hogan or Clement) will find this a worthwhile tale.

Foundation and Chaos (Second Foundation Trilogy)

Average customer rating:

Greag Bear Does Asimov Well
Asimov collections
Very good, but not Asimov
Ah, definitely a sigh of relief due here
True to the spirit and style of the original series

Foundation and Chaos (Second Foundation Trilogy)
Greg Bear
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0061052426

Amazon.com

This is book number two in the new Second Foundation Trilogy being written by hard science fiction authors Gregory Benford, Greg Bear, and David Brin, otherwise known as the "Killer B's." In this book, Bear continues where Benford's Foundation's Fear left off, as the trial of legendary psychohistorian Hari Seldon is about to begin. Bear writes with a style uncannily similar to Foundation creator Isaac Asimov's, and he even manages to incorporate some of Asimov's own writing in the novel. Aside from the trial, Bear also focuses on the nearly immortal robots that serve the Foundation, including R. Daneel Olivaw, who is set to guide one of the Foundation's first great undertakings. But Olivaw runs into trouble from an unexpected quarter, his best operative, Lodovik Trema, whose positronic brain has been irrevocably altered in a strange accident that has given him freedom from the supposedly immutable laws of robotics. --Craig Engler

Book Description

Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy is one of the high-water marks of science fiction. It pioneered many of the familiar themes of modern SF, and the sheer sweep of his "future history" shaped many if not most of the writers who followed him.

With the permission and blessing of the Asimov estate, three of today's bestselling SF writers, Gregory Benford, Greg Bear and David Brin, have conspired (like the original Foundation!) to complete the epic saga the beloved Grand Master left unfinished.

The acclaimed Second Foundation Trilogy continues with Greg Bear's Foundation and Chaos, the gripping new novel about a galaxy-wide power struggle within the ranks of the robots that have served and protected humankind for 20 centuries.

Hari Seldon, frail and full of years, is on trial for daring to predict the Empire's fall, and the time has come for the long-anticipated migration to Star's End. But R. Daneel Olivaw, the brilliant robot entrusted with this great mission, has discovered a potential enemy, even deadlier than the figurehead Emperor's brutal minions.

One of his own.

Humaniform robot Lodovik Trema is the only survivor of a bizarre insterstellar accident. Exposed to a neutrino storm, his positronic brain has apparently erased the holographic template of the Three Laws of Robotics. If this is true, Lodovic's service to humankind is no longer a question of destiny, but of will, and therefore, no longer absolute.

Daneel needs Lodovic, so he sends him to Eos, the legendary secret planet where the robots perfect their service to humankind. And Lodovic says he is healed. Yet, can he be trusted, when stirrings of discontent are arising all over the galaxy? Other robots are questioning their mission and Daneel's strategy.

And humans, too. Hidden in the steel caves of Trantor, sought by loyalist and rebel alike, is an obscure heatsink worker's daughter, a girl whose amazing mental powers are also the result of disaster: the deadly human malady known as Brain Fever. Young Klia Asgar's awesome but unwanted psychic abilities promise to join man and robot in a common destiny... or a mutual destruction.

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The epic saga left unfinished by the Grand Master himself now continues with this second masterful volume (and the blessing of the Asimov estate). Brilliant robot leader R. Daneel Olivaw is about to begin the Galactic Empire's long-anticipated migration to Star's End, until he faces a deadly threat -- from one of his own kind. A rebellion is stirring, and there's only one hope: a young woman with awesome psychic abilities who can join man and robot in a quest for common freedom, or mutual destruction.

Isaac Asimov's renowned Foundation Trilogy pioneered many of the familiar themes of modern science fiction and shaped many of its best writers. With the permission and blessing of the Asimov estate, the epic saga left unfinished by the Grand Master himself now continues with this second masterful volume.

With Hari Seldon on trial for treason, the Galactic Empire's long-anticipated migration to Star's End is about to begin. But the mission's brilliant robot leader, R. Daneel Olivaw, has discovered a potential enemy far deadlier--and closer--than he ever imagined. One of his own kind.

A freak accident erases the basic commandments in humaniform robot Lodovik Trema's positronic brain. Now Lodovic's service to humankind is no longer bound by destiny, but by will. To ensure his loyalty, Daneel has Lodovic secretly reprogrammed. But can he be trusted? Now, other robots are beginning to question their mission--and Daneel's strategy. And stirrings of rebellion, too, are infecting their human counterparts. Among them is a young woman with awesome psychic abilities, a reluctant leader with the power to join man and robot in a quest for common freedom.or mutual destruction.

<CENTER>The Foundation Saga Continues </CENTER>

Read Gregory Benford's Foundation's Fear, the first novel in this bold new series and Secret Foundation, the concluding volume from David Brin. "

Customer Reviews:

Greag Bear Does Asimov Well.......2004-09-30

The second book in the post-Asimov foundation series is by one of my favorite SF authors--Greg Bear. This book picks up after Gregory Benford's Foundation's Fear, but does not come chronologically right after the end of that book. Rather, what has been done in this new series is that spots not filled out by Asimov are now filled in, so Benford's work takes place just as the main character, Hari Seldon, takes the post of First Ministership, while Bear's book takes place after that time and what we were left to think was the decline and death of Seldon (that impression made in Asimov's Forward Foundation.

Bear is really great at picking up a genre that is not his own (as I liked in his Star Trek and Star Wars novels). Foundation and Chaos is more like Asimov's style than Benford's, but Bear still manages to fill out some details not covered before, especially about political strive among the robots. The idea that the robots have differing opinions and political groups working against each other is really amazing. Loved it all.

Asimov collections.......2004-03-08

Amazon should combine the books of a subject together so as to make ordering easier, in the same way you have combined lists. For eg. all of Robot books of Asimov in onr orderable quantity and the foundation series in another.

Very good, but not Asimov.......2003-12-16

This is a very good story written but a great author. I am so glad that he stayed so true to Asimov's original intentions for the series (unlike Brian Herbert with his Dune books). It does not read like Asimov though. This is forgivable because Bear never tried to emulate Asimov's style, he only tried to take Asimov's unfinished story and do the best job he could with his own writing style, which is really a better way to go if you think about it.

Ah, definitely a sigh of relief due here.......2003-07-22

I hate repeating what has been said in the other reviews, but let's be honest and admit that FOUNDATION'S FEAR by Gregory Benford was abysmal, and this book by Greg Bear has done much to get back on track. I did groan a bit when the sims, Joan of Arc and Voltaire, came back in it, but Bear got stuck with them thanks to Benford's bizarre plotting, and did what he could with them.

Basically, this deals with Hari Seldon's trial and the conflict between two factions of robots, those who identify with Susan Calvin, the pioneer in Robotics, and those who identify with the legendery R. Daneel Olivaw. Throw in a couple of mentalists at odds with each other, and you have a rather good Foundation novel.

Read FOUNDATION'S FEAR if you think you must, but it's not necessary because this far better written second novel stands well by itself.

True to the spirit and style of the original series.......2002-07-18

Of the second Foundation trilogy books, I found this to be the most enjoyable. After the turgid first installment, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Bear's style of writing was much cleaner and clearer than Benford's, and the book as a whole had a really nice pace. It didn't hurt that the entire style of the book was very reminiscent of Asimov, which is of course a big part of why the original trilogy was as good as it was.

Average customer rating:

Bear knows what he's talking about ...
Have not read book yet, but...
Out of touch, misses the big issues, reeks of political correctness
Smart, Plodding and Heavy
Psudo War On Terror Espionage Thriller

Quantico
Greg Bear
Manufacturer: Vanguard Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1593154453

Book Description

A near-future thriller that pits young FBI agents against a brilliant homegrown terrorist

It's the second decade of the twenty-first century, and terrorism has escalated almost beyond control. New weapons are being spawned in remote basement labs, and no one feels safe.

In North America, the FBI uses cutting-edge technology to thwart domestic terrorists. The War on Terror has reached a deadly stalemate.

The FBI has been dispatched to deal with a new menace. Like the Anthrax threat of 2001, a plague targeted to ethnic groups has the potential to wipe out entire populations. But the FBI itself is under political assault. There's a good chance that agents William Griffin, Fouad Al-Husam, and Jane Rowland will be part of the last class at Quantico. As the young agents hunt a brilliant homegrown terrorist, they join forces with veteran bio-terror expert Rebecca Rose. But the plot they uncover--and the man they chase--prove far more complex than anyone expects.

Quantico is a selection of: Book-of-the-Month Club, Science Fiction Book Club, Military Book Club, Mystery Guild, American Compass Book Club, and Quality Paperback Book Club.

Customer Reviews:

Bear knows what he's talking about ..........2007-06-24

... and what he has to say is fascinating. As Bear said on THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART, this is SF with the net up -- reasoned, reasonable extrapolation ... about the most important issues of our time. A major book from a major talent.

Have not read book yet, but..........2007-06-10

I'll give this book 3 stars at this time, having not read it, but still having to "star" it in order to write this. I am a luke-warm fan of Bear, only really having liked Forge of God, Blood Music, and the Darwin series, but do intend to read City at the End of Time.

Anyway, this comment is in response to a comment by "badger" whom somehow thinks the Palestinians or Lebanese are to blame for their attacks on Israel. I AM Jewish, but awake enough to know that the very existance of the state of Israel, and its constant militeristic and demographic expansion since 1967, is the reason that nation is so often attacked. Badger seems to consider Palestine as an area in which the Israelis 'have not gone past their borders to attack anyone!'

What ignorance!

Out of touch, misses the big issues, reeks of political correctness .......2007-06-07

This business of this genre studiously creating an impossible/implausible organism is a minor detraction. It seems to be "the thing". It would be nice, though, if even the creation that wouldn't work hung together at all. For instance, if it was possible to create a yeast that somehow infected people with prions, that would result in a slow disease taking a decade or more and the memory failure would culminate in death. Instead, it isn't even consistent within the book. For some it takes months. For some it takes much less time.

The idea of a high-functioning autistic boy doing the anthrax letters is not particularly plausible, and Bear didn't check his facts well there. The refinement of the product increased from one letter set to another, apparently in response to discussions on the news. But his autistic murderer (another mistake) sends it all during a trip with his aunt. So Bear also missed the elephant in the living room in this ramping up war of little terrorist groups against civilization. (The elephant is the news media and how it is both manipulated as the primary battlefield, and the primary source of high quality intelligence for terrorist groups. This is rather like the way the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders is used by guerillas today as their medical support system, which also takes care of their families while they trot off to war.)

The choice of characters, the muslim with internal conflicts, and the Israeli settlers who attack Mecca? That is drive-by anti-semitism, and here's why. (I'm not Jewish.) There has never been, not once, an instance of settlers, or of Israelis in general, going outside their borders to attack anyone that hasn't attacked them first, and done so many times. Hezbollah rained missiles into residential nieghborhoods for half a year before Israel responded. Settlers are routinely murdered by marauding Muslims in the night. Nor has there ever been any evidence that anyone in Israel has tried to acquire biological weapons. Also, Israelis have businesses all over the middle east. United Arab Emirates is loaded with them for instance. There is no evidence anywhere that Israelis or jews ever would do something like that. Quite the contrary! And if they wanted to, they could do it all at home - no need to buy the stuff and involve themselves with an outsider who might compromise them.

Now, contrast that with the mountains of evidence, including fatwas, declarations, intercepted communications, and the attempt of the 9-11 boys to get aerial spray equipment - showing that descendants of the "In the Shade of the Koran" groups such as Al Qaeda are and have been working to get biological weapons of mass destruction for at least 10 years. They want them, they are working on getting them, and they will use them when they do get them.

Aside from ultra-conservative Muslims, only small splinter religions have used biological weapons, and Imperial Japan.

Thus, the correct characterization in the book that fits significant evidence from the world around us is the White Supremacist with his family. I suspect this is because it is close to home and so Bear actually had a clue about it. But why would he choose to perpetrate such a calumny against Israelis in his plot when the opposite is true in the real world? That's a horrible thing to do. Rather despicable considering the world situation.

There are other rather stupid pasteboard characterizations like the evil Serbs who used an Israeli robot gun to slaughter 43 cops. Now why would that be in his book too? Another drive-by characterization wrought from the "good war" in Kosovo. What rubbish. Yes, he has Mossad taking that robot weapon factory out, but it's still rubbish.

Aside from that, there are some technologies in the book that aren't available yet and unlikely to work as described. The idea that sparrow-sized miniature flying robots wouldn't be seen by people for what they are, and have that cause a ruckus is silly. The idea that such a system of surveillance would still work fine in the context of massive jamming isn't plausible. Things malfunction, and people notice things that fly funny compared to birds. The bunker buster kinetic weapons are a good idea.

There were other details indicating lack of proper research. For instance, in warm weather, cops wearing full body armor and bomb suits are just itchy. Let me tell you - body armor is one of the warmest garments you can put on. Just a vest is all you need to keep comfy when it's around freezing. In warm weather it can literally kill you from heat stroke. Any sort of body suit without heat-sink airconditioning - you can get inside in your underwear and walk out into sub-zero windy weather and within a short time be sweating all over. This is a basic problem with the kind of suits he talked about.

The context of the endless internecine slicing and dicing was overdone. It's not quite as bad as that. There are some massively idiotic moves by the president we have that congress went along with, like the DHS neo-dinosaur. But the infighting is different than depicted.

In the end, one would hope that a novel like this would point in the direction of how to fight biological warfare. Bear seems to have no idea about that. There is nothing in the book about the medical aspects, nothing about the sort of CDC response that would happen. Remember that it was an alert physician who caught the anthrax attack in the first place? Nothing in the book about how that might happen. No sci-fi ideas for how to watch for it or respond to it.

All in all, the book amounts to a mediocre pot-boiler of a novel. It seems to have been written in hopes of getting a TV movie or something like that. It almost totally misses in the mission declared on its dust jacket. The book was well written, I thought it flowed well, and the primary characters had real lives. Bear can write, certainly, but if he is going to keep writing novels, I suggest that he either pay more attention to reality and research his stuff better, or else stick to fantastic sci-fi where nothing matters.

Smart, Plodding and Heavy.......2007-06-05

To the author's credit, he knows his stuff. This is definitely targeted at people who want intelligent ideas in their novels. I think the writing is pretty good, too, but I have two complaints.
1) The quote on the top of the dust jacket loudly proclaims "an adrenaline-amped thriller that will scare the hell out of you." I would disagree with this. It may have picked up momentum at the end, but the start of the book was definitely plodding. It was interesting, but it hardly "scared the hell out of me."
2) The book is positively dismal in tone. There is no lightness, no optimism. You have to alternate dark and light moods or the book becomes too heavy too enjoy. Maybe that was what the author intended, but if so, it was too depressing for me.

Psudo War On Terror Espionage Thriller.......2007-06-04

I had very high hopes for Greg Bear, but I was sorely disappointed, very disappointed. Either he can not write or he has a very bad editor. The very numerous grammatical errors distracted me from the story line. Does any writer, worth his salt, know how to write English?!?! The novel started very fast, but it soon slowed to a crawl with an extremely weak end. I do not recommend this book to anyone to read; there are just too many reasons not to like this novel of very little suspense and no thrills.

Average customer rating:

Ultimately, I put it down
In "Odd John's" best tradition.
Darwin's Children by Greg Bear
more politics, less science and less characters
Proteomic viral vector factors and other riveting plot points

Darwin's Children
Greg Bear
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345448367
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Amazon.com

Darwin's Children, Greg Bear's follow-up to Darwin's Radio, is top-shelf science fiction, thrilling and intellectually charged. It's no standalone, though. The plot and characters are certainly independent of the previous novel, but the background in Darwin's Radio is essential to nonbiologists trying to understand what's going on. The next stage of human evolution has arrived, announced by the birth of bizarre "virus children." Now the children with the hypersenses and odd faces are growing up, and the world has to figure out what to do with them. The answer is evil and all too human, as governments put the kids in camps to protect regular folks from imagined dangers. Mitch and Kaye, scientists whose daughter Stella is swept up in the fray, become unwillingly involved in the politics that erupt around the issue of the new humans. Harrowing chases, gun battles, epidemics, and tense meetings about civil rights ensue, all brilliantly narrated. But just when you think you've got the book figured out, Bear throws a massive curveball by introducing... religion. That's right, a good old-fashioned epiphany, plopped down in the middle of a hard science fiction novel. But even skeptical readers will be swept along with Kaye as she tries to deal with what's happening to her and how it relates to the fate of her daughter's species. Keep reading past the words that make you uncomfortable--the hot science, the cool spirituality--and you'll be rewarded with a story of complete and moving humanity. --Therese Littleton

Book Description

Greg Bear’s Nebula Award–winning novel, Darwin’s Radio, painted a chilling portrait of humankind on the threshold of a radical leap in evolution—one that would alter our species forever. Now Bear continues his provocative tale of the human race confronted by an uncertain future, where “survival of the fittest” takes on astonishing and controversial new dimensions.

DARWIN’S CHILDREN

Eleven years have passed since SHEVA, an ancient retrovirus, was discovered in human DNA—a retrovirus that caused mutations in the human genome and heralded the arrival of a new wave of genetically enhanced humans. Now these changed children have reached adolescence . . . and face a world that is outraged about their very existence. For these special youths, possessed of remarkable, advanced traits that mark a major turning point in human development, are also ticking time bombs harboring hosts of viruses that could exterminate the “old” human race.

Fear and hatred of the virus children have made them a persecuted underclass, quarantined by the government in special “schools,” targeted by federally sanctioned bounty hunters, and demonized by hysterical segments of the population. But pockets of resistance have sprung up among those opposed to treating the children like dangerous diseases—and who fear the worst if the government’s draconian measures are carried to their extreme.

Scientists Kaye Lang and Mitch Rafelson are part of this small but determined minority. Once at the forefront of the discovery and study of the SHEVA outbreak, they now live as virtual exiles in the Virginia suburbs with their daughter, Stella—a bright, inquisitive virus child who is quickly maturing, straining to break free of the protective world her parents have built around her, and eager to seek out others of her kind.

But for all their precautions, Kaye, Mitch, and Stella have not slipped below the government’s radar. The agencies fanatically devoted to segregating and controlling the new-breed children monitor their every move—watching and waiting for the opportunity to strike the next blow in their escalating war to preserve “humankind” at any cost.

From the Hardcover edition.

Download Description

In "Darwin's Radio, " the human race underwent a leap in evolution, as women began to give birth to human "upgrades." Now a decade has passed, and millions of new children have been born around the world. "Darwin's Children" is the story of Stella Nova and her fellow new humans as they fight to survive.

Customer Reviews:

Ultimately, I put it down.......2007-01-18

Maybe I could have enjoyed this book more if I'd read "Darwin's Radio" beforehand. As it was, the characters were unsympathetic, the plot too meandering, and the pace too slow. I also have a personal aversion to gratuitously scatological stories, and found Bear's needless references needlessly jarring. About 200 pages into the book, I put it down and moved on.

In "Odd John's" best tradition........2006-11-21

"Darwin's Radio" was Greg Bear's first novel I've read and I was delighted with it, so it is not strange I continue reading this second installment.

IMHO this second part is better than the original. Why? Well here are some reasons.
Human conflicts are deeper and shown with keen perception by the author: prejudice, intolerance, altruism and civic boldness are voiced thru different characters.
The emergence of new humankind, in the best tradition of Stapledon's "Odd John", is presented full of subtleties. Anguish of new children born in turmoil of near social panic. Fear in human establishment and harsh ineffectual measures adopted and bold resistance from parents and supporters. All these presented in a very articulate and convincing way are major traits of the novel.
Bear's powerful imagination device several new qualities in these offspring: two oral communication levels, pheromones emitted purposefully, facial complex signs amongst other. The kids are as baffled as human adults. They try to establish new relationships with different levels of success.

The story starts several years after the ending of the first one. Families of the new children are persecuted, children interned in the best totalitarian traditions.
At the same time evolution of the "sheva" kids starts chain reactions in general public and decision makers.
Some of the brass realize their initial errors and try to mend them; others try to use power ruthlessly no matter at which price.
Social, economic, religious and political forces collide and produce an electrifying scenario.

With all these elements Bear has written an unforgettable novel, gripping and entertaining.
I wholeheartedly recommend this novel to all sci-fi buffs!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

Darwin's Children by Greg Bear.......2006-11-11

I am always impressed with Greg's imagination. He takes a few scientific concepts a weaves a tale that is very intriguing. Maybe there is hope for the future of mankind. But, there are lots of bumps along the way. Thanks, Greg, for another thrilling "page turner". When I'm done. I'll have read all of his books.

more politics, less science and less characters.......2006-10-27

I really enjoyed Darwin's Radio but did not enjoy this one as much at all. Too many of the important events in the lives of the main characters occur offscreen. There are very few new scientific ideas. The interesting new characters we meet we see for only a scene or two with no closure.

Proteomic viral vector factors and other riveting plot points.......2006-10-14

Greg Bear has a well deserved reputation as a great science fiction writer. Indeed, as one of the "Killer B's" (along with Gregory Benford and David Brin) he is generally considered one of the most accomplished living writers in the field. As such, he seems to be constitutionally unable to write a bad book.

In the hands of a less skilled writer, the scientfic depth of "Darwin's Children" would surely have overwhelmed the characters and resulted in a dry tome of exposition. Bear avoids this trap by attaching each new discovery and biochemical/evolutionary/antrhopological twist firmly to the human emotions of the protagonists, most of whom are scientists.

But be warned: Unless you are yourself a biochemist most of the more important "discoveries" will go right over your head. That doesn't mean that I felt confused at any point; it just meant that, like Scotty talking about retuning the dilithium crystals to the right wave harmonics to make the ship go faster, all I needed to know was the conclusion. (ship go faster)

I do recommend that before you read this book you start with the first one in the series, "Darwin's Radio" or the political and cultural landscape the Bear conjures up may seem a bit extreme. Also, this sequel picks up very directly from the first book, and it may be difficult to follow the plot without knowing what came before, thumbnail recaps not withstanding.

Average customer rating:

"sci-fi" wielded as "suspense"
I wish there were more
Find another station
A must read for Sci-Fi fans
Hard Sci-Fi, love story & a mystery to boot!

Darwin's Radio
Greg Bear
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345435249
Release Date: 2000-07-05

Amazon.com

All the best thrillers contain the solution to a mystery, and the mystery in this intellectually sparkling scientific thriller is more crucial and stranger than most. Why are people turning against their neighbors and their newborn children? And what is causing an epidemic of still births? A disgraced paleontologist and a genetic engineer both come across evidence of cover-ups in which the government is clearly up to no good. But no one knows what's really going on, and the government is covering up because that is what, in thrillers as in life, governments do. And what has any of this to do with the discovery of a Neanderthal family whose mummified faces show signs of a strange peeling?

Greg Bear has spent much of his recent career evoking awe in the deep reaches of space, but he made his name with Blood Music, a novel of nanotechnology that crackled with intelligence. His new book is a workout for the mind and a stunning read; human malignancy has its role in his thriller plot, but its real villain, as well as its last best hope, is the endless ingenious cruelty of the natural world and evolution. --Roz Kaveney, Amazon.co.uk

Book Description

A 2000 HUGO AWARD NOMINEE

Ancient diseases encoded in the DNA of humans wait like sleeping dragons to wake and infect again--or so molecular biologist Kaye Lang believes. And now it looks as if her controversial theory is in fact chilling reality. For Christopher Dicken, a "virus hunter" at the Epidemic Intelligence Service, has pursued an elusive flu-like disease that strikes down expectant mothers and their offspring. Then a major discovery high in the Alps --the preserved bodies of a prehistoric family--reveals a shocking link: something that has slept in our genes for millions of years is waking up.

Now, as the outbreak of this terrifying disease threatens to become a deadly epidemic, Dicken and Lang must race against time to assemble the pieces of a puzzle only they are equipped to solve--an evolutionary puzzle that will determine the future of the human race . . . if a future exists at all.

Download Description

Greg Bear's powerfully written, brilliantly inventive novels combine cutting-edge science and unforgettable characters, illuminating dazzling new technologies -- and their dangers.

Now, in Darwin's Radio, Bear draws on state-of-the-art biological and anthropological research to give us an ingeniously plotted thriller that questions everything we believe about human origins and destiny -- as civilization confronts the next terrifying step in evolution.

A mass grave in Russia that conceals the mummified remains of two women, both with child -- and the conspiracy to keep it secret... a major discovery high in the Alps: the preserved bodies of a prehistoric family -- the newborn infant possessing disturbing characteristics... a mysterious disease that strikes only pregnant women, resulting in miscarriage. Three disparate facts that will converge into one science-shattering truth.

Molecular biologist Kaye Lang, a specialist in retroviruses, believes that ancient diseases encoded in the DNA of humans can again come to life. But her theory soon becomes chilling reality. For Christopher Dicken -- a "virus hunter" at the Epidemic Intelligence Service -- has pursued an elusive flu-like disease that strikes down expectant mothers and their offspring. The shocking link: something that has slept in our genes for millions of years is waking up.

Now, as the outbreak of this terrifying disease threatens to become a deadly epidemic, Dicken and Lang, along with anthropologist Mitch Rafelson, must race against time to assemble the pieces of a puzzle only they are equipped to solve. An evolutionary puzzle that will determine the future of the human race... if a future exists at all.

A fiercely intelligent, utterly enthralling novel of adventure and ideas, genetics and evolution, a fast-paced thriller that is grounded in the timeless human themes of struggle, loss, and redemption.

<hr>

WINNER OF THE NEBULA AWARD

Selected by the San Franciso Chronicle, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly as one of the Best Books of the Year

"A frightening new wrinkle in human evolution... Darwin's Radio delivers the kind of narrative kick that distinguishes such novels as Arthur C. Clarke's Childhood's End and John Wyndham's <A HREF="http://www.palmdigitalmedia.com/book.cgi/0795302959">The Midwich Cuckoos</A>."
   SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

"Vintage Bear... [His] characters are as complex as his ideas."
   THE SEATTLE TIMES

"A masterpiece... Fascinating."
   USA TODAY<hr>

Customer Reviews:

"sci-fi" wielded as "suspense".......2007-05-03

Greg Bear, as many of us know, is a sci-fi and fantasy writer. I buy his books (2nd hand, naturally) because I love to read his take of science the future (i.e. Eon and Anvil of Stars). Imagine my surprise when Darwin's Radio was being labeled as a "suspense" novel. Has he gone mass-market? Seeing books like Quantico and Dead Lines, I'm beginning to think I've lost the author I used to love.

This may very well be his last stab at a hard sci-fi book. And what a stab it was! The technical gooiness is a pleasure to wade through (extra kudos for the dictionary of terminology in the back). The plot is somewhat plausible, but nevertheless fantastic and deeply intriguing. The entire book gets solid points all across board, even for the bone-chilling ending. You may have to shake your head a few times and read the passage over again a few times to make sure you actually read right!

I wish there were more.......2007-03-27

Darwin's Radio and Darwin's Children were my introduction to Greg Bear. Man, what an introduction! Great storyline and a great cast of characters. Kaye, Mitch and Christopher became my friends. I grieved with them during the worst parts. I only wish there had been a third book about the Sheva +30 time frame. Well worth the read, but definitely get both books before you start.

Find another station.......2007-03-06

I've read both Darwin's Radio and its successor, Darwin's Children. The real star of the show here is the evolutionary change itself. Bear's 2D characters drag both books down. Unfortunate, because this would make for a great SF read if the characters weren't so single-minded & cardboardlike.

A must read for Sci-Fi fans.......2007-01-22

The book isn't perfect. Yes there could be more action and little tighter plot. You even have to suspend your disbelief a little more than I would like. But what a great yarn!

This is my first Bear novel and I very impressed. No wonder he's won so many awards. Bear must be a very smart guy to write such a compelling, well researched story. If all you want is action and adventure, read Crichton or Grisham. If want great writing with a lot of science and research behind an intelligent, talented writer, this is a great choice.

Five stars not for being a masterpiece, but for being so far above most of the shallow, thrown together "Best Sellers" out there.

Hard Sci-Fi, love story & a mystery to boot!.......2007-01-19

This is my frist book by Bear. I have my standard authors I have stuck with in the past: Asimov, Moorcock, Bradbury, and some few others. I had decided recently to reach out of my self induced selectivism and try something totally new. I had seen Bear's name around the booklists so I figured I would look into his work.

I saw Darwin's Radio on the shelf and picked it up. Upon reading the covers and part of chapter 1, I decided this just might be a good book. I was right. This book had me caught from the first chapter. The ideas were fresh (to me) and covered a topic that is a big interest of mine: evolution and more particularly speciation.

Bear handles the science well, but also delivers a great love story. Not at all a mushy romance type story, but the love people can only share after being beat at the game so many times. A real love between real people with real problems and dashed hopes. This is a story of people who feel lost in the world they are born into, but also shows how they transcend, both emotionally and biologically, the confines of said world. He speaks to how change can come upon us at a moments notice and how we can find a way to make the best of that change.

On top of all this, there is a mystery to be solved. Bear handles this aspect very well and keeps the reader's fingers on the edge of page, itching with anticipation of the next turn.

Recommended for more than just the Sci-Fi fan.

Mr. P.

Average customer rating:

the continuation of characters is a real dive!
DON GIBSON'S THE SINGER, THE SONGWRITER 1961-1966
A thinking piece not an action piece
I put it down half-way through.
Almost as good as EON

Eternity
Greg Bear
Manufacturer: Aspect
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0446601888

Album Details

This Bear Family Collection Picks Up Where '1949-1960' Leaves Off, and Although the Hits were Growing Smaller, Don was Cutting Some of the Most Strikingly Original Music to Come Out of Nashville in the Early-to-mid '60s. Surely No One Else in Nashville Would have Even Contemplated Recording with Los Indios Tabajaras, Much Less Made it Work. Gospel, Standards, Blues, and Hits Like Yes, I'm Hurting, Oh Such a Stranger and a Born Loser Are all Here.

Customer Reviews:

the continuation of characters is a real dive!.......2007-06-14

Eon was a stunning book. Probably the best of Bear! I was happy for the sequel in four regards, most dealing with the characters, which I loved in Eon:

1) Patricia became lost on an earth-like world through the Way in Eon. I wanted her to come back to hook up with that cool cat Olmy, but she died before she ever set eyes upon the earth she loved so. Eternity brings up back to her story, but unfortunately it's most told through her daughter.

2) Olmy is one of my favorite characters in Bear's books. I was waiting for this book to present more facets to this future augmented human... and to be hooked up with Patricia. I think that the plot revolving mainly around Olmy brought some more shine to his character and definitely more depth.

3) I forget the Russian's guy's name, but in Eon he went off with the Hexamon to become one of them. They went far, far into the future traveling at near light speed. I wanted to know what happened to them... and in Eternity, Bear presents a wicked good yarn about what they came upon in the deep, dark future. This relates to my fourth regard...

4) The Jarts! Eon simply left these menacing aliens undescribed in appearance, culture, technology, etc. In Eternity, all of this comes about in very fascinating ways. While their appearance may be a little weird (they are aliens after all) I love the way Bear connects all points together from Eon, Eternity, Patricia, the Russian guy and The Way.

All my prayers were answered in Eternity except for the continuation of the Telsits and their technology. They were, however, mentioned briefly with this and that towards the end. Something more substantial would have suited me to a 'T'. I can't complain though, this book was darned good!

DON GIBSON'S THE SINGER, THE SONGWRITER 1961-1966.......2006-11-09

I'm going out on a limb and hope my review gets at the top of the list. These other reviews, which are mostly bad, are NOT for this 4CD Box Set of Don Gibson's music. So pay no attention to the 3 and 4 stars. This box set deserves 5+ stars. Don Gibson was a brilliant songwriter although he had no more than a grade school education. He also had a unique singing voice. It was beautiful on those soulful ballads he wrote and sang. And when we heard him on the radio, back in the good old days, we knew immediately it was him singing.
He doesn't deserve to have any reviews under his music be actually for any book. And I am mad about it. Just wish that there were something else I could do.

A thinking piece not an action piece.......2004-11-25

Eon is a great novel with an interesting and dramatic plot that moves the story along and brings up certain important and interesting themes along the way. Eternity has much less of a movng plot, which is why I think many reviewers don't like it as much. Eternity challenges the reader to think about what's right and what's wrong, and how the answers to those questions make them feel. I think this is an important book from its philosophy, but yes, if you are looking for action, keep looking.

I put it down half-way through........2004-01-22

Nothing like EON. EON is the one. This was a hack sequel with no guts. Very dissapointing.

Almost as good as EON.......2003-03-03

While this sequesl to EON clears up and tidies some aspects presented in the first book, there are some jumbled parts. I wanted more time spent with the Jarts interacting. Maybe get into the Jarts head some more? The religious concepts and misunderstandings are as fresh today as when this was written.

Average customer rating:

Ok, but a weak ending
Near-Future SciFi Holds Up Pretty Well 10 Years Later
Horrific view of the future
The future is here and it is dense
One of my favorite cyberpunk books

Slant
Greg Bear
Manufacturer: Tor Science Fiction
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0812524829

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This is the sequel to Greg Bear's popular Queen of Angels, and, like most of this award-winning author's works, it's a stunner. Bear is right at home with the computer and nano technologies that underlie his near-future society. With most of the world's ills having been cured by nanotech, humanity is free to turn its explorations inward, to the mind. Advanced therapies have all but eliminated emotional imbalance, and things have never been better. But when public defender Mary Cho begins investigating a double-murder, she uncovers the truth: all of the high tech is failing, and things will never be worse.

Book Description

In the sixth decade of the twenty-first century, Earth has been transformed. Nanotechnology has been perfected, giving humans the ability to change their environment and themselves down to the cellular level. And the study of the mind has brought a revolution in human psychotherapy and artificial intelligence.It's a sane and perfect world. Almost.

Customer Reviews:

Ok, but a weak ending.......2007-05-23

I really liked the first half of the book. The world is well thought out, and even though he does introduce a lot of characters it's pretty easy to keep them distinct.

However, I really thought the last fourth or so of the book was really weak, and was kind of a letdown compared to the rest of the book. I don't want to give any spoilers but some of the plot thread resolutions just did not seem satisfyingly thought out, or at least weak compared to setup they enjoyed.

Near-Future SciFi Holds Up Pretty Well 10 Years Later.......2007-05-18

SLANT(1997) is a Near Future SciFi Techno Adventure. Set in the year 2052, and involving nanotechnology, AI, and medical technoadvances, it holds up pretty well ten years after it was published.

In 1997, a leading edge computer was a 200Mhz Pentium running Windows 95, and the Internet was generally accessed via 56Kbps dialup modems using Explorer 3.0. While we have come a long way since then, the bottom line is that 1997 computer tech is really not that much different than today's, as far as being compared to the computer Artificial Intelligence that is described in the book.

In SLANT, the Military is using Natural Gas Powered Hummvees by 2020 (could still happen, I suppose), but a "Separatist Movement" achieving a semi-independent Northern Idaho by the 2020's seems a bit unlikely... and the ramafications of 9/11/01 were of course hard to predict... but, thankfully, we are spared any Impending Human-Caused Global Warming Catastrophes.

Horrific view of the future.......2007-05-05

Best Greg Bear to date! This incredible read left me in a cold sweat, for once glad not to live long enough to experience this kind of society.

The future is here and it is dense.......2006-04-10

This apparently is a sequel to his previous novel Queen of Angels, which I read so long ago that I don't remember any specifics of the plot other than the bare basics, which didn't help me at all when reading this novel. However, it doesn't really matter because while I think they share the same future and some of the characters, everything else is different and I imagine both works can easily stand alone. In this particular book, Bear postulates a world where most problems have been solved and people have turned to improving their minds, undergoing therapy to smooth over all disorders and so on, making society a not too unpleasant place to live. Of course, there's a problem or we wouldn't have much of a story. Bear doesn't take the easy way out, kicking off the first part of the story by introducing a number of characters who don't have any connection other than the fact that we know their plots are all going to intersect somehow, or else they wouldn't be in the same book. But by doing so he gives us a crosssection of this future society, from the rich people railing against what they see as a regression, to the people working in the entertainment industry (where people immerse themselves more and more), to the police keeping it together, to the therapists who have to ensure we all don't go crazy. And little by little, he starts to show things falling apart at the seams, as each character gets a tiny piece of the puzzle and are drawn together, as we finally see the extent of the plan and what some people will do to make society more in their own image. For me the book works better in the beginning, when we're exploring the society and all the little quirks of it. Yes, it's not as dense as Brunner's Stand on Zanzibar but not much is, and Bear sprinkles enough quotes and excerpts in between chapters that we can get a good feel for things without being overwhelmed. As the various plots start to come together and the mysteries stand revealed, the characterization starts to take a backseat to rapidly cutting back and forth between what's going on and people reacting to what's going on and thus things paradoxically start to lose a little bit of steam. The steps to reach the climax seem to take quite a while to get there for no good reason and part of me just wanted him to get on with it and have bodies start dropping. Plus, after starting out with a whole slew of characters, toward the end we're only focusing on a few and the rest are just bystanders, which was a little disapointing. But the pace moves swiftly enough and Bear deserves a lot of credit for writing a novel where everything isn't spelled out for us and for showing a future that is better in some ways but still not perfect. There's always room for improvement. But it feels like SF with some thought actually put into the science while managing to tell an entertaining story without having the book sit there and lecture us about stuff that we may or may not care about all that much. In these days where everyone with a doctorate is writing some kind of novel, people who can still pull off the storytelling aspect of it are still impressive.

One of my favorite cyberpunk books.......2006-03-25

Bear takes on William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, and delivers in spades. The tone of this book is unsettling and edgy, a wonderful page-turner of a grim future. The plotting and characterization are highly entertaining. Is it Dostoevksy? No, but it's a great Sci-Fi read that's will please those who liked the first Matrix movie's headier elements.

Average customer rating:

Uncaring machines that eat planets
Starts off great, then disappoints
Forge of God- Best as a Prequel to Anvil of Stars
A Classic!
The Forge of Liberalism

The Forge of God
Greg Bear
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0765301075

Book Description

This remarkable novel of alien invasion shows off Bears talents to their full effect: science-fictional extrapolation that is stunningly believable; characters who are real and affecting in their heroism and sacrifice. And Bears brilliance as a writer has never been better than in the final, climactic scenes.

Customer Reviews:

Uncaring machines that eat planets .......2007-06-11

In Greg Bear's novel it's a large uncaring universe and humans can do nothing about it, how do they react when doomsday gets closer? I thought this was an excellent dystopian thriller, it really kept me involved in each intense scene. One had the sense of the terror and resignation that humanity felt as it got closer to doomsday and the utter betrayal they felt in the lack of leadership, especially the inept and religiously dogmatic President.

It's truly chilling to observe the aliens that Bear creates; they are cold uncaring machines that simply eat planets without regards to the consequences to their victims. The military gets increasingly frantic and considers a coup de tat and the use of nuclear weapons with an impotent President. Finally a piece of neutronium and anti-neutronium are injected into the Earth's core and the planet's fate is mostly sealed.

Starts off great, then disappoints.......2007-01-29

I hate giving this book a bad review. I loved two other books by this author (Darwin's Radio and Darwin's Children) and this one was highly recommended so I ordered it. But I was very disappointed here. [Some mild spoilers ahead] I'll try not to give anything important away, but while the book starts off as a wonderful mystery, it suddenly hangs and for the next 300 pages or so I was constantly waiting for the story to get going again, but it never did. The book is about an alien visit to our solar system, and a few of them make contact with the Australian and United States governments in the most exciting parts of the book. But after we learn just a little bit about these aliens, nothing is heard or seen from them directly again, EVER. Instead, the next 70% of the book describes events revolving around the main characters, where the characters are just spectators, and since they don't really do anything, I just don't care about them in the least. I thought this was going to change when in one brief scene, a group of people actually do something to fight back against the alien menace, but that scene was over in a couple of pages! C'mon! The Earth is threatened with complete annihilation and people just passively sit back and do nothing? Get real. Another reviewer here contrasted this book with Niven and Pournell's book "Footfall". Footfall is a good example of the incredible lengths people would go to (whether successful or not) to fight an overwhelming alien invader, and we should have seen someone in this book with a little desire to fight for survival. I know the US President in this book was an intentionally wimpy character, but there are a lot of folks in the US other than the president, and a lot of other countries in the world. If you read this book, I would recommend reading the first 25% or so, and the last couple of chapters, skipping the stuff in between. You don't miss much.

Forge of God- Best as a Prequel to Anvil of Stars.......2006-12-29

What is character development and human drama? What is suspense? You might say that these are both necessary "pauses" in the story that make the narrative more interesting and believable. For my (sci-fi loving) tastes, Bear went a little overboard on both, but non-sci-fi buffs may disagree. In a very Hitchcock-like manner, we never get to meet, understand or battle the real alien antagonists. If we experienced a similar invasion, the sad truth is that most of us would never have a clue what was actually happening. For this reason Bear's style is genius... intentional or not, the reader's experience is much the same as the characters: they don't have any idea what sort of deception is being conducted by the aliens or even if there is a deception. The invader's power is so totally beyond the realm of human defenses, that ultimately all they can do is sit back and watch the earth be dismantled in a grandiose and sadistically aloof way that may haunt you for years. When compared to typical mass market sci-fi (movies/TV etc.) the final act provides nothing short of jaw dropping astonishment. But it takes a loooong time to get there and those devices that deliver believable characters and pages and pages of suspense, start to get rather frustrating for a sci-fi aficionado. By the end, you are left with so many questions that you may wonder whether such bafflement is worth while... should an alien invasion have a happy ending or not? Enter: Anvil of Stars, now we're cooking! All of your frustrations are soothed (eventually) and the technological wonders are heaped on by the spaceship load. After absorbing the lengthy trials and tribulations of Forge's characters, it feels like a bit if a letdown that only one makes it to the sequel. But the vigorous pace soon makes up for that, and it quickly seems as if Forge was just a prequel to the real action. I'm not sure why the reviews and sales numbers seem to favor Forge. Greg Bear is well known as a hard sci-fi writer, and Anvil fulfills this role much better. The pace is much quicker and (like Eon) the wonders never cease. From massive coexisting alien civilizations, custom built fake matter space craft and solar system size booby traps, this is what sci-fi is all about... the soap opera politics of Forge soon fade, and you are immersed in a tale of alien deception, intergalactic revenge, warfare and high-tech toys that grips you by the tentacles! I read both books back to back and after 800+ pages of this story I'm just sad there isn't a third book! It seems absolutely pointless to read one without reading the other, but as other reviewers have said, the two works almost seem to have been written by different authors... theme(s) of human frailty, indecision and infighting persist in Anvil for those who like that element of Forge but the true sci-fi lover really get his just desserts in the sequel. Enjoy!

A Classic!.......2006-08-26

The Forge of God isn't necessarily the type of story most Greg Bear readers cut their teeth on, but it is a classic SF story. I liked this one a lot and it is one of the few books I've reread. Despite what some other reviewers say, the reader is definitely rewarded in the end with this one. The ending is spectacular.

The Forge of Liberalism.......2006-03-31

There's a strong tone of liberalism throughout the book, which is too bad, because otherwise it's very good. Liberals will want to read this, despite the science fiction getting in the way. Big shot SF critic, John Clute himself, trembles with excitement calling this novel subversive. The president is represented in the novel as a religious fanatic and gives a speech that the threat of destruction by the aliens is God's way of punishing the people of earth. I've read other stories and books by Bear and hadn't noticed this flavor of liberalism in them. Maybe it's supposed to be in reaction to Footfall by Niven and Pournelle, another earth invasion story published two years before this one, that many criticized as being neo-fascist. In that story they used atomic bombs as a means of propulsion for a space craft, I mean come-on, how much more fascist can it get. However, this novel is not so liberal as to try to show the bad aliens in a positive light. There are no songs on `the earth-destroying aliens love their children too', or portrayals of the earth-destroying aliens slapping you friendly on the back, and inviting you into their homes for shots of vodka.

The liberalism actually has very little to do with the actual invasion story, and passages with the president could be removed completely from the novel without effecting the invasion story. It wouldn't have mattered if it was Bill Clinton himself as president in the story, the end result was going to be the same, other than how the author would have written it.

The book is too long. The issues with the president doesn't add much to the length, it's all of the numerous characters of the story rambling around. The book winds on mostly aimlessly from about before page 200 to before page 300. Skimming along these pages you can keep up with the plot. However read in earnest at page 289 (in the large paperback) which is in chapter 42. This is where a lot of info gets explained. After that it rambles on again, however start again in earnest from page 400 (chap 62) to the end. The last 73 pages is the grand finale.

Mild spoilers follow, but if read any of the other reviews they won't be too much of a surprise. Two (maybe three, but the possible third is non-relevant other than as a red herring) type of alien forces visit the earth, one is good, one is bad. (Somewhat similar to the aliens in EE Smiths Lensman series). They are both von Neumann machines, self-replicating robots. (Or at least one is. For a 400+ page book, not a lot is explained about the aliens. A lot of speculation on the aliens by the human characters though.) If you've watched any of the Stargate SG-1 television programs, you have some idea of what they are. These two alien forces oppose each other. One is bent on the destruction of the earth for it's own self-replicating ends, and other is bent on destroying those machines. Things look bad for the earth. The 2nd aliens though, the good guys so to speak, want to help salvage elements of life on earth if needed so that not all is lost.

The Forge of God, published 1987, 473 pages, 3-1/2 stars

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