طوفان خورشیدی

A Time Odyssey #2

by Arthur C. Clarke, Stephen Baxter, شادی حامدی آزاد (Translator)

‫ذهن بیسِسا دات، مدام درگیر یادآوری خاطراتش از پنج سال زندگی در دنیای جانشین زمین، به نام میر است. دنیایی پازل‌مانند، ساخته‌شده از سرزمین‌ها و مردمانی که از دوره‌های مختلف تاریخِ زمین گرد آمده‌اند. اما حالا نخست‌زادگان ‌(موجوداتی اسرارآمیز با قابلیت‌های فناورانهٔ نامحدود) او را از میر به زمینِ سال ۲۰۳۷ بازگردانده‌اند. اصلاً چرا نخست‌زادگان میر را به وجود آوردند؟ چرا بیسسا را به آن‌جا بردند و سپس فقط یک روز پس از نخستین ناپدیدشدنش او را به زمین بازگرداندند؟

‫زمانی که دانشمندان نوعی نابه‌هنجاری در مرکز خورشید کشف کردند، پرسش‌های بیسِسا پاسخی خوفناک دریافت کرد. وقتی نابه‌هنجاری علتی طبیعی ندارد، نشانه‌ای است از مداخلهٔ بیگانگان طی دوهزار سال گذشته. نقشه‌هایی که یک‌هزارهٔ پیش، تماشاگرانی مرموز در فاصلهٔ چندین سال نوری به جریان انداخته بودند حالا به‌شکل طوفان خورشیدی به نتیجه می‌رسید. طوفانی که برای زدودن شکل‌های مختلف حیات از روی زمین به‌کمک بمباران با پرتوهای مرگبار طراحی شده بود.

‫پس مبارزه‌ای بی‌امان در برابر بمب ساعتيِ خورشید آغاز می‌شود. اما حتا حالا، که آخرالزمان خود را نمایان کرده است، همکاری برای مردمان و ملت‌های زمین ساده نیست. تفاوت‌های دینی و سیاسی، هر تلاشی را از اساس تخریب می‌کند.

‫و در تمام این مدت، نخست‌زادگان تماشا می‌کنند…

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Time Travel, Audiobook, Fantasy, Ebooks, Adventure

447 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Stories, works of noted British writer, scientist, and underwater explorer Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, include 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).

This most important and influential figure in 20th century fiction spent the first half of his life in England and served in World War II as a radar operator before migrating to Ceylon in 1956. He co-created his best known novel and movie with the assistance of Stanley Kubrick.

Clarke, a graduate of King's College, London, obtained first class honours in physics and mathematics. He served as past chairman of the interplanetary society and as a member of the academy of astronautics, the royal astronomical society, and many other organizations.

He authored more than fifty books and won his numerous awards: the Kalinga prize of 1961, the American association for the advancement Westinghouse prize, the Bradford Washburn award, and the John W. Campbell award for his novel Rendezvous with Rama. Clarke also won the nebula award of the fiction of America in 1972, 1974 and 1979, the Hugo award of the world fiction convention in 1974 and 1980. In 1986, he stood as grand master of the fiction of America. The queen knighted him as the commander of the British Empire in 1989.

Reviews

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really interesting novel on a completely different level from the previous. They're linked almost tangentially to each other, focusing only on the grand design of these inscrutable aliens called the First Bornes and the MC from the previous novel who was returned from the Riverworld-type stitchwork Earth with so many times combined as one.

This Earth's direct challenge is dire as hell... a solar storm strong enough to scour the surface of the Earth and do significant damage WAY out at Jupiter, possibly Saturn. We're talking an extinction-level event here.

5 years to prepare. It's a future world about 35 years from the time this was written in the mid-2000's and even with the help of AI's and some advancements, the outlook is still poor as hell.

Clarke's characterization comes in very handy with Baxter's wild science, and we've got a much earlier look at what made Neal Stephenson's Seveneves so interesting. Neal's OMG let's save humanity right after the moon exploded might be rooted in a closer science-take than this one, and therefore better in that respect, but this one goes all out and pulls a Kim Stanley Robinson level of HUGE projects.

You know, like creating a refraction device wider than the sun, grown nanofilaments in the most interesting of plot twists. :) And the combined efforts of all humanity and AIs to save ourselves? Pretty damn amazing. :)

The focus is not on the characters, although they're pretty great. The focus is on the science, the Big Dumb Object, the means and methods, and the social problems surrounding it all. In that respect, I give this novel top marks.

It's SO different from the first one in the trilogy. I've got this impression that we're dealing with a trilogy-attempt at something super-huge and grand. Where it doesn't quite hit that EPIC GRAND mark, it still hits the OMG this is SO COOL line. :)

Really, it's pretty perfect for anyone tired of weak-ass SF who want huge projects with awesome huge stakes, not focused on war, but just plain survival. Bravo! :)

[Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book more than the first book. Again, Clarke & Baxter ensure that the science is emphasized in their science fiction -- and they do so in a way that should not only be understood by those without a scientific background, but also will be enjoyed by those same people as well.

I have a modest scientific background, and I was fascinated with the plot's premise of how the Firstborn were planning Earth's demise, and the feat of engineering needed to try to escape destruction.

I really found this to be a book of a very different flavor from the first one... much better in my opinion. However, as they fall into different "types" of stories within the SF genre, it's perhaps not fair to compare them. You definitely don't need to read the first one to read this one.

[Jonas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Two in the Time Odyssey Trilogy was good read and I enjoyed it, just not as much as the first. The major conflict in the book is the mysterious Firstborn are planning an extinction event (setting off a massive sunstorm) for Earth. I like this book because it highlights humanities ability to band together and bring the best out of each other during times of crisis and peril. This book focused on a new set of characters that I liked and was invested in. It focused on the science needed to protect Earth from the impending sunstorm. If you like science based science fiction you certainly will enjoy this book.

[Effie (she-her) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Αν και πολύ διαφορετικό από το πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς, κρατά το ενδιαφέρον του αναγνώστη αμείωτο.

Διαβάστε αναλυτικά την άποψή μου στο blog μου.

[Tomislav · Rating 4 out of 5]

06 October 2008 – ****. Read immediately after Time’s Eye. It seems to be going in a completely tangential direction. Some define "hard sf" to be science fiction that is technology-oriented, but I think that is too extreme a definition. I think "hard sf" refers to science fiction that attempts to be scientifically accurate. I have recommended this as a recent example.

A Time Odyssey consists of three novels, Time's Eye (2003), Sunstorm (2005), and Firstborn (2007), co-authored by Stephen Baxter and Arthur C. Clarke, shortly before Clarke’s death in 2008. In the same universe as Clarke’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, Mir is an alternate Earth with patches of human population pulled out of various time periods. Sunstorm continues the story which left off on Mir. The setting now switches to the original Earth, where a solar event foreshadows the coming solar eruption that will sterilize all life in the solar system. I found this novel more interesting than the first.

[Raed · Rating 4 out of 5]

“All right. I was born on a farm. You know that. I was always a dreamy sort of kid—not that you’d have known it to look at me…”
It was the longest twenty-eight minutes of his life

This is the first book by Stephen Baxter that I haven't given 5 stars, and i know why, I can easily detect patterns, I can distinguish between the chapters written by Baxter and the other chapters written by Arthur C. Clarke, and this was 30% just written by baxter.

but I have a conclusion, Liu Cixin inspired directly from Stephen Baxter : the same coldness the same style...

Anyway i will continue the series, I always finish what I started ...

[Larry Bassett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found listening to this book in the audible format to be thrilling. At times I thought I was right there in the midst of the story. Beings from very far away make an effort to destroy the earth by hurling and object larger than Jupiter from many light-years away into the sun creating a disturbance meant to toast the earth and all its inhabitants. This is science fiction at its most enjoyable that I have experienced. We have a setting in the mood 21st-century and artificial intelligence reminiscent of 2001 a space Odyssey! The motivation of the bad guys and wanting to destroy the earth was a point that I missed if it was in fact revealed. That the bad guys were out there in the universe carrying out serial annihilations was strongly implied. But humans won out ultimately moving gloriously into the future.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

I worried this novel might fail to set itself apart from so many similar disaster movies. Happily, this fear proved unfounded. Sunstorm is the thinking audience’s answer to popcorn disaster flicks. It trades fast-paced action and thin plot for a more compelling and engrossing science-based drama. This is not to say the book lacks entertainment value. It has plenty.

After a mellow start, Sunstorm steadily builds in pace and scope until a grand climax. As with part one of the trilogy, Time’s Eye , I was struck by a certain richness in Stephen Baxter’s narrative style. (I’m assuming Baxter did the majority of the writing). The richness comes from his ability to blend ample doses of technical material with a well-constructed plot. His writing is more technical than Arthur C. Clarke’s. Still, for my literary taste, Baxter’s narration oscillates at a pleasing rate between the technological and the emotional.

Sunstorm exhibits a great deal of humanity as the characters deal with the very real challenges of extended space flight. Yes, they are a fairly generic ensemble, but genuine nonetheless. I found several moments of the book haunting as an army of astronauts braced for the coming sun storm.

Alas, I can’t say this novel was especially fresh or innovating relative to its native genre: sci-fi. Still, as a big fan of Clarke’s space odysseys, I enjoyed this reimagining. Reimaging allows Baxter to update the science while staying true to the core themes and philosophy Clarke established in 2001: A Space Odyssey .

Here are a couple of my favorite lines from the book as teasers:

“…this was a deep-rooted place, where the bones of the dead lay crowded a hundred generations deep in the ground.” (pg 336)

“The crazies are the ones who think they understand it all.” (pg 104)

[Krbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recimo jedno 3,8 zvjezdica

Ovaj nastavak (a direktno slijedi prvu knjigu, čak ima ponovljen zadnji pasus prve) mi je daleko bolje "sjeo"

Stalna akcija, Clarkeovo čvrsto držanje znanosti i time nadograđena fikcija, ne podlijeganje deus-ex-machina (ako sve vodi katastrofi onda neka bude katastrofa)

I ono što oni koji ne znaju koliki je Clarke znanstvenik - Sunce je stvarno sposobno bez imalo napora prirediti takav pičvajz, a i za manje ispade smo sada strahovito ranjivi (mi tzv. zapadnjaci, kojima je život prožet tehnologijom)



(hr izdanje vrvi tipografskim greškama, što se može zanemariti no prijevod termina "softwall" u "meki zid" bode oči. Radi se o multimedijsko-komunikacijskom uređaju veličine zida pa se ono "soft" ne odnosi baš na opip IMHO)

[K.A. Ashcomb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I jumped straight into this book after finishing Time's Eye, the first book in A Time Odyssey series. Sunstorm picks up straight where it left. Sometimes series lose their momentum or the story falls apart, but this isn't the case here. The story holds and evolves.

Sunstorm continues pondering what lengths humanity is willing to go to survive and protect its species, but even during a major catastrophe people are people. They have self-serving motives because of politics, respect, love, fear, and religion. We, humans, aren't logical computing machines we let our emotions, intuition, quick gain, misguided past opinion, pleasure, pain, and the rest to guide our actions. Do we deserve to exist? But more so, is it right for another species to choose annihilation as a way to protect the universe and themselves?

If you asked anyone that question, most would say no. That is a horrendous and immoral act, and any sentient being wouldn't choose annihilation. But we, humans, do that constantly. We kill ants for invading our home. We destroy ecosystems to build highways. We pollute our lakes with cheap nicknacks. You could say "the funny old world." It seems like we cannot take the high road as the book points out. We would do the same as the Firstborns in a heartbeat if we saw it necessary. But that doesn't mean we have to curl up and let the annihilation happen. Every individual, species (including ants), and a group has a right to protect their life against violence and death. So the question in Sunstorm isn't if to protect ourselves, but how to protect ourselves (and work together)?

Sunstorm is a great book. I loved it as much as the first one if not even more. The story, the characters, the setup, the tension, the pondering, everything is great. And I couldn't wait to get back to the book. Of course, there are weaknesses, that some spots the science or the writers' pet idea takes over the plot, but I don't mind that. I love scientific pondering and what-if questions. And this whole series is one what-if question like a good sci-fi book should be.

[Patrick Gibson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The second book in Baxter and Clarke's Time Series, "Sunstorm," shows what happens when Sci-Fi and Fantasy writers are encouraged (forced?) to think of their work in terms of multi-volume sets. While "Times Eye" has a unique, though ultimately puzzling, backdrop to challenge our protagonists, "Sunstorm" comes across both uninteresting and uninspired.

Just as we saw in the first novel, the Firstborn are apparently behind an elaborate scheme to fry the Earth in a manner that brings to mind the best disaster movies of the 1970s (think "Poseidon Adventure" with shadowy aliens). The problem is, the characters are so emotionally thin as to be all but invisible.

In fact, much of this novel reads like a scientific "what if exercise," rather than a work of literature. And even though Clarke is known for his ability to fictionally bring to life advancements that wind up taking shape in the real world, this particular novel is nothing but excoriated fluff.

While I've never read any of Stephen Baxter's books, I've always enjoyed Arthur C. Clarke, and thought their first collaboration was not only well written, but had the chance for an inspired resolution. Unfortunately, this sequel leaves me wondering if the lack of insight we're offered here isn't just a product of using ultra-sentient, sophisticated predecessors of humankind as a coy device to create an interesting story.

Too bad it didn't work. I bought the third book but may wait a while.

[Afshaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be extremely famous. I am just shocked that it is not. It's such an entertaining and engrossing read. All the history, science and the science fiction bits are interwoven so logically, it just blows your mind.

The prequel was extremely good. But this surpasses it more than one way. The storyline is very grand involving, eponymously, a sunstorm or solar storm, colonisation of the moon and manned mission to Mars. It will make for spectacular visuals in a movie.

And on top of all this, the authors give you teeny tiny bits of mindblowing nerdgasms. A sentence or two that has tremendous impact.

I very very strongly recommend this for all sci-fi fans.

[Ross Williamson]

220620: dnf @ 51%. unbearably boring. i’m gonna read a plot summary and see if the third book is any better 😪🤞

[Tilda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esimese raamatu lõpus saab Bisesa Dutt endalegi ootamatult kaubale ühe Silmaga ning teine raamat algab hetkest, kui Bisesa on läbi Silma tagasi 2037. aasta Londonisse naastud. Kõik läheb kohe pööraseks, Maa teadlased on saanud teada, et tulekul on kõike, kogu elu Maal hävitav päikesetorm ning lõpuni on vaid viis aastat. Kirjeldatakse teadlaste elu kosmosejaamades ja poliitikute rasket elu Maal ning tulevikusuursündmust arvestades ka nende omavahelisi interaktsioone. Põhjalikult, huvitavalt, võib isegi öelda, et kirglikult. Kui esimeses raamatus oli maailm huvitavam kui inimesed selles, siis siin tekib juurde rida õige värvikaid isiksusi. Kui kolmandas raamatus oli tehnikat ja tehnoloogiaid minu jaoks veidi palju, siis siin oli ka see osa väga huvitav. Huvitav oli jälgida, mis Maa päästmiseks välja mõeldi ja kuidas see ellu viidi. Pinge püsis algusest lõpuni. Kui esimeses raamatus mulle mingisugusel hetkel näis, et autorid mõtlevad inimesi väiksemaks (kuidagi hingelt), siis siin raamatus on inimesed ehk isegi üleelusuurused ja gruppide käitumine psühholoogiliselt veenev. Ja suured siis ka sellelt samalt, hingelt. Koostöövalmidus ja võime, tarkus, altruism ja mis kõik veel. Ma valetaks, kui ütleksin, et üldiselt mulle inimesed meeldivad. Mulle meeldivad minu kaks kassi ja igasugu reservatsioonideta nii umbes viis inimesest. Aga ma usun kindlalt inimeste (nii üldiselt, laias laastus) mobiliseerumisvõimesse ja headusesse olukorras, kus see on eluliselt vajalik. Mõttes, kui päriselt on kriis, argiisekus taandub, inimesed panevad seljad kokku ja teevad, mis vaja. Ja see raamat kirjeldab just seda. See raamat on tohutult optimistlik, selles on tohutult palju lootust ja seda oli hea lugeda.

[Themistocles · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is probably the worst Clarke’s book (because, admit it, who cares about Baxter?) I’ve read. Not that it’s bad, and it does keep you engrossed and turning pages from the very beginning, but:

-the scenario has not the grand scope that Clarke has gotten us used to and the idea is far than original (the sun is going to destroy the Earth? Come on, this is Hollywood stuff!). The first book of the trilogy was much more original and interesting as a premise
-He’s using many of today’s ideas and facts as bases for tomorrow’s achievement – for instance, Google has turned into a self-conscious legal entity. Or that the EU has turned into the Eurasian Union (and the UK is still a country of euro-skepticals). This reads rather cheaply, extending current and latest trends into the future. This is not originality, and is easy to do.
-Clarke always had a huge love for science, but why he feels compelled to force-feed it to us through totally fake dialogs and explanatory paragraphs, instead of quietly integrating the scientific principles into the plot is beyond me. You can’t have supposedly world-class scientists explaining to each other the basic stuff for the benefit of the reader – the dialogs feel really fake and it takes you out of it. The authors even do that with rather simple physics principles that anyone interested in SF should understand by themselves
-Lamest quote I've read in a while (taken from a dialog, pp143-144): "The idea of an electromagnetic launcher dates back to the 1950s, I think. A science fiction writer. Famous in his day...". How lame is that? :6

Still reading it, hope it gets better…

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book is billed as "Book Two of the Time Odyssey" it can be read as a stand alone, no problem. In fact the one character and the part of the plot that connect these two books are stretched very thin.

I enjoyed this book more than the first, but then it is a totally different type of book. This book is a more of an 'end of the world' book. The character, Bisesa Dutt, who is also in the first book is a very different character in this book and really a very minor one. The knowledge that she has of the 'Firstborn' plays a role in this book, but it is a role that this character really does not have to be present for. So there are my comparisons of the two books. lol As for my review of this book on it's own, I enjoyed it.

The world faces possible extinction when the sun sends out massive energy beams directly towards earth. It is up to humanity to figure out a way to save itself. The fact that this 'attack' is really alien made as opposed to a natural event comes later in the book and really has no impact on the overall storyline. This book is about humanity coming together to save itself in the face of extinction. An enjoyable read.

[g BRETT · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book, though not nearly as exciting or enjoyable as the first book, "Time's Eye." The experience of reading this book was very like seeing "Matrix Reloaded"; good story, worth reading, but lacking just about everything that made the original so much fun.

Probably the best way to describe Sunstorm is as a straightforward action/drama. Some suspense in terms of the details of the final outcome, but no real doubt in how the big picture would turn out.

Looking forward to what book 3, "First Born", has in store.

[Chris Greensmith · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Aware, yes. There was a personality in these star-crossing data. No: three distinct personalities.
"So we're conscious again," said the first, stating the obvious.
"Whoopee! What a ride!" said the second, skittishly.
"There's somebody watching us," said the third.
I would say this isnt a direct sequel, but still very good...

[Lynn Raebsamen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sonnensturm, der zweite Teil von Arthur C. Clarkes und Stephen Baxters Time Odyssey-Reihe, versetzt die Erde in eine Katastrophe: Ein gewaltiger Sonnensturm droht alles Leben auszulöschen. Fünf Jahre bleiben der Menschheit, um sich zu wappnen. Klingt spannend, und das ist es auch – stellenweise.

Was für das Buch spricht:

Apokalyptische Vision: Das Szenario einer drohenden Sonnenkatastrophe ist packend und regt zum Nachdenken über die Verletzlichkeit unserer Zivilisation an. Die Versuche der Menschheit, sich gegen die Naturgewalt zu stemmen, sind detailreich und wissenschaftlich fundiert beschrieben.

Science-Fiction-Ideen: Die Autoren sparen nicht mit futuristischen Technologien und Konzepten, von der Kolonisierung des Mondes bis hin zu gewaltigen planetaren Schutzschilden.

Anknüpfungspunkte: Für Fans von Clarkes Werk gibt es subtile Verweise auf andere seiner Romane, insbesondere 2001: Odyssee im Weltraum, was eine gewisse Kontinuität schafft.

Was weniger überzeugt:

Charakterentwicklung: Die Figuren bleiben blass und emotional distanziert. Der Fokus liegt stark auf der wissenschaftlichen und technischen Problemlösung, wodurch die menschliche Seite der Katastrophe zu kurz kommt.

Unterschiedliche Stile: Es ist deutlich spürbar, dass das Buch von zwei Autoren geschrieben wurde. Clarkes eher klassischer Stil kollidiert mit Baxters technischeren und detailverliebteren Passagen, was den Lesefluss beeinträchtigen kann.

Vorhersehbarkeit: Trotz des apokalyptischen Settings fehlt es der Handlung an überraschenden Wendungen. Der Fokus liegt stark auf der Darstellung des Problems und seiner Lösung, wodurch die Spannung leidet.

Fazit:

Sonnensturm ist ein solider Science-Fiction-Roman mit interessanten Ideen und einem packenden Katastrophenszenario. Wer jedoch auf der Suche nach tiefgründigen Charakteren oder überraschenden Wendungen ist, könnte enttäuscht werden. Für Fans von Hard Science-Fiction und apokalyptischen Geschichten mit Fokus auf technischer Problemlösung ist das Buch jedoch durchaus lesenswer

[Jeff Koeppen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sunstorm is book two in the Time Odyssey trilogy and was just loosely connected to the first book, Time's Eye. There is one carry-over character but otherwise the events in this novel are pretty much independent from those of the first.

In Sunstorm, we learn that the sun is going to experience a massive storm in five years time, the likes of which humans have never experienced. This will result in widespread damage to the surface and all life, and result in a massive extinction event over the whole of the planet. Essentially, a restart of life as we know it and a possible end to humanity.

Written in typical Clarke and Baxter style, it is full of cool near future science and the tone is very dark as you would image considering the circumstances. The tension continues to build throughout the novel and by the end it was hard to put down.

This novel is much more hard science fiction than the first. There are a number of monologues from scientists explaining sun science and global warming, as well as detailed explanations regarding the plans and projects ultimately invented to attempt to save life on earth.

(I'm actually surprised this isn't more of a human concern in real life as only 161 years ago we experienced a massive solar storm, the Carrington Event, which, if it occurred today, would probably wipe out most of our electronics along with some infrastructure. This would be devastating for humanity and set us back decades if not longer. Back then it just messed up telegraphs!)

I really liked this dystopian page-turner. I though there was a bit of hand-waving in places but I suppose the novel was long enough without taking even more deeper dives in to hard science than us readers already had been through. It got really, really dark, though, and I liked that.

Off to book three.

[Andrew Ten broek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have read this for the first time as I'm still catching up on some older science fiction, I've read it at an most interesting time. Earth is under peril from the sun and extinction looms over the earth. Because the threat has its origins from an unnatural event connected to the sun, (and the aliens from the first novel) the word 'corona' appears several times in the novel, which makes it the more intriguing to have read it now. A lot of scenes depicting in the novel of how people cope with an extraordinary situation resonates with how people are reacting with what to some might be considered "end times" scenarios right now. I thought one of the most interesting parts of the novel was how the AI's involvement was integrated into society by the time earth is in the year 2037 and how big of a role it plays in people's lives. The extinction event depicted in this novel is in 2042, according to Goddard space center a real solar eclipse will occur in 2042. It will be interesting to see if the world as we know it, will still be recognisable by that time or that the powers that be have by that time wrecked it even worse than what peril was described in this novel.

[Takata · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the tradition of Arthur C. Clarke, another non-stop page turner. The only downside is that I dislike the middle book in any trilogy because you know that it is not the ending; it is only the middle, especially when I want to move on to the third book. Sunstorm kept my attention but there were times when I got a little impatient; knowing that they had to survive the sunstorm somehow. I can't wait to get through the next book, The Firstborns.

[Stifynsemons · Rating 3 out of 5]

[3.2 stars = I liked it; I probably won't read it again]

As hoped, book two reveals a lot more about the why of book one. But it is set in the near future instead of the distorted mix of time slices of the first book. In presenting the explanation, the authors brings to bear expertise in physics without overwhelming a more casual reader. The result is fascinating even though I think there are more direct and less energy intensive means of apocalypse.

There is only one character to tie the two books together, and I guess I found that a little disappointing.

[Deniz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a fan of the western centric view but I wasn’t surprised about it given it’s a Clarke novel. Otherwise LOVED the premise, plot and the balance of science with an elegant prose that keeps you hooked

[Dail Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of interesting science about the sun. Fun book.

[Anatoly · Rating 4 out of 5]

It could've easily been a short story or a novella.

[Ken Ronkowitz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not like this second book in the series as much as the first. In the early chapters I was surprised that it did not reference the first book very much. References to it do come later but this is very much a different story. While Time's Eye took place is a reassembled version of Earth made up of slices of different time periods, this book is all Earth of our future.

I have always liked the way Clarke mixes real science into his fiction with it becoming too much. Here a huge geomagnetic storm knocks out Earth's electronic infrastructure and scientists discover that the worst of it will come in 5 years when an even larger "sunstorm" will wipe out all life on the planet.

The scientists do come up with an at least partial solution (no spoilers here).

Will I read book #3 in the series? Not right away. I need a break. But I will read it to complete the series and to find out what those Firstborn aliens are doing to us. They gave us that damn black monolith way back in Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey and have been weaving in and out of his writing and play a major role in the first two books in this "Time Odyssey" with their "eyes" that are watching us and their experiments with our planet's development.

[ASalazar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Continuing from Time's Eye, but loosely. A different setting and only one character in common with the first, so it could be read on its own; but don't because you need the first anyway to make full sense of the third. My review of the first book.

Should you read this? Yes if at least one of these is true:
- You understand Clarke's name sells, but not guarantees actual Clarke writing.
- You like other Stephen Baxter's books he's written solo.
- You enjoy natural disaster novels because that's what this book mostly is.

This is a welcome change from the first book, as it includes more science fiction. Like Space Odyssey, it happens in our not-so-distant future, yet we get to see how satisfyingly far technology has advanced.

Its most glaring fault is that the whole book resolves a single plot point. Granted, it's a very significant plot point, but it becomes tiring because a book a third of the length would have sufficed, and the ballooning prose becomes an unnecessary delay. Nevertheless, it's better than the previous book.

Nitpick: I consider a bad sign when authors sprinkle scifi pop culture references. At least here it's done sparingly.

[Tanya Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled with this one as it is a complete change of pace and setting from Time’s Eye, the first in the trilogy. Time’s Eye was an adventure in time and space, it even had Alexander the Great fighting Genghis Kahn with AK-47s! In contrast Sunstorm is a mix of politics, hard science-fiction ending with a disaster movie. Whilst It is well written what I wanted was to spend more time with Bisea, the protagonist of the first novel and also more time exploring the mixed up world introduced in the first book. I also found that there were too many strands meaning that individual characters didn’t get the development they deserved, this also meant that it was hard to care about those characters when disaster hits. In fact two different characters even admit that, after five years of working alongside their colleagues they still know nothing about their personal lives, which seemed highly contrived. If you want some near future hard sci-fi then this may well be the right book for you, but I don’t think I will be re-reading it.

[Bookmarks Magazine]

Two giants__Clarke, one of the greatest SF writers, and award-winning Evolution (2003) author Baxter__have collaborated on an insidious vision of the future that's sure to thrill fans of 2001: A Space Odyssey and other SF classics. It may help to first read Time's Eye, which provides the back story to the aliens' cruel experiments and desire to wipe out Earth, but each book stands alone. Convincing characters, including a British astronomer and doomsday physicist, lead the collective countdown to destruction. The authors' scientific details (why the Earth's shield must be made of glass manufactured on the moon, for instance) complement the plot. But it's the climax, although flawed, that's sure to blow your mind.

This is an excerpt from a review published in Bookmarks magazine.