Aaron

This novel definitely has shades of other books: the feudal politics of Dune, the unearthly narrative of Book of the New Sun, and the combat stylings of something like Red Rising. Not much happens until the last 10% of the book, and even then, this is clearly a precursor to a much larger story in the rest of the series. I’m interested enough to continue (and hoping that this book 1, while not my favorite, was a worthwhile investment).

Thank goodness this is over.

I tried. I really did. I hung in there because so many have called this series a masterpiece. After finally making my way through this monster of a book, I doubt I’ll continue on. Anderson is an incredible world-builder, but all the descriptive words can’t make up for the fact that almost nothing happens in this book. At the end, I cared very little for the characters and their plights. I was able to skip whole pages without missing any important detail. I never thought I’d encounter a juxtaposition of interesting concepts and general *blandness,* but here we are.

It’s too bad. I must be missing something that many others are seeing, but I just don’t care enough to find out.

I really enjoyed this book until I didn't.

The first 70-80% is a fascinating look at the development of nuclear energy, told through the lens of countless mathematicians, physicists, and brilliant thinkers. The last 20% feels like a hastily slapped together op-ed in which the author laments that nuclear energy has gotten a raw deal (an example: nothing that the 55 confirmed deaths at Chernobyl pale in comparison to the number of deaths prompted by other man-made disasters).

Don't get me wrong: I generally agree that nuclear energy has gotten a raw deal and will be vital in our fight against climate change. But if this is meant to be the perfect bridge from retrospective history to a guidebook for the future, it falls flat – it is too brief to give proper historical context to the many events of nuclear energy and it is too rushed to be a guidebook.

Unfortunately feels a bit dated. These ideas are more mature and better fleshed our in their newer books.

This book is labeled as one of science fiction's greatest masterpieces - it is a label well deserved. Frank Herbert's tale of revenge, politics, culture, ecology and religion is of a caliber that hasn't been seen in a long time.

The most notable evidence for this book's classic nature is how it reads - though it was published many decades ago, the language and settings read as though they were invented just last week. The characters are powerful and moving while still maintaining a healthy sense of reality; the locales are presented in a manner that easily depicts them in the mind's eye; and though the story can be a tad confusing at times, the overall theme of love, revenge, and fulfilled prophecy is staggeringly good.

A MUST read for science fiction lovers.