When Sir Arthur C. Clarke, the greatest science fiction writer ever, teams up with award-winning author Stephen Baxter, who shares Clarke’s b...
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Mar 21, 2011
Patrick
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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 Ear More...
Just as we saw in the first novel, the Firstborn are apparently behind an elaborate scheme to fry the Ear More...
Sep 16, 2011
Sue
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This was an excellent followup to the first book 'Time's Eye'. The second book in a series always is in a precarious position that it doesn't come up to the standard of the first, or carry through on the continuing plot lines of the first, or develop the characters from the first. Lord knows, I've read many a second series book and felt somewhat let down in one or two of those areas. This one didn't let me down at all - for the most part anyways!
Firstly, when only one character is b More...
Firstly, when only one character is b More...
Feb 05, 2009
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 t
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Apr 23, 2011
Jason
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Audiobook. I listened to the first book in this trilogy a few years ago and never felt the pull to get to the rest of it. ACC is sort of one of my all-time favorite authors, though, so I felt like I owed some younger version of myself to read the next-to-last last thing he (co-)wrote. The story had a nice disaster-story element, but the most intriguing thing about it is all of the Space Odyssey references/parallels. I liked all of these in an insider-geek way, but in my sober estimate I have to
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Nov 25, 2009
Bryan
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I enjoyed this book more than the first book. Again, Clarke ensures that the science is emphasized in his science fiction -- and he does 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 do have a scientific background, and I was fascinated with the plot's premise of how the Firstborn were planning Earth's demise.
I really found this to be a book of a very different flavor from More...
I do have a scientific background, and I was fascinated with the plot's premise of how the Firstborn were planning Earth's demise.
I really found this to be a book of a very different flavor from More...
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Oct 10, 2011
Thomas
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Whoa! Nefarious aliens from the beginnings of time have primed our sun to blow us away in order to preserve the energy balance of the universe. This, just five years after Bisesa Dutt returns from Mir, a planet much like Earth, but taken from time-slices spanning approximately one million years. I'm reading to try to figure out how any of this is tied back together, how the Firstborn can justify themselves, and what kind of mind-altering stimulant Stephen Baxter began to smoke when he looked
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Jul 21, 2009
Dave
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I'm really impressed with this! It was published in 2006 not long before Arthur Clarke passed away and he must have entered into this collaboration because of his physical weaknesses (I remember reading he visited NYC in 2006 in a wheelchair). Such collaborations in SF usually are pretty weak in my experience but this is quite good. I will have to check out more of this team. I learned alot that I trust in this book, mainly about the sun and its inner workings. And the story was good too.
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Aug 09, 2008
Samuel
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Well, the story was a little flat and somehow the book was not very engaging.
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Jun 19, 2009
Tony
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Clarke & Baxter bring their main character, Bisesa Dutt, back to her time, and earth faces intentional annihilation at the hands of the Firstborn, so called because they seem to be the 1st intelligent species to develop in the entire universe. There motive is purely selfish, as they deem the universe finite, and do not want any developing species to use up valuable resources. There method is to use the Sun to do their dirty work. Once the threat is realized, humanity races to defend Earth agains
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Aug 11, 2010
Jake
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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, More...
After a mellow start, Sunstorm steadily builds in pace and scope until a grand climax. As with part one of the trilogy, More...
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Jun 05, 2009
Brett
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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.
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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.
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Apr 04, 2009
Wendy
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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 on More...
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 on More...
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Nov 11, 2008
Keith
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Aug 20, 2008
Themistocles
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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 More...
-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 More...
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Sep 29, 2007
Morgan
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General Outline:
This book picks up where the first one left off with Biesa waking up in her appartment one day after she was taken to Mir, but for her 5 years have passed. On the day she returns the earth is hit by a solar flare/sunstorm that knocks out the majority of earths electronics and sets the stage for the massive sunstorm that is going to hit the earth 5 years in the futrure eradicating all life on earth. Once the scientists figure out what is going on they race to find a way to More...
This book picks up where the first one left off with Biesa waking up in her appartment one day after she was taken to Mir, but for her 5 years have passed. On the day she returns the earth is hit by a solar flare/sunstorm that knocks out the majority of earths electronics and sets the stage for the massive sunstorm that is going to hit the earth 5 years in the futrure eradicating all life on earth. Once the scientists figure out what is going on they race to find a way to More...
May 14, 2010
Matt
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Forgettable sequel to Time's Eye in the Time's Odyssey series. This time the people of the not-too-distant future Earth must shield their home planet from a really nasty solar flare. Sounds like what's coming our way in 2012, but super powerful space aliens are at the heart of this not mother nature.
The description of a plane blowing up in a terrorist attack was quite disturbing; not recommended for people who are afraid to fly, like myself. I still cringe just thinking about it.
The description of a plane blowing up in a terrorist attack was quite disturbing; not recommended for people who are afraid to fly, like myself. I still cringe just thinking about it.
Mar 20, 2011
Cheryl in CC NV
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Lots of interesting science, not a whole lot of good story. I mean, it was good enough to carry me through, but not to make me want to read the rest of the series. I'd probably have liked it a lot more when I was young and avidly curious about astronomy and cosmology. I do recommend it only if you can sit down in chunks - reading a few pp at a time wouldn't be v. effective.
Apr 09, 2010
Betsey
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This is the sequel to Time's Eye. It was also almost all Baxter - destruction of the earth scenarios being his thing! It was maybe 2.5 stars. It was an interesting read, but not as good as the first book. It was noticeable that they chose to make all the main storytellers women, and there was a definite focus on mothers & daughter. not sure why.
Feb 28, 2011
Glynn
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This was a fun read. I read it at a particularly appropriate time with all the happenings on the sun these days (check out Spaceweather for all things to do with the weather in space.) I enjoyed the subtle references to 2001 A Space Odyssey and also the exploration of the relationships between man and artificial intelligence. There was a lot of good character development and I am looking forward to reading the final book in this trilogy.
Jul 30, 2010
Marc
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"The second book of the Time Odyssey continues to deliver. Lots of references to the Space Odyssey books. Very heavy on hard science topics. I.e., what happens when a gas giant 15 times the mass of Jupiter crashes into our sun?[return]Characters are a bit one dimensional.[return]Looking forward to reading the 3rd book of the cycle."
Oct 23, 2010
Gunner
rated it:
Baxter and Clarke are both hard sci-fi visionaries, but they're also hit-or-miss, and this is one of their mutual misses.
What do you get when you take a world disaster movie, remove all the visuals and special effects, make the characters so flat as to be interchangeable, and fill all the gaps with science jabber? You get a plot that the reader cares nothing about, even to the last page.
The first book in this trilogy was exciting, but this read almost like an essay tha More...
What do you get when you take a world disaster movie, remove all the visuals and special effects, make the characters so flat as to be interchangeable, and fill all the gaps with science jabber? You get a plot that the reader cares nothing about, even to the last page.
The first book in this trilogy was exciting, but this read almost like an essay tha More...
Jan 20, 2010
Lucas
rated it:
Lacks all of the 'time odyssey' elements of the first book, and mostly stands alone as a shorter than average sf disaster book- there's no dramatis personae, and no cliched unimportant characters who exist only so we get to see the disaster from their perspective.
The level of prediction and precision the Firstborn are capable of seems impossible- I'd only believe it if they exerted some closed loop control over the events they set in motion.
I don't understand the fascinat More...
The level of prediction and precision the Firstborn are capable of seems impossible- I'd only believe it if they exerted some closed loop control over the events they set in motion.
I don't understand the fascinat More...
Aug 23, 2009
Maren
rated it:
You know, I do love Arthur Clarke, and I can usually get past his atheistic preaching that creeps into his writing. Esp in his later books that tend to be a little more lenient on the devout among us. But one thing I can't condone is some of the weaknesses of his writing style. Like the fact that he isn't very good about tying loose ends. And the disjointed nature of moving from chapter to chapter. It seems he has good ideas, but doesn't fully flesh them out to a satisfying conclusion. Or
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Jul 21, 2010
Karen
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The second volume in the Time Odyssey series. I enjoyed this even more than the first one, since it was even more in the "mainstream" sci-fi genre. Many cool technically possible creations - the space elevator, the giant sun screen, etc., and a good cast of characters.
Feb 23, 2011
J. Pablo
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It was a good read. The previous one left some nasty images in my mind so I postponed reading this one for a while, but I enjoyed. It was very vivid and the story is going into an interesting place. Very Clarke-style. Can't wait to read the next one.
Jul 13, 2008
Dave
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The earth has to prepare for a disaster from the sun that could wipe out life on the planet. Science fiction in an easily read format with interesting characters, one is a carryover from the first novel from this series, but it isn't necessary to read that book first. I found the author's hope in this story of cultures uniting to be realistic and inspiring. I would recommend this book for those people who reluctantly take cover from storms because they want to see them or who will watch foota
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Apr 02, 2008
Pete
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One of the things that have always drawn me to the books of Arthur C. Clarke is how his books emphasize the science in science fiction. This one in particular I enjoyed because it did two things very well: it painted a realistic picture of near future technology and culture, and it put humanity up against a very difficult scenario in which it is hopelessly outclassed and must rely on the human spirit for any chance of survival. His books combine the strange elements of science fiction with a sol
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Nov 06, 2011
Tad
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This was my favorite of the series. It had alot of good hard sf elements, but also some well drawn out characters. It didn't seem to connect much to the first book, but then I guess that was what the third book is for.
Jul 12, 2009
Dave
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Excellent Book. Classic Sci-Fi as I've come to expect from Clarke. Much of the story doesn't revolve around the plot; the plot is at times only secondary to the exploration of scientific possibility.
Nov 23, 2011
Srđan
rated it:
Ovo nema veze sa prvom knjigom! Ovo je još jedna priča o umalo izbegnutom uništenju života na zemlji, uz herojsko zalaganje pojedinaca, a ja sam očikavao sukob različitih vremenskih epoha.
