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Eater
Impending personal tragedy is dimming the brilliant light of Dr. Benjamin Knowlton's world. On the threshold of their greatest achievement, the renowned astrophysicist's beloved wife and partner -- ex-astronaut-turned astronomer -- is dying.
But something looms alarningly on the far edge of the solar at once a scientific find of unparalleled importance that could ensure the Knowltons' immortality, and a potential earth-shattering cataclysm that dwarfs their private one. For Benjamin and Channing have discovered "Eater," an eons-old black hole anomaly that devours stars and worlds. Yet its most awesome and devasting secrets are still to be revealed...and feared.
But something looms alarningly on the far edge of the solar at once a scientific find of unparalleled importance that could ensure the Knowltons' immortality, and a potential earth-shattering cataclysm that dwarfs their private one. For Benjamin and Channing have discovered "Eater," an eons-old black hole anomaly that devours stars and worlds. Yet its most awesome and devasting secrets are still to be revealed...and feared.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2000
83 people are currently reading
511 people want to read
About the author
Gregory Benford
565 books615 followersGregory Benford is an American science fiction author and astrophysicist who is on the faculty of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of California, Irvine.
As a science fiction author, Benford is best known for the Galactic Center Saga novels, beginning with In the Ocean of Night (1977). This series postulates a galaxy in which sentient organic life is in constant warfare with sentient mechanical life.
As a science fiction author, Benford is best known for the Galactic Center Saga novels, beginning with In the Ocean of Night (1977). This series postulates a galaxy in which sentient organic life is in constant warfare with sentient mechanical life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
January 12, 2019
The science in this book is hard. Really hard. You’ll be spending at least a bit of time on-line, brushing up on astrophysics, in order to make heads or tails of the Eater of All Things. Speaking of which: is it just me or is there a lot of Lovecraftian imagery here? References to something called “the Old One”? A sentient, vastly ancient and all powerful entity arriving from the depths of space? Cryptic messages?
Eater is a pretty scary book. There is the obvious “sense of wonder” element, but it’s also very ominous. A black hole, hovering in the sky above the earth? How is that not disturbing? Apocalyptic metaphor aside, the characterisation was actually quite good as well. I understand why some people have criticised Benford for neglecting to dwell on the reaction of the world at large (the story, as big as it is, is actually told from the perspective of a very small and contained group of people) in a scenario such as this, but I think it works quite well. I already know the general public is soiling its collective underwear, no point in the author pointing that out…
If you like BIG mysteries and ever wonder what’s “out there”, this should scratch your itch to some extent. A spectacular wrap-up to the proceedings tidies the package up nicely. Recommended.
Eater is a pretty scary book. There is the obvious “sense of wonder” element, but it’s also very ominous. A black hole, hovering in the sky above the earth? How is that not disturbing? Apocalyptic metaphor aside, the characterisation was actually quite good as well. I understand why some people have criticised Benford for neglecting to dwell on the reaction of the world at large (the story, as big as it is, is actually told from the perspective of a very small and contained group of people) in a scenario such as this, but I think it works quite well. I already know the general public is soiling its collective underwear, no point in the author pointing that out…
If you like BIG mysteries and ever wonder what’s “out there”, this should scratch your itch to some extent. A spectacular wrap-up to the proceedings tidies the package up nicely. Recommended.
October 25, 2018
The Eater is a small black hole that enters the Solar system in 2023, and opens a conversation with the astronomers who discover it. Hijinks ensue.
Eater is an uneven reworking of a classic SF theme, featuring some of Benford's best writing yet. But....
The book opens with some of the strongest writing in Benford's career -- the three major characters come to life in prose that's as good as any I've read anywhere. Channing Knowlton, an astronaut-turned-astronomer who is dying of breast cancer, is particularly well-drawn. And her husband Benjamin, a senior astronomer at Mauna Kea, and Kingsley Dart, Britain's Astronomer Royal, once Channing's lover and a master scientist-politician, are very fine indeed. Benford's portrait of scientists at work is wonderful, unmatched by any other novelist I know. Reading the first 100 pages, I got that primo creamy rush from great writing, neat ideas and wonderful characters....
But -- when the politicians enter the story, greatness trails off to competence (though still with flashes of the Pure Quill) -- and when the shoot-em-up starts -- well, hell, it's still pretty good, but not magic, y'know? Drama turns to melodrama, and a bold remake of 'Mankind meets a Cosmic Being' becomes just another thriller. Sigh.
But those first 115 pages -- wow. Worth the price of admission.
My 2000 review:
http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/nonfict...
Eater is an uneven reworking of a classic SF theme, featuring some of Benford's best writing yet. But....
The book opens with some of the strongest writing in Benford's career -- the three major characters come to life in prose that's as good as any I've read anywhere. Channing Knowlton, an astronaut-turned-astronomer who is dying of breast cancer, is particularly well-drawn. And her husband Benjamin, a senior astronomer at Mauna Kea, and Kingsley Dart, Britain's Astronomer Royal, once Channing's lover and a master scientist-politician, are very fine indeed. Benford's portrait of scientists at work is wonderful, unmatched by any other novelist I know. Reading the first 100 pages, I got that primo creamy rush from great writing, neat ideas and wonderful characters....
But -- when the politicians enter the story, greatness trails off to competence (though still with flashes of the Pure Quill) -- and when the shoot-em-up starts -- well, hell, it's still pretty good, but not magic, y'know? Drama turns to melodrama, and a bold remake of 'Mankind meets a Cosmic Being' becomes just another thriller. Sigh.
But those first 115 pages -- wow. Worth the price of admission.
My 2000 review:
http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/nonfict...
May 1, 2023
This book, published in 2000, is a great example of "hard science fiction," which I enjoy reading. Benford is, after all, a scientist. He has been a Professor of Physics at UC in Irvine. And a strong point of the book is that he shows you how scientists think and work. The story is about first contact with an alien being. Yes, I know, again???!!! But, believe me, it's one of the better ones that I've read and comparable to Sagan's "Contact." Scientists detect a black hole swallowing a star light-years away. No problem there, but it soon looks like the BH is moving toward our star, the Sun. Big problem. This, of course, is the "Eater" of the book's title.... If you can handle hard science fiction--you should try this one.
I am adding a comment here that I did a quick reread of this book. I am going to donate this book to my local library for a booksale later this month (May, 2023). I just had to reread it before giving the book away!
I am adding a comment here that I did a quick reread of this book. I am going to donate this book to my local library for a booksale later this month (May, 2023). I just had to reread it before giving the book away!
July 25, 2014
Having read enough books where the science is more magical realism masquerading as science or it takes place so far in the future that the author isn't necessarily required to prove anything with charts, it's nice to read fiction that has a kernel of theoretical plausibility about it. Note that I didn't say that the scenario was plausible but at least the underlying science has some degree of believability about it.
That said, it's about an intelligent black hole that wants to devour the earth. Let's just get that out of the way right from the start.
So if you were under any impression that this was the biography of one of those people who keep winning the hot dog eating contests, rest assured that this is probably far more palatable to read. Basically, a small team of scientists discover that a entity that looks not unlike a black hole is heading into the solar system and appears to be deliberately changing its trajectory to steer itself toward Earth. This is weird enough, but at least sort of within the bounds of something they might expect, even if it sounds like one of those things scientists dare each other with during late night conversations when someone has to come up with the most unlikely provable thing ever.
But then the black hole starts conversing with them, and all heck breaks loose.
Benford has been doing this long enough that he can take something that probably isn't really explainable within a high level degree in a field I can barely pronounce and have the characters explain it to each other without sounding like they're dumbing it down for the slow members of the audience, and manage to write a coherent plot about it. His characters feel real in their foibles and likes and petty disagreements and even if he tends to take shortcuts in terms of development sometimes (two people get together pretty much because the book decides they should be together but the actual relationship, once established, feels honest). His mistake, then, isn't so much in the scenario itself but in how he handles it. Presenting himself with a situation where humanity comes in contact with something that is truly alien, he decides to convert the story into a hard science version of "Armageddon", where the characters must bring all their science tools to bear in order to beat back the crazy black hole that keeps calmly attacking them. He's good at a lot of things, but pulse pounding tension isn't quite his forte, and while I was invested in the characters to some extent, it's not enough that I cared if the entire planet was devoured in a manner not unlike leaving me inside a marble glazed doughnut factory.
His story more or less centers around four scientists (although one stays absent for long portions of the narrative to the point where I thought he forgot about her). Benjamin and Channing are husband and wife, and along with sort of friend/rival Kingsley (as others have pointed out, he and Benjamim are positioned in the beginning as polite but bitter rivals but the story seems to forget about that) they do most of the theoretical legwork in figuring out what the Eater is and what exactly it wants. Channing is unfortunately suffering from terminal cancer, which means Benford telegraphs a sacrifice that needs to be made later right in the beginning but the scenes of her struggling with the disease that is overtaking her body faster and faster pretty much adds the only spark to the beginning sense, which mostly consist of people politely and enthusiastically debating scientific points. He has a natural and easy way with conversation, and is able to convince you that these people have known each other for a long time but in the best Asimov tradition, large chunks of the book consist of urbane conversation. Anything with Kingsley winds up having a little bit of spark and by default he winds up becoming the main character as Channing's involvement with the narrative becomes more limited and Benjamin turns out to be not that interesting anyway.
Otherwise the book mostly involves dealing with Eater, your world consuming black hole pal. He's able to talk to planet Earth and for me the book falls flat around here as even though we're told that Eater is something utterly alien, he communicates in English quite well, alternating between pithy observations of human nature and what sound like just random statements that don't make a huge amount of sense. Given the opportunity to have the characters confront something truly frightening and beyond understanding, it just becomes another obstacle to overcome, pitched somewhere between "Rendezvous with Rama" without the thrill and mystery of discovery and Unicron from the Transformer movie without the complete awesomeness of being a robot planet in disguise. Beyond one of the characters getting a nicely played if ignoble death, the remainder of the novel feels matter of fact and I never get the sense that the scientists have their backs to the wall or that the outcome is ever in doubt. Even the ending, meant to be a transcendent revelation, comes across as rather flat and honestly I half expected something along those lines anyway. You're left with the impression that Benford's first inclination was to have the book consist of debates amongst and with the crazy black hole and he was told at some point to jazz it up slightly with some planet threatening peril. And while the results are still pleasant the temperature never rises over a lukewarm pitch and if there's one thing you don't want to a book about scientists fighting a potentially insane intelligent black hole with an appetite for our deliciously juicy world to be, it's mild-mannered.
That said, it's about an intelligent black hole that wants to devour the earth. Let's just get that out of the way right from the start.
So if you were under any impression that this was the biography of one of those people who keep winning the hot dog eating contests, rest assured that this is probably far more palatable to read. Basically, a small team of scientists discover that a entity that looks not unlike a black hole is heading into the solar system and appears to be deliberately changing its trajectory to steer itself toward Earth. This is weird enough, but at least sort of within the bounds of something they might expect, even if it sounds like one of those things scientists dare each other with during late night conversations when someone has to come up with the most unlikely provable thing ever.
But then the black hole starts conversing with them, and all heck breaks loose.
Benford has been doing this long enough that he can take something that probably isn't really explainable within a high level degree in a field I can barely pronounce and have the characters explain it to each other without sounding like they're dumbing it down for the slow members of the audience, and manage to write a coherent plot about it. His characters feel real in their foibles and likes and petty disagreements and even if he tends to take shortcuts in terms of development sometimes (two people get together pretty much because the book decides they should be together but the actual relationship, once established, feels honest). His mistake, then, isn't so much in the scenario itself but in how he handles it. Presenting himself with a situation where humanity comes in contact with something that is truly alien, he decides to convert the story into a hard science version of "Armageddon", where the characters must bring all their science tools to bear in order to beat back the crazy black hole that keeps calmly attacking them. He's good at a lot of things, but pulse pounding tension isn't quite his forte, and while I was invested in the characters to some extent, it's not enough that I cared if the entire planet was devoured in a manner not unlike leaving me inside a marble glazed doughnut factory.
His story more or less centers around four scientists (although one stays absent for long portions of the narrative to the point where I thought he forgot about her). Benjamin and Channing are husband and wife, and along with sort of friend/rival Kingsley (as others have pointed out, he and Benjamim are positioned in the beginning as polite but bitter rivals but the story seems to forget about that) they do most of the theoretical legwork in figuring out what the Eater is and what exactly it wants. Channing is unfortunately suffering from terminal cancer, which means Benford telegraphs a sacrifice that needs to be made later right in the beginning but the scenes of her struggling with the disease that is overtaking her body faster and faster pretty much adds the only spark to the beginning sense, which mostly consist of people politely and enthusiastically debating scientific points. He has a natural and easy way with conversation, and is able to convince you that these people have known each other for a long time but in the best Asimov tradition, large chunks of the book consist of urbane conversation. Anything with Kingsley winds up having a little bit of spark and by default he winds up becoming the main character as Channing's involvement with the narrative becomes more limited and Benjamin turns out to be not that interesting anyway.
Otherwise the book mostly involves dealing with Eater, your world consuming black hole pal. He's able to talk to planet Earth and for me the book falls flat around here as even though we're told that Eater is something utterly alien, he communicates in English quite well, alternating between pithy observations of human nature and what sound like just random statements that don't make a huge amount of sense. Given the opportunity to have the characters confront something truly frightening and beyond understanding, it just becomes another obstacle to overcome, pitched somewhere between "Rendezvous with Rama" without the thrill and mystery of discovery and Unicron from the Transformer movie without the complete awesomeness of being a robot planet in disguise. Beyond one of the characters getting a nicely played if ignoble death, the remainder of the novel feels matter of fact and I never get the sense that the scientists have their backs to the wall or that the outcome is ever in doubt. Even the ending, meant to be a transcendent revelation, comes across as rather flat and honestly I half expected something along those lines anyway. You're left with the impression that Benford's first inclination was to have the book consist of debates amongst and with the crazy black hole and he was told at some point to jazz it up slightly with some planet threatening peril. And while the results are still pleasant the temperature never rises over a lukewarm pitch and if there's one thing you don't want to a book about scientists fighting a potentially insane intelligent black hole with an appetite for our deliciously juicy world to be, it's mild-mannered.
August 15, 2022
Achei muito interessante a ideia base deste livro, uma entidade consciente e inteligente que navega pela galáxia há milhares de milhões de anos à boleia de um buraco negro, tirando partido de campos magnéticos que lhe permitem salvaguardar espécies alienígenas inteligentes que vão sendo recolhidas pela entidade no decurso da sua viagem pelo infinito e posteriormente estudadas e analisadas.
Evidentemente, o sistema solar não é exceção e os primatas do 3º planeta afiguram-se interessantes para se juntarem à maior coleção do universo. Surgem então os personagens orincipais, astrónomos de renome e as respetivas relações que condicionam a forma como este fenómeno é encarado e tratado pelos seres humanos.
A história consegue prender e a ciência é aqui usada de uma forma credível e bem justificada. O livro melhora bastante após o primeiro terço.
No entanto, penso que o autor poderia ter tirado mais partido desta ideia e ter-se debruçado com mais imaginação sobre as características das várias espécies alienígenas que estavam presentes. Em vez disso, encontramos um enredo muito circular e previsível entre os personagens principais e detalhes sobre decisões políticas que pouco ou nada acrescentam à história.
O desfecho é interessante e gratifica a persistência em concluir a leitura, mas fica o vazio deixado por uma excelente oportunidade de explorar outros aspetos mais interessantes sobre a comunicação e interação com outros seres inteligentes, tal como Carl Sagan teria explorado.
Deixo aqui uma nota muito negativa para a tradução. Esta edição da EA contém erros a todos os níveis, de conceito, gramaticais e sintáticos. É pena, porque esta pobre tradução prejudica bastante a leitura.
Evidentemente, o sistema solar não é exceção e os primatas do 3º planeta afiguram-se interessantes para se juntarem à maior coleção do universo. Surgem então os personagens orincipais, astrónomos de renome e as respetivas relações que condicionam a forma como este fenómeno é encarado e tratado pelos seres humanos.
A história consegue prender e a ciência é aqui usada de uma forma credível e bem justificada. O livro melhora bastante após o primeiro terço.
No entanto, penso que o autor poderia ter tirado mais partido desta ideia e ter-se debruçado com mais imaginação sobre as características das várias espécies alienígenas que estavam presentes. Em vez disso, encontramos um enredo muito circular e previsível entre os personagens principais e detalhes sobre decisões políticas que pouco ou nada acrescentam à história.
O desfecho é interessante e gratifica a persistência em concluir a leitura, mas fica o vazio deixado por uma excelente oportunidade de explorar outros aspetos mais interessantes sobre a comunicação e interação com outros seres inteligentes, tal como Carl Sagan teria explorado.
Deixo aqui uma nota muito negativa para a tradução. Esta edição da EA contém erros a todos os níveis, de conceito, gramaticais e sintáticos. É pena, porque esta pobre tradução prejudica bastante a leitura.
April 11, 2016
4.5 Stars
Eater by Gregory Benford is an excellent piece of hard science fiction. Benford has been an author that I have wanted to read since I was a kid, I have just never found my way. This was a very enjoyable read that worked on the merits of the writing, the science, and the deep thought provoking. It is not without faults. The characters are quite 2 dimensional in a better than three dimensional world. The characters don't really hold up to the heavy weighted science and story. Either way, I am only taking off a half a star, Eater is a near perfect thought provoking hard science fiction story.
The great thing about this near future novel is that it maintains it's realism, relevance, and plausibility. It demonstrates a first contact situation that is not like every other E.T. Novel out there. Although it is a classic in the hard science genre, it never comes across as a school lesson. Benford treats his math, science, and physics as matter of fact without being in your face. He never treats the reader like a lesser and never flaunts "look how smart I am".
The story starts out as an astronomical discovery and quickly turns into an apocalyptic event. The story is fast paced. It feels heavy and plausible. It made me think what if?
I loved the conversations...one great snippet that is a bit long:
"YOUR DISCOURSE EXPLAINS YOUR PROPENSITY FOR GOSSIP AS A GROOMING SUBSTITUTE. MY-SELF’S ANALYSIS OF YOUR DRAMAS SHOWS YOUR FINEST ARTISTS DEVOTING TWO-THIRDS OF YOUR CONVERSATION TO IT. LABORERS AND LEARNED ALIKE PREFER TO TALK ABOUT PEOPLE, NOT IDEAS OR ISSUES. WITHOUT GOSSIP, YOUR SPECIES MIGHT NEVER HAVE BOTHERED TO LEARN HOW TO TALK. PHYSICAL GROOMING IS STILL MORE SATISFYING TO THE OTHER OF YOUR ORDER, THE PRIMATES. THUS THEY DO NOT SPEAK. CHAT IS UNLIKE HUNTERS CALLING OUT IN A MASTODON HUNT, OR GATHERERS REPORTING WHERE THE HERBS ARE, WHICH CLEARLY HAD USES FOR YOU. THIS TALK OF OTHERS AND FORMING POWER COALITIONS WERE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT. I CAN SEE THAT TALK IS MORE EFFICIENT THAN PHYSICALLY GROOMING EVERY OTHER MEMBER OF A TRIBE, WHEN TRIBES BECOME LARGE. TALK IS EASIER THAN PETTING, FOR YOU CAN DO IT TO SEVERAL AT ONCE, WHILE YOU ARE PERFORMING OTHER TASKS. THIS SUGGESTS A USEFUL RESEARCH PROJECT MIGHT AIM TO MEASURE SEROTONIN PRODUCTION DURING GOSSIPING TO VERIFY THIS VIEW. I COMMEND IT TO YOUR SCIENTISTS."
Eater has a satisfying ending that makes the read worth your time. I will surely read more from the legendary science fiction writer Benford, and maybe so too will you.
Eater by Gregory Benford is an excellent piece of hard science fiction. Benford has been an author that I have wanted to read since I was a kid, I have just never found my way. This was a very enjoyable read that worked on the merits of the writing, the science, and the deep thought provoking. It is not without faults. The characters are quite 2 dimensional in a better than three dimensional world. The characters don't really hold up to the heavy weighted science and story. Either way, I am only taking off a half a star, Eater is a near perfect thought provoking hard science fiction story.
The great thing about this near future novel is that it maintains it's realism, relevance, and plausibility. It demonstrates a first contact situation that is not like every other E.T. Novel out there. Although it is a classic in the hard science genre, it never comes across as a school lesson. Benford treats his math, science, and physics as matter of fact without being in your face. He never treats the reader like a lesser and never flaunts "look how smart I am".
The story starts out as an astronomical discovery and quickly turns into an apocalyptic event. The story is fast paced. It feels heavy and plausible. It made me think what if?
I loved the conversations...one great snippet that is a bit long:
"YOUR DISCOURSE EXPLAINS YOUR PROPENSITY FOR GOSSIP AS A GROOMING SUBSTITUTE. MY-SELF’S ANALYSIS OF YOUR DRAMAS SHOWS YOUR FINEST ARTISTS DEVOTING TWO-THIRDS OF YOUR CONVERSATION TO IT. LABORERS AND LEARNED ALIKE PREFER TO TALK ABOUT PEOPLE, NOT IDEAS OR ISSUES. WITHOUT GOSSIP, YOUR SPECIES MIGHT NEVER HAVE BOTHERED TO LEARN HOW TO TALK. PHYSICAL GROOMING IS STILL MORE SATISFYING TO THE OTHER OF YOUR ORDER, THE PRIMATES. THUS THEY DO NOT SPEAK. CHAT IS UNLIKE HUNTERS CALLING OUT IN A MASTODON HUNT, OR GATHERERS REPORTING WHERE THE HERBS ARE, WHICH CLEARLY HAD USES FOR YOU. THIS TALK OF OTHERS AND FORMING POWER COALITIONS WERE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT. I CAN SEE THAT TALK IS MORE EFFICIENT THAN PHYSICALLY GROOMING EVERY OTHER MEMBER OF A TRIBE, WHEN TRIBES BECOME LARGE. TALK IS EASIER THAN PETTING, FOR YOU CAN DO IT TO SEVERAL AT ONCE, WHILE YOU ARE PERFORMING OTHER TASKS. THIS SUGGESTS A USEFUL RESEARCH PROJECT MIGHT AIM TO MEASURE SEROTONIN PRODUCTION DURING GOSSIPING TO VERIFY THIS VIEW. I COMMEND IT TO YOUR SCIENTISTS."
Eater has a satisfying ending that makes the read worth your time. I will surely read more from the legendary science fiction writer Benford, and maybe so too will you.
November 7, 2011
From the first few chapters this book reminded me quite strongly of Carl Sagan's Contact. That being said, Eater has the same kind of hard scif, believable characters and mystifying descriptions of what might be possible in the physical world that made Sagan so popular, but perhaps a little less optimistic about human kind's first contact with extraterrestrial life. Eater brings up similar kinds of questions as to how we should and would react to first contact, but with the added pressure of the impending arrival of an alien creature with power enough to destroy our planet. The characters are well written and easy for me to identify with as I am working toward a similar life myself. Though this story was one of scientific inquiry and alien conflict, Benford was able to make it extremely personal, bringing the reader into the uniquely personal lives of the scientists. I was shocked to realize how I may know some science but I know next to nothing about being a scientist. Personally, I have enjoyed taking away a bit more perspective on the academic lifestyle and career environment.
December 19, 2011
This extremely creepy book is the antithesis of Contact. What happens when something truly alien arrives that can't be defined by human emotion? The interesting bit is that we only see the events through the eyes of the astronomers working to understand this thing, and as Benford points out in the afterword, due to the nature of our work, Astronomers tend to have a perspective on how small and finite we are compared to the Universe that shapes us a bit differently. Benford does an excellent job of capturing the egos, politics and world of astrophysics and how our little world might react to the approach of a sentient astrophysical object.
September 14, 2007
Starts off slowly and deliberately, building the story and introducing the small cast of characters.
That's right, characters. An SF book with good characters, good scientist characters.
The central mystery (what is the Eater?) plays out beautifully, each revelation fascinating and drawing the reader further along, building interest and paying off big-time. Deceptively simple seeming and very effective and entertaining. Top-notch.
That's right, characters. An SF book with good characters, good scientist characters.
The central mystery (what is the Eater?) plays out beautifully, each revelation fascinating and drawing the reader further along, building interest and paying off big-time. Deceptively simple seeming and very effective and entertaining. Top-notch.
October 14, 2012
A solid story, a fun read, a couple of really interesting concepts explored along the way.
April 5, 2013
Excellent. Just the way I like my hard sci-fi. A bunch of science blokes sitting around talking about the big thing that's just arrived in the neighbourhood.
June 2, 2019
Mysterious object detected at the edges of the solar system? Astronomers race to unravel the mystery? Sign me up! Exciting, with human detail that fills it out without clogging it down.
March 17, 2019
Gli americani (buoni, e più intelligenti di tutti gli altri) salvano il mondo da un buco nero assassino e senziente (cattivo) che arriva dallo spazio profondo. Wow. Di mortale c'è solo la noia e la banalità di personaggi e "sentimenti" piatti e scontati, ferreamente ligi ai migliori luoghi comuni americanissimi da film americanissimi di serie Z. Perfino l'alieno, il buco nero pensante, è di una noia e nullità assoluta, e non ha niente di interessante o sensato da dire ad alcuno, men che meno a chi sta leggendo.
Il libro più penoso e insulso che io abbia letto da un bel pezzo a questa parte. Ma me la sono cercata: volumetto Urania tirato su in un'edicola, ispirato alla cieca dal fatto che l'autore, Gregory Benford, sia un fisico. Sì: riguardo alla fisica ci sono delle cose anche abbastanza sensate, almeno in parte. Ma ciò che manca è la letteratura, in tutti i sensi.
Mi spiace, ma credo che non leggerò mai più un libro di questo autore: in definitiva l'ho trovato straziante, e una perdita del mio prezioso tempo di lettura. Come dice Snoopy in una certa vignetta... "Si torna a P.K.Dick!".
Il libro più penoso e insulso che io abbia letto da un bel pezzo a questa parte. Ma me la sono cercata: volumetto Urania tirato su in un'edicola, ispirato alla cieca dal fatto che l'autore, Gregory Benford, sia un fisico. Sì: riguardo alla fisica ci sono delle cose anche abbastanza sensate, almeno in parte. Ma ciò che manca è la letteratura, in tutti i sensi.
Mi spiace, ma credo che non leggerò mai più un libro di questo autore: in definitiva l'ho trovato straziante, e una perdita del mio prezioso tempo di lettura. Come dice Snoopy in una certa vignetta... "Si torna a P.K.Dick!".
September 23, 2015
A great mix of International and Domestic Politics, Science Fiction (that could become Fact) and the human interest story of a woman, a former Astronaut, who is dying of Cancer. She decides her last act is to try to save the Planet from this monster Black Hole (named "Eater") that threatens to gobble it up for Lunch. It is a daunting task, since anything we throw at this thing, including Nuclear Weapons, just gets gobbled up! It IS after all - a Black Hole. And it's a Black Hole that has previously absorbed so many "Alien" people that it has achieved "Sentience". Yes, it can think. It can direct itself to objects in Space it finds attractive enough to absorb. The Black Hole "plays" with the Earth as a Cat will "play" with a Mouse that it intends to eat.
It is hard to believe that this Novel was written prior to Sep. 11, 2001, since it predicts the formation of an Agency that bears a striking resemblance to the Department of Homeland Security.
The Novel raises the question: "When we DO encounter Alien Life, who speaks for Humanity? The United States, with only 5 percent of the Human Race?
It is easy for me to think of this book being made into a movie.
This is how I would cast it:
Actor/ Actress CHARACTER
Charlize Theron ..........Channing, ex-Astronaut dying of cancer
(I think Charlize Theron the BEST to play this role)
Matthew Broderick.........Ben Knowlton, Astrophysicist, in charge of the telescope
that discovers the Black Hole (Husband of Channing)
Holly Hunter..............Researcher who actually discovers the Black Hole
Sean Connery..............Old British Scientist who helps to analyze "Eater" and who
is ex-lover of Channing
James Earl Jones .........The Voice of Eater (I want it to sound like Darth Vader)
Harrison Ford.............American President, who tries to deal with a situation that
no previous President has ever faced. He struggles to wrap
his brain around the Science of Black Holes, especially this
one.
Discovered by accident at "Coliseum Books" in Manhattan. I will be sad if bookstores ever disappear, since so many books like this will go undiscovered. First read in 2004. Recently re-read it in July 2015. Still great.
I am at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/rdelrosso2001
It is hard to believe that this Novel was written prior to Sep. 11, 2001, since it predicts the formation of an Agency that bears a striking resemblance to the Department of Homeland Security.
The Novel raises the question: "When we DO encounter Alien Life, who speaks for Humanity? The United States, with only 5 percent of the Human Race?
It is easy for me to think of this book being made into a movie.
This is how I would cast it:
Actor/ Actress CHARACTER
Charlize Theron ..........Channing, ex-Astronaut dying of cancer
(I think Charlize Theron the BEST to play this role)
Matthew Broderick.........Ben Knowlton, Astrophysicist, in charge of the telescope
that discovers the Black Hole (Husband of Channing)
Holly Hunter..............Researcher who actually discovers the Black Hole
Sean Connery..............Old British Scientist who helps to analyze "Eater" and who
is ex-lover of Channing
James Earl Jones .........The Voice of Eater (I want it to sound like Darth Vader)
Harrison Ford.............American President, who tries to deal with a situation that
no previous President has ever faced. He struggles to wrap
his brain around the Science of Black Holes, especially this
one.
Discovered by accident at "Coliseum Books" in Manhattan. I will be sad if bookstores ever disappear, since so many books like this will go undiscovered. First read in 2004. Recently re-read it in July 2015. Still great.
I am at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/rdelrosso2001
July 25, 2017
First, what this book is not: It’s not a book about food or people who consume vast amounts of food or people with a hyper addiction to food. Instead, it’s fascinating science fiction with some hard science built in that won’t scare you off because of how well it’s written. As the book opens, we meet four scientists at an observatory in Hawaii. Amy Major is the least developed of these characters, and that’s unfortunate, since Benford might have done more with her and enhanced the book’s value thereby. She ultimately becomes a brief love interest for Kingsley Dart, a Brit whose wife is estranged from him. Dart is an academic rival to Dr. Benjamin Knowlton, a renowned astrophysicist. Knowlton’s wife, Channing, is the fourth and final character here. In many respects Channing Knowlton is my favorite character. She is in the final stages of death by cancer, yet the former astronaut turned astronomer has so much to offer the world—literally.
Imagine a situation wherein something is discovered headed for a collision course with our solar system. What is it? A Black hole whose purpose is to devour everything in its path? If that’s the case, is not our world in serious danger? Ah, but what if that black hole proves sentient? How does humanity handle a threat that is ancient in origin and has the ability to devour mankind while making intelligent decisions about how that will be done?
I realize there are hundreds of first contact plots out there. But this one is unique because at the black hole’s center is an extremely ancient god-like alien being who has studied humanity on its path to destroy Earth and ultimately learns to converse with the scientists at the Hawaiian observatory and elsewhere.
This is a book filled with the kind of academic pettiness and intrigue you see if you work among such people. You’ll be fascinated by how science and politics form uneasy alliances here to help solve problems. Even in what seems to be mankind’s final days, there’s a kind of propriety noncooperation tension among the scientists around the world,
So you hate science fiction perhaps? This is a book that can break barriers and interest you in it even if science fiction isn’t usually your forte. You’ll be impressed with Channing Knowlton for a variety of reasons, and you’ll hope that, should our world find itself in some kind of future tight spot, there is a Channing Knowlton out there who has the capacity, despite incredible odds, to do something about it.
Imagine a situation wherein something is discovered headed for a collision course with our solar system. What is it? A Black hole whose purpose is to devour everything in its path? If that’s the case, is not our world in serious danger? Ah, but what if that black hole proves sentient? How does humanity handle a threat that is ancient in origin and has the ability to devour mankind while making intelligent decisions about how that will be done?
I realize there are hundreds of first contact plots out there. But this one is unique because at the black hole’s center is an extremely ancient god-like alien being who has studied humanity on its path to destroy Earth and ultimately learns to converse with the scientists at the Hawaiian observatory and elsewhere.
This is a book filled with the kind of academic pettiness and intrigue you see if you work among such people. You’ll be fascinated by how science and politics form uneasy alliances here to help solve problems. Even in what seems to be mankind’s final days, there’s a kind of propriety noncooperation tension among the scientists around the world,
So you hate science fiction perhaps? This is a book that can break barriers and interest you in it even if science fiction isn’t usually your forte. You’ll be impressed with Channing Knowlton for a variety of reasons, and you’ll hope that, should our world find itself in some kind of future tight spot, there is a Channing Knowlton out there who has the capacity, despite incredible odds, to do something about it.
February 23, 2011
A piece of hard science fiction with a relatively interesting and novel idea at the core is not that easy to find. This books adds to that an account of the relationships among the scientists and politicians who determine humanities response.
November 4, 2009
I re read this recently and it was great- again. A relly excellent science exploratory adventure- not though for kids.
April 28, 2011
This book had a little bit of the ole infodump with it but otherwise it was good. Intelligent blackhole threatens earth!
June 6, 2012
Great idea, scary and thrilling at once! Will question your ideas of the existence of sentient life.
March 19, 2009
A fantastic hard SF book.
March 3, 2025
Something new and strange may be on a path to Earth from the stars
On October 17, 2017, Canadian astronomer and physicist Robert Weryk at Haleakalā Observatory in Hawaii discovered a comet he named ‘Oumuamua. For a time the cigar-shaped object sparked wild theories in the popular press that it was an alien spaceship headed for Earth. Strangely, nearly a decade earlier the American physicist and science fiction author Greg Benford wrote Eater, a novel that posited an interstellar visitor superficially similar to ‘Oumuamua. Yet the eponymous intruder is no comet. Instead, it’s something entirely new and strange that captivates scientists the world over as they rush to determine what it is and where it came from. And, unlike the later visitor, which simply exited the solar system, Eater proves to be a threat of existential proportions. The novel, which begins with a leisurely view of scientists at work, becomes a thriller that spans the globe as the human race responds.
A thriller that thrills
Today, author Greg Benford is professor emeritus of physics and astronomy at the University of California, Irvine. He is, if anything, a serious scientist. And, as he comments in an author’s note at the conclusion of Eater, “I have endeavored to show truthfully, against an extreme backdrop, how scientists do think, work, and confront the unknown.” It shows.
While other themes emerge in the novel—how democracy crumbles under pressure, and how politicians and military officers react in the face of an existential threat—Benford’s primary purpose appears to have been to show how scientists do what they do and how they make decisions. To read this novel, it helps to have a grounding in science. Otherwise, you might find, as I did, that some of the dialogue is indecipherable. However, what saves the story is the steady buildup of suspense as it unfolds. This is a thriller that thrills.
Three engaging central characters, all brilliant scientists
** An astrophysicist, Dr. Benjamin Knowlton is the Director of the High Energy Astrophysics Center on the island of Hawaiʻi. It’s near the Mauna Loa Observatory atop Earth’s largest active volcano.
** Ben’s wife, Channing Knowlton, is a former astronaut who flew on missions to the Moon and Mars. She is in the late stages of cancer that had invaded her lymph nodes but still works actively as an astrophysicist herself. (She had dived into the speciality after retiring from the astronaut corps.)
** Rounding out the story’s trio of stars, Dr. Kingsley Dart is Britain’s Astronomer Royal. He is world-renowned and, unlike Ben, well versed in the byways of scientific politics. As students together at Cambridge, they were friends. But Ben and Kingsley grew into bitter rivals, perhaps over their shared attraction to Channing.
Is Eater on a course for the Earth?
Benford’s story opens as a post-doc on Ben’s staff wakes him with the discovery of a mysterious interstellar intruder. The unclassified object seems to be entering the Oort cloud on a path that will lead it past the orbit of Pluto into the planetary system. Soon, as it becomes clear that is indeed its trajectory, Kingsley shows up in Hawaiʻi to join Ben in sussing out the nature of the intruder.
As what Channing later labels Eater heads toward Jupiter, the US government enters the act, too. A top-secret unit known as the U Agency arrives in force to impose restrictions on the scientists who are sharing information about the intruder with their colleagues around the world. And in short order what started as a simple scientific inquiry becomes a topic of global concern that brings a massive response led by the White House and the United Nations. However, despite the ever-lengthening cast of characters, Benford keeps us focused on Ben, Channing, and Kingsley. This is a story that could easily spin out of control. But Benford keeps us focused on the human reality at its core.
About the author
Greg Benford is both a renowned science fiction author and an astrophysicist. He is professor emeritus of physics and astronomy at the University of California, Irvine. Benford is the author or coauthor of more than 30 novels as well as scores of short stories. His work has won him many awards, including the Nebula. He was born in Mobile, Alabama, in 1941 and was educated at the universities of Oklahoma and California at San Diego, where he earned his PhD. Benford has an identical twin brother, Jim, with whom he has collaborated on many science fiction stories. His wife passed away in 2002. He lives in Laguna Beach, California.
On October 17, 2017, Canadian astronomer and physicist Robert Weryk at Haleakalā Observatory in Hawaii discovered a comet he named ‘Oumuamua. For a time the cigar-shaped object sparked wild theories in the popular press that it was an alien spaceship headed for Earth. Strangely, nearly a decade earlier the American physicist and science fiction author Greg Benford wrote Eater, a novel that posited an interstellar visitor superficially similar to ‘Oumuamua. Yet the eponymous intruder is no comet. Instead, it’s something entirely new and strange that captivates scientists the world over as they rush to determine what it is and where it came from. And, unlike the later visitor, which simply exited the solar system, Eater proves to be a threat of existential proportions. The novel, which begins with a leisurely view of scientists at work, becomes a thriller that spans the globe as the human race responds.
A thriller that thrills
Today, author Greg Benford is professor emeritus of physics and astronomy at the University of California, Irvine. He is, if anything, a serious scientist. And, as he comments in an author’s note at the conclusion of Eater, “I have endeavored to show truthfully, against an extreme backdrop, how scientists do think, work, and confront the unknown.” It shows.
While other themes emerge in the novel—how democracy crumbles under pressure, and how politicians and military officers react in the face of an existential threat—Benford’s primary purpose appears to have been to show how scientists do what they do and how they make decisions. To read this novel, it helps to have a grounding in science. Otherwise, you might find, as I did, that some of the dialogue is indecipherable. However, what saves the story is the steady buildup of suspense as it unfolds. This is a thriller that thrills.
Three engaging central characters, all brilliant scientists
** An astrophysicist, Dr. Benjamin Knowlton is the Director of the High Energy Astrophysics Center on the island of Hawaiʻi. It’s near the Mauna Loa Observatory atop Earth’s largest active volcano.
** Ben’s wife, Channing Knowlton, is a former astronaut who flew on missions to the Moon and Mars. She is in the late stages of cancer that had invaded her lymph nodes but still works actively as an astrophysicist herself. (She had dived into the speciality after retiring from the astronaut corps.)
** Rounding out the story’s trio of stars, Dr. Kingsley Dart is Britain’s Astronomer Royal. He is world-renowned and, unlike Ben, well versed in the byways of scientific politics. As students together at Cambridge, they were friends. But Ben and Kingsley grew into bitter rivals, perhaps over their shared attraction to Channing.
Is Eater on a course for the Earth?
Benford’s story opens as a post-doc on Ben’s staff wakes him with the discovery of a mysterious interstellar intruder. The unclassified object seems to be entering the Oort cloud on a path that will lead it past the orbit of Pluto into the planetary system. Soon, as it becomes clear that is indeed its trajectory, Kingsley shows up in Hawaiʻi to join Ben in sussing out the nature of the intruder.
As what Channing later labels Eater heads toward Jupiter, the US government enters the act, too. A top-secret unit known as the U Agency arrives in force to impose restrictions on the scientists who are sharing information about the intruder with their colleagues around the world. And in short order what started as a simple scientific inquiry becomes a topic of global concern that brings a massive response led by the White House and the United Nations. However, despite the ever-lengthening cast of characters, Benford keeps us focused on Ben, Channing, and Kingsley. This is a story that could easily spin out of control. But Benford keeps us focused on the human reality at its core.
About the author
Greg Benford is both a renowned science fiction author and an astrophysicist. He is professor emeritus of physics and astronomy at the University of California, Irvine. Benford is the author or coauthor of more than 30 novels as well as scores of short stories. His work has won him many awards, including the Nebula. He was born in Mobile, Alabama, in 1941 and was educated at the universities of Oklahoma and California at San Diego, where he earned his PhD. Benford has an identical twin brother, Jim, with whom he has collaborated on many science fiction stories. His wife passed away in 2002. He lives in Laguna Beach, California.
December 24, 2024
La sf di Gregory Benford, autore e astrofisico, prende le dovute distanze dalla sci-fi e "Il divoratore di mondi" ("Eater", 2000; Urania Mondadori, 2018; trad. di Vittorio Curtoni) è in grado di offrire alcuni interessanti spunti di riflessione.
"Io desidero conversare".
Per primo il contatto con una entità aliena, parte buco nero parte campo magnetico, che viaggia nell'universo da otto miliardi di anni, divorando materia per spostarsi: si tratta di un periodo di tempo che porta all'estremo il concetto di alienità, sfiorando il concetto di divinità, tanto da non esserci possibilità di un confronto alla pari, un problema sia culturale che politico. D'altra parte "il guaio degli alieni è che sono alieni", anche se desiderano conversare e portare con sé nel loro viaggio una rappresentanza digitalizzata della razza umana.
"Solo una registrazione. Ma era così reale".
La digitalizzazione delle coscienze (a opera di una tecnologia offerta dall'alieno) è un altro aspetto interessante per i risvolti scientifici ed etici: volendo accondiscendere alla richiesta dell'entità estranea, il problema è relativo alla scelta di sacrificare la propria vita (o essere non volontariamente sacrificati) per produrre delle "copie", per le quali non è ancora stata pensata e definita una categorizzazione etica. E un altro problema è cosa aspettarsi da una copia digitale consapevole di esserlo: i comportamenti della persona originale o un ulteriore variabile sconosciuta nel rapporto con il Divoratore?
"Desideriamo conversare anche noi".
Infine non possono mancare le strategie della politica, i giochi di potere e di forza: nuclearizzare o sottostare alle richieste del Divoratore? Considerare l'alieno una curiosità in transito, un rischio per la sopravvivenza o un caso estremo di egocentrismo cosmico?
"Io desidero conversare".
Per primo il contatto con una entità aliena, parte buco nero parte campo magnetico, che viaggia nell'universo da otto miliardi di anni, divorando materia per spostarsi: si tratta di un periodo di tempo che porta all'estremo il concetto di alienità, sfiorando il concetto di divinità, tanto da non esserci possibilità di un confronto alla pari, un problema sia culturale che politico. D'altra parte "il guaio degli alieni è che sono alieni", anche se desiderano conversare e portare con sé nel loro viaggio una rappresentanza digitalizzata della razza umana.
"Solo una registrazione. Ma era così reale".
La digitalizzazione delle coscienze (a opera di una tecnologia offerta dall'alieno) è un altro aspetto interessante per i risvolti scientifici ed etici: volendo accondiscendere alla richiesta dell'entità estranea, il problema è relativo alla scelta di sacrificare la propria vita (o essere non volontariamente sacrificati) per produrre delle "copie", per le quali non è ancora stata pensata e definita una categorizzazione etica. E un altro problema è cosa aspettarsi da una copia digitale consapevole di esserlo: i comportamenti della persona originale o un ulteriore variabile sconosciuta nel rapporto con il Divoratore?
"Desideriamo conversare anche noi".
Infine non possono mancare le strategie della politica, i giochi di potere e di forza: nuclearizzare o sottostare alle richieste del Divoratore? Considerare l'alieno una curiosità in transito, un rischio per la sopravvivenza o un caso estremo di egocentrismo cosmico?
March 27, 2022
I absolutely loved the unique Entity that the book created in the Eater. It was the first of its kind in any science fiction I've even heard of and the book did an exceptional job building upon it's unique. I thoroughly appreciated how "alien" the entity felt and how this left like it actually influence the story and the character's decisions and thoughts. Often science fiction gives it aliens an human feel, with understandable human motivations and capacities; but the Eater felt wholely different and this made me think. I also appreciated how there was a sense of no one actually knew what they were doing no sense of certainty. The Eater felt as much of a gift to humanity as it did a threat and I loved that. And while I hated how the story wrapped up, it was not because it was a bad ending but I hated that it felt so human and real. "SPOILERS" But the fact that humanity was trying to kill such an ancient and complex and unique entity to merely save a few hundred thousand lives infurated me. I got to the point where I was willing to sacrifice the whole of humanity just to keep the entity alive because it felt that important.
What I didn't appreciated was that the characters to me lacked much depth and I found it hard to care about them. But the biggest failing of the book was it made the science more difficult and confusing to understand. I give it the benefit of the doubt it was creating and explaining a whole new type of science and one so complex like physics but I found it very hard to understand even a little bit. It used too many science terminology I was often lost, i found myself skimming these sections just to get through them.
But in the end the uniquess of the Eater/Entity was so amazing that I rated the book so highly despite the fact that it wasn't that exceptional of a book, just a nice quick read.
What I didn't appreciated was that the characters to me lacked much depth and I found it hard to care about them. But the biggest failing of the book was it made the science more difficult and confusing to understand. I give it the benefit of the doubt it was creating and explaining a whole new type of science and one so complex like physics but I found it very hard to understand even a little bit. It used too many science terminology I was often lost, i found myself skimming these sections just to get through them.
But in the end the uniquess of the Eater/Entity was so amazing that I rated the book so highly despite the fact that it wasn't that exceptional of a book, just a nice quick read.
August 27, 2021
This book is difficult to rate.
On the one hand, the plot and main ideas of the book are fascinating, entertaining, original, and, for the science behind them, the author certainly deserves credit. On the other, the storytelling just isn't there.
The author's execution of such a vast concept borders on insulting. There's some eloquent wordsmithing, some attempts at development of the narrative and its characters, as well as some obvious ones to distinguish the characters from each other and to make them interesting and likeable to the reader - but the story is bland. It's lacking in fear, suspense, excitement, and enthusiasm, when it should have all of these. And, surprisingly, it's not very smart.
An extraordinary scientific discovery should have extraordinary reactions.
Astronomers would be TERRIFIED if they discovered a black hole in our solar system. Dumbfounded and stunned and terrified for the fate of our planet.
In the book, the discovery is mentioned casually in conversation, and accepted with, mostly, indifference by the scientists.
It isn't until much later that they realize it *could* have potentially negative affect on the planets our the solar system. At this point, I was almost yelling at the characters: IT'S A BLACK HOLE. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE EXPERTS IN YOUR FIELD?
The reactions were unrealistic and inappropriate. The writing style was dull, glib, underwhelming, and unconvincing. Not a compelling book, no matter how I hoped it would be.
On the one hand, the plot and main ideas of the book are fascinating, entertaining, original, and, for the science behind them, the author certainly deserves credit. On the other, the storytelling just isn't there.
The author's execution of such a vast concept borders on insulting. There's some eloquent wordsmithing, some attempts at development of the narrative and its characters, as well as some obvious ones to distinguish the characters from each other and to make them interesting and likeable to the reader - but the story is bland. It's lacking in fear, suspense, excitement, and enthusiasm, when it should have all of these. And, surprisingly, it's not very smart.
An extraordinary scientific discovery should have extraordinary reactions.
Astronomers would be TERRIFIED if they discovered a black hole in our solar system. Dumbfounded and stunned and terrified for the fate of our planet.
In the book, the discovery is mentioned casually in conversation, and accepted with, mostly, indifference by the scientists.
It isn't until much later that they realize it *could* have potentially negative affect on the planets our the solar system. At this point, I was almost yelling at the characters: IT'S A BLACK HOLE. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE EXPERTS IN YOUR FIELD?
The reactions were unrealistic and inappropriate. The writing style was dull, glib, underwhelming, and unconvincing. Not a compelling book, no matter how I hoped it would be.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2020
Ein bizarreres Alien gibt es nicht. Im Jahr 2032 gelangt ein kleines Schwarzes Loch ins Sonnensystem, und es stellt sich heraus, dass es intelligent ist. Denn es kommuniziert mit seinem Entdeckern. Und es ist sehr an der Erde interessiert, auf seine ganz besondere Weise...
Das größte Manko dieses Buches ist, dass diese außerirdische Existenzform von den Menschen und insbesondere den Handlungsträger nicht in ihrer Ungeheuerlichkeit und den Folgen für das Bild des Menschen im Universum nicht genügend berücksichtigt wird. Als SF-Fan hat man schon viel gelesen, sprich man ist an ungewöhnliche Aliens "gewöhnt", aber es sollte sich anders verhalten mit den Menschen auf der fiktiven Erde. Die Protagonisten sind natürlich pragmatisch orientiert, es gilt die Erde vor Schaden zu bewahren, aber ein wenig mehr Reflektion hätte dem Roman sehr gut getan.
Dennoch ein spannder und lesenswerter Hard-Science Roman.
Das größte Manko dieses Buches ist, dass diese außerirdische Existenzform von den Menschen und insbesondere den Handlungsträger nicht in ihrer Ungeheuerlichkeit und den Folgen für das Bild des Menschen im Universum nicht genügend berücksichtigt wird. Als SF-Fan hat man schon viel gelesen, sprich man ist an ungewöhnliche Aliens "gewöhnt", aber es sollte sich anders verhalten mit den Menschen auf der fiktiven Erde. Die Protagonisten sind natürlich pragmatisch orientiert, es gilt die Erde vor Schaden zu bewahren, aber ein wenig mehr Reflektion hätte dem Roman sehr gut getan.
Dennoch ein spannder und lesenswerter Hard-Science Roman.
March 17, 2025
First, it was truly a delight to read Sci-fi with actual science in it! So often science is completely left out of science-fiction, which in my opinion makes it speculate fiction now Sci fi.
Anyway, I really appreciated and enjoyed the astrophysics in this novel. It’s interesting to that he mentioned telescopes in this novel, which we didn’t have back when this was written but we do now.
As for the story, it was ok. The characters were decent, and fortunately were not over numbered. Politics had to come in of course, but also was fortunately not over done. The science speculation was interesting, though I was a bit confused as to how it worked. I have some idea. But much of the story was boring for me, especially around some of the characters.
That said it was enjoyable, the science was much welcome and the science speculation was interesting.
Anyway, I really appreciated and enjoyed the astrophysics in this novel. It’s interesting to that he mentioned telescopes in this novel, which we didn’t have back when this was written but we do now.
As for the story, it was ok. The characters were decent, and fortunately were not over numbered. Politics had to come in of course, but also was fortunately not over done. The science speculation was interesting, though I was a bit confused as to how it worked. I have some idea. But much of the story was boring for me, especially around some of the characters.
That said it was enjoyable, the science was much welcome and the science speculation was interesting.
May 26, 2025
Benford non è un maestro della penna e la sua prosa può facilmente risultare noiosa, poiché cadenzata da schemi narrativi ripetitivi. Tuttavia ha sfornato un romanzo interessante, sia dal punto di vista fantascientifico, sia filosofico. Non tragga in inganno il titolo da B-Movie: non ci sono mostri verdi spaziali che se la spassano per l'universo inghiottendo mondi. La minaccia è data da un'anomalia spazio-temporale che punta verso la Terra. Mano a mano che si procede nella lettura, i connotati di questa minaccia aliena vengono via via definiti: è interessante scoprire a poco a poco come l'umanità cercherà di fare fronte a un nemico tanto superiore, e qui entra in gioco il sacrificio fisico di un'astronauta in favore di una nuova dimensione di vita digitale. Il finale giustamente aperto lascia campo alle considerazioni del lettore su un possibile prosieguo della vicenda.
January 21, 2024
This was a completely serviceable but undistinguished novel. It was the classic Science Fiction combo of a good idea plus workmanlike prose equaling a modest success. I think the You tube vlogger Bookpilled would declare it "a perfect 5 out of 10." I would rate it a 6.5 out of 10, which is better than a lot of the stuff that gets published in this, or any, genre in any given year.
June 11, 2017
A black hole that seems to possess some sort of alien intelligence, or is controlled and under the influence in some way by alien technology... (?) No doubt inspired by Fred Hoyle's "The Black Cloud"
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