Starplex

Author - Robert J. Sawyer ... [Goo?] [Posters]

This Paperback Book item from Ace was reviewed on 16-Oct-2008.

Search ISBN:0441003729 offer from Abebooks or used books from Alibris. Starplex Reference Book. Classifications : Contemporary Literature & Fiction Subjects Books Sawyer, Robert J. ( S ) Authors, A-Z Science Fiction & Fantasy Subjects Books General AAS Fantasy Science Fiction & Fantasy Subjects Books Adventure Sc . Click the following link to view the cover of Starplex.

Related topics: Contemporary. Subjects. Books. Sawyer, Robert J.. ( S ). Authors, A-Z. Subjects. Books. General AAS. Fantasy.

1) Paperback Book Starplex by Ace. I have nothing but praise for Sawyer and I find him one of the best Science Fiction writers ever! However, this book was a major letdown, lacking the interesting characters and intriguing plots of some of his other books. Also, in other books, Sawyer does a far superior job explaining complex science. In this book he makes the scientific explanations difficult to follow unless you happen to be Stephen Hawking.

The plot itself reminds me of a long episode of Star Trek TNG. You have the starship searching the galaxy with both human and alien crewmen united by a planet Commonwealth (did you say Federation?). They ultimately must save the galaxy by the book´s end.

¤

2) Paperback Book Starplex by Ace. Robert J. Sawyer won the 2003 Hugo Award for Best Novel of the Year for HOMINIDS. That win was well-deserved but I got to wondering how far back in his career he was writing award-caliber books before he snared the "Big One." The answer is: at least THIS far back. STARPLEX was the only 1996 novel to be both a best-novel Hugo Award finalsit and best-novel Nebula Award finalist (and it won Canada´s Aurora Award and the Compuserve HOmer Award). Sawyer´s aliens are every bit as good as those of James White, Larry Niven, Hal Clement and Robert Forward, and his people are infinitely more complex and believable than any written by those writers. This book tackles just about every problem in astrophysics ... and solves them all. No wonder its on numerous university astronomy reading lists, and endorsed by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. A terrific book well worth tracking down.¤

3) Paperback Book Starplex by Ace. This the second book by Sawyer I have read and I enjoyed both. The first was ´Calculating God´. Starplex was mostly hard SF but with some interesting philosophical ideas. Although Starplex seems like basic hard SF, even leaning towards space opera on the surface, it´s also develops some big ideas about the universe and origin of life.¤

4) Paperback Book Starplex by Ace. This the second book by Sawyer I have read and I enjoyed both. The first was ´Calculating God´. Starplex was mostly hard SF but with some interesting philosophical ideas. Although Starplex seems like basic hard SF, even leaning towards space opera on the surface, it´s also develops some big ideas about the universe and origin of life.¤

5) Paperback Book Starplex by Ace. Sawyer´s foray into space opera and space adventure is a fun book to read, but lacks the depth of (human) characterization and philosophical thought that are the strengths of his later works. The book´s strengths include
1. the Ib Race -- a brilliant construct
2. the dark matter entities
3. the enigmatic glass man
4. the tightly woven plot threads
5. an interesting twist on the gateway concept

The book´s weaknesses include
1. a weak protagonist
2. too many "Star Trek"-like devices (tractor beams, force fields)
3. uneven treatment of the human-Walhal (the pig creatures) dynamics.

Unlike many of the (harsh) negative critics below, I found the book quite enjoyable, even if there is some hand-waving here and there. It´s not like that hasn´t been done before in SF. And just to set the matter straight, Sawyer does NOT imply that laser beams are visible (he clearly states that the computer animated the laser fire in a holographic display) and he does not say that a spaceship swerves to avoid direct laser fire; what he does say is that a spaceship maneuvers to avoid another, spinning spaceship which happens to be firing a laser.

The book is enjoyable science fiction. The key word in this phrase is fiction.¤

6) Paperback Book Starplex by Ace. Twenty years after the discovery of artificial wormholes launches Earth space exploration to unforeseeable heights, Starplex Director Keith Lansing investigates a mysterious vessel that soon threatens the station with intergalactic war.¤

Page Updated: Robert N. Goolsby, 13-Nov-2008, 04410037299780441003723, 040-500-390-290-260-440-8

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