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357th out of 2,944 books
—
12,412 voters
Inherit the Stars (Giants #1)
The man on the moon was dead. They called him Charlie. He had big eyes, abundant body hair and fairly long nostrils. His skeletal body was found clad in a bright red spacesuit, hidden in a rocky grave. They didn't know who he was, how he got there, or what had killed him. All they knew was that his corpse was 50,000 years old; and that meant that this man had somehow lived...more
Mass Market Paperback, 216 pages
Published
February 12th 1978
by Del Rey Books
(first published 1977)
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In the near future, mankind has started to spread throughout the solar system; among other things, establishing several moon bases. One day, a very old, almost skeletal, corpse is found on the moon dressed in a red spacesuit. Calls to the other bases reveal that no one is reported missing. Things get really interesting when tests on the corpse, nicknamed "Charlie", reveal that it is at least 50,000 years old.
Interest shifts from the moon to Texas, headquarters of the United Nations Space Arm. Th...more
Interest shifts from the moon to Texas, headquarters of the United Nations Space Arm. Th...more
The bad first: there are no women or boys in this book, only men and girls. "Girls" are rare creatures: they are mostly secretaries, their presence turns scientific discussions into parties, and they will wink at you when you claim their major discoveries as your own. They may not exist on the moon, and definitely don't exist at scientific research stations on Jupiter. They sometimes take long, grueling treks and make brave and difficult moral and interpersonal decisions (view spoiler)...more
This was Hogan's first novel, published when he was 35, and he had yet to learn that readers expect novels to be about people. This novel is about solving a scientific mystery; there are people in it, but they do nothing at all except work together to solve the mystery. There is no love, hostility, sex, crime, or anything like that. Just (mostly male) scientists working on a scientific problem.
It's not a bad book, the mystery and its solution are quite interesting, but it was rather naïve of the...more
It's not a bad book, the mystery and its solution are quite interesting, but it was rather naïve of the...more
I usually have trouble reading old sci-fi. For example, reading a story that's set in a far flung future where they still have rotary telephones kind of kills the "future" atmosphere. But for a story written over 30 years ago, Hogan did an admirable job forecasting technological advances. Having the main characters rent a flying vehicle from AVIS made me smile.
The story was decent and intriguing although I thought Hogan took a little long in getting to the main story, that of a 50,000 year old h...more
The story was decent and intriguing although I thought Hogan took a little long in getting to the main story, that of a 50,000 year old h...more
One of the difficulties of the Hard SF subgenre of science fiction, is that as it holds the line on scientific accuracy, it runs the risk of becoming dated as science changes and technology advances. On that count, the book doesn't do too badly. However, if found today, Charlie would immediately be the subject of some DNA tests, and his evolutionary relationship to modern humans established quickly and easily, rather than a lot of rationalizations regarding evolutionary theory and chemical analy...more
I'm not entirely sure what to make of this book. If I'm not mistaken, while it isn't considered a 'classic' by many, it is sort of a 'check this out' sort of book that circulates within the hard-sci fi community.
I've been aware of this existing for a long time, but never thought of it as something I really needed to complete my education within the genre, but when I found it at a used bookstore for super cheap I couldn't resist picking it up.
The premise, that explorers on the moon uncover a 50...more
I've been aware of this existing for a long time, but never thought of it as something I really needed to complete my education within the genre, but when I found it at a used bookstore for super cheap I couldn't resist picking it up.
The premise, that explorers on the moon uncover a 50...more
One of my favorites from high school. I rate it four stars, but if I was recommending it to people, I might just give it three stars. Starting with the premise of finding a 50,000 year old dead astronaut on the moon, it's a novel about the scientific process; hundreds or thousands of people methodically studying, hypothesizing, and theorizing. It can be a little dry. Fortunately, the story is primarily told through the point of view of one character, whose job it is to keep all the different dep...more
Hogan wrote an amazing tale on the possibility of life in other parts of the universe. Along the way to discovering where life as we know it evolved, he makes a practical point to open our minds "using every scrap of data we've got" rather than making assumptions too quickly.
I was engaged throughout the story, even when the science part forced me to plod along at times over the boulders and rubble of my unknowing, something like Charlie had to do 50,000 years ago on Luna. The one part I questio...more
I was engaged throughout the story, even when the science part forced me to plod along at times over the boulders and rubble of my unknowing, something like Charlie had to do 50,000 years ago on Luna. The one part I questio...more
This is one of my favorite science fiction books, and since it's the start of a series (and I love to read books in series), it's even better for it. I've read the book four or five times now, but it's been at least 10 years since the last read, if not longer. This time through, since I knew what was coming at the end, I found myself getting a bit impatient at the deliberate pacing of the book, but I fault that on my over familiarity with the story, along with my current state of mind, rather th...more
I have mixed feelings about this book. While the technology is astonishingly accurate - a man makes a reservation on a laptop equipped with a video interface while on a transatlantic flight - the sociology is terribly wrong. Hogan makes the usual mistakes of SciFi novels of the 1970s - everyone smokes and drinks, and the Earth is at peace, all one big happy well fed family well on the way to colonizing the solar system. His misogyny is so ingrained I think he must have been unaware of it, but it...more
About as hard si fi as you can get. I love a detective story & combined with science fiction it is perfect! Sure, there is little character development, but instead there are character types and an abundance of the kind of ungrounded scientific certainty that can delay scientific break throughs. Made me think of a book I read to my children when they were going through their, long, dinosaur phase (fueled by yearly visits to the dinosaur museum in Drumheller, Alberta), "T.rex and the Crater o...more
I was introduced to this book in a college introductory archaeology course. I was a bit flabbergasted when I first saw the assignment. I'd read my share of science fiction up to that point, and didn't see what I could gain from a science fiction book that would benefit me in learning archaeology.
Well, after I read it, I saw.
A human skeleton is found on the moon, which is mysterious in and of itself. The more disturbing fact of the discovery, however, is not the simple presence of the remains. It...more
Well, after I read it, I saw.
A human skeleton is found on the moon, which is mysterious in and of itself. The more disturbing fact of the discovery, however, is not the simple presence of the remains. It...more
First book in the greatest SciFi trilogy of all time! Spectular! Genuine hard science SciFi. You're in the story as the scientists develop their hypotheses, test them, learn more, revise them, and move the story forward. Great plot and storyline. Very well-written. Both believable and very stretching. This book pulled me in like no other. It sets up the Giants' series to be the most interesting, surprising, well-written, and meaningful of all science fiction trilogies (plus 2) up to the present...more
Inherit The Stars by James P Hogan is a superb story about the discovery of a spacesuit clad dead human on the moon, the only problem is that the body is 150,000 years old. the story follows a group of scientists slowly uncovering information and attempting piecing together who he was and how he got there. In a way its almost pseudo documentary like in the way it deals with their different competing theories and how the logically disprove and prove them.
What I love is that for a book publish in...more
What I love is that for a book publish in...more
Just heard that Hogan had died, and it seemed time to re-read some of his books that I liked so much 30 years ago. This one, I last (re)read since 1983.
The book is showing its age, but i'd give it 3 and a half stars, rounded up.
It's written in a style very typical of a lot of science fiction of its time, especially that written by people with scientific or engineering backgrounds. The main character is a smart polymath, and there are several infodump speeches. Only one other character seems half...more
The book is showing its age, but i'd give it 3 and a half stars, rounded up.
It's written in a style very typical of a lot of science fiction of its time, especially that written by people with scientific or engineering backgrounds. The main character is a smart polymath, and there are several infodump speeches. Only one other character seems half...more
I have to admit that I read the third book in the trilogy, "Giant's Star", first because I was looking for interesting books at my local used book store. I was blown away and eventually was able to track down the first two.
"Inherit the Stars" is a great sci-fi/mystery book in which a "future" earth civilization searches for answers surrounding the discovery of a skeletal human in a space suit on the moon. The mystery is further complicated when it is discovered the human has been sitting on the...more
"Inherit the Stars" is a great sci-fi/mystery book in which a "future" earth civilization searches for answers surrounding the discovery of a skeletal human in a space suit on the moon. The mystery is further complicated when it is discovered the human has been sitting on the...more
This is a very nice little novel and quite a bit of change from the military science fiction that I usually read. It’s written back in the 70’s and its age shows a little but surprisingly little. As a computer engineer I couldn’t help but smiling when the book talked about DEC computers in the future. DEC had of course not gone belly-up when this book was written. Also today, with the advancement of DNA-tests, you would never have the lengthy debate and scientific detective work in order to esta...more
I was quite enjoying this, one of Hogan's more interesting, if slightly gradual works I thought, then the last chapter hit me. Danchekker's speech in the final chapter was electrifying and rockets my interest in the next one. I saw it coming when he began his questions, of course, but hogan intended that and the punch he delivers isn't diluted for it.
Brilliantly conceived, well-written, with a touch of period style to his writing yet optimism for the future. The sort of story I can get my teeth...more
Brilliantly conceived, well-written, with a touch of period style to his writing yet optimism for the future. The sort of story I can get my teeth...more
Enjoyed this immensely. Hogan uses his work of science fiction to postulate about the origins of man, theories of evolution, and what kind of technology it might take to begin to explore our solar system. Knowing that this was originally published the same year that Star Wars came out, it's so interesting to see him take a much less expansive view of our abilities in space flight. Just 15 more years until this book is set, it will be curious to see how far we've come to Hogan's vision when we ge...more
I'm relatively new in the science fiction world, I have read most of the "classics" and "must-reads" and I was taken by surprise by this book. The book starts with one of the most amazing opening I have ever read and does an amazing job of filling in the pieces from there. I don't want to get into the plot because I feel this book is best enjoyed with knowing very little going into it. I would definitely recommend it to all readers.
I am rereading this book that I read a long time ago. Some of it is a bit dated (everyone seems to smoke like chimneys) but a lot of the comments regarding science and bureaucracy is still relevant today. This is a thought book, not an action adventure book. Though some of the science is not current much of it is surprisingly up to date. It is a book that will make you think.
This book is about the author's theory of the origin of man and the asteroid belt. The story itself was on the feeble side - I figured out the problem with the moon as soon as it was raised.
The author is also obsessed with smoking. I doubt very much whether a space traveller would be allowed to waste a precious commodity like oxygen to satisfy his addiction.
The ebook is free from Baen.
The author is also obsessed with smoking. I doubt very much whether a space traveller would be allowed to waste a precious commodity like oxygen to satisfy his addiction.
The ebook is free from Baen.
I really enjoyed this book. It was semi-hard science fiction. The story was a very interesting one even if the characters were a little wooden.
In many areas the story holds up well, but there are some areas that it did not age so well. For one thing, there's no mention of DNA testing and much of the testing that takes place would be easily answered with a single DNA test. The prevalence of smoking in the story was distracting as well, especially in those situations where it would obviously not...more
In many areas the story holds up well, but there are some areas that it did not age so well. For one thing, there's no mention of DNA testing and much of the testing that takes place would be easily answered with a single DNA test. The prevalence of smoking in the story was distracting as well, especially in those situations where it would obviously not...more
Apr 26, 2013
Kamas Kirian
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
science-fiction
A man in a spacesuit was found on the moon. This wouldn't be a problem, except he's not from Earth and has been there 50 thousand years.
This was a good, well written story even if most of the 'twists' were quite obvious. It was interesting in concept, but the character development was a little lacking. It's kind of interesting seeing all these characters smoking when today's PC crowd has pretty much stamped it out (not saying it couldn't come back into fashion again, though). It is actually quit...more
This was a good, well written story even if most of the 'twists' were quite obvious. It was interesting in concept, but the character development was a little lacking. It's kind of interesting seeing all these characters smoking when today's PC crowd has pretty much stamped it out (not saying it couldn't come back into fashion again, though). It is actually quit...more
It has been years since I read this book, but I remember loving it. At the beginning you are presented with a mind bending mystery. In ever chapter, you have enough information to construct a theory, but then it is dashed by new evidence. Reading this book was a delightful experience that stands out over the many books I have read since.
A very interesting read. The author doesn't share my beliefs but gave a great adventure story that used hard science to explain some mysteries concerning our solar system that have puzzled scientists for centuries.
How cool to start off with an impossible situation - a spaceman found on the moon, fully human, and over 50,000 years old!
How cool to start off with an impossible situation - a spaceman found on the moon, fully human, and over 50,000 years old!
one of the best Sci-Fri stories I ever read! Written long-ago, it was interesting to note the differences between reality and the future (present) predicted by author.
Story told of Charlie who died 25000 years ago on the moon, when space flight was only possible within the past decades. Like a detective story, go read it.
Story told of Charlie who died 25000 years ago on the moon, when space flight was only possible within the past decades. Like a detective story, go read it.
Good concept, well told tale, but with a lil' bit more sexism (and a touch of racism) than I find comfortable in a science-fiction story written in 1978 and set some hundred years after that point.
Great technological strides, and absolutely no social development, makes for SF I take less than serious.
Great technological strides, and absolutely no social development, makes for SF I take less than serious.
Actually an e-book edition, but that doesn't seem to be an option listed at the moment...
Part way through:
Some aspects are quite dated (e.g. attitude towards smoking, or references to specific brands of computer companies that have since folded), but the premise seems interesting so far...
A dated approach that didn't go as far with some of the options as he could have - bit of a damp squib.
Part way through:
Some aspects are quite dated (e.g. attitude towards smoking, or references to specific brands of computer companies that have since folded), but the premise seems interesting so far...
A dated approach that didn't go as far with some of the options as he could have - bit of a damp squib.
This book astounded me when I first read it. The ideas, the writing, hard science fiction was fairly new for me then.
The discovery of a human mummy in a space suit on the moon causes a sensation when carbon dating shows it's age as greater the humans on Earth.
The discovery of a human mummy in a space suit on the moon causes a sensation when carbon dating shows it's age as greater the humans on Earth.
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James Patrick Hogan was a British science fiction author.
Hogan was was raised in the Portobello Road area on the west side of London. After leaving school at the age of sixteen, he worked various odd jobs until, after receiving a scholarship, he began a five-year program at the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough covering the practical and theoretical sides of electrical, electronic, and m...more
More about James P. Hogan...
Hogan was was raised in the Portobello Road area on the west side of London. After leaving school at the age of sixteen, he worked various odd jobs until, after receiving a scholarship, he began a five-year program at the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough covering the practical and theoretical sides of electrical, electronic, and m...more
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05 avr. 06:21