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Infierno
Fast-paced novel written with wry humour by the father-son team, set in London and Scotland, in Australia and the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, about facing imminent natural catastrophe, from a quasar in the sky.
155 pages, Paperback
First published November 28, 1973
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99 people want to read
About the author
Fred Hoyle
117 books176 followersProfessor Sir Fred Hoyle was one of the most distinguished, creative, and controversial scientists of the twentieth century. He was a Fellow of St John’s College (1939-1972, Honorary Fellow 1973-2001), was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1957, held the Plumian Chair of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy (1958-1972), established the Institute of Theoretical Astronomy in Cambridge (now part of the Institute of Astronomy), and (in 1972) received a knighthood for his services to astronomy.
Hoyle was a keen mountain climber, an avid player of chess, a science fiction writer, a populariser of science, and the man who coined the phrase 'The Big Bang'.
Hoyle was a keen mountain climber, an avid player of chess, a science fiction writer, a populariser of science, and the man who coined the phrase 'The Big Bang'.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 5, 2012
Another Fred Hoyle SF disaster novel, but, alas, not a patch on
The Black Cloud
. The core of the Galaxy turns into a quasar. Given the orientation of the Earth, Hoyle has calculated that Scotland will just manage to avoid the deadly radiation, but England will be hit. His hero, a square-jawed Scottish scientist, makes the most of this fortuitous turn of events.
One problem is that the core of the Galaxy probably went through the quasar phase over ten billion years ago, and is most unlikely to do it again; in 1973, they hadn't yet discovered the supermassive black hole there, which (I think, anyway) is now generally believed to be a quasar remnant. A much more serious problem is that the book is boring and badly written, with minimal characterization. Though at least the relentless Scottish patriotism is sometimes funny. I liked the scene where the effete Sassenach scientists all drink port, while the virile Scottish hero orders a large glass of single malt...
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Having just read Kragh's Cosmology and Controversy, I see that I completely missed the point: the book is propaganda for Hoyle's Steady State theory. One of the things that killed Steady State was the discovery that quasars only occurred in the distant past, showing that the universe really is evolving. This was in fact the specific piece of evidence that made Dennis Sciama, one of the theory's main supporters, recant and join the Big Bang group.
But, in Hoyle's fantasy universe, galaxies can still turn into quasars. Sigh. It's downright embarrassing that a great scientist should be behaving this way. Luckily for Hoyle's posthumous reputation, the book is so bad that almost everyone has forgotten it.
One problem is that the core of the Galaxy probably went through the quasar phase over ten billion years ago, and is most unlikely to do it again; in 1973, they hadn't yet discovered the supermassive black hole there, which (I think, anyway) is now generally believed to be a quasar remnant. A much more serious problem is that the book is boring and badly written, with minimal characterization. Though at least the relentless Scottish patriotism is sometimes funny. I liked the scene where the effete Sassenach scientists all drink port, while the virile Scottish hero orders a large glass of single malt...
______________________________________________
Having just read Kragh's Cosmology and Controversy, I see that I completely missed the point: the book is propaganda for Hoyle's Steady State theory. One of the things that killed Steady State was the discovery that quasars only occurred in the distant past, showing that the universe really is evolving. This was in fact the specific piece of evidence that made Dennis Sciama, one of the theory's main supporters, recant and join the Big Bang group.
But, in Hoyle's fantasy universe, galaxies can still turn into quasars. Sigh. It's downright embarrassing that a great scientist should be behaving this way. Luckily for Hoyle's posthumous reputation, the book is so bad that almost everyone has forgotten it.
October 13, 2024
La primera mitad del libro se puede resumir en 10 páginas, no ocurre nada. Después es algo más interesante, de igual manera muchos nombre de sitios de Escocia. Mal escrito en general no lo recomiendo pero bueno tiene alguna idea interesante...
March 15, 2021
I'm more into fantasy than SF, but enjoy the Hoyles. Interesting science. Why not a five? I don't like the typical Hoyle protagonist. Brilliant, decisive, practical; also short tempered, violent and rude. Not only doesn't suffer fools gladly, but loves to rub their inferiority in their faces.
May 24, 2011
Like most of the science fiction novels written by astrophysicist Hoyle, the reader learns some science--in this case radio astronomy.
October 30, 2019
Vamos a ver.
TL;DR: qué narices acabo de leer. Suerte que la broma me costó solo dos euros.
(Ale, ya me he desahogado).
TL;DR: qué narices acabo de leer. Suerte que la broma me costó solo dos euros.
(Ale, ya me he desahogado).
November 8, 2025
(recensione in italiano a seguire)
Meh. The first part is very interesting, apart from the mathematics, which experts can digest but aren't essential to the plot. The second part, after the "Inferno," is quite plausible in its description of the material situation, but with regressive, caricatured characters: men turned into barbarians and women reduced to their useful appendages, and the protagonist—a world-class scientist, invited to dinner at Downing Street, no less—who turns into a ferocious brute, determined to maintain his alpha male role as the new local squire.
One senses, quite easily, a strong nostalgia for the time when in those parts—Scotland—the word of the tribal chief (by right of blood) was law and no one dared to question it.
Mah. Prima parte molto interessante, se si eccettuano le formule matematiche, masticabili da esperti ma non necessarie allo sviluppo della trama. Seconda parte, dopo l' "inferno", abbastanza plausibile nella descrizione della situazione materiale, ma con personaggi involuti, macchiettistici, uomini imbarbariti e donne ridotte a loro utili appendici, e il protagonista - scienziato di livello internazionale, invitato a cena a Downing Street, nientemeno - che regredisce allo stadio di bruto feroce, ben deciso a conservare il suo ruolo di maschio alfa nei panni del nuovo signorotto locale.
Si sente, neanche troppo velata, una forte nostalgia del tempo in cui da quelle parti - Scozia - la parola del capo tribù (per diritto di sangue) era legge e nessuno si permetteva di discuterla.
Meh. The first part is very interesting, apart from the mathematics, which experts can digest but aren't essential to the plot. The second part, after the "Inferno," is quite plausible in its description of the material situation, but with regressive, caricatured characters: men turned into barbarians and women reduced to their useful appendages, and the protagonist—a world-class scientist, invited to dinner at Downing Street, no less—who turns into a ferocious brute, determined to maintain his alpha male role as the new local squire.
One senses, quite easily, a strong nostalgia for the time when in those parts—Scotland—the word of the tribal chief (by right of blood) was law and no one dared to question it.
Mah. Prima parte molto interessante, se si eccettuano le formule matematiche, masticabili da esperti ma non necessarie allo sviluppo della trama. Seconda parte, dopo l' "inferno", abbastanza plausibile nella descrizione della situazione materiale, ma con personaggi involuti, macchiettistici, uomini imbarbariti e donne ridotte a loro utili appendici, e il protagonista - scienziato di livello internazionale, invitato a cena a Downing Street, nientemeno - che regredisce allo stadio di bruto feroce, ben deciso a conservare il suo ruolo di maschio alfa nei panni del nuovo signorotto locale.
Si sente, neanche troppo velata, una forte nostalgia del tempo in cui da quelle parti - Scozia - la parola del capo tribù (per diritto di sangue) era legge e nessuno si permetteva di discuterla.
December 20, 2018
3/10. media de los 2 libros leídos del autor: 3/10
Vamos, que de 2, 2 decepciones.
Ahora que estoy añadiendo a GR los libros que leí de chaval supongo que las notas tan bajas que reparto a muchos libros/autores serán debidas a que en esos momentos tb leía a Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein, Farmer, Bermudez Castillo... vamos, a los de la edad de Oro en los que sus virtudes de acción, agilidad y maravillas me hacían abrir los ojos (la mente) como platos. Y, claro, las comparaciones son odiosas y de ahí supongo que venían estas paupérrimas notas a otros.
Vamos, que de 2, 2 decepciones.
Ahora que estoy añadiendo a GR los libros que leí de chaval supongo que las notas tan bajas que reparto a muchos libros/autores serán debidas a que en esos momentos tb leía a Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein, Farmer, Bermudez Castillo... vamos, a los de la edad de Oro en los que sus virtudes de acción, agilidad y maravillas me hacían abrir los ojos (la mente) como platos. Y, claro, las comparaciones son odiosas y de ahí supongo que venían estas paupérrimas notas a otros.
October 20, 2023
El inicio puede hacerse un poco pesado puesto que la narración no parece llevar a ninguna parte, pero eventualmente, todo cobra sentido.
En un principio puede parecer un relato frío, pero a medida que avanza esta cualidad empieza a deformarse.
La idea es interesante, aunque por lo que he leído, algo cuestionable a nivel científico.
Lo que más me ha gustado han sido los dos últimos capítulos, que hablan de como la humanidad sobrevive a semejante acontecimiento. Teniendo en cuenta que hemos vivido nuestro apocalipsis singular, me parece un retrato bastante acertado.
En un principio puede parecer un relato frío, pero a medida que avanza esta cualidad empieza a deformarse.
La idea es interesante, aunque por lo que he leído, algo cuestionable a nivel científico.
Lo que más me ha gustado han sido los dos últimos capítulos, que hablan de como la humanidad sobrevive a semejante acontecimiento. Teniendo en cuenta que hemos vivido nuestro apocalipsis singular, me parece un retrato bastante acertado.
January 19, 2022
I thought it was a good expose revealing what would be the likely outcome if the earth was caught up in a global event. Some would move forward some would exploit the situation by moving back to a dog-eat-dog kind of existence. I would recommend this book, although it starts slowly by the end it all comes together.
May 24, 2025
Interesting science, although apparently dated - but what do i know, I'm not a physicist by any means.
Good story development, but toxic and unrelatable main character. Apart from his reactions towards impending doom, i found it hard to connect with the main character, or any characters for that matter. The writing is nice though, and it makes for an easy commute read.
Good story development, but toxic and unrelatable main character. Apart from his reactions towards impending doom, i found it hard to connect with the main character, or any characters for that matter. The writing is nice though, and it makes for an easy commute read.
May 8, 2017
Ciencia Ficción pasada de moda. Simplemente una historia correcta, pero sin más. Interesante el ver cómo se imagina el autor que se puede recomponer la sociedad después de una catástrofe.
February 11, 2025
Buscando una historia de ciencia ficción, me encontré con un drama bastante aburrido.
October 5, 2025
Quick, short and easy read. It gets better in the second half of the book. Really predictable, but still an entertaining book.
November 27, 2014
1982 grade A-
2014 grade B+
2014 grade B+
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews