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84th out of 2,946 books
—
12,413 voters
Startide Rising (The Uplift Saga #2)
by
David Brin (Goodreads Author)
David Brin's Uplift novels are among the most thrilling and extraordinary science fiction ever written.Sundiver, Startide Rising, and The Uplift War--a New York Times bestseller--together make up one of the most beloved sagas of all time.Brin's tales are set in a future universe in which no species can reach sentience without being "uplifted" by a patron race.But the great...more
Paperback, 458 pages
Published
March 1st 1984
by Spectra
(first published 1983)
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A good way to illustrate the utter failure of the Star Wars prequels on just about every level of storytelling imaginable is to ask someone to describe the characters without talking about their jobs or their costumes. [Come on, try it: Queen Amidala. Oh, she looks like a Kabuki... wait, no. She's the queen... I'm sorry. Um, her hair. She's... normal?] The characters in Startide Rising suffer in much the same fashion. Aside from the fact that they are of different species, not much differentiate...more
Christmas 2010: I realised that I had got stuck in a rut. I was re-reading old favourites again and again, waiting for a few trusted authors to release new works. Something had to be done.
On the spur of the moment I set myself a challenge, to read every book to have won the Locus Sci-Fi award. That’s 35 books, 6 of which I’d previously read, leaving 29 titles by 14 authors who were new to me.
While working through this reading list I got married, went on my honeymoon, switched career and became...more
4 likes · like · see review
Undoubtedly one of the stupidest books I've ever read. I'm not sure what's worst, the talking dolphins who can smile, the chimpanzee planetologist who smokes a pipe (I think), the horribly written dialog, the fact that the aliens are more believable characters than the humans, or the fact that somebody thought it would be a great idea to use dolphins to run starships since, as we know, such a large percentage of planets have water on them that obviously we want aquatic creatures who can go out a...more
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3.5 stars. A science fiction classic that doesn't quite live up to the title of masterpiece. The concept of "uplifting" and the manner in which David Brin incorporates it into the universe he has created in these novels is brilliant and definitely worth checking out. Writing is just okay. Still, great world-building, fascinating aliens and a pretty good plot. Not Brin's best but worth reading, Recommended!!
Winner: Hugo Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (1984)
Winner: Nebula Award for Best Scie...more
Winner: Hugo Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (1984)
Winner: Nebula Award for Best Scie...more
I'm finding Startide Rising to be fairly slow going, too. The story is interesting, and I care what happens, but the writing, while better than that in Sundiver, is still choppy and unprofessional. He changes viewpoint character, no kidding, every two or three pages for significant chunks of the book. That is really annoying to me.
Now the plan they've worked out for hiding the ship, escaping, or signaling Earth, evading capture, or whatever, is something all the characters know but he's not tel...more
Now the plan they've worked out for hiding the ship, escaping, or signaling Earth, evading capture, or whatever, is something all the characters know but he's not tel...more
second book set in the Uplift universe...
short plot description: the surveyship Streaker, manned by a mostly uplifted-dolphin crew (with one uplift-chimpanzee and a handful of humans) makes an important discovery which may well change galactic history. Unfortunately some other factions begrudge the humans this discovery and after an ambush which damages the ship the crew takes refuge on the planet Kithrup, trying to repair their damaged ship and find a way to escape the aliens. But the dangers a...more
short plot description: the surveyship Streaker, manned by a mostly uplifted-dolphin crew (with one uplift-chimpanzee and a handful of humans) makes an important discovery which may well change galactic history. Unfortunately some other factions begrudge the humans this discovery and after an ambush which damages the ship the crew takes refuge on the planet Kithrup, trying to repair their damaged ship and find a way to escape the aliens. But the dangers a...more
Fascinating concepts and a somewhat compelling plot line made this mostly testosterone-fueled narrative interesting to me. I prefer more character development and relationship in my stories. This was mostly one battle scene or one fight scene after another, with a few resting scenes in between. I usually fast forward through the fight/battle scenes in films and TV, and I admit skimming a lot of these pages, too. The good part: this 'Uplift' universe proposes that all sentient life was started by...more
Apr 18, 2013
Dark-Draco
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
science-fiction-series
The second book in the Uplift series takes place 200 years after the first one. Humans and their clients, Chimps and Dolphins, are still not fully accepted by the rest of the sentient races, but are tolerated. When the explorer vessel, Streaker, finds a fleet of derelict ships and a dessicated corpse, they unthinkingly broadcast some of their findings...and starts a massive hunt for them by the oldest fanatics who think they have found the Progenitors - the first race that seeded the stars. The...more
Review that is better formatted with appropriate pictures found here. http://kiddywonkus.blogspot.com/2012/...
I feel like I should start this with a disclaimer: I don't usually read things that, when described to me, bring back memories of all the Christian Riese Lassen folders I owned in elementary school.
So, basically that means I don't usually read things that can be summarized as dolphins in space. Especially when they have 80s-tastic cover art.
But, a friend with taste that I only question...more
I feel like I should start this with a disclaimer: I don't usually read things that, when described to me, bring back memories of all the Christian Riese Lassen folders I owned in elementary school.
So, basically that means I don't usually read things that can be summarized as dolphins in space. Especially when they have 80s-tastic cover art.
But, a friend with taste that I only question...more
Recently finished the second book in David Brin's Uplift series, Startide Rising. Although set in the same universe as Sundiver, the events in the two books are almost completely unrelated. In addition, the two books are very different in quality.
Startide Rising is a very good book. I'll speak to the flaws first, since there are only a few. First, there are many, many characters, and keeping them all straight is made more difficult by the similarity of names. Along the same lines, Brin decided t...more
Startide Rising is a very good book. I'll speak to the flaws first, since there are only a few. First, there are many, many characters, and keeping them all straight is made more difficult by the similarity of names. Along the same lines, Brin decided t...more
Lovely! I read this mainly because of its sentient dolphin premise, which is executed well in a non gimmicky fashion. The best features of the book were the authors depictions of nonhumans and "alienness" in general. In their psychology, culture, habits, etc he conveys a convincing sense that these things do not operate in a way we could relate to at all, and can only even begin to understand by analogy. The notion of "uplift" (and the skepticism of darwi. Brin perfectly executes the trick of gi...more
An intense ride of a book--the battle overhead, the intense interpersonal conflicts down on the planet. Brin once again brings the weird alien mysteries that I love--what exactly are the drill trees and metal mounds? He still hasn't answered "did humanity have a patron?" and added the new one of "who is Herbie and what is up with the derelict fleet?"
Half of the POV characters are dolphins. It takes a moment to wrap your head around it, but their characterization is just as rich as the humans. I'...more
Half of the POV characters are dolphins. It takes a moment to wrap your head around it, but their characterization is just as rich as the humans. I'...more
I like this book well enough but I feel like I should like it more than I do, it has everything a good sf novel should have. Vastly imaginative, epic, some humor and good characters. Unfortunately I have a problem with the structure of this book, the cast of characters is too big and the author switches character POV too frequently. This type of structure reminds me of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire books, except that the GRRM books are longer and the characters are better develope...more
This is a book I read solely because I liked the cover art. Cyborg dolphins in space = AWESOME to a 15 year old kid. Luckily, the book was much more than just the cover art. This was my introduction to Brin's Uplift Universe, and probably the best book of the lot.
Really, the appeal to me was more the elaborate backstory of the galactic community. Sentient species select candidate species to genetically enhance to full technological sentience. This Patron/Client is the basis of Galactic politics,...more
Really, the appeal to me was more the elaborate backstory of the galactic community. Sentient species select candidate species to genetically enhance to full technological sentience. This Patron/Client is the basis of Galactic politics,...more
This was the first "grown-up" science fiction book that my dad ever gave me (well, lent really). I tried to read it but couldn't finish it. I was in elementary school at the time. Later, in high school, I got my own copy and read it during a summer break. It's a fascinating setting: the Galaxy filled with vast and powerful space-faring civilizations (clans) who practice "uplift," the raising of species to sentience through genetic manipulation and directed breeding. It has been this way for bill...more
WOW. What a book! I reviewed the first one in the series recently and found that it left me somewhat cold. Book one of the 'saga' was smart and moved along, but felt flat to me in the area of character development. Startide Rising, on the other hand, had character development up the wazoo. Yes, I said wazoo. Get over it.
The story line it a bit farfetched, even for Sci-Fi. The universe is filled with aliens who are all competing with one another to Uplift pre-sentient beings to full sentience thr...more
The story line it a bit farfetched, even for Sci-Fi. The universe is filled with aliens who are all competing with one another to Uplift pre-sentient beings to full sentience thr...more
1 like · like · see review
When someone who doesn't like science fiction explains why, the most common reasons are:
1. The plots are incomprehensible or boring
2. There ideas were too fantastic to relate to
3. The characters aren't interesting
And if we're talking about Startide Rising...they are completely right. This is the kind of book I would recommend if I wanted to cement a non-SF-reader's dislike of the genre. It's disappointing because the premise in the Uplift Saga is solid. There's an interesting universe here that...more
1. The plots are incomprehensible or boring
2. There ideas were too fantastic to relate to
3. The characters aren't interesting
And if we're talking about Startide Rising...they are completely right. This is the kind of book I would recommend if I wanted to cement a non-SF-reader's dislike of the genre. It's disappointing because the premise in the Uplift Saga is solid. There's an interesting universe here that...more
1 like · like · see review
This is the second in David Brin's uplift trilogy (Sundiver, Startide Rising & The Uplift War), and there's another series following that one. I have read Sundiver but it was a while ago and I don't remember much, so you could easily get into this one without having read any other of Brin's books.
This book follows a mixed Human and Dolphin crew (with a chimpanzee thrown in for good measure). They're on the run, hiding on a little known planet after discovering a derelict fleet of starships,...more
This book follows a mixed Human and Dolphin crew (with a chimpanzee thrown in for good measure). They're on the run, hiding on a little known planet after discovering a derelict fleet of starships,...more
Starts off well introducing some great concepts. The relationships between the crew are interesting, as is the situation they find themselves in. Unfortunately that situation is not resolved until the end, and not much new is introduced, so the middle of the book drags. However the writing, both prose and poetry, is pretty good and it does build to an exciting conclusion. Brin has got a bit better at shaping a story, although one character was still an annoyingly flawless Mary Sue. Also the spac...more
The scenery of Startide Rising is a galaxy-spanning civilization, where for two billion years species of sophonts, Patrons, have "uplifted" non-sentient beings as Clients, who in turn become Patrons, with their own Clients.
Two hundred years ago, humans turned up on this scene, as a unique species of sophonts who apparently had uplifted themselves.
The book centers on the efforts of the crew on the survey ship Streaker, whose dolphins, men and chimp attempt to evade the fleets of alien fanatics w...more
Two hundred years ago, humans turned up on this scene, as a unique species of sophonts who apparently had uplifted themselves.
The book centers on the efforts of the crew on the survey ship Streaker, whose dolphins, men and chimp attempt to evade the fleets of alien fanatics w...more
Startide is an engrossing yarn with sympathetic characters, a driving plot, lots of wonderful complications, a compelling hook, and an evocative universe. The research vessel Streaker, manned largely by an experimental crew of sentient dolphins, stumbles upon an epochal discovery: a derelict fleet of ancient spaceships. Once word of the discovery leaks out, every intelligent species in the universe sends fleets of battleships in pursuit of the Streaker and the secrets it carries – including a ca...more
This was one of the science fiction novels that when I read it when it was first released hooked me to science fiction for a lifetime. When I read this, along with HYPERION by Dan Simmons, my brain went "WOW" and has been addicted all these years. Unfortunately writers and readers change over the years but for this one single novel at last I will always love David Brin for it.
As for the rest of the Uplift novels: THE UPLIFT WAR is darn good. The gorillas steal the show. I just couldn't get into...more
As for the rest of the Uplift novels: THE UPLIFT WAR is darn good. The gorillas steal the show. I just couldn't get into...more
I had wanted to read this book for some time (this was about 15 years ago). It had won awards, was an early entry in a popular series, and the author had some currency in Hollywood (sourcing The Postman). I found it for about seven bucks in a book exchange -- this particular place used to slip every book inside a soft plastic cover, to freshen up the cover and make it shine invitingly from the shelf.
Which is to say the story of the book in my imagination (as something I might like to read) and t...more
Which is to say the story of the book in my imagination (as something I might like to read) and t...more
This is the second book in my reread of the Uplift series, by David Brin, and it holds up even better than the first book, Sundiver. And since I just recently reread Sundiver, I even picked up on the references to that book in this one.
The book starts in the middle of the story. The Streaker -- the first spaceship ever commanded by Dolphins -- ran across a mysterious fleet of ancient and abandoned spaceships. Unfortunately, they sent word back to Earth, which was intercepted by a number of the G...more
The book starts in the middle of the story. The Streaker -- the first spaceship ever commanded by Dolphins -- ran across a mysterious fleet of ancient and abandoned spaceships. Unfortunately, they sent word back to Earth, which was intercepted by a number of the G...more
* Creideiki leads us-
Is our master
* Yet we imagine-
Secret orders *
Tom sighed. There it was again, the suspicion that Earth would never let the first dolphin-commanded vessel go out without disguised human supervision. Naturally, most of the rumors centered around himself. It was bothersome, because Creideiki was an excellent captain. Also, it detracted from one of the purposes of the mission, to make a demonstration that would boost neo-fin self-confidence for a generation.
The first ship co...more
Is our master
* Yet we imagine-
Secret orders *
Tom sighed. There it was again, the suspicion that Earth would never let the first dolphin-commanded vessel go out without disguised human supervision. Naturally, most of the rumors centered around himself. It was bothersome, because Creideiki was an excellent captain. Also, it detracted from one of the purposes of the mission, to make a demonstration that would boost neo-fin self-confidence for a generation.
The first ship co...more
Okay...and having just written that I haven't read any other David Brin, I just checked out his other "Uplift" books and immediately recognized this one by its cover -- who could ever forget the dolphin astronaut? Don't remember anything else about the story at all, but remember getting a kick out of it at the time. SF tends to deteriorate over time more than most other genres, so what seemed cool twenty years ago tends to look pretty stupid today, and I imagine if I reread this book now I'd fin...more
I read Uplift Wars when I was 12, and I think that's colored my view of Brin since. Uplift Wars is 6 stars, at least in my child-like reminiscing. Startide Rising is also a very fun, enjoyable, somewhat light book. I don't normally want characters to survive (or fear they won't), but in this case, I honestly did. Brin's presentation of what a dolphin uplift might be like is also outstanding. The whole setup is delightful, and I enjoyed the story immensely.
My only gripe? It simply wasn't thought...more
My only gripe? It simply wasn't thought...more
I won't recant my love for "Sundiver", but upon rereading Brin's Uplift books I must admit that it has weaknesses that mark it as a first novel. It is perhaps a too-conventional detective story, right down to the parlor scene where our hero reveals the nature of the plot's going-on to the whole cast (were Brin a lesser writer, he might've unleashed upon us a slew of new "Jacob Demwa mysteries" in which our pseudo schizo sleuth foils more acts of sabotage, frauds, and the like. Fortunately this h...more
Dolphins in space, wielding psychic powers, hide from a diverse gang of aliens on a watery planet.
They uncover some unlikely mysteries, and fight some bad guys.
I did like the Tandoo "acceptor" race, they were pretty awesome.
Aside from the two pages dedicated to the acceptors, the book is shit.
It should really be classified as fantasy, because science only serves as a vocabulary reference pool.
The only clever moment in the book was when the dolphins vented their on-board water out the airlock, wh...more
They uncover some unlikely mysteries, and fight some bad guys.
I did like the Tandoo "acceptor" race, they were pretty awesome.
Aside from the two pages dedicated to the acceptors, the book is shit.
It should really be classified as fantasy, because science only serves as a vocabulary reference pool.
The only clever moment in the book was when the dolphins vented their on-board water out the airlock, wh...more
Very engaging sequel to Sundiver, although it takes place 200 years in the future from that book and some of the threads that I would have liked to see pursued got dropped in the process. Oh well, this was still an excellent book {and better than the first one IMO). The dolphin crew of the star ship makes for interesting technology and the crew themselves makes for a lot of Machiavellian drama, as we explore the perils of fooling about with the genetics of another species. I wonder if, as Brin s...more
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David Brin is a scientist, speaker, and world-known author. His novels have been New York Times Bestsellers, winning multiple Hugo, Nebula and other awards. At least a dozen have been translated into more than twenty languages.
Existence, his latest novel, offers an unusual scenario for first contact. His ecological thriller, Earth, foreshadowed global warming, cyberwarfare and near-future trends...more
More about David Brin...
Existence, his latest novel, offers an unusual scenario for first contact. His ecological thriller, Earth, foreshadowed global warming, cyberwarfare and near-future trends...more
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“Even in dying, a Thennanin ship was reputed to be not worth putting out of its misery. In battle they were slow, unmaneuverable—and as hard to disable permanently as a cockroach.”
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