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In the Ocean of Night (Galactic Center Saga #1)

3.61 of 5 stars 3.61 · rating details · 1,072 ratings · 49 reviews

A classic novel of man's future and fate, written by the eminent American physicist and award-winning author of "Timescape."

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Published July 31st 2007 by Aspect (first published January 1st 1977)

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May 11, 2013 Dirk Grobbelaar rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, books-i-own, science-fiction, sf-road-trip-2012

Benford works with a fascinating concept here.

In the Ocean of Night was first published in episodic format, before the pieces were cobbled together to form this first novel in the Galactic Centre series. It’s a good novel too. However, there is a problem with the pacing, undoubtedly because of its episodic origin. The novel consists of a number of separately defined timeline sequences, which makes sense given the plot progression. It is heavy stuff all round, but the problem lies with the second...more Benford works with a fascinating concept here.

In the Ocean of Night was first published in episodic format, before the pieces were cobbled together to form this first novel in the Galactic Centre series. It’s a good novel too. However, there is a problem with the pacing, undoubtedly because of its episodic origin. The novel consists of a number of separately defined timeline sequences, which makes sense given the plot progression. It is heavy stuff all round, but the problem lies with the second sequence, which might have been OK if it wasn’t for the fact that the preceding sequence was so exciting. Too much of a counter point here, I daresay. Things pick up after that, though, and Benford is a very good writer. He is also a scientist, so he knows how to sell a concept. In the end, all is forgiven as the novel gradually rebuilds momentum until culminating in some fine Science Fiction. The characterisation of Nigel Walmsley is also worth a mention.

It does set up the rest of the Galactic Centre series nicely. You just know things are bound to get hardcore from here.

So what’s it all about? Well – quite a bit, it turns out. The novel is deceptively dense, but deals with a theme that is not unfamiliar in Sci-Fi today, namely that of a universe filled with Machine Intelligence (as opposed, perhaps, to Organic Intelligence, and why this might be so), and, well, first contact, evolution and war (among other things). Or is it a novel about one man’s obsession? You decide. There is also the question of the Chicken and the Egg...

Heavy on philosophy and science, In the Ocean of Night also touches on some themes that are reminiscent of 2001: A Space Odyssey. I will admit that it affected me in a way that few books do, just by pressing on some of the right buttons. The whole fascinating truth of the story only resolves in the very final pages, even though, by this time, it is shrouded in gibberish (not quite sure why Benford decided on such a cryptic approach, although I have a suspicion or two). It’s a shame about the pacing issue, because that’s probably the only reason I’m not giving it five out of five stars.
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Aug 07, 2012 Gavin rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people who like mung beans

A third way through the book I had to put it down, this rarely happens to me. I tried very hard to read it, if you put the $’s down to buy you want read it. I must preface this review with the fact I’m an emotional void in true life and books … getting involved in relationships real and written should be avoided at all costs. I also spent a number of years in the Army, thus hippies, holding hands and singing in circles with happy clappers, existentialist god and mung bean books leave me cold. (I...more

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Oct 30, 2010 Rob Bradford rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A good, but flawed book. It reads as though it was written as a bunch of shorter pieces and then published as a book (which, I believe, is in fact the case). And, although that can work, it didn't really for me, at least here. They're just too uneven, and reading them in quick succession makes the inconsistencies stand out too much.

I thought that many of the ideas and themes were first rate, and the characterization and prose were fine. I had trouble suspending my disbelief in Nigel's personal...more

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May 20, 2013 Ayla rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 02, 2012 Chris rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The cover sums it up nicely: blue balls.

Warning, there may be a few spoilers below.

There is some really cool ideas in here, but they're completely overshadowed by Benford's need to overly develop his cardboard characters. For example, many pages are dedicated to the Nigel's (the main protagonist) relationship with two other women. His feelings, how he doesn't identify with one of them when the other isn't around etc. This is fine as far as it goes, but this type of drama ends up consuming 90% of...more

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Jan 16, 2012 Rusty rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I bow before the master. Goodreads author Andrew Leon has been politely asking me to give Gregory Benford a chance for almost a year now. When he first asked me to, I had assumed that I already had. Back in the 90’s when I first started reading science fiction in earnest I found that the sci fi portion of my local bookstore was pretty well stocked with authors whose last name started with ‘B.’

Stephen Baxter, Greg Bear, David Brin, Ben Bova, they are probably others that I can’t recall at the mo...more

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Jun 11, 2012 Bill Hayes rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

Mediocre at best.
This 1972 book has not aged well, among other things; the major communication devices are all descendants of the fax.

The gruff, independent, outspoken 'know more than any of the dummies at NASA' type seemed like a character from the 50's or 60's.

My major gripe is that even though this is a book about alien contact, little of the book is directly related to that. There are three alien spacecraft in it, yet less than 10% of the book is dealing with them. In fact the most exciting...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Bob rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

From a science fiction perspective, this was a somewhat interesting novel though dated. I now understand why Alastair Reynolds pointed to Benford's books as influential, as he seems to have run with some of the same themes.

From a characterization/story-telling perspective, Benford may as well have written this from the alien's perspective. The main character (Walmsley) was so distant/unempathetic (I was reminded of Mersault from "The Stranger") that multiple times I was hoping that his antagonis...more

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Jan 25, 2011 Dan Burcea rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

One would think first alien contact would be juicy enough of a subject for a hard sci-fi work written by an actual astronomer and physicist. And first half of the book is just great writing, sober and realistic approach, full of details, populated by real characters with their ambitions, flaws and personal lives.

But then, like in a A. E. van Vogt novel, the writer starts throwing at us with more and more sensational discoveries and fantastic endeavors: First contact is good and all but what if...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Tommy Carlson rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had high hopes for Gregory Benford's In the Ocean of Night. I had enjoyed Artifact quite a bit and was hoping for more of the same. The overall problem with the book is that it starts well and then declines, slowly but surely, until the end. By the time Bigfoot shows up, things are really pretty bad. (I kid you not about Bigfoot.)

Books about the unknown are supposed to get more interesting, fascinating, and wondrous the further you get into them, not less.

This is the first book of a long saga,...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Cynthisa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi_ie_space-tech, z_mmxii

A nice hard-sci fi novel, written by a professor of astrophysics, and it shows. Pleasant to be intellectually challenged by a book now and again. Benford's books definitely do so -- heavy on the physics and chemistry of space, a topic I never studied in school, so lots of new ideas to grappel with.... Fun! Overlooking the weak plotting (and, yes, the whole crazy 'Bigfoot thing'), I kinda both hated and loved the way Benford breaks up the heavy, factual science of the story with an inuitive, non-...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Abhinav Neelam rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Poor. I don't know if it's just me or are - on average - 'hard' fantasy novels better than hard science fiction novels? I've been trying and trying to find *good*, unpretentious hard SF authors who don't try to bend over backwards to put in unnecessary drama into the story to accommodate critics, and I haven't moved beyond Stephen Baxter yet. Baxter too, while spectacular in his vision, had no idea how to do humour, so most of his books were filled with brooding prose.

The back cover summary sugg...more Poor. I don't know if it's just me or are - on average - 'hard' fantasy novels better than hard science fiction novels? I've been trying and trying to find *good*, unpretentious hard SF authors who don't try to bend over backwards to put in unnecessary drama into the story to accommodate critics, and I haven't moved beyond Stephen Baxter yet. Baxter too, while spectacular in his vision, had no idea how to do humour, so most of his books were filled with brooding prose.

The back cover summary suggested nothing more than that 'In the Ocean of Night' was a 'first contact' SF novel - a fairly safe bet, right? What the summary doesn't tell you is that little of the book is devoted to the science and speculation. Oh - whenever they're brought out - the ideas are grand - I'll grant Benford that; unfortunately though, most of these ideas are revealed through fast forwarded exposition - and worse, often delivered as stream of consciousness prose. (Let me go off on a tangent here and just put on record how much I *hate* stream of consciousness delivery in literature. It's as painful to read as it's fun to write, judging from my own experience.)

Anyway, our protagonist, a rebellious British astronaut-superscientist called Nigel Walmsley is 'possessed' by alien entities on two separate occasions, and it is only during those periods that the ideas advance. That's what is frustrating because as I said, the ideas Benford has are grand. I hope you don't find my mention of 'alien entities' tantalizing; it's nowhere as cool in the book as it sounds here. Beyond the typical first contact scenario - strange spacecraft appears - communication is attempted - crazy military try to bomb it down, there's no real development of the 'aliens', except through jarring exposition.

A major chunk of the book is given to utterly mundane conversation - wait let me correct that, because mundane is all right. The dialogue in this book is mundane *and* artificial which makes it unpalatable. There's a lot of Archer-esque sex (you've been warned, kids, Benford pulls no punches) and weird futuristic (read: kinky) relationships, and sadly, Benford seems better at writing those bits than he is at writing science.

The prose is poor - it's obvious that Benford is what you'd call a tortured writer who finds it hard to put that perfectly formed image in his head into words. I think the poor writing is the primary reason I didn't like this book, despite the ideas.

The characters, despite the heavy amount of development, have an element of Mary Sue-esque author-fantasy-insertion to them that leaves a sour taste. Walmsley is especially irritating; I have no idea how he does what he does and gets away with it. Nikka, Walmsley's partner in the second half of the book seems to be nothing more than an author fantasy construction; Walmsley's two partners in the first half of the book were better sketched out, but were frustratingly irrelevant to the story's development.

As the story progresses, a fringe cult religious group called 'the New Sons' grows to take over the role of primary antagonist. I love religion bashing as much as your average Dawkins, but even I felt that the treatment of the New Sons in this book was rather one-sided. I found myself in the strange situation of nearly, but not quite, supporting the obvious villains in the piece. (Walmsley's crusty rebelliousness didn't help either.)

In summary, poor writing, poor characters, poor story development, but there're still some great ideas in this book that push it to two stars. I won't be picking up the next book in this series any time soon, though.
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Sep 04, 2012 R. Michael Duttera rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

A little slow but ok. I have the whole series and there are hints the scope of this will become more space operatic so I'm hoping the later volumes improve. Seems the author has a thing about 3-somes in romantic relationships now that I'm starting the next book in the series. Personally this affectation detracts as it causes me to lose respect for the protagonist but that's a side issue. I'm also not sure I care for the stream of consciousness style Benford seems to go into from time to time as...more

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Oct 10, 2008 Nicolas rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: extra-terrestres, anticipation, rayon-fantasy-et-sf

Ce livre raconte les premiers contacts entre une civilisation humaine du début du XXIème siècle (entre 2010 et 2020) avec des entités extraterrestres. Plus exactement, on découvre la vie d’un astronaute anglais, qui va vivre tous les contacts avec les étrangers et se retrouver propulsé de fait sous les projecteurs comme une sorte de héros. Une sorte seulement car dès le premier pas vers les étrangers, de nombreuses vies humaines seront perdues (majoritairement parce que le vaisseau extra-terrest...more Ce livre raconte les premiers contacts entre une civilisation humaine du début du XXIème siècle (entre 2010 et 2020) avec des entités extraterrestres. Plus exactement, on découvre la vie d’un astronaute anglais, qui va vivre tous les contacts avec les étrangers et se retrouver propulsé de fait sous les projecteurs comme une sorte de héros. Une sorte seulement car dès le premier pas vers les étrangers, de nombreuses vies humaines seront perdues (majoritairement parce que le vaisseau extra-terrestre s’écrase sur Terre par sa faute). La suite de l’histoire ne sera qu’un long combat entre cet homme, aux curieuses qualités humaines, et sa hiérarchie de la NASA. A chaque étape du récit, on le retrouve en effet aux prises avec ses chefs divers et variés. Et ces luttes politiques prennent la plupart du temps le pas, avec sa vie privée, sur les découvertes et les aperçus qu’on peut avoir des étrangers. C’est assez dommage, puisque ces luttes d’influence sont somme toute stériles, et n’influent jamais sur la volonté hors du commun du héros qui ne suit que son instinct. Lequel le conduit bien évidement à des intuitions brillantes, qui vont à chaque fois permettre de sauver le travail que les politiciens auraient au minimum mis à terre.
Je trouve pour ma part ce choix d’écriture franchement regrettable : Benford n’est pas toujours un très bon écrivain, et son écriture manque dans ce roman de la plupart des qualités indispensables à faire un bon roman. C’est d’ailleurs un point qu’il pourrait avoir en commun avec l’Oeuf du Dragon et Le vol de la Libellule de Robert Forward. Dans chacun de ces cas, on retrouve en effet un écrivain, qui est aussi un scientifique de pointe, aux prises avec un récit dans lequel il est bien peu à l’aise. Les formulations sont assez souvent pauvres, et l’écriture sert autant le récit que peut le faire un article scientifique. C’est, peut-être, dû aux formations des auteurs, mais ça n’en est pas moins une grave faute contre le lecteur qui trouvera au mieux l’histoire desservie par des auteurs maladroits. Malheureusement, ça n’est ici même pas le cas : l’histoire n’est pas vraiment intéressante, et est donc tout à fait adaptée à la plume assez médiocre de Benford. C’en est d’autant plus dommage qu’il s’agit du premier tome du centre galactique, et que ce tome offre des ouvertures intéressantes, qui seront développées avec peut-être plus de justesse dans, par exemple, La grand rivière du ciel, ou le conflit entre les hommes et les machines, ce dont l’auteur parle ici de l’accès au monde des essences.
C’est peut-être la plus belle idée du livre, mais également la moins bien exploitée. Au final, c’est un livre qui part d’une bonne idée, mais qui est malheureusement très mal exploitée. A lire uniquement pour ceux qui sont intéressés par Le centre galactique.(less)

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May 08, 2013 Kerry Evans rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I think this book suffered somewhat from me having read the introduction, which tells you more about the series as a whole than is revealed in the book itself, I would recommend that you should skip the introduction and read it afterwards. As to the book itself I found the pace somewhat slow with occasional sporadic jumps which disconcert you. Being British there were some things about the central character that didn't quite ring true which also jarred a bit. I will need to ponder whether I want...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Jimagn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Boy have we changed over the years! This book is a classic of sci-fi and has a lot of great writing, but the sections of mystic poetry and free verse just seem very dated. Back in the 70s we would have loved it as a good blend of hard science and psychedelia. It will be interesting to see how the author's style changes as I read through the rest of the series.

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Apr 27, 2010 Gendou rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, science-fiction

Started off strong with asteroids and mysterious aliens, but then, near the end... Big-foot. I'm not even kidding. Big-foot.

50% Intriguing science fiction
25% Inter-personal relationships that are at least mildly interesting
20% Lame social and religious blah blah
4% Random digressions into poetry (yeah, I don't quite get that)
1% Big-foot... No, seriously!

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Oct 18, 2011 Nick rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

Brilliantly written, but not entirely my cup of tea. I had a great deal of trouble with the idea that a scientist/astronaut could get away with that kind of troublemaking on a regular basis, and still be given positions of responsibility. The whole "Bigfoot" sequence didn't quite make sense, either. Still, the writing style kept me reading.

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Mar 18, 2009 Simon rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sf

A series of episodes dealing with man's first contact and one man's struggle against those elements of humanity who would sooner destroy or supress aliens than welcome or attempt to learn from them.

However, the aliens turn out to be quite different than he expected and subject to as much fear and petty mindedness as humans are.

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Aug 10, 2012 Joe rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Captures the old school sci-fi sense of wonder like nothing else. The poetry of the Galactic Center series' titles is matched by the beauty of the books' vision of humanity's potential to inherit the stars and then some. Been almost two decades since I read this and yet it's still vividly before my mind's eye.

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Jun 17, 2012 Keith Vai rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Years and years ago, I read a few books by Benford about humans and mechs. I remember enjoying them and recently decided to re-read them. That was when I discovered that I had not started with the first book so I got this one.

This book takes place on Earth essentially in present day and introduces the character of Nigel.

The book is slow but well paced. (I found out later that the first half was originally published in serial form which makes sense.)

Like a lot of sci fi written in the 1970's, i...more

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Dec 03, 2009 Patrick Gibson rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

It is possible to be intersting and boring at the same time. This novel is proof. So poorly written perhaps this is why the author partnered with another writer in some of his later novels. Some of the ideas were attenion grabbing but when the story slipped into the Bigfoot area I lost interest. Sorry. I wanted to like it.

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May 31, 2012 Bryan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A very uneven book with a lot of good ideas. The scenes about his wife seem completely pointless, and so much time were spent setting it up. Some parts were good and I like the set up for the conflict. I'm not sure if I'll finish this series or not, but not right now.

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Feb 19, 2008 Jim rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science, fiction

"In an updated preface, the author talks about all the changes in science since this was written. That is always a problem and the science in this book is fine given the date. But he got everything else wrong! Based on 1970

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Feb 05, 2013 MVV rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction-misc

I thought the writing was erratic and difficult to follow. There were a lot of subplots that consumed the main point of the novel. I will not continue the series; did not enjoy it at all.

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Dec 17, 2010 James Boling rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sf

Disappointed. First half or so was pretty good but I don't have any use for filth and this one had its share.

I have read a lot of Benford that I really enjoyed but this is one of two that I can do without (the other being his contribution to the posthumous continuation of Asimov's Foundation series).

It also became less and less interesting as I got closer to the end, even without the trash.

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Feb 25, 2010 Misha rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: college, science-fiction

After loving Timescape, I just couldn't finish this one. I think it just didn't hit the right buttons for me, unlike the time-tripping in Timescape.

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Oct 20, 2009 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

Nigel Walmsley is sent to explore a comet's geology but also alerts an interstellar probe.

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Oct 29, 2009 Frank Taranto rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

The first in a series, have to reread this to see if the series is worth getting into.

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Oct 27, 2012 Jon rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Interesting, and I want more of the series, but the last quarter of this was iffy.

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About Gregory Benford

Gregory 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 wit...more

More about Gregory Benford...

Books by Gregory Benford

Foundation's Fear (Second Foundation Trilogy, #1)

Across the Sea of Suns (Galactic Center, #2)

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