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Still River
Five students find their lives in danger when they are sent to the planet Enigma to study its puzzling atmosphere
262 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
3 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
Hal Clement
178 books115 followersHarry Clement Stubbs better known by the pen name
Hal Clement
, was an American science fiction writer and a leader of the hard science fiction subgenre.
Further details at Wikipedia.
Further details at Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 18, 2020
The planet Enigma, a curious world that lives up to the name, is the main character in this novel. It's developed and described in detail, and the biological, chemical, and physical explorations of it are the main thrust of this hard-sf book. Clement wasn't too interested in developing his human characters as opposed to his passion for demonstrating scientific methods and engineering principals, and those explorations comprise the bulk of the plot. Nonetheless, I found the book to be thought-provoking and interesting anyway. Clement was one of the best at fictionalizing scientists doing science scientifically!
January 10, 2012
Sometimes he manages to make hard sci-fi (very heavy on the science) really interesting, like this one, but some of his books are just dull. Very hit or miss, but this one was good.
December 16, 2022
Worse, twenty-seven Earth years of life and a good education still left her unsure of which of her own everyday assumptions would need supporting evidence to nonhuman minds. Science was science, physical evidence was evidence, but there are spaces between the points on any graph. To her, the explanation demanded by the exercise seemed obvious to the point of being trivial: the planet was too young to have lost its initial atmosphere.
Hal Clement’s Still River is classic hard-SF. Despite the future setting and aliens, Clement grounds everything with plausible, factual science. The novel describes a scientific investigation of a planetoid by a group of five researchers from Golden Fleece University, whose main campus is located near Eta Carinae. We have one human and four aliens researching and exploring “laboratory object Enigma 88.” Evidently, Golden Fleece University seals all research material of previous student research in an effort to evaluate the methodology and techniques of each group. The university has been using Enigma 88 for this purpose for more than a thousand years.
Because plot requires conflict, Clement recounts difficulties—some even life threatening—of our scholars as they traverse and begin to understand how Enigma 88 does not necessarily fit their initial theories. The interplay of the characters with one another, the mystery that perhaps one may not be who they claim to be, and the search to a solution to the main problem provide enough impetus to keep the story flowing. But remember, as the title declares, this is really a “still river.” There’s no rapids on this journey.
I enjoyed this world and Clement’s concept. It’s a slow read, but it immerses the reader in a future setting which is both understandable and fascinating. After I finished, I was compelled to re-read certain sections and found I had missed early clues in the text which had been unfolded slowly as the novel progressed. It’s not for everyone—likely, it’s not for very many. But if you enjoy scientific research, then this novel is worth a read.
”The universe is full of surprises, thank goodness. Some of my ancestors believed in an evil god they called Satan, but his real name was Boredom.”
Hal Clement’s Still River is classic hard-SF. Despite the future setting and aliens, Clement grounds everything with plausible, factual science. The novel describes a scientific investigation of a planetoid by a group of five researchers from Golden Fleece University, whose main campus is located near Eta Carinae. We have one human and four aliens researching and exploring “laboratory object Enigma 88.” Evidently, Golden Fleece University seals all research material of previous student research in an effort to evaluate the methodology and techniques of each group. The university has been using Enigma 88 for this purpose for more than a thousand years.
Because plot requires conflict, Clement recounts difficulties—some even life threatening—of our scholars as they traverse and begin to understand how Enigma 88 does not necessarily fit their initial theories. The interplay of the characters with one another, the mystery that perhaps one may not be who they claim to be, and the search to a solution to the main problem provide enough impetus to keep the story flowing. But remember, as the title declares, this is really a “still river.” There’s no rapids on this journey.
I enjoyed this world and Clement’s concept. It’s a slow read, but it immerses the reader in a future setting which is both understandable and fascinating. After I finished, I was compelled to re-read certain sections and found I had missed early clues in the text which had been unfolded slowly as the novel progressed. It’s not for everyone—likely, it’s not for very many. But if you enjoy scientific research, then this novel is worth a read.
”The universe is full of surprises, thank goodness. Some of my ancestors believed in an evil god they called Satan, but his real name was Boredom.”
July 13, 2016
I chose this book as I fancied something a little low key. this certainly is. It is essentially a school outing for aliens. As part of their project the students have to investigate an inhospitable planet.
Most of the hazards are people falling over stuff or getting lost. Well written but a bit sciencey. Expect paragraphs on chemical components and gravity.
A massive part of the book is the interaction between the different alien students. Language is not the only barrier as they have different physiology, culture, even see in different wave lengths.
good book, a little heavy in places. Quite grounded plot-wise.
Most of the hazards are people falling over stuff or getting lost. Well written but a bit sciencey. Expect paragraphs on chemical components and gravity.
A massive part of the book is the interaction between the different alien students. Language is not the only barrier as they have different physiology, culture, even see in different wave lengths.
good book, a little heavy in places. Quite grounded plot-wise.
August 30, 2023
This is how I like SF. Science, Sense of Wonder, What If, and No Bad Guys.
And these students show us how to do science & exploration.
Love the characters, especially, from five different species. Love how they translators are improved as they go along, for example. And they always have to be alert to each other's vulnerabilities... and strengths.
Love details like instead getting ratings like Major-Colonel etc., or Masters-Doctorate etc., the students are working toward their Considered Word rating, and onwards to Respected Opinion.
The human says: "Some of my ancestors believed in an evil god they called Satan, but his real name was Boredom."
Oh, and the human is a mother of a 6 yo child. And three of the five students are women. (If it weren't an old book, I have no doubt one would be trans or non-binary; there's a positive reference to ambiguous alien gender.)
The students are advised to make their armor (spacesuit or equivalent) themselves, so they know it fits just right in different conditions and they know everything about how it works.
Do know that the first bit is kinda difficult because it's not quite a straight narrative. Clement had a little fun with the set-up and the style. But later on it gets more exciting and easier. Oh, and you don't actually need to know chemistry or physics, but you might just learn a little bit.
I read a jacketless hardcover and it is now available if anyone in the US wants it; I'll ship it free.
And these students show us how to do science & exploration.
Love the characters, especially, from five different species. Love how they translators are improved as they go along, for example. And they always have to be alert to each other's vulnerabilities... and strengths.
Love details like instead getting ratings like Major-Colonel etc., or Masters-Doctorate etc., the students are working toward their Considered Word rating, and onwards to Respected Opinion.
The human says: "Some of my ancestors believed in an evil god they called Satan, but his real name was Boredom."
Oh, and the human is a mother of a 6 yo child. And three of the five students are women. (If it weren't an old book, I have no doubt one would be trans or non-binary; there's a positive reference to ambiguous alien gender.)
The students are advised to make their armor (spacesuit or equivalent) themselves, so they know it fits just right in different conditions and they know everything about how it works.
Do know that the first bit is kinda difficult because it's not quite a straight narrative. Clement had a little fun with the set-up and the style. But later on it gets more exciting and easier. Oh, and you don't actually need to know chemistry or physics, but you might just learn a little bit.
I read a jacketless hardcover and it is now available if anyone in the US wants it; I'll ship it free.
March 25, 2013
Imaginative story, characters, and environment. Weak ending, could have been more climactic. There are enough unanswered questions about the story foundation that it could have had a successful (and desirable to me) prequel or sequel.
Want to read
June 10, 2013I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11967864
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11967864
December 29, 2024
This one was a real slog to get through. It feels like Mr. Hal wants to write non-fiction, so he crams in a bunch of uninteresting, scientifically accurate facts that do next to nothing to advance the plot of the book.
The only parts that were good were when he would quit delivering endless monologuing about why things were happening and just let the action continue.
The only parts that were good were when he would quit delivering endless monologuing about why things were happening and just let the action continue.
February 26, 2017
This is not a bad story. I had some trouble with it because I couldn't picture the characters or the planet. The planet was described in shades of grey and the characters weren't vivid enough to stand out against this background. There were times when I had trouble understanding which character was speaking. There were also times the science in it was a little over my head-my chemistry classes are long behind me so I'm sure there were plot points I didn't fully understand. I also had no idea who Wendy was at the end of the book.
Despite the negatives, the book is fascinating. I was willing to keep reading because, despite my not being able to picture them clearly, I wanted to know what was going to happen to these characters. I ended up liking the fact that the scientists responsible for putting the expedition to the planet together were left vague and amorphous-they were more sinister that way.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, absolutely, especially if your tastes in Sci-Fi run to books heavier on the Sci side of things. Is this book going to find a permanent spot on my shelves? No. I'll end up trading it.
Despite the negatives, the book is fascinating. I was willing to keep reading because, despite my not being able to picture them clearly, I wanted to know what was going to happen to these characters. I ended up liking the fact that the scientists responsible for putting the expedition to the planet together were left vague and amorphous-they were more sinister that way.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, absolutely, especially if your tastes in Sci-Fi run to books heavier on the Sci side of things. Is this book going to find a permanent spot on my shelves? No. I'll end up trading it.
December 13, 2014
Decent SF novel. Five students investigate the planet Enigma, which, among other peculiarities, has an atmosphere that shouldn't be possible under its low gravity. And then they find life in caves below the surface ... While this isn't Clement's best work--my vote would be for Mission of Gravity and/or Needle--this novel fairly bristles with his trademark detailed planetary data. You know Enigma's stats were worked out in detail before he even started writing. The book is also noteworthy in that only one of its five protagonists is human. And none of the four aliens are even vaguely humanoid in form, a detail that was difficult to keep constantly in mind while reading. Such diversity of cast is rare in my experience, and rather refreshing to encounter. The book is a bit slow going--the science details get rather thick at times--but it's worth sticking it out to the end. Hal Clement is one of the masters of hard SF, and I find his books always worth reading.
November 27, 2014
This book kept feeling like it was about to get interesting. It never did. It just ended without resolving the main mystery. Sure, there was some astrobiology and chemistry thrown in there. Intrepid group of school kids from different alien races working together on a strange planet. But the adventure was dry and the hard science fiction content was thinner than the atmosphere on Enigma.
May 9, 2015
Started ok but the became quite boring. It did pick up in the last 80 pages or so, but this is something of an acquired taste book. Someone with a lot of chemistry and physics interest will probably find this engaging but it did not really light me up.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews