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I'm giving this 3 1/2 stars. (is there a way to give half stars? lol)This is a good book but I didn't walk away feeling amazed or really reveling over everything that happens like I would a truly amazing book. I can't write a summary without major spoilers so suffice it to say that essentially humans are space traders, the Qeng Ho, or those that stick to a planet mostly. One of the fleets of Qeng Ho heads for a system that hasn't been explored and promises much fortune and contact with the first...
Vernor Vinge is clearly a master of the space opera genre. This universe, both stories are in the same universe, is truly comprehensive and totally engaging. I would happily read 100 more in this space. The characters are novel and engrossing. Pham and the Qing Ho could easily rival the Future History universe, but with even better aliens.
"In one volume: two epic space operas that re-defined the genre" reads the cover blurb, and - boy oh -boy - this time you can believe the hype.Two superb entertainments in this weighty tome, each of which I happily give 5 of 5 stars.The first, 'A Fire Upon the Deep", introduces the concept of a galaxy divided into zones, where differing physical constraints allow very different technologies and possibilities. In this universe we set upon a grand adventure, as an evil Blight, a billion years old,...
These are really only loosely a book and prequel in that a higher consciousness used the memories of a main character in the prequel to create an avatar. That aside they're two different time frames and areas of the universe. I'll give it too him though, his aliens are unique. The first has sentient plants that trundle about on wheels, and psychic talking dog aliens that aren't a person without melding multiple bodies and minds into a single 'pack'.There's a sequel, which with my library still c...
Actually, I read this novel all the way back in 2001. I remember being totally caught up in it, but in the second reading, was truly astonished, to the point I don’t think I really understood it the first time! Vinge conceived the concept of the singularity .... and this novel essentially depicts a universe in which the singularity has occurred. His concept is truly a feat of imagination. I suspect that were I a computer scientist, I would even “get it” more.Vinge was on the faculty at San Diego...
One of my all-time favorite series
Really enjoyed.I avoided this series for a long time because I prefer my science fiction near-future and harder than far-flung wizardry stuff. This "Zones of Thought" theme sounded a little too fantastical - like Dune.But the ZoT stuff was more a backdrop against which the story played out. The story itself was about a race across an arm of the galaxy to save a child, and discovering the secret that would affect the course of civilization in this arm. At the same time, the child's captors - an a...
A Fire Upon the Deep: 4*A Deepness in the Sky: 3*Space opera. I really liked the concepts of the main alien species in both books. Both stories are written with several threads, but unfortunately the "alien" threads were 10 times more interesting to me than the "human" parts, which made for an uneven read - the first book brought things together much earlier than the second, which is probably part of why I enjoyed that more. (view spoiler)[Also, the second book involved way too much scheming for...
Read Deepness seperately then thought I might as well buy both together - a little disappointed with Fire, just seemed a little too superficial compared to Deepness without the darkness that makes sci-fi so good!
Both of the books are good, with a lot of of good science and of course fiction. But the second book is very tenuously linked to the first and really I think they are two separate stories.
Two spectacular books. I'm not sure how I've only just discovered Vernor Vinge but he is now on my favourites list. A must-read for any science fiction fan who enjoys sweeping space operas and convincing aliens (the Tines and the Spiders have have to be two of the best written aliens I have come across).I can see how people may not like how humanised the Spiders are, but for me it meant that (view spoiler)[ when we did get real glimpses of their true form, it had a much greater impact. As an ara...
Finally finished! Only took 5 months... Very good read. I think the second book was a bit too long but maybe that's just because I was so busy and unable to read it quickly. Lots of interesting scifi ideas about alien races and FTL travel and coldsleep and others, all amongst rousing stories.
I love me a good space opera--and this is one both grand and original. This is known as the Zones of Thought series because of the structure of Vinge's imagined galaxy. In it, there are various zones that allow for different levels of tech and intelligence. In the "Mindless Depths" of the Galactic core no intelligent life is possible. The zone of "Great Slowness" that contains the now dead Earth contains intelligent life, yes, but you must go father out into the "Beyond" for faster than light tr...
I read these a long time ago before I had a goodreads account but I really liked them.
As this monster book contains two often recommended novels by Vernor Vinge, I'm going to review them separately as they are really quite different. I had (half) written a longer review but due to a slip of the back button on my browser I lost it and had to start again!** A Fire Upon the Deep - 4/5 stars **I have tried to read this novel some time ago but found it way too hard to get into, not least because of a scene near the beginning (a family being killed in front of their children!) that was...
Wonderful that first chapter as the import of what is happening is still with me months and months later, I’m finally writing my first review I think I’ll read it again
so I have several questions about a Deepness in the Sky. there's plenty of SPOILERS here so STOP reading now if you have not yet read this book. STOP READING UNLESS YOU WANT TO KNOW THE END. STOP NOW. i finished the book today and enjoyed reading it very much.but i came away confused at the end. i still do not understand how the spiders were able to communicate with the humans and sabotage their plans. what did i miss?i re-read all the explanations of videomancy: "...the superstition that if you...
I was unimpressed with this book. After all the great books that have been nominated for the Hugo and Nebula that described truly alien civilizations it is depressing to read this Hugo winner which has a whole variety of alien cultures that talk think and act just like human beings. That was the one part I was never able to get past, though now that I've got that out of my system I'd say this book was just okay, but to enter it with muted expectations.
I began reading this book, but realized that I no longer have the interest for science fiction that I used to have. It is not a judgment of the book, which seems excellent and to be recommended for those who still enjoy the genre.
Fantastic SF from Vernor Vinge. As a bonus you have the concept of the technological singularity explained to you, by the guy who invented the idea. REALLY REALLY REALLY UNIMPRESSED BY THE TYPOS IN BOOK TWOReally unimpressed. I'm kind of used to it by now with that giant sinkhole of unprofessional rubbish known as Kindle, but completely shocked to find it in an actual deadtrees book.Still worth the read, though