The Omega Point

Omega Point Trilogy #1

by George Zebrowski

The omega point Zebrowski, George

Genres: Science Fiction, 20th Century

176 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

George Zebrowski was an American science fiction writer and editor who wrote and edited a number of books, and was a former editor of The Bulletin of the Science Fiction Writers of America. He lived with author Pamela Sargent, with whom he co-wrote a number of novels, including Star Trek novels.
Zebrowski won the John W. Campbell Memorial Award in 1999 for his novel Brute Orbits. Three of his short stories, "Heathen God," "The Eichmann Variations," and "Wound the Wind," were nominated for the Nebula Award, and "The Idea Trap" was nominated for the Theodore Sturgeon Award.

Reviews

[João Sousa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Right after reading "The Omega Point" I was going to rate it with two stars, mainly because I could not develop any kind of empathy with the main character, either because of cultural differences or just because it was the author's actual point. In addition, the whole plot revolves around this hero (?) and there is virtually no other focus.

And then I got to the final pages. Even being a bit predictable, Zebrowski made a good effort and concluded the book in some style. Let's see what time will do to my memories...

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick scifi read about Gorgias, close-to-the-last of his race of human-descended inhabitants of the Herculean cluster, who fought humanity and lost big time. The Herculeans are drawn roughly like standard fantasy elves- smaller, more elegant, more sophisticated than humans, but frailer and fewer. Gorgias has the best spaceship around and uses it to zoom around and do terrorist strikes- taking out a composer who wrote a suite about the Earth-Herculean war, zapping warp drive beacons, and so on. He’s being hunted by Kurbi, a sensitive earthling who wants to take his man alive, so as to reproduce the Herculeans. This is both as reparations for Earth genociding them and due to some theory that humans need a rival or other in order to grow, etc. Ultimately, this sort of philosophizing takes over the book. After Gorgias does his last stand, he’s absorbed into the collective unconscious or noosphere or whatever you want to call it, which is very seventies-trippy and, naturally, stored in the mind of an attractive alien lady. It feels both like Zebrowski, an old scifi (and Star Trek!) hand, both ran out of ideas and followed his vision i.e. whatever he was reading about at the time. For better and for worse, the sort of book published used to insert cigarette ads into, like my copy. ***’

[Alien · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gorgias, Sohn eines großen Generals, ist der letzte Kämpfer der Herkulaner, einer Rasse von Humanoiden, die vor Jahrhunderten den Krieg gegen die Erdmenschen verloren haben. Er führt den Kampf fort.

Das Szenario mit dem einsamen und tragischen Rächer fand ich eigentlich ganz schön. Im dritten Drittel lässt die Qualität aber deutlich nach. Etliches wirkt unausgegoren und manches geradezu lächerlich. Bis dahin eine Spaceopera, wird es gegen Schluss noch esoterisch-metaphysisch. Das kommt bei mir nicht so gut an.

[Angela Randall]

We own an omnibus of the trilogy: The Omega Point Trilogy

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last captain/emperor/CEO/manager of an alien race seeks revenge against Earth for wiping out his people.

This was surprisingly good. It follows a lot of scifi tropes but diverges from them just enough to give a fresh interesting take.

Most of the book deals openly with the horror of colonialism, not only during an occupation but also with the types of abuse that occur once a people are thoroughly defeated. It also explores some different attitudes of viewing the past, from the inability of letting go of vengeance to surrendering to trauma.

The main character's motivations are ironclad as a result, but the way he gets challenged about his obsession with the past is convincing. He also is such a pathetically flawed person that I felt sorry for him.

I didn't know anything about this author prior to reading this. When I learned that he wrote a lot of Star Trek stuff, I was not surprised. The themes and feel of the book align with that franchise pretty well.

[Kenneth · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's the 61st century and humanity has spread out to the stars and colonized other planets. Events lead to a vicious space war. The first volume of a trilogy of which this is the only one I have read (a long time ago).

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. I understand that this is volume one of a trilogy of books. Although sections of the book were mildly interesting, and the last few chapters are actually pretty good, I've no interest in continuing the series.

[Marko]

I have two different german editions.