This science fiction book was a long read – and the first thing I thought when I started was that I wasn’t used to reading this genre written at such a scale.
It deals with the rise and fall of civilizations across the universe, a universe in which humans are only a minor player. It was interesting to read about how some civilizations transcend and move beyond the rest of the universe, while others fizzle out by destroying themselves with war or poisoning their planets.
This book uses this huge stage to tell a story both broad and narrow – you enjoy it on whatever level you prefer. The writer does a great job introducing the aliens (alien to the reader) and their unique cultures and forms of communication.
There is a lot of adventure and Game of Thrones style treachery and power jockeying so the pages go by quickly. I thought it was a great mix of story and science fiction thought experiment.
That said, it is a little over-technical at times. The story sometimes takes a back seat while the author over-explains some bit of technology that he dreamed up. Also there are long portions that I thought could have been edited out for more brevity – especially a long section where the main characters are essentially reading the internet and getting mad at the bullshit they find out there. We get it – we’re living it already!
So I thought it was a fun book but not light reading – I’m not sure if I’m interested enough to continue the series. We’ll see down the road if I keep thinking about it or not.
Next I am reading a thriller called The Drift by CJ Tudor.
