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92nd out of 287 books
—
204 voters
The Last Legends of Earth (Radix #4)
by
A.A. Attanasio (Goodreads Author)
Seven billion years from now, long after Earth has been shattered by its exploding sun, an alien being regenerates lost humanity. The Rimstalker intends humans as bait for the marauding, spiderlike zotl, remorseless predators that feed on the pain and suffering of intelligent life-forms. In the Chalco-Doror system - itself a vast machine created by the Rimstalker - the reb...more
Paperback, 450 pages
Published
August 1st 1990
by Spectra
(first published 1989)
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Complex. Disjointed, in a way. I didn't realize it when I began, but this is the fourth book by Attanasio in a tetrad devoted to the four cardinal dimensions that rule our lives - height, depth, width, time. In retrospect, it makes sense for the one about time to be disjointed. That's not a bad thing, of course.
Distant. As with any book that covers a span of seven thousand years, there are plenty of characters that are introduced, make their effects felt, and disappear - a handful of characters...more
Distant. As with any book that covers a span of seven thousand years, there are plenty of characters that are introduced, make their effects felt, and disappear - a handful of characters...more
Spoiler free summary: An alien archaeologist digs through dead Earth's past to use humans as bait for the purpose of intergalactic pest control. Humans don't like being bait for alien spiders who drink their neurological pain endorphins, so they resist, ally, or betray one another to the exterminator. Centipedes, spiders, humans, gnomes, robots, ghosts, and zombies clash in a space war fought across 15 planets and two sentient "suns" that are actually machines designed to maintain the insect tra...more
LLOE, as Attanasio's fans refer to it, is a science-fiction epic and should be a classic. The scope and dazzling brilliance of the book defy easy description. It tells the story of characters living in a universe created by a god-like alien for the sole purpose of attracting and destroying another alien race of predators. The humans who inhabit its worlds are bait for the predators. Earth, their original home, has long since been destroyed. They have been recreated from waveforms in the void of...more
Aug 03, 2012
Harold Ogle
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Jack Vance fans, space opera nuts, science fiction fans
Shelves:
science-fantasy,
jack-vance
WARNING to my friends: do NOT read reviews or summaries of this book on Goodreads, as every one I've seen has casually given away a big portion of the book, explaining what's going on in a way that the book intentionally takes a long time to reveal. A second NOTE: this book stands alone, so do not be fooled by the "Radix #4" label, as if it is fourth in a larger cycle.
That said, this is an A.A. Attanasio book. Among other things, this means that it is a big story that has been intentionally and...more
That said, this is an A.A. Attanasio book. Among other things, this means that it is a big story that has been intentionally and...more
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Hands down one of the best SF books ever written and one of my favorite books of all time. The plot is, essentially, a love story across time, space, death, and reality. The story sprawls across six thousand years and involves a number of characters, but always seems to drive forward with purpose. The settings and storylines are imaginative and grandiose. The core themes of the book are epic and unforgettable.
This is a most excellent of reads if you like epic science fiction/ fantasy. I have read it twice and will read it again. It is brilliantly written. It is delicious like the very best dessert and when you are finished reading, it is the moment when all the dessert is gone. But you are full, content and possibly introspective and savoring the taste in your mouth.
A fantastic read. Attanasio really should return to science fiction as it is what he does best. This dense, imaginitive story is a must read for anyone who enjoyed Radix. This is another book I re-read every few years and it always leaves me saying "wow....".
From Last Legends of Earth: "We are all fugitives. We have always been fugitives from the void. Whatever comfort, whatever power we gain from outside ourselves diminishes us - because comfort and power, unless they are won from the void ins...more
From Last Legends of Earth: "We are all fugitives. We have always been fugitives from the void. Whatever comfort, whatever power we gain from outside ourselves diminishes us - because comfort and power, unless they are won from the void ins...more
Although I liked the spiritual overtones (like the Tryl), the story-line of this book was so convoluted that it was easy to get lost. There are many characters and their stories get fragmented. Attanasio's Arthurian series had me spellbound. This book felt like heavy going.
It's big (huge, collossal, overwhelmingly large) in time, societies and surroundings. It's complicated, with characters coming and going and coming and going, sometimes in both directions. And it's interesting, in a "how the heck is this all going to hang together?" kind of way. But,as much as the authour tries desparately to hold the whole thing together, in my case he failed to hold onto my interest. The best characters and civilizations come and go, and the boring, underdeveloped, predictable...more
Excellently written and will draw you in. Makes you empathize with ALL characters! I will be seeking out more of this authors work.
One of the craziest plots ever. Attanasio uses language beautifully.
fantastic!
Well written, original and inventive speculative fiction.
This is an interesting and enjoyable book. Way out there from a science stand point but not completely unbelievable.
A very complex -- ultimately too complex -- story, with many characters, settings, and ideas. Lot's and lots of ideas, philosophical, metaphysical, and scientific. Very beautiful descriptions, with an original, unexpected, yet very fitting, use of words. The scattered nature of the story, however, prevents the book from being truly great.
I read this book in High School, when it first came out. I have also committed to reading it again as an adult.
I was drawn into it instantly. I loved its exploration of what love, life, and death are all about, while inside a vastly weird and wonderful plot involving mankind as bait -- bait who earns the compassion of its fisherman.
I was drawn into it instantly. I loved its exploration of what love, life, and death are all about, while inside a vastly weird and wonderful plot involving mankind as bait -- bait who earns the compassion of its fisherman.
Attanasio is a master wordsmith of the metaphysical and spiritual with a rudimentary foundation in complex transformations. The authors insight and imagination is wonderful!
Aug 11, 2007
Nathan
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
science-fiction,
favorites
Quite possibly the best science fiction book I have ever read. And that's saying a lot. Epic on a scale rarely attempted in a series, let alone a single novel.
May 16, 2013
Eric Henderson
marked it as to-read
Apr 10, 2013
Nightporter
added it
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| Sequel?? | 1 | 5 | May 03, 2010 04:16pm |
I’m a novelist and student of the imagination living in Honolulu. Fantasies, visions, hallucinations or whatever we call those irrational powers that illuminate our inner life fascinate me. I’m particularly intrigued by the creative intelligence that scripts our dreams. And I love carrying this soulful energy outside my mind, into the one form that most precisely defines who we are: story.
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