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The Way #1-3
The Eon Series: Legacy, Eon, and Eternity
This saga of parallel universes from a Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author “may be the best constructed hard SF epic yet” (The Washington Post). One of the world’s preeminent New York Times–bestselling authors of hard science fiction mesmerizes readers with a mind-expanding, three-volume masterwork about the creation of an alternate universe that breaks down all barriers of time and space, and its consequences for future and past generations. In the stunning prequel to Eon and Eternity, an agent of the masters of the Way—a man-made tunnel through countless dimensions—follows a renegade fanatic and his four thousand acolytes to a remarkable world of flora/fauna hybrids, where he is plunged into the terrible chaos of a raging civil war. As nuclear tensions rapidly reach a breaking point in a volatile twenty-first century, a hollowed-out asteroid appears, mysteriously hovering above the Earth’s surface. The asteroid contains the remains of Thistledown, an abandoned city that was once home to survivors of a nuclear holocaust. Scientists must race to unravel its secrets before the human race is annihilated in the impending apocalypse. A devastating war has left Earth a nuclear wasteland. Orbiting the planet is an asteroid-starship containing the civilization of Thistledown, humanity’s future descendants. For decades, they have worked to heal their world and its survivors, but their resources are finite. They need to reopen the Way, a gate that would not only benefit Earth but also help the asteroid’s residents return home. Greg Bear’s classic Eon trilogy is an astonishing feat of the imagination that combines humanism, cutting-edge science, and brilliant extrapolation. This masterful science fiction saga has no equal in contemporary speculative fiction.
1339 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 16, 2017
787 people are currently reading
667 people want to read
About the author
Greg Bear
229 books2,094 followersGreg Bear was an American writer and illustrator best known for science fiction. His work covered themes of galactic conflict (Forge of God books), parallel universes (The Way series), consciousness and cultural practices (Queen of Angels), and accelerated evolution (Blood Music, Darwin’s Radio, and Darwin’s Children). His last work was the 2021 novel The Unfinished Land. Greg Bear wrote over 50 books in total.
(For a more complete biography, see Wikipedia.)
(For a more complete biography, see Wikipedia.)
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 26, 2019
I missed out on Greg Bear's Eon series back in the 80s, the only one of the "Killer Bs" I really read was David Brin. I am glad to have rectified that omission.
This is a classic Space Opera with reality smashing super weapons, miraculous technology, alternate worlds, time travel, and Soviet Space troopers armed with Space AKs and lazers. We see worlds where Ralph Nader has become a Christ figure and Alexander's Pagan Empire persists into the 21st century. Bear's breakneck pace slackens in Legacy, which is the third book to published but the first volume of this collection. Legacy is a smaller tale focused on only one character from the prior books' ensemble cast.
I would rank Eon and Eternity with Brin's Uplift Wars and Dan Simmon's Hyperion Cantos in the pantheon of Space Opera.
This is a classic Space Opera with reality smashing super weapons, miraculous technology, alternate worlds, time travel, and Soviet Space troopers armed with Space AKs and lazers. We see worlds where Ralph Nader has become a Christ figure and Alexander's Pagan Empire persists into the 21st century. Bear's breakneck pace slackens in Legacy, which is the third book to published but the first volume of this collection. Legacy is a smaller tale focused on only one character from the prior books' ensemble cast.
I would rank Eon and Eternity with Brin's Uplift Wars and Dan Simmon's Hyperion Cantos in the pantheon of Space Opera.
May 17, 2018
This is a book that is mostly fascinating for its worldbuilding and less for its characters. Of the three books in the trilogy, I liked Eon the best, Legacy perhaps the least (because it took the longest time to get to the point). The aliens in this book are fascinating, the environment layered and real, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading how the characters moved within their cultural context.
Though part of the book is outdated (the Cold War features prominently in Eon, which as a post-Cold War era child I found somewhat archaic) it paints a great picture of what happens to humans in the face of something larger.
All in all, I recommend setting aside some time to read this classic.
Though part of the book is outdated (the Cold War features prominently in Eon, which as a post-Cold War era child I found somewhat archaic) it paints a great picture of what happens to humans in the face of something larger.
All in all, I recommend setting aside some time to read this classic.
October 29, 2018
The first book was..a bit challenging. Partially due to the fact that I read it in English and that isn't my primary language. But also because it talks a LOT about aspects of the world not yet explained, and it takes place on a world so unlike ours it sometimes was difficult to wrap my brain around it.
Mind you, i have full on aphantasia so I cannot conjure up an image for the life of me, i do believe that people that can visualise better will have it a bit easier.
BUT even with the initial difficulties (like starting a Russian novel and forgetting who everyone is because all names are alike xD), the books were everything I could have wanted and more.They're weird,difficult in the emotions and topics they deal with, hard at times, but so worth the journey.
I'll be a series that stick with me.
Mind you, i have full on aphantasia so I cannot conjure up an image for the life of me, i do believe that people that can visualise better will have it a bit easier.
BUT even with the initial difficulties (like starting a Russian novel and forgetting who everyone is because all names are alike xD), the books were everything I could have wanted and more.They're weird,difficult in the emotions and topics they deal with, hard at times, but so worth the journey.
I'll be a series that stick with me.
February 25, 2018
The end of forever?
An enjoyable read, with a story arc returning to an origin but also to an end (of time). The ending just killed this series for me. The characters disperse to the winds, relationships abandoned, questions unanswered. Too much left unfinished.
An enjoyable read, with a story arc returning to an origin but also to an end (of time). The ending just killed this series for me. The characters disperse to the winds, relationships abandoned, questions unanswered. Too much left unfinished.
April 26, 2021
Huge ideas but flawed presentation
I really like Legacy and Eon was good but Eternity's Ending soured me on the trilogy. Eternity started off interesting but became my least favorite at the end.
Leave out the angels from my transhumanism...unless done very carefully.
The series is well written but the characters weren't fleshed out and fell flat though you can tell he got a lot better by the time the prequel happened at pacing and plot.
I heartily recommend retconning the end of Eternity with your own imaginings and the series goes 4 star easy. 5 star for ideas and cool tech.
I may be a bit harsh but I have high expectations for greg bear stories.
I really like Legacy and Eon was good but Eternity's Ending soured me on the trilogy. Eternity started off interesting but became my least favorite at the end.
Leave out the angels from my transhumanism...unless done very carefully.
The series is well written but the characters weren't fleshed out and fell flat though you can tell he got a lot better by the time the prequel happened at pacing and plot.
I heartily recommend retconning the end of Eternity with your own imaginings and the series goes 4 star easy. 5 star for ideas and cool tech.
I may be a bit harsh but I have high expectations for greg bear stories.
January 17, 2021
I hate to admit this but this author talked way above my head!
I made it through 4% of the three book trilogy and came across at least 20 words I had no idea what they meant unless I looked them up.
I tried to read on, figuring I'd get the gist of the story but ......
A meandering and twisted tale written by the author for his benefit, certainly not the reader's. Even attempting to unravel his pedantic descriptions of places, people and "beings" and events gave no reward to this reader. I am pleased that the volumes were a sale-price special.
I made it through 4% of the three book trilogy and came across at least 20 words I had no idea what they meant unless I looked them up.
I tried to read on, figuring I'd get the gist of the story but ......
A meandering and twisted tale written by the author for his benefit, certainly not the reader's. Even attempting to unravel his pedantic descriptions of places, people and "beings" and events gave no reward to this reader. I am pleased that the volumes were a sale-price special.
June 8, 2018
Strange Trilogy
"Eon", the middle book of the trilogy, I found both entertaining and interesting. Its depiction of the "Way", a highly stylized worm hole, was fascinating. I had trouble getting through "Legacy", growing tired of an over-described alien world. The final book took the story to a far-reaching and, to me, somewhat "trippy" end.
"Eon", the middle book of the trilogy, I found both entertaining and interesting. Its depiction of the "Way", a highly stylized worm hole, was fascinating. I had trouble getting through "Legacy", growing tired of an over-described alien world. The final book took the story to a far-reaching and, to me, somewhat "trippy" end.
November 4, 2019
Vivid and detailed picture of a possible future
Greg Bear does an excellent job of creating a complete and compelling universe of impossible technology that pulls the reader into an unforgettable adventure. Beautifully written and engaging from beginning to end.
Greg Bear does an excellent job of creating a complete and compelling universe of impossible technology that pulls the reader into an unforgettable adventure. Beautifully written and engaging from beginning to end.
November 1, 2020
Quite a good trilogy. There didn't seem to be a connect between book 1 and the other two books though. They seemed to be completely disconnected stories in the same universe. Well written with lots of descriptive details. Worth reading.
October 14, 2021
Engrossing read, read all three books in about two weeks
If you like science fiction based on science you will like the Eon series. You will find the dictionary useful unless you are extremely educated in science and history. Some words are not in the dictionary or Wikipedia
If you like science fiction based on science you will like the Eon series. You will find the dictionary useful unless you are extremely educated in science and history. Some words are not in the dictionary or Wikipedia
May 30, 2019
Wonderful series read it years ago and enjoyed it as much the second time
February 17, 2020
WOW!
This is my second time reading. Better than the first! What a journey. It's as if I have lived several other lives.
This is my second time reading. Better than the first! What a journey. It's as if I have lived several other lives.
July 4, 2020
I just got so bored... nothing happened, and then nothing happened, and then nothing happened. I put it down and several months later noticed that I just didn't want to pick it up again.
April 17, 2022
Read this many, many years ago. An amazing series that showed why Greg Bear deserves his place as one of the most influential SF writers.
November 16, 2024
Ran out of steam after the second book. I'll leave Eternity until...
June 4, 2018
This is quite the trilogy - great universe, very thought provoking, and interesting.
February 15, 2020
It's hard to review this because it's three books. The first one started out incredibly slow. OMG such a slog - but when it finally picked up it was okay. The world building is excellent; and you really don't need to read this book in order to understand the following two books (this is a prequel). Eon was my favorite. More excellent world building. Wonderful characters and the political situations are compelling and believable. Eternity was not as believable. Interesting though. Probably what stood in the way of thorough enjoyment, for me, was all the technical stuff. I'm just not good at that. I don't understand most of it, but if you are the kind of person who can understand and/or picture what is being described, you are going to love Eon and Eternity! I consider this to be more of a hard science fiction genre; but the books are also about the human (and not) relationships, which is what I enjoy.
January 8, 2018
These 3 books are some of Greg Bear`s best. I think I would give Legacy just 4 stars but Eon & Eternity are probably 6 star books! So it averages out. Must reads for any Sci fi fan!
November 13, 2024
Eon is excellent, Legacy is ok, Eternity is pointless.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews