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Pola dawno zapomnianych bitew #1
Łatwo być Bogiem
W połowie XXIV wieku ludzkość ma za sobą skok cywilizacyjny. W ciągu piętnastu pokoleń skolonizowano ponad tysiąc planet i zbadano kilkanaście tysięcy układów gwiezdnych. Stoczono też krwawą wojnę domową.
Teraz cywilizacja stoi w obliczu rewolucyjnych zmian. W układzie Xan 4 naukowcy i wojskowi Federacji, w tym zwolniony czasowo z karnej kolonii sierżant Henryan Święcki, obserwują ze stacji orbitalnej tych, których od dawna chcieli spotkać - dwie rasy Obcych. Sierżant ma zidentyfikować ludzi, którzy wbrew procedurom próbują ocalić jedną z ras. Stawką będzie nie tylko przetrwanie Wojowników Kości, ale i życie Henryana.
Tymczasem w odległym układzie New Rouen Nomada, okręt Korpusu Utylizacyjnego usuwający zniszczone jednostki, natrafia na tajemniczy wrak. Zaawansowana technologia jest imponująca, ale odnaleziona na pokładzie jednostki istota może wstrząsnąć podstawami ludzkiej cywilizacji...
Teraz cywilizacja stoi w obliczu rewolucyjnych zmian. W układzie Xan 4 naukowcy i wojskowi Federacji, w tym zwolniony czasowo z karnej kolonii sierżant Henryan Święcki, obserwują ze stacji orbitalnej tych, których od dawna chcieli spotkać - dwie rasy Obcych. Sierżant ma zidentyfikować ludzi, którzy wbrew procedurom próbują ocalić jedną z ras. Stawką będzie nie tylko przetrwanie Wojowników Kości, ale i życie Henryana.
Tymczasem w odległym układzie New Rouen Nomada, okręt Korpusu Utylizacyjnego usuwający zniszczone jednostki, natrafia na tajemniczy wrak. Zaawansowana technologia jest imponująca, ale odnaleziona na pokładzie jednostki istota może wstrząsnąć podstawami ludzkiej cywilizacji...
416 pages, Paperback
First published August 20, 2014
7 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
About the author
Robert J. Szmidt
106 books143 followersRobert J. Szmidt is a writer, translator, publisher and editor in chief of a number of magazines, including “Science Fiction” monthly magazine.
He created a couple of literary and film awards, and the second largest digital library of science fiction texts in the world (www.fantastykapolska.pl).
He is best known for his eleven best-selling SF novels and almost twenty short stories.
His books appeared in Poland, USA and Russia.
He created a couple of literary and film awards, and the second largest digital library of science fiction texts in the world (www.fantastykapolska.pl).
He is best known for his eleven best-selling SF novels and almost twenty short stories.
His books appeared in Poland, USA and Russia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
March 20, 2021
Bardzo obiecujący początek sagi. Zabieram się zaraz za część drugą :)
May 17, 2017
“Easy to Be a God” by Robert J. Szmidt is the first volume of “The Fields of Long-Forgotten Battles” series.
The book consists of three parts. In the first part, the protagonists are the Federation Fleetsoldiers doing the worst kind of work imaginable. You could easily call them galactic trashmen. While on duty, they enter a ship wreck,and for them it’s all downhill from there. Someone might say,it is a classic SF scenario. Right, but that’s only the beginning. The second part of the novel takes you to a different star system. At first, this change of locale is confusing, especially that you encounter many strange words and expressions. Only after a while, did I realize that I looked at another intelligent race. Shortly after,there appears the main character – Henryan Swiecki – whose ups and downs you’ll follow until the very end, and whom you’ll get to like. Apart from the deep space and the alien planet surface, you’ll find yourself in a harsh penal colony and in a secret research base. You’ll witness the moral dilemmas of scientists and soldiers, who will – or will not – interfere with two alien species discovered by Mankind on a distant planet.
The plot is outstanding. It tackles a lot of important issues, which people face on Earth even to day. Firstly, who can give a handful of people the right to decide the fate of many? Secondly, is it okay to stand idly by and watch someone else suffering? I don’t know if it was the author’s intention to ask these and many other questions, but they undoubtedly arise in the reader’s head. The title itself states that it is indeed easy to play God (especially at someone’s expense).
It is not a “Star Wars” style space opera. There are no space battles to speak of, although you get a taste of wonders of space. There is no black-and-white distinction between good and evil, either. Maybe that’s the reason why this book is extremely interesting.
You can’t deny the originality of its concept. Sometimes the names, both human and alien, made me confused.The former are composed of two parts. For example, the main character’s name is Henryan, which comes from HenRY and RYan. It’sindisputably something new, but it can also hamper reading. For me, these imaginative, but hard to pronounce names were sort of tongue twisters, because I was always searching for something simpler and more familiar.
The cover is excellent. Gray and gloomy, as befits the space. The majesty of a huge orbital station hanging over some planet is overwhelming.
This book deserves every bit of recognition, because it is original and addictive, entertaining and reflective. It’s a quick and easy read,but it will stay with you long after you turn the last page. Fortunately there’s more to come; it’s going to be a quadrilogy! I recommend “Easy to Be a God” to all SF enthusiasts.
The book consists of three parts. In the first part, the protagonists are the Federation Fleetsoldiers doing the worst kind of work imaginable. You could easily call them galactic trashmen. While on duty, they enter a ship wreck,and for them it’s all downhill from there. Someone might say,it is a classic SF scenario. Right, but that’s only the beginning. The second part of the novel takes you to a different star system. At first, this change of locale is confusing, especially that you encounter many strange words and expressions. Only after a while, did I realize that I looked at another intelligent race. Shortly after,there appears the main character – Henryan Swiecki – whose ups and downs you’ll follow until the very end, and whom you’ll get to like. Apart from the deep space and the alien planet surface, you’ll find yourself in a harsh penal colony and in a secret research base. You’ll witness the moral dilemmas of scientists and soldiers, who will – or will not – interfere with two alien species discovered by Mankind on a distant planet.
The plot is outstanding. It tackles a lot of important issues, which people face on Earth even to day. Firstly, who can give a handful of people the right to decide the fate of many? Secondly, is it okay to stand idly by and watch someone else suffering? I don’t know if it was the author’s intention to ask these and many other questions, but they undoubtedly arise in the reader’s head. The title itself states that it is indeed easy to play God (especially at someone’s expense).
It is not a “Star Wars” style space opera. There are no space battles to speak of, although you get a taste of wonders of space. There is no black-and-white distinction between good and evil, either. Maybe that’s the reason why this book is extremely interesting.
You can’t deny the originality of its concept. Sometimes the names, both human and alien, made me confused.The former are composed of two parts. For example, the main character’s name is Henryan, which comes from HenRY and RYan. It’sindisputably something new, but it can also hamper reading. For me, these imaginative, but hard to pronounce names were sort of tongue twisters, because I was always searching for something simpler and more familiar.
The cover is excellent. Gray and gloomy, as befits the space. The majesty of a huge orbital station hanging over some planet is overwhelming.
This book deserves every bit of recognition, because it is original and addictive, entertaining and reflective. It’s a quick and easy read,but it will stay with you long after you turn the last page. Fortunately there’s more to come; it’s going to be a quadrilogy! I recommend “Easy to Be a God” to all SF enthusiasts.
May 31, 2017
In this book there is everything I expect from a good SF novel: far space, mystery and aliens, and also fear and doubt. All in all you get a compelling story, which is an excellent read.
June 1, 2017
NO SPOILERS
On rare occasions you come across a book, which restores your faith in Hard SF and space opera. When I started reading Robert J. Szmidt’s „Easy to Be a God” I felt like coming home. I had this unique feeling that I communed with something utterly good. This author is on a par with the finest SF writers, like Scalzi, Campbell, Raynolds, Haldeman. His prose is peppered with 24-carat gold from Golden Age of Science Fiction and reminds you of Robert A. Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke and James Blish. “Easy to Be a God” is solid space adventure with a great story and great characters. Tight-plot, fast-paced fiction with great world building, believable from the first page, which is a real challenge for every writer. There’s no need for S.T. Coleridge’s “willing suspension of disbelief” - you step right into the universe of The Fields of Long-Forgotten Battles and you stay there.
Can’t wait for the next book in this series. I strongly recommend Book One and hope that Netflix options the film rights and makes an epic, high-budget series:)
On rare occasions you come across a book, which restores your faith in Hard SF and space opera. When I started reading Robert J. Szmidt’s „Easy to Be a God” I felt like coming home. I had this unique feeling that I communed with something utterly good. This author is on a par with the finest SF writers, like Scalzi, Campbell, Raynolds, Haldeman. His prose is peppered with 24-carat gold from Golden Age of Science Fiction and reminds you of Robert A. Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke and James Blish. “Easy to Be a God” is solid space adventure with a great story and great characters. Tight-plot, fast-paced fiction with great world building, believable from the first page, which is a real challenge for every writer. There’s no need for S.T. Coleridge’s “willing suspension of disbelief” - you step right into the universe of The Fields of Long-Forgotten Battles and you stay there.
Can’t wait for the next book in this series. I strongly recommend Book One and hope that Netflix options the film rights and makes an epic, high-budget series:)
June 1, 2017
Is it easy to be a god? Check it out for yourself. I can’t wait to read Book Two in this series. Can you?
June 1, 2017
First book in the „The Fields Of Long-Forgotten Battles” Series. Fantastic mix of military sf and space opera. I was overjoyed with shifting between the vivid space battles, intergalactic politics and the continuously building tension. I read a lot of sf, and this book was quite a treat, even for a hardcore fan of the genre like me. Great ideas, fast moving plot full of twists and surprises (some nasty ones!), deadly aliens, and politics full of s… . I totally enjoyed writing style as it incorporates seamlessly elements such as great character development, hard science, action, political drama, intrigue and dark humour to produce a novel that is not only entertaining but shows a well-developed universe that readers quite easily find themselves engrossed in. From now Henryan is on my favourite character list and I highly recommend this book to fans of the high-quality sf. If you like books by David Weber, John Ringo, Peter Hamilton, John Scalzi – you’ll love this book! I can’t wait to read the next instalment – bad news is that i have to wait for it, but good one is – there will be three more books in the series!!!
June 1, 2017
Great fun
24th century.
After several hundred years of space exploration, and colonizing over a thousand planets, humanity finally fulfils its dream.
An alien race is found. Two, to be exact. On ONE single planet. From the orbital station, a group of scientists and accompanying troops are watching them. But someone is playing a God. Sergeant Swiecki arrives at the station to find the people who are messing around.
Meanwhile, the crew of Recycling Corps spaceship "Nomad", which is getting rid of wrecks from the fields of long-forgotten battles of the previous war, finds a strange wreck drifting in space probably for tens of thousands of years. What they discover onboard, can change our view on the origins of human race. Are you ready for this? If so, let's roll.
"Easy To Be A God" is the first of the four-part series. It's a very good, old fashioned science fiction novel, with an interesting storyline, plenty of action twists, and full of humor.
All in all, it’s great fun.
24th century.
After several hundred years of space exploration, and colonizing over a thousand planets, humanity finally fulfils its dream.
An alien race is found. Two, to be exact. On ONE single planet. From the orbital station, a group of scientists and accompanying troops are watching them. But someone is playing a God. Sergeant Swiecki arrives at the station to find the people who are messing around.
Meanwhile, the crew of Recycling Corps spaceship "Nomad", which is getting rid of wrecks from the fields of long-forgotten battles of the previous war, finds a strange wreck drifting in space probably for tens of thousands of years. What they discover onboard, can change our view on the origins of human race. Are you ready for this? If so, let's roll.
"Easy To Be A God" is the first of the four-part series. It's a very good, old fashioned science fiction novel, with an interesting storyline, plenty of action twists, and full of humor.
All in all, it’s great fun.
June 1, 2017
The beginning of a great story!
Robert J. Szmidt presents his new space opera. It’s near future, Mankind explored and conquered space, which wasn’t easy. Many battles were fought. The space is now full of fields of long-forgotten battles. Humans finally find aliens – but these aliens aren’t what people expected. They are so primitive that men could easily be gods for them. The protagonist, who has a checkered past, must ensure that Contact will go smoo… well, that it won’t happen at all. In the meantime, at the other end of the known Universe, in one of the fields of long-forgotten battles, a new threat emerges. And the terrifying history of Humankind is revealed…
“Easy to Be a God” is a great science fiction story and the beginning of an intriguing series. Every fan of Resnick, Douglas, Hemry or Lem should read it.
Robert J. Szmidt presents his new space opera. It’s near future, Mankind explored and conquered space, which wasn’t easy. Many battles were fought. The space is now full of fields of long-forgotten battles. Humans finally find aliens – but these aliens aren’t what people expected. They are so primitive that men could easily be gods for them. The protagonist, who has a checkered past, must ensure that Contact will go smoo… well, that it won’t happen at all. In the meantime, at the other end of the known Universe, in one of the fields of long-forgotten battles, a new threat emerges. And the terrifying history of Humankind is revealed…
“Easy to Be a God” is a great science fiction story and the beginning of an intriguing series. Every fan of Resnick, Douglas, Hemry or Lem should read it.
May 31, 2017
Wow!
I haven’t read such good science fiction in a long time. Now I know why it’s a bestseller in Europe. Fast paced action, charismatic heroes, excellent plot, and those aliens.
If you liked Honorverse or Expanse, you’ll love this book.
I want more. Give me more!
I haven’t read such good science fiction in a long time. Now I know why it’s a bestseller in Europe. Fast paced action, charismatic heroes, excellent plot, and those aliens.
If you liked Honorverse or Expanse, you’ll love this book.
I want more. Give me more!
May 31, 2017
Excellent.
May 20, 2017
I bought it and read it, because I'm familiar with other books with a similar title: Hard To Be A God, Men Like Gods, Humans As Gods... I wanted to see what a contemporary author has to say on the subject. And I must say, I'm not disappointed. It's a very modern space opera, true, but it touches on the same, pre-eternal issues, as the above mentioned classics. Plus its action is fast, interesting and surprising more often that not. You get to know at least two protagonists, both male, but it doesn't mean that there are not any female characters. As the action takes place in the future, the world looks different, but the interactions between people are mostly the same as today. However, there are two alien races involved. No, wait - three! For me it was an extra bonus, as I extremely like to read about aliens. All in all, it's a very good read, that will hold you captivated for a day or two. Luckily for everybody there will be more books in this series, so I definitely don't regret spending money on this one.
May 18, 2017
Hard SF at its best!
The book transports you to the 24th century. Space travel is standard even for people, we colonized many star systems and planets, we even fought many battles in space. Now is the time to explore the conquered globes. So scientists begin to observe two alien races which are totally different from us. In the meantime a group of space rascals finds and explores an alien spaceship. Both the scientists and the rascals are in for a huge surprise! And so is the reader. No more spoilers, though. It's a light, entertaining read, but also a book making you think, as good speculative fiction should. is it really easy to be a god? Find out for yourselves!
The book transports you to the 24th century. Space travel is standard even for people, we colonized many star systems and planets, we even fought many battles in space. Now is the time to explore the conquered globes. So scientists begin to observe two alien races which are totally different from us. In the meantime a group of space rascals finds and explores an alien spaceship. Both the scientists and the rascals are in for a huge surprise! And so is the reader. No more spoilers, though. It's a light, entertaining read, but also a book making you think, as good speculative fiction should. is it really easy to be a god? Find out for yourselves!
May 19, 2017
The universe is vast.
Ideas are astounding.
Whole picture is mindboggling.
Read it or be forgotten.
Ideas are astounding.
Whole picture is mindboggling.
Read it or be forgotten.
September 27, 2014
Zabawa w boga
Człowiek to natura dziwna i skomplikowana. Pomimo wielu bardzo charakterystycznych dla swego gatunku cech, wyróżniających go z tysięcy innych, nadal ma ambicje, by być kimś więcej. By stać się bogiem. I chociaż to człowiek wynalazł boga (a może jednak było na odwrót – tę kwestię pozostawiam religioznawcom), silna chęć dominacji i panowania nad życiem i śmiercią innych istot jest w człowieku niezmienna.
Początek tej recenzji zabrzmiał bardzo filozoficznie, ale już uspokajam – to tylko krótkie przemyślenia nad ludzką naturą, które nasunęły mi się po lekturze powieści „Łatwo być bogiem” Roberta J. Szmidta. Pierwszy tom cyklu zatytułowanego „Pola dawno zapomnianych bitew”, pomimo swej lekkiej formy space opery, porusza wiele ważnych i poważnych kwestii mówiących o naturze ludzkiej. Jak zachowa się człowiek w obliczu spotkania z inną cywilizacją? Czy wolno ludziom wpływać na życie obcej rasy? Czy wreszcie najważniejsze z pytań: czy człowiek powinien bawić się w boga?
Łatwo być bogiem składa się z dwóch części. Pierwsza opowiada historię członków załogi okrętu Nomada, którzy w odległym systemie napotykają statek obcej cywilizacji. Historia Nike, świeżo upieczonego absolwenta Orbitalnej Akademii Floty, jest rozwiniętym opowiadaniem, które ukazało się kilka lat temu na łamach Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror. Misja Nomady jest właściwie odrębną nowelą, która w bardzo luźny sposób łączy się z dalszą fabułą. Główna oś fabularna osadzona została wokół postaci Henryana Święckiego, który dziwnym zbiegiem okoliczności zostaje wyrwany z więziennego piekła i przeniesiony na stację orbitalną, by obserwować zmagania dwóch ras Obcych i nieuchronną zagładę jednej z nich. Pilnie strzeżona tajemnica, czyli odkrycie przez ludzi dwóch innych ras rozumnych, staje się polem walki pomiędzy biernie przyglądającymi się obserwatorami a jednostkami próbującymi ocalić jeden z gatunków przed całkowitym unicestwieniem. Problem w tym, że zdziesiątkowani Wojownicy Kości są bezwzględni, a celem ich życia jest zabicie jak największej liczby wrogów.
Ciąg dalszy znajdziecie tutaj: http://geek-woman.blogspot.com/2014/0...
Człowiek to natura dziwna i skomplikowana. Pomimo wielu bardzo charakterystycznych dla swego gatunku cech, wyróżniających go z tysięcy innych, nadal ma ambicje, by być kimś więcej. By stać się bogiem. I chociaż to człowiek wynalazł boga (a może jednak było na odwrót – tę kwestię pozostawiam religioznawcom), silna chęć dominacji i panowania nad życiem i śmiercią innych istot jest w człowieku niezmienna.
Początek tej recenzji zabrzmiał bardzo filozoficznie, ale już uspokajam – to tylko krótkie przemyślenia nad ludzką naturą, które nasunęły mi się po lekturze powieści „Łatwo być bogiem” Roberta J. Szmidta. Pierwszy tom cyklu zatytułowanego „Pola dawno zapomnianych bitew”, pomimo swej lekkiej formy space opery, porusza wiele ważnych i poważnych kwestii mówiących o naturze ludzkiej. Jak zachowa się człowiek w obliczu spotkania z inną cywilizacją? Czy wolno ludziom wpływać na życie obcej rasy? Czy wreszcie najważniejsze z pytań: czy człowiek powinien bawić się w boga?
Łatwo być bogiem składa się z dwóch części. Pierwsza opowiada historię członków załogi okrętu Nomada, którzy w odległym systemie napotykają statek obcej cywilizacji. Historia Nike, świeżo upieczonego absolwenta Orbitalnej Akademii Floty, jest rozwiniętym opowiadaniem, które ukazało się kilka lat temu na łamach Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror. Misja Nomady jest właściwie odrębną nowelą, która w bardzo luźny sposób łączy się z dalszą fabułą. Główna oś fabularna osadzona została wokół postaci Henryana Święckiego, który dziwnym zbiegiem okoliczności zostaje wyrwany z więziennego piekła i przeniesiony na stację orbitalną, by obserwować zmagania dwóch ras Obcych i nieuchronną zagładę jednej z nich. Pilnie strzeżona tajemnica, czyli odkrycie przez ludzi dwóch innych ras rozumnych, staje się polem walki pomiędzy biernie przyglądającymi się obserwatorami a jednostkami próbującymi ocalić jeden z gatunków przed całkowitym unicestwieniem. Problem w tym, że zdziesiątkowani Wojownicy Kości są bezwzględni, a celem ich życia jest zabicie jak największej liczby wrogów.
Ciąg dalszy znajdziecie tutaj: http://geek-woman.blogspot.com/2014/0...
April 2, 2016
Dobra książka, ale nazywanie tego "twardym sf" to jakaś pomyłka.
May 20, 2017
Distant future. Humans spread throughout the galaxy. Even though there are no countries as such, and the origin of individuals doesn’t matter, because the races and nationalities got mixed up (for instance you can have a black Russian or a white red-haired Chinese), there was a war in the past. Its signs are still traceable in space; there’s even a special unit of the Federation Fleet – the Recycling Corps – which takes care of the shipwrecks from hundreds of years ago. Currently people live in peace, focused on exploiting the Universe natural resources, growth and development. And science. What is not known to an average citizen of the Federation is that on Beta, one of the distant planets, human encountered not one, but two alien civilizations. These are observed by the Federation scientists and soldiers. I never put spoilers in my reviews, so I won’t write more about the alien races, except the fact that they are highly original, totally different from us and also facing the „to be or not to be” issue. Scientists and soldiers don’t agree on how to treat aliens; the former want to be passive observers, wheras the latter wish to interfere. This is the axis of the book’s plot. The protagonist gets between Scylla and Charibdis, and has to tread very carefully to stay alive and free. In the end he comes up with an ingenious solution that could be a masterpiece, if all didn’t go haywire. As I said, no spoilers. I can only assure you that the plot is compelling, fast and jaw-dropping. In my opinion it’s a very good beginning to a four-part space opera. Personally, I can’t wait to read volume 2.
October 25, 2014
Przyjemny kawałek hard sf. Dobrze zbalansowana mieszanina akcji i filozofii, nieprzeładowane technikalia, interesujący bohater, Czekam na kolejną część.
April 21, 2019
In Robert J. Szmidt's Easy to be a God, humanity has been expanding through the universe for 300 years, and not once has it encountered any other form of intelligent life - until a rough-and-tumble salvaging crew stumbles upon the 50,000-year-old remains of the first...and comes to regret it.
It's not the last time humanity encounters alien life, though the next is significantly different - two civilizations that are still so planet-bound and primitive that humanity hesitates to interact with either, lest it negatively affect the development of the two. Trouble is, the two civilizations are about to engage in a war that could end up being genocidal for both, and some of the observers cannot let that stand. Acting under the name - and in the capacity of - Gods, they deliver messages and technology to the aliens under the humans' watch, hoping to avert an atrocity.
In the midst of all this is Henryan Swiecki. He's been assigned to thwart those interfering Gods, but his own situation is not so simple. He secretly agrees with the logic behind Gods' actions, but if he fails, he'll be sent back to one of the most psychologically oppressive prisons in human history, with no hope of escape. Between challenges to his morality and threats against his very life, he has quite a task ahead of him...
I read Easy to be a God on the recommendation of a friend and found it to be well worth the recommendation, but it's a book that requires some effort. I had to read it twice to fully appreciate it, first because it's divided into three wildly different parts that don't seem to have any connection to each other until halfway through the book, second because it features two of the most truly alien cultures I've encountered in sci-fi. Neither of these are flaws in the long run, but if you don't know to expect them, they can make for a challenging (and sometimes frustrating) first read. However, in the end, they all add up to quite an intriguing hard sci-fi novel.
The novel opens up on Nike Stachursky, a top graduate of the Federation Fleet Academy who, after some...ill-advised activity with the Admiral's youngest daughter finds himself assigned to the Recycling Corps - a salvage unit with such a high casualty rate that it's not-so-ironically referred to as the Recycling Corpse. There he finds himself amidst the ragtag crew of the FSS Nomad, beneath the coarse but weirdly charismatic Captain Henrichard Morrissey, as they search the wrecks of old battlefields for salvageable loot, and soon happen upon something altogether unexpected.
This section sets up a fun space adventure with a colorful, irreverent cast that could have easily carried through the whole novel, so you can imagine my disappointment when, just after the most exciting part of their own story, they're dropped for a story and setting so alien that I first thought I'd accidentally opened up a different book (more on that later). Still, the characters make great use of what little time they have in the novel. Nike is a smart (if not exactly sensible) protagonist; Captain Morrissey is one of those odd characters who is a total asshole and yet so hilariously written that he becomes likable; and all the characters in between bounce off each other like a close-knit pirate family (which is essentially what they are).
It's when their story takes a turn for the dark, though, that it becomes truly intriguing. What starts as the discovery of the "El Dorado" of spaceship hauls reveals that humans aren't alone in the universe - and maybe haven't been for a long time. Recollections of other salvage teams that were silenced after certain discoveries leads the crew to wonder if this perhaps wasn't humanity's first encounter with alien life - if the Federation has, in fact, known and been covering it up for some reason.
That dark thought aside, certain circumstances of the discovery lead the Nomad's chaplain in particular to have a distinct crisis of faith, with even darker implications for humanity.
Unfortunately, the novel never explores those characters or their discoveries beyond this point.
Instead it rockets without preamble into a meeting of the alien Suhurs, who are dealing with their own religious experience - a "Thunder Sower" gifted by the "Spirits of the Mountains" to one of the lowest-ranking members of their society (as opposed to a priest). Here Szmidt has created one of the most fascinating alien species and cultures that I've read about in recent sci-fi, with anatomies so unlike those of earth creatures that all Suhur sections necessitate multiple readings. Szmidt doesn't hold the reader's hand through these sections either, introducing the aliens with an avalanche of unfamiliar terms and expecting us to rely on context to figure out the relevant information. In retrospect, it's a pretty cool way to make the reader realize, "Oh hey, these aliens are really alien, not just humans in prosthetics and makeup." However, on the flipside, it did make for a frustrating initial read, especially since the shift comes out of nowhere following a group of characters we've grown to like and whose story has no connection to that of the Suhurs.
And especially since, immediately after, we're introduced to yet another brand new set of characters. It was at this point on my first read when I began to wonder if any of the stories in this novel would actually connect, particularly because the fourth major shift seems to introduce another new character. (It doesn't, just an established character using a pseudonym.) Fortunately, except for the first, most of the storylines ultimately do connect, but the abrupt way in which the novel as a whole is structured and the fairly slow reveals of how it all comes together might be enough to turn impatient readers off.
This is perhaps the novel's greatest flaw; though it is an interesting novel, its very structure risks frustrating readers before they even get to the heart of the main storyline.
That storyline centers around Henryan Swiecki, who was a captain in the Federation Fleet before a corrupt officer allowed forty-two soldiers - including Swiecki's brother - to die in a depressurization incident solely to hide evidence that he'd been involved in illicit dealings. When the officer escapes justice, Henryan takes it into his own hands, shooting him point-plank and killing him instantly.
This lands him in the Sturgeon Belt, perhaps the cruelest penal colony in the universe, with a warden so sadistically harsh that his prisoners routinely strive to commit suicide...but rarely get the chance in the colony's tightly-structured and technologically-reinforced schedule (another element of the warden's sadism). When Swiecki eases himself further onto the warden's bad side, his punishment is to be in charge of preventing attempted suicides, which does nothing to endear him to the other prisoners - but what choice does he have when his failure results in unimaginable torture? The warden takes enormous pleasure in making Swiecki suffer in whatever way he can, physically and psychologically.
Which is why Swiecki is surprised to suddenly be summoned away from the Sturgeon Belt on orders that even the warden can't ignore.
Under a new name, he's been assigned at the space station Xan 4 to help with a secret project: The Federation Fleet has discovered its first (that is, "first") two alien species and is observing them from afar - never interfering - as the Suhurs and rival Gurds prepare for what is sure to be a genocidal war. That's not his only secret project, though. As mentioned earlier, the real reason he's been summoned is to help root out the dissidents acting as Gods and interfering with the operation. His situation becomes even more complicated when Gods tries to recruit him, and he has to decide which he values more: his sense of morality, or avoiding the torture prison at all costs.
What follows is a complicated tale switching between the Suhurs and Gurds as they prepare for battle and Swiecki as he plays both Gods and the Federation to his advantage. At points, it's almost like reading a spy novel with aliens. Though not as fun and likable as the human cast on the Nomad, Swiecki is capable and fierce, fueled by the disproportionate injustice done to him (and his brother and fellow soldiers), and determined that no one's going to take advantage of him. If you're looking to read about a character who takes no crap, he's it, and you can't help but cheer when he sticks it to anyone who tries to manipulate him.
All this said, Easy to be a God is ultimately a satisfying, entertaining read, albeit far from a leisurely one. It's demanding of its reader; there's a lot to unpack within its pages, and some readers will be frustrated by its structure and untied story threads. (As a small note, there are also enough translation quirks to notice - strange turns of phrase, unusual punctuation choices, etc. - which may be distracting for some). There are subsequent books, though, so one would expect that such threads are tied up in those. Unfortunately, as of this writing, the series seems to have gone out of print in English, but if you happen to come upon a copy, this one's a challenging, recommended read.
It's not the last time humanity encounters alien life, though the next is significantly different - two civilizations that are still so planet-bound and primitive that humanity hesitates to interact with either, lest it negatively affect the development of the two. Trouble is, the two civilizations are about to engage in a war that could end up being genocidal for both, and some of the observers cannot let that stand. Acting under the name - and in the capacity of - Gods, they deliver messages and technology to the aliens under the humans' watch, hoping to avert an atrocity.
In the midst of all this is Henryan Swiecki. He's been assigned to thwart those interfering Gods, but his own situation is not so simple. He secretly agrees with the logic behind Gods' actions, but if he fails, he'll be sent back to one of the most psychologically oppressive prisons in human history, with no hope of escape. Between challenges to his morality and threats against his very life, he has quite a task ahead of him...
I read Easy to be a God on the recommendation of a friend and found it to be well worth the recommendation, but it's a book that requires some effort. I had to read it twice to fully appreciate it, first because it's divided into three wildly different parts that don't seem to have any connection to each other until halfway through the book, second because it features two of the most truly alien cultures I've encountered in sci-fi. Neither of these are flaws in the long run, but if you don't know to expect them, they can make for a challenging (and sometimes frustrating) first read. However, in the end, they all add up to quite an intriguing hard sci-fi novel.
The novel opens up on Nike Stachursky, a top graduate of the Federation Fleet Academy who, after some...ill-advised activity with the Admiral's youngest daughter finds himself assigned to the Recycling Corps - a salvage unit with such a high casualty rate that it's not-so-ironically referred to as the Recycling Corpse. There he finds himself amidst the ragtag crew of the FSS Nomad, beneath the coarse but weirdly charismatic Captain Henrichard Morrissey, as they search the wrecks of old battlefields for salvageable loot, and soon happen upon something altogether unexpected.
This section sets up a fun space adventure with a colorful, irreverent cast that could have easily carried through the whole novel, so you can imagine my disappointment when, just after the most exciting part of their own story, they're dropped for a story and setting so alien that I first thought I'd accidentally opened up a different book (more on that later). Still, the characters make great use of what little time they have in the novel. Nike is a smart (if not exactly sensible) protagonist; Captain Morrissey is one of those odd characters who is a total asshole and yet so hilariously written that he becomes likable; and all the characters in between bounce off each other like a close-knit pirate family (which is essentially what they are).
It's when their story takes a turn for the dark, though, that it becomes truly intriguing. What starts as the discovery of the "El Dorado" of spaceship hauls reveals that humans aren't alone in the universe - and maybe haven't been for a long time. Recollections of other salvage teams that were silenced after certain discoveries leads the crew to wonder if this perhaps wasn't humanity's first encounter with alien life - if the Federation has, in fact, known and been covering it up for some reason.
That dark thought aside, certain circumstances of the discovery lead the Nomad's chaplain in particular to have a distinct crisis of faith, with even darker implications for humanity.
Unfortunately, the novel never explores those characters or their discoveries beyond this point.
Instead it rockets without preamble into a meeting of the alien Suhurs, who are dealing with their own religious experience - a "Thunder Sower" gifted by the "Spirits of the Mountains" to one of the lowest-ranking members of their society (as opposed to a priest). Here Szmidt has created one of the most fascinating alien species and cultures that I've read about in recent sci-fi, with anatomies so unlike those of earth creatures that all Suhur sections necessitate multiple readings. Szmidt doesn't hold the reader's hand through these sections either, introducing the aliens with an avalanche of unfamiliar terms and expecting us to rely on context to figure out the relevant information. In retrospect, it's a pretty cool way to make the reader realize, "Oh hey, these aliens are really alien, not just humans in prosthetics and makeup." However, on the flipside, it did make for a frustrating initial read, especially since the shift comes out of nowhere following a group of characters we've grown to like and whose story has no connection to that of the Suhurs.
And especially since, immediately after, we're introduced to yet another brand new set of characters. It was at this point on my first read when I began to wonder if any of the stories in this novel would actually connect, particularly because the fourth major shift seems to introduce another new character. (It doesn't, just an established character using a pseudonym.) Fortunately, except for the first, most of the storylines ultimately do connect, but the abrupt way in which the novel as a whole is structured and the fairly slow reveals of how it all comes together might be enough to turn impatient readers off.
This is perhaps the novel's greatest flaw; though it is an interesting novel, its very structure risks frustrating readers before they even get to the heart of the main storyline.
That storyline centers around Henryan Swiecki, who was a captain in the Federation Fleet before a corrupt officer allowed forty-two soldiers - including Swiecki's brother - to die in a depressurization incident solely to hide evidence that he'd been involved in illicit dealings. When the officer escapes justice, Henryan takes it into his own hands, shooting him point-plank and killing him instantly.
This lands him in the Sturgeon Belt, perhaps the cruelest penal colony in the universe, with a warden so sadistically harsh that his prisoners routinely strive to commit suicide...but rarely get the chance in the colony's tightly-structured and technologically-reinforced schedule (another element of the warden's sadism). When Swiecki eases himself further onto the warden's bad side, his punishment is to be in charge of preventing attempted suicides, which does nothing to endear him to the other prisoners - but what choice does he have when his failure results in unimaginable torture? The warden takes enormous pleasure in making Swiecki suffer in whatever way he can, physically and psychologically.
Which is why Swiecki is surprised to suddenly be summoned away from the Sturgeon Belt on orders that even the warden can't ignore.
Under a new name, he's been assigned at the space station Xan 4 to help with a secret project: The Federation Fleet has discovered its first (that is, "first") two alien species and is observing them from afar - never interfering - as the Suhurs and rival Gurds prepare for what is sure to be a genocidal war. That's not his only secret project, though. As mentioned earlier, the real reason he's been summoned is to help root out the dissidents acting as Gods and interfering with the operation. His situation becomes even more complicated when Gods tries to recruit him, and he has to decide which he values more: his sense of morality, or avoiding the torture prison at all costs.
What follows is a complicated tale switching between the Suhurs and Gurds as they prepare for battle and Swiecki as he plays both Gods and the Federation to his advantage. At points, it's almost like reading a spy novel with aliens. Though not as fun and likable as the human cast on the Nomad, Swiecki is capable and fierce, fueled by the disproportionate injustice done to him (and his brother and fellow soldiers), and determined that no one's going to take advantage of him. If you're looking to read about a character who takes no crap, he's it, and you can't help but cheer when he sticks it to anyone who tries to manipulate him.
All this said, Easy to be a God is ultimately a satisfying, entertaining read, albeit far from a leisurely one. It's demanding of its reader; there's a lot to unpack within its pages, and some readers will be frustrated by its structure and untied story threads. (As a small note, there are also enough translation quirks to notice - strange turns of phrase, unusual punctuation choices, etc. - which may be distracting for some). There are subsequent books, though, so one would expect that such threads are tied up in those. Unfortunately, as of this writing, the series seems to have gone out of print in English, but if you happen to come upon a copy, this one's a challenging, recommended read.
November 28, 2017
Dobre sci-fi, ale..
Przyznaje, że początek książki mocno mnie zaskoczył. Wydawało mi się, że czeka mnie Honor Harrington w polskim wydaniu, a tymczasem historia w pierwszym rozdziale poszła na bocznicę, a w drugim, w ogóle wyskoczyła z torów i pomknęła w bok :) Jest to dość oryginalna powieść, czasem dość mroczna, a jednak przyprawiona szczyptą humoru, ze złożonym światem i ciekawymi postaciami. To dobre sci-fi, ale nie wszystko mi zagrało... będę musiał schować wyjaśnienie za spoilerem
SPOILER ALERT
Przyznaje, że początek książki mocno mnie zaskoczył. Wydawało mi się, że czeka mnie Honor Harrington w polskim wydaniu, a tymczasem historia w pierwszym rozdziale poszła na bocznicę, a w drugim, w ogóle wyskoczyła z torów i pomknęła w bok :) Jest to dość oryginalna powieść, czasem dość mroczna, a jednak przyprawiona szczyptą humoru, ze złożonym światem i ciekawymi postaciami. To dobre sci-fi, ale nie wszystko mi zagrało... będę musiał schować wyjaśnienie za spoilerem
SPOILER ALERT
Read
May 30, 2022Początek książki bardzo do mnie trafił. Zaczęło się od szabrownictwa i szemranych interesów, czyli tematyki, która zazwyczaj mnie do siebie przekonuje. Później, znienacka, nastąpiła zmiana tematu i poznaliśmy Święckiego - skazańca, który odsiadywał wyrok. Słuszny czy nie, nie był to czas sielski. Zakład karny był niezwykle surowy i po pewnym czasie na naszego bohatera spadło, niczym z nieba, zwolnienie warunkowe. No i dalej zaczyna się już akcja właściwa, poświęcona różnym wydarzeniom z życia Święckiego.
Główny bohater jest postacią, której losy śledzi się z zainteresowaniem, ale głównie dzięki temu, że są one tajemnicze, aniżeli dlatego, że Święcki jest wybitnie interesującą postacią. Jest w porządku, ale nie zżyłam się z nim w żaden sposób.
Dużo bardziej spodobał mi się Nike z pierwszej części, miał więcej głębi w swoim charakterze i jego losy zainteresowały mnie o wiele bardziej. Szkoda tylko, że już w ciągu całej tej książki nie wróciliśmy do tego młodego człowieka z początku książki. To był dla mnie swego rodzaju zawód. Wątek i postać, które najbardziej mnie zainteresowały zostały po prostu, nagle, porzucone. Zirytował mnie ten zabieg, no ale historia Święckiego nie była też zła 😅
Warto dodać słowo odnośnie tytułu - bardzo fajnie komponuje się w treści książki, ma swoje odzwierciedlenie i to wielokrotnie, co bardzo mi się spodobało, bo jednak nie brzmi najłatwiej 😁
Urzekł mnie fajny klimat tej powieści! Dobrze czułam się i w statku kosmicznym, na powierzchni stacji - spodobało mi się jak realia tych lokacji zostały opisane.
A to, co chyba zasługuje na największą pochwałę to... Styl autora! Książkę czytałam z prawdziwą przyjemnością. Początkowo irytowały mnie imiona postaci, ale okazało się, że autor tworzył je kierując się pewną zasadą. Pan Szmidt wykreował również swój system wulgaryzmów, co również mi się podobało 😁 lubię bluzgi w książkach, te niestandardowe też!
Nie żałuję, że sięgnęłam po ten tytuł, jeśli będę mieć okazję to pewnie sięgnę w przyszłości i po kolejne. Z jednej strony powieść niestety nie porwała mnie aż tak jak sądziłam oraz nie wszystkie jej elementy do mnie przemówiły, ale jest to naprawdę w porządku książka, miło spędziłam z nią czas i przeżyłam ciekawą przygodę!
Główny bohater jest postacią, której losy śledzi się z zainteresowaniem, ale głównie dzięki temu, że są one tajemnicze, aniżeli dlatego, że Święcki jest wybitnie interesującą postacią. Jest w porządku, ale nie zżyłam się z nim w żaden sposób.
Dużo bardziej spodobał mi się Nike z pierwszej części, miał więcej głębi w swoim charakterze i jego losy zainteresowały mnie o wiele bardziej. Szkoda tylko, że już w ciągu całej tej książki nie wróciliśmy do tego młodego człowieka z początku książki. To był dla mnie swego rodzaju zawód. Wątek i postać, które najbardziej mnie zainteresowały zostały po prostu, nagle, porzucone. Zirytował mnie ten zabieg, no ale historia Święckiego nie była też zła 😅
Warto dodać słowo odnośnie tytułu - bardzo fajnie komponuje się w treści książki, ma swoje odzwierciedlenie i to wielokrotnie, co bardzo mi się spodobało, bo jednak nie brzmi najłatwiej 😁
Urzekł mnie fajny klimat tej powieści! Dobrze czułam się i w statku kosmicznym, na powierzchni stacji - spodobało mi się jak realia tych lokacji zostały opisane.
A to, co chyba zasługuje na największą pochwałę to... Styl autora! Książkę czytałam z prawdziwą przyjemnością. Początkowo irytowały mnie imiona postaci, ale okazało się, że autor tworzył je kierując się pewną zasadą. Pan Szmidt wykreował również swój system wulgaryzmów, co również mi się podobało 😁 lubię bluzgi w książkach, te niestandardowe też!
Nie żałuję, że sięgnęłam po ten tytuł, jeśli będę mieć okazję to pewnie sięgnę w przyszłości i po kolejne. Z jednej strony powieść niestety nie porwała mnie aż tak jak sądziłam oraz nie wszystkie jej elementy do mnie przemówiły, ale jest to naprawdę w porządku książka, miło spędziłam z nią czas i przeżyłam ciekawą przygodę!
August 19, 2022
Cudze chwalicie, swego nie znacie.
September 25, 2023
uu fajnie fajnie
July 23, 2022
Bardzo przyzwoite, Mistrz Robert trzyma poziom, zobaczymy jak kolejne.
January 20, 2021
Bardzo dobra seria SF, przypomina mi trochę serię Odyssey One - Evan Currie. Która dla mnie była super. Robert J. Szmidt odwalił kawał dobrej roboty tworząc tą serię powieści SF pokazując że Polacy też potrafią pisać na wysokim poziomie. Zdecydowanie polecam bo warto przeczytać :)
May 21, 2017
I bought it and read it, because I'm familiar with other books with a similar title: Hard To Be A God, Men Like Gods, Humans As Gods... I wanted to see what a contemporary author has to say on the subject. And I must say, I'm not disappointed. It's a very modern space opera, true, but it touches on the same, pre-eternal issues, as the above mentioned classics. Plus its action is fast, interesting and surprising more often that not. You get to know at least two protagonists, both male, but it doesn't mean that there are not any female characters. As the action takes place in the future, the world looks different, but the interactions between people are mostly the same as today. However, there are two alien races involved. No, wait - three! For me it was an extra bonus, as I extremely like to read about aliens. All in all, it's a very good read, that will hold you captivated for a day or two. Luckily for everybody there will be more books in this series, so I definitely don't regret spending money on this one.
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September 5, 2017Distant future, tough guys in a cold world of deep space, where „no one can hear you scream”. Always in trouble, always on the border between good and bad.
“Easy to Be a God” shows that Robert J. Szmidt is one of the most interesting sci-fi writers of today. His work is fun and filled with interesting characters - people that you'll actually care about. His style is reminiscent of old school sci-fi books and in the same time this is a modern space opera.
This is a book for everyone who loves space opera and it’s elements: big battles, big ships, big guns, big guys, aliens and… deep philosophical questions. To be totally satisfied I needed only one element more: interesting female characters. Hope to find it in the second volume of “The Fields of Long-Forgotten Battles” series.
“Easy to Be a God” shows that Robert J. Szmidt is one of the most interesting sci-fi writers of today. His work is fun and filled with interesting characters - people that you'll actually care about. His style is reminiscent of old school sci-fi books and in the same time this is a modern space opera.
This is a book for everyone who loves space opera and it’s elements: big battles, big ships, big guns, big guys, aliens and… deep philosophical questions. To be totally satisfied I needed only one element more: interesting female characters. Hope to find it in the second volume of “The Fields of Long-Forgotten Battles” series.
February 8, 2018
Można przeczytać, ale dupy mi nie urwała
July 4, 2022
One of my themes this year is to read mostly new fiction authors. I want to challenge myself to new ideas and approaches to storytelling. Sometime it works, sometimes it doesn’t. But it is the journey that counts.
The book here is Polish sci-fi. Already I know it will be different than the slickly produced big publisher works. I didn’t judge it harshly when the language became a bit convoluted, as I understand translation is never easy. The stories have kept me thinking long after I finished the book, which is always a good sign.
Do note that this is more along the lines of three short stories than one full novel. It threw me for a few pages into the second story, as I kept wondering how it linked up to the first. The theme here is how the few or the one dictate to the many how to think. Or suppress knowledge, or have power over others. I found it quite thought provoking.
The book here is Polish sci-fi. Already I know it will be different than the slickly produced big publisher works. I didn’t judge it harshly when the language became a bit convoluted, as I understand translation is never easy. The stories have kept me thinking long after I finished the book, which is always a good sign.
Do note that this is more along the lines of three short stories than one full novel. It threw me for a few pages into the second story, as I kept wondering how it linked up to the first. The theme here is how the few or the one dictate to the many how to think. Or suppress knowledge, or have power over others. I found it quite thought provoking.
December 4, 2024
Potrzebowałam chwili by się w to wkręcić. Zapewne dlatego iż nie przepadam za krótkimi opowiadaniami a początek tej książki właśnie taki był. Trochę zajęło zanim te historie zaczęły się przeplatać i nim zorientowałam się kto tak naprawdę ma być głównych bohaterem.
Ciekawi mnie jak ta historia się rozwinie. Póki co zobaczyliśmy tylko mały fragment wykreowanego świata i po zakończeniu ciężko mi stwierdzić, w którą stronę to pójdzie.
Pragnę więcej akcji niż knowań o akcjach.
Ciekawi mnie jak ta historia się rozwinie. Póki co zobaczyliśmy tylko mały fragment wykreowanego świata i po zakończeniu ciężko mi stwierdzić, w którą stronę to pójdzie.
Pragnę więcej akcji niż knowań o akcjach.
December 5, 2018
Space opera przez duże S.i O. . Książki na półce, w miejscu ulubione - i chciałoby się napisać więcej o fabule, bohaterach i pomysłach - ale z drugiej strony - nie mam serca pozbawiać przyszłych czytelników autentycznej przyjemności z samodzielnego odkrywania pól dawno zapomnianych bitew. Wspaniała seria.
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