What do you think?
Rate this book
Birthright #2
Господарите
На една незначителна, малка планета, далеч от центъра на Галактиката, Човекът гледаше звездите и мечтаеше да ги покори.
След едно хилядолетие корабите му вече кръстосваха Космоса и превръщаха мечтата в реалност.
Завладявайки звездните системи една след друга, Човекът ту се натъкваше на приятелско отношение, ту водеше жестоки войни за територии.
Не след дълго Човекът бе признат за доминираща раса в Галактиката, но точно тогава блестящите мечти се превърнаха в кошмар…
След едно хилядолетие корабите му вече кръстосваха Космоса и превръщаха мечтата в реалност.
Завладявайки звездните системи една след друга, Човекът ту се натъкваше на приятелско отношение, ту водеше жестоки войни за територии.
Не след дълго Човекът бе признат за доминираща раса в Галактиката, но точно тогава блестящите мечти се превърнаха в кошмар…
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
69 people are currently reading
391 people want to read
About the author
Mike Resnick
813 books550 followersMichael "Mike" Diamond Resnick, better known by his published name Mike Resnick, was a popular and prolific American science fiction author. He is, according to Locus, the all-time leading award winner, living or dead, for short science fiction. He was the winner of five Hugos, a Nebula, and other major awards in the United States, France, Spain, Japan, Croatia and Poland. and has been short-listed for major awards in England, Italy and Australia. He was the author of 68 novels, over 250 stories, and 2 screenplays, and was the editor of 41 anthologies. His work has been translated into 25 languages. He was the Guest of Honor at the 2012 Worldcon and can be found online as @ResnickMike on Twitter or at www.mikeresnick.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
March 22, 2019
It's a terrible, terrible book that has a potential to shock you and shake you. Resnick wrote a brief history of humankind which is not only plausible, but chillingly realistic. Of course, as this kind of book is (probably) supposed to be, "The book of man" also has a lot, A LOT of presumptions and racial pride. Nonetheless, it is also a really well pictured nature of Man and all his shortcomings and weaknesses. It is the first book of this... genre?kind?style? that I've read and, in a nutshell, I've been awed and now I'm itching to tell you what this book is not and what it is.
This book is not:
• A true sci-fi. There's lots of fiction, but just a few bits of science. And still, this book IS a sci-fi book.
• A book that ends good. Won't spoil anything, but I guess you guess right about the ending...
• A book that paints us in a positive light. We are a horrible race. Even fiction proves it.
• A book that lacks confidence. We, humankind, as a race are the best of the best in our galaxy. No pressure.
• A book that is a fun, nice, page-turning comfort-read. Every page is filled with dreadful anxiousness and a sense of inevitable collapse.
Still, this book also has different qualities. This book most certainly is:
• A book that will make you think about us as a race and our destiny and legacy. Are we, or aren't we?
• A book that can be viewed as a history book... Written by or designated for an alien race. How cool is that?
• A book that proves we're a race of resilient bastards. We just don't stop, don't quit and don't... think.
• A book that can definitely be an interesting read even for those, who are not into sci-fi or even dislike it as a genre. It has really nice insights into human nature, politics, psychology, etc.
• A book that, despite not having a coherent plot or any "action" and offering just some brief flashbacks of some crucial moments in our "history", is still quite worth a five star rating.
• Aaaand it's a book that has an epilogue written as a different book. Check out Seven Views of Olduvai Gorge - really worth your time, too. Especially since it's a short story and it takes just a couple of hours to read it.
Read it. Mark it "to read", at least. Believe me, this book IS worth your time. Not for the style, not for the writing, not for the fun, but for the IDEA. And that existential melancholy which is a constant escort throughout the book.
This book is not:
• A true sci-fi. There's lots of fiction, but just a few bits of science. And still, this book IS a sci-fi book.
• A book that ends good. Won't spoil anything, but I guess you guess right about the ending...
• A book that paints us in a positive light. We are a horrible race. Even fiction proves it.
• A book that lacks confidence. We, humankind, as a race are the best of the best in our galaxy. No pressure.
• A book that is a fun, nice, page-turning comfort-read. Every page is filled with dreadful anxiousness and a sense of inevitable collapse.
Still, this book also has different qualities. This book most certainly is:
• A book that will make you think about us as a race and our destiny and legacy. Are we, or aren't we?
• A book that can be viewed as a history book... Written by or designated for an alien race. How cool is that?
• A book that proves we're a race of resilient bastards. We just don't stop, don't quit and don't... think.
• A book that can definitely be an interesting read even for those, who are not into sci-fi or even dislike it as a genre. It has really nice insights into human nature, politics, psychology, etc.
• A book that, despite not having a coherent plot or any "action" and offering just some brief flashbacks of some crucial moments in our "history", is still quite worth a five star rating.
• Aaaand it's a book that has an epilogue written as a different book. Check out Seven Views of Olduvai Gorge - really worth your time, too. Especially since it's a short story and it takes just a couple of hours to read it.
Read it. Mark it "to read", at least. Believe me, this book IS worth your time. Not for the style, not for the writing, not for the fun, but for the IDEA. And that existential melancholy which is a constant escort throughout the book.
August 31, 2016
„Господарите” се състои от 27 разказа, които рисуват развитието на човека в космоса в период от 17 хилядолетия, започвайки от първите завладени планети извън слънчевата система и завършвайки със самия крах на човечеството като вид. Историите рамкират вселена, в която Резник е написал десетки романи (включително всички, които са преведени на български). Някой от разказите са пряко свързани, други отстоят един от друг на хиляди години.
Епично описание за възхода и падението на една огромна империя, която минава през всички познати и непознати стадии на развитие, погледната през погледа на десетки действащи лица, някой предсказуеми, други очарователно изненадващи.
Леко и увлекателно четиво, благодарение на умението на автора да изгражда митологични образи, съпоставими само с героите в древните митове и лекия стил на писане, познат от уестърните на детството, а постоянните алюзии с човешката история, от древността до наши дни, придават плашеща правдоподобност и дават много теми за размисъл (поне при мен).
Ако те първа откривате този автор, това е книгата с която да започнете запознанството си с творчеството му (макар да не е задължително).
Епично описание за възхода и падението на една огромна империя, която минава през всички познати и непознати стадии на развитие, погледната през погледа на десетки действащи лица, някой предсказуеми, други очарователно изненадващи.
Леко и увлекателно четиво, благодарение на умението на автора да изгражда митологични образи, съпоставими само с героите в древните митове и лекия стил на писане, познат от уестърните на детството, а постоянните алюзии с човешката история, от древността до наши дни, придават плашеща правдоподобност и дават много теми за размисъл (поне при мен).
Ако те първа откривате този автор, това е книгата с която да започнете запознанството си с творчеството му (макар да не е задължително).
October 4, 2008
4.5 to 5.0 stars. I am a huge Mike Resnick fan and I am also a huge fan of the "universe building" genre of SF. Resnick's Birthright universe is an excellent example and this book takes the reader through 12,000 years of Man's rise and (ultimately) Man's fall. A terrific read and highly recommended.
May 9, 2019
Библейска по замисъл картина на възхода и падението на човешкия род сред звездите, населени с Междузвездни полети, чужди раси, войни, наука, политика, филсофия, бюрокрация и какво ли още не. 17 хилядолетия прелитат в рамките на 26 кратки разказа - едно интересно бъдеще, в което човекът стъпква звездите по пътя си, а накрая те му отговарят със същото. Не включвам пролога и епилога.
Не са вече толкова чести преведените фантасти с визия и широка култура, и сборничето приятно ме изненада.
Не са вече толкова чести преведените фантасти с визия и широка култура, и сборничето приятно ме изненада.
July 11, 2008
I found this a terribly frustrating read because, while individual stories were quite good, all together it presented an incredibly depressing picture of human beings: we started out greedy, vicious, aggressive little primates who didn't give a damn about anyone/anything else and we end as greedy, vicious, aggressive little primates who don't give a damn about anyone/anything else.
Birthright is a sweeping history of humanity over the 17 millennia of its performance on the galactic stage (before being wiped out by a coalition of other races who finally got tired of humans' uncontrollable aggression), presented in a series of representative short stories from each millennium.
It's simplistic and reductionist and nowhere near as good as Resnick can be.
Birthright is a sweeping history of humanity over the 17 millennia of its performance on the galactic stage (before being wiped out by a coalition of other races who finally got tired of humans' uncontrollable aggression), presented in a series of representative short stories from each millennium.
It's simplistic and reductionist and nowhere near as good as Resnick can be.
September 11, 2011
I can sum up the basis to this book in the next sentence. Man is rotten.
However, the book wasn't. Even if it was depressing at times showing just how selfish mankind is, the writing is solid and the series of stories were brilliant.
I liked how Resnick dealt with the “alienness” of aliens and didn't try to ascribe human motives and emotions to most of them. His twists on how mankind interacted with and eventually connived or coerced them to subjugate themselves was inspired as well.
I don't recommend this book if you can't distance yourself enough to see that mankind generally is close to his counterpart in these stories but has the ability to change. If you can, then it makes for a great read.
However, the book wasn't. Even if it was depressing at times showing just how selfish mankind is, the writing is solid and the series of stories were brilliant.
I liked how Resnick dealt with the “alienness” of aliens and didn't try to ascribe human motives and emotions to most of them. His twists on how mankind interacted with and eventually connived or coerced them to subjugate themselves was inspired as well.
I don't recommend this book if you can't distance yourself enough to see that mankind generally is close to his counterpart in these stories but has the ability to change. If you can, then it makes for a great read.
February 11, 2020
Wow, this book is truly a masterpiece, where do I even begin?
Well, this book is a collection of small stories that follows the human race during 17000 years of galactic history and it comprises the rise and fall of humanity as the most powerful race of the galaxy, during these small stories we follow individuals who were pivotal to the betterment of mankind and various fields of expertise, we have the cartographers with their omnipotent map that can account for ships all over the galaxy, we have psychologist that try to understand not only man in its high position of power but the other alien races without giving them human characteristics and many other fields that are equally as important and as interesting, but that ain't the meat and potatoes of this book and what makes this book shine to me as a masterpiece, this book is a true study of human nature it represents us as this race that can do a lot of good but in a fraction of a moment can come to cause an unimaginable amount of damage, it does not paint us in a good light and it doesn't have to because the good and the bad makes man ''Man'', I took some quotes that ilustrate the message in the book and they are:
''Man wasn’t just another species to be recorded and forgotten in the history books. He was something special, something very different. No other race was capable of such generosity, such idealism, such achievement; and, too, no other race could produce such examples of pettiness, bestiality, dishonor, and dishonesty.''
In Conclusion, this book was an amazing read it is immensely entertaining and I would recommend to anyone that likes sci-fi and speculative fiction, this book gets five shining stars and my seal of approval as a masterpiece.
Well, this book is a collection of small stories that follows the human race during 17000 years of galactic history and it comprises the rise and fall of humanity as the most powerful race of the galaxy, during these small stories we follow individuals who were pivotal to the betterment of mankind and various fields of expertise, we have the cartographers with their omnipotent map that can account for ships all over the galaxy, we have psychologist that try to understand not only man in its high position of power but the other alien races without giving them human characteristics and many other fields that are equally as important and as interesting, but that ain't the meat and potatoes of this book and what makes this book shine to me as a masterpiece, this book is a true study of human nature it represents us as this race that can do a lot of good but in a fraction of a moment can come to cause an unimaginable amount of damage, it does not paint us in a good light and it doesn't have to because the good and the bad makes man ''Man'', I took some quotes that ilustrate the message in the book and they are:
''Man wasn’t just another species to be recorded and forgotten in the history books. He was something special, something very different. No other race was capable of such generosity, such idealism, such achievement; and, too, no other race could produce such examples of pettiness, bestiality, dishonor, and dishonesty.''
In Conclusion, this book was an amazing read it is immensely entertaining and I would recommend to anyone that likes sci-fi and speculative fiction, this book gets five shining stars and my seal of approval as a masterpiece.
October 7, 2012
Резник е бил голям любител на африканския бит, история и култура, често посещавал континента и размишлявал върху теми като колониализъм, човешка експлоатация, традиции и прочие. Така му е хрумнала идеята да стартира поредицата от "Хроника на човешкия вид", в която разказва за развитието на човека след като покорява звездите и космоса. Американецът е забелязал, че цялата историята на човечеството се повтаря циклично - появяват се империи като римската, британската, тези на Александър Македонски, на инките и маите (може да включим и САЩ в това число), които доминират, експлоатират, култивират и непрекъснато се стремят да са на върха, а накрая залязват и биват изместени от други. Точно както е устроената натурата на човека. " Господарите" не е само едно проследяване на цялата човешка история по един оригинал начин, възползвайки се от инструментариума на фантастиката, но е и изследване на човешката психика, пориви, желания, на положителните качества и недостатъци.
Останалото:
http://lammothsblog.blogspot.com/2011...
Останалото:
http://lammothsblog.blogspot.com/2011...
March 30, 2015
2015 Reading Challenge #35, a book set in the future
Well this is certainly set in the future... it goes out for the next 18,000 years. It took a little getting used to, as each chapter is a short story from a certain time period in Man's history. I think my favorite part in each chapter was the conflicting stories from two different biographies. One was written in obvious favor of man and was completely egocentric. The other, written from the perspective of the sentient races, was not so kind to man. A clever adviser who brought each alien planet into trade agreements was simultaneously a master of economics and the subjugator of the alien races. A traitor to mankind was also the savior who helped stop certain atrocities against alien life.
One of the hardest things about the book is that it doesn't pull punches as far as what mankind is capable of doing. There are some truly terrifying insights into human nature, and yet it is also optimistic in that mankind survives as long as it does. Written exceedingly well. Don't be scared off by the fact that this is the second book written for this series; this works very well as a stand alone.
Well this is certainly set in the future... it goes out for the next 18,000 years. It took a little getting used to, as each chapter is a short story from a certain time period in Man's history. I think my favorite part in each chapter was the conflicting stories from two different biographies. One was written in obvious favor of man and was completely egocentric. The other, written from the perspective of the sentient races, was not so kind to man. A clever adviser who brought each alien planet into trade agreements was simultaneously a master of economics and the subjugator of the alien races. A traitor to mankind was also the savior who helped stop certain atrocities against alien life.
One of the hardest things about the book is that it doesn't pull punches as far as what mankind is capable of doing. There are some truly terrifying insights into human nature, and yet it is also optimistic in that mankind survives as long as it does. Written exceedingly well. Don't be scared off by the fact that this is the second book written for this series; this works very well as a stand alone.
January 9, 2020
I really liked this book. I know a lot of readers don't like that mankind is presented in this book as somewhat evil but I would disagree. It represents people as they often are when given such options - goal-driven and noncaring in conflicts. I don't support such behavior but I can't see that mankind would be much better than described in the book.
Book consists of many short stories that are not directly connected but they illustrate the entire progress and fall of mankind very well.
Book consists of many short stories that are not directly connected but they illustrate the entire progress and fall of mankind very well.
July 24, 2017
La obra troncal del universo de la Primacía de Mike Resnick, dentro del cual se ambientan mulititud de otras obras suyas, tanto novelas como relatos de diferente extensión y estilo (hay policiacos, aventuras, comedia, drama...) Lo que Birthright no es una recopilación de historias, como algún otro reseñador ha escrito, sino una novela mosaico. Es decir, está compuesta de pequeñas viñetas autoconclusivas que, si bien pueden parecer historias cortas, en realidad fueron concebidas para componer esta novela (con posterioridad, alguna de estas viñetas ha sido extractada y publicada por separado). Porque aunque los nombres y los años cambian cpm cada viñeta (unas veces los saltos son de décadas; otras, de siglos), porque ninguno de ellos es el protagonista; el protagonista real no es otro que el Hombre, con mayúscula. Con una coordenadas geográficas de la galaxia entera y unas temporales de decenas de miles de años, narra la historia de la especie desde el momento en que da sus primeros pasos fuera de la Tierra, hasta que sale a la conquista inexorable de la Galaxia; el auge y caída de su imperio, hasta su extinción. Cada historia por separado es solamente una faceta de un retrato poliédrico que nos describe sin piedad. Se puede discutir, por supuesto, sobre el balance final, pero todo está ahí: nuestras miserias pero también nuestras grandezas. Nobles y orgullosos; compasivos y depredadores; altruistas y explotadores, leales y traicioneros, visionarios y mezquinos. Espléndidos y terribles. Todo ello está en nuestro pasado de manera que, ¿por qué no iba a estar en nuestro futuro?
October 25, 2014
Birthright is nothing if not expansive. The stories in this future history tell of the rise and fall of the human race. Resnick created a well crafted, detailed universe, and I liked the individual segments (especially the ones that dealt with the the alien-ness of other races and the problems with ascribing human logic to their behavior.) However, I was disappointed in the complete lack of goodness and compassion in Man. I probably would have given this 5 stars had there been a glimmer of hope - but I just came out it slightly depressed.
July 21, 2010
I took a long break from this book halfway into it. What can I say? It never deeply engaged me at all. I felt the author had a rather limited insight into human psychology, which a book like this must pivot around. Many characters (and they changed with every chapter) were wholly interchangeable. There are good ideas here, in the abstract, but the execution doesn't work for me.
August 12, 2012
I found this short story collection (it's **not** a novel) tedious and relatively pointless. A handful of the stories were classic golden-age science fiction, but I found they had not aged well. I actually fell asleep and had a bender-bender while listening to this -- it wasn't good enough to keep me awake!
April 14, 2014
This is an excellent collection of tales that chronicles the history of man and his place in the universe. Kind of a lofty goal, but Resnick tackles it very well. The results aren't always pretty, but it's an excellent, thought-provoking volume, and serves as an anchor to most of his other work. It's one of the classic works of the '80s.
October 22, 2018
Every so often, I read a book and wish I had more than 5 stars to choose from. It doesn't happen often, but it just happened now. Most of my 'favorite' books aren't nearly this good. I usually prefer fantasy over sf, but I might need to start reading more sf...
Also, I want more.
Also, I want more.
March 17, 2009
One of the few books that I have read more than ten times, I enjoyed it that much. Well crafted, very approachable.
March 28, 2023
Great author. Great Series. Great universe building. This one is a book of short stories that explain the history of Resnick's universe over 12000 years of mans rise to his fall.
March 31, 2023
Really loved it. The little snippits style of like a slice of history is was a little jarring at first and the excerpts opening each chapter was confusing in audio until I read along. But it was a really interesting view of the full arc humanity.
I also found this book to be hilarious, it has a great very dry sense of humor. Even in the way that the excerpts would be snipped it would always get interesting right in the middle where it ended. And they provide a great contrast putting the whole thing in perspective.
The way it starts is great because each chapter covers "the most important person in humanity" and yet in each of them the reasoning makes sense. The chapters usually end on a sarcastic or funny bit, which could seem like it would get repetitive or boring but each one showed a new interesting aspect.
Best we have read for book club in a while.
Reading Notes:
I also found this book to be hilarious, it has a great very dry sense of humor. Even in the way that the excerpts would be snipped it would always get interesting right in the middle where it ended. And they provide a great contrast putting the whole thing in perspective.
The way it starts is great because each chapter covers "the most important person in humanity" and yet in each of them the reasoning makes sense. The chapters usually end on a sarcastic or funny bit, which could seem like it would get repetitive or boring but each one showed a new interesting aspect.
Best we have read for book club in a while.
Reading Notes:
January 6, 2023
Досега не бях чел нищо от Майк Резник. Дори не подозирах, че е пропуск. "
Господарите
" и "
Seven Views of Olduvai Gorge
" (не е част от тази книга, но може да се счита за нейно продължение и нямаше как да не я спомена тук) се наредиха сред най-любимите ми научнофантастични произведения. И двете (както голяма част от романите и разказите на Резник) споделят една вселена, в която Човекът, прегърнал идеята, че звездите му принадлежат, бавно, безкомпромисно и методично налага своята воля сред хилядите разумни същества в Млечния път. "Господарите" описва тази, продължила 17 000 години, одисея: от ранните етапи на човешката експанзия отвъд Земята, през покоряването на галактиката, до жалкия край на последните представители на Homo sapiens. Всичко това е представено по един изключително интересен начин, в 26 глави, всяка от които ни среща с различна човешка група или професия ("Картографите", "Адвокатите", "Биохимиците", "Философите", "Проповедниците"...), прелитайки през еоните и различните форми на държавно управление, които бележат отделните части на повествуванието. Всяка от главите започва с извадки от два напълно противоречащи си исторически документа (човешки и извънземен), тълкуващи едни и същи събития.
Повече от ясно става отношението на Резник към колониализма, империализма, безумната вяра в "предопределението на съдбата" ("manifest destiny"), а и към цикличността на историята.
Кратката новела "Seven Views of Olduvai Gorge" ни пренася няколко хилядолетия по-късно, обратно на Земята, в източна Африка. Там, извънземна археологическа експедиция, търси причините за възхода и падението на Човека. Жалко, че новелата не е преведена на български.
Повече от ясно става отношението на Резник към колониализма, империализма, безумната вяра в "предопределението на съдбата" ("manifest destiny"), а и към цикличността на историята.
Кратката новела "Seven Views of Olduvai Gorge" ни пренася няколко хилядолетия по-късно, обратно на Земята, в източна Африка. Там, извънземна археологическа експедиция, търси причините за възхода и падението на Човека. Жалко, че новелата не е преведена на български.
September 12, 2025
Non un romanzo ma un enorme affresco lungo un paio di decine di millenni e dedicato alla infestazione umana della galassia quello dipinto da Mike Resnick in "Il libro dell'Uomo" ("Birthright: The Book of Man", 1982; Urania Mondadori, 2024; trad. di Fabio Feminò). È la storia del "Birthright Universe", il grande quadro in cui l'autore, pluricandidato e cinque volte premio Hugo, ha ambientato gran parte della sua produzione.
"L’Uomo era quello che era, un animale che sarebbe sempre rimasto fedele alla sua natura".
L'Era Galattica dell'Uomo attraversa varie fasi (Repubblica, Democrazia, Oligarchia, Monarchia, Anarchia) ed è descritta in 26 capitoli, ognuno dei quali, sotto un titolo che fa rifermiento alla "categoria" umana più significativa del momento, è una breve narrazione esplicativa della fase storica che sta percorrendo l'Uomo. E così si parte dai Pionieri (significativo il nome Bowman) per arrivare fino ai Distruttori per evidenziare come, nel corso dei 20 millenni esaminati, l'Uomo emerga, massacri, domini e decada, sempre e solo fedele a sé stesso e al proprio "diritto di nascita". Il colonialismo portato a livello galattico.
Una catatteristica interessante è che ogni capitolo è introdotto da brani tratti dall'agiografico "L’Uomo: dodici millenni di conquiste" di I.S. Berdan (edito intorno all'anno 13000 E.G.) e dal più equilibrato "Origine e storia delle razze senzienti" di Qil Nixogit (edito nel 19.300 E.G., alla fine del "percorso" dell'Uomo).
"L’Uomo era quello che era, un animale che sarebbe sempre rimasto fedele alla sua natura".
L'Era Galattica dell'Uomo attraversa varie fasi (Repubblica, Democrazia, Oligarchia, Monarchia, Anarchia) ed è descritta in 26 capitoli, ognuno dei quali, sotto un titolo che fa rifermiento alla "categoria" umana più significativa del momento, è una breve narrazione esplicativa della fase storica che sta percorrendo l'Uomo. E così si parte dai Pionieri (significativo il nome Bowman) per arrivare fino ai Distruttori per evidenziare come, nel corso dei 20 millenni esaminati, l'Uomo emerga, massacri, domini e decada, sempre e solo fedele a sé stesso e al proprio "diritto di nascita". Il colonialismo portato a livello galattico.
Una catatteristica interessante è che ogni capitolo è introdotto da brani tratti dall'agiografico "L’Uomo: dodici millenni di conquiste" di I.S. Berdan (edito intorno all'anno 13000 E.G.) e dal più equilibrato "Origine e storia delle razze senzienti" di Qil Nixogit (edito nel 19.300 E.G., alla fine del "percorso" dell'Uomo).
April 1, 2023
I read this back when it was first published in paperback, but the book had remained on the shelf ever since, so when I saw the digital edition available at a bargain price, I decided to grab it, and read it again, with the perspective gained with age.
This will be a difficult review to write. Certainly, Mr. Resnik's writing skills are not in question, the words frow from the page quite naturally. This is NOT "hard" science fiction, as there are humans thousands of years in the future using technologies like office intercoms that in 2023 have already been obsolete for decades. But then, this book was never really about the impact of new technologies...
The book takes a very cynical view of human behavior. I say cynical, because each story within the novel describes the worst aspects of humanity, with barely a mention of any person having any redeeming qualities. This is doubly sad because Mr. Resnick gets so much right about evolution and behaviors driven by need, but fails to go the last step to point out that it is survival and successful procreation that is selected for. Those same imperatives would be the same for virtually every species anywhere. All life competes.
This will be a difficult review to write. Certainly, Mr. Resnik's writing skills are not in question, the words frow from the page quite naturally. This is NOT "hard" science fiction, as there are humans thousands of years in the future using technologies like office intercoms that in 2023 have already been obsolete for decades. But then, this book was never really about the impact of new technologies...
The book takes a very cynical view of human behavior. I say cynical, because each story within the novel describes the worst aspects of humanity, with barely a mention of any person having any redeeming qualities. This is doubly sad because Mr. Resnick gets so much right about evolution and behaviors driven by need, but fails to go the last step to point out that it is survival and successful procreation that is selected for. Those same imperatives would be the same for virtually every species anywhere. All life competes.
June 22, 2024
Ascesa e caduta dell'Homo Sapiens. Nell'arco di 17 millenni seguiamo l'ascesa dell'Uomo (rigorosamente con la Maiuscola) da timido esploratore del sistema solare a signore incontrastato della Galassia.
La struttura narrativa è molto simile a quella della Fondazione di Asimov, con una serie di racconti più o meno autonomi che però formano un coerente universo narrativo che man mano si spinge sempre di più nel futuro, dai primi claudicanti passi nell'esplorazione spaziale a signore incontrastato della galassia. Dalla democrazia all'oligarchia alla monarchia fino all'anarchia, inevitabile preludio alla caduta.
Finale col botto, che ovviamente non spoilero. E un epilogo che praticamente lascia intendere che, a dispetto delle apparenze, nessuna storia è mai realmente finita...
Mi ha lasciato con la curiosità di andare a leggere altre storie, che poi sono la grande maggioranza di quelle scritte da Resnick, ambientate in questo stesso universo.
La struttura narrativa è molto simile a quella della Fondazione di Asimov, con una serie di racconti più o meno autonomi che però formano un coerente universo narrativo che man mano si spinge sempre di più nel futuro, dai primi claudicanti passi nell'esplorazione spaziale a signore incontrastato della galassia. Dalla democrazia all'oligarchia alla monarchia fino all'anarchia, inevitabile preludio alla caduta.
Finale col botto, che ovviamente non spoilero. E un epilogo che praticamente lascia intendere che, a dispetto delle apparenze, nessuna storia è mai realmente finita...
Mi ha lasciato con la curiosità di andare a leggere altre storie, che poi sono la grande maggioranza di quelle scritte da Resnick, ambientate in questo stesso universo.
Read
October 23, 2025[MP3CD audiobook format in vinyl case.] [Read by Tom Weiner] An epic novel of human expansion across the stars This brilliant science fiction novel constructs a blueprint of mankind's history-social, political, economic, scientific, and religious-for the next eighteen thousand years. Through a series of adventures, it illustrates clear, focused ideas about our birthright and our destiny. Since this 1982 debut, Mike Resnick has emerged as one of the most honored science fiction authors of his time, picking up forty-odd Hugo and Nebula nominations and awards. He has set twenty-five novels and a novella in the future that was outlined in this book. Now, those who missed it the first time around can catch up on this mind-boggling, all-encompassing precedent to Resnick's fiction. [Foreword by Raymond E. Feist]
June 28, 2020
The only book I’ve read more than twice (LOTR excepted).
The first page has us going from the planet’s surface to the stars - and the pace doesn’t slack for the rest of the book.
A fantastic work of universe building, with the species of Man cast in an anti-heroic role.
Resnick manages to make you feel for the characters, even though each one only appears for their respective vignette.
Each vignette builds on the one before, so there is a sense of continuity as we progress through the millennial future history of the human race.
There are various issues related to the time when the story was written - blind spots re technology, gender etc - but overall it holds up surprisingly well.
The first page has us going from the planet’s surface to the stars - and the pace doesn’t slack for the rest of the book.
A fantastic work of universe building, with the species of Man cast in an anti-heroic role.
Resnick manages to make you feel for the characters, even though each one only appears for their respective vignette.
Each vignette builds on the one before, so there is a sense of continuity as we progress through the millennial future history of the human race.
There are various issues related to the time when the story was written - blind spots re technology, gender etc - but overall it holds up surprisingly well.
May 9, 2024
Near the beginning of science fiction as a distinct genre of literature, Olaf Stapledon wrote a similar story of the span of human history. This is a lighter and simpler version of what might happen to humanity as our race expands through the galaxy around us. Each of the stories of the stages of man's history in this book are quite separate, involving different types and levels of civilization. Yet they do reach back to the previous and strain forward to towrd next chapters. Each story has a central character or characters that act as both narator and archetype of the part of history covered in the story. But, there is an overarching theme to the book which, unfortunately, is the fundamental reason the story can be a truly complete history of humanity in the galaxy.
July 1, 2021
I like the author. Found the premise of the book lacking. I would hope by the time man forays into the universe he would have learned/evolved enough to shed at least some of his arrogance, narcissism and destructive behaviour. This story put forth man is doomec to follow the same path as Northern European colonists into the new world. That hasn't worked. Hopefully by the time man travels from earth diversity will be appreciated and we would approach new life with respect. This story assumes man is the bestest ever - what surprise it will be when man gets his ass kicked because he's not.
June 29, 2023
Ended up getting this before the first book so not sure if I missed anything that would change my feelings.
Story is an odd flow basically a thousand mile view of humanity going out into the galaxy and how they would act in the new situation.
The book treats science weirdly as sometimes it goes into crunchy detail and then turns around for something else and say because "SCIENCE!" and goes on, kept taking me out when it switched between the styles.
I also got lost a few times during the era jumps.
Not a bad look at human expansion illustration.
Story is an odd flow basically a thousand mile view of humanity going out into the galaxy and how they would act in the new situation.
The book treats science weirdly as sometimes it goes into crunchy detail and then turns around for something else and say because "SCIENCE!" and goes on, kept taking me out when it switched between the styles.
I also got lost a few times during the era jumps.
Not a bad look at human expansion illustration.
July 9, 2020
Wow.
Or perhaps I should rephrase that as WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
The future of the human race happened already. I can only assume that Mike Resnick is a time-traveller and wrote this just as what he recalled from school. If you haven't read this but do have an interest in - well, just about anything, really - then you ought to be buying a copy as soon as possible.
And, yeah, I could see the ending coming right from page one (!)
Or perhaps I should rephrase that as WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
The future of the human race happened already. I can only assume that Mike Resnick is a time-traveller and wrote this just as what he recalled from school. If you haven't read this but do have an interest in - well, just about anything, really - then you ought to be buying a copy as soon as possible.
And, yeah, I could see the ending coming right from page one (!)
April 19, 2024
Quite an epic of 'what if' scenarios of man's future among the stars. It is a good example of thought provoking science fiction, but some the scenarios are naïve or make some dubious basic assumptions. The classic is that Resnick effectively assumes no evolution of man, which over those aeons, is simply crazy dumb. The same could be said about AI. To sideline the parallel evolution of 'machine intelligence' is short-sighted in the extreme: Witness the evolution of AI over the past 20 years!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews