Codename: Sparta - Das Weltenschiff

Venus Prime #6

by Paul Preuss, Caspar Holz (Translator)

Ellen Troy nennen sie ihre Kollegen der Weltraumbehörde, doch eigentlich heißt sie Sparta und ist das Produkt einer fortgeschrittenen Biotechnologie.

Professor Forsters Expedition zum Diamantmond des Jupiter hat ein sensationelles Ergebnis erbracht: In dem Jahrtausende alten Eis liegt ein riesiges Raumschiff einer fremden Rasse. Als das Weltraumschiff plötzlich auf ein schwarzes Loch zutreibt, muß Sparta handeln. Sie muß mit den Aliens Kontakt aufnehmen und das Rätsel ihrer Kultur lösen - bevor ihr Gegenspieler Randolph Mays es tut und mit seinem Wissen die ganze Erde bedroht.
Endlich! Das langerwartete Finale einer einzigartigen Serie. Die Superagentin Sparta lüftet das Geheimnis ihrer wahren Identität. Konzipiert nach Geschichten von ARTHUR C. CLARKE.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Ebooks, Short Stories

301 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Paul Preuss is an American writer of science fiction and science articles, who also works as science consultant for film companies. He is the author of numerous stand-alone novels as well as novels in Arthur C. Clarke's Venus Prime series, based upon incidents, characters, and places from Clarke's short stories. (source: wikipedia)

Reviews

[Benjamin Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

The final volume in this 6-part series was a bit of a let-down. Rather than focus on sci-fi adventure as the first five books did, this one marginalizes the main character and instead focuses on a wandering complex time-travel narration as an attempt to explain quantum physics. Some interesting vignettes within the larger plot but overall, a disappointment due to it veering so far from the plot of the rest of the series.

[Xabi1990 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leído en 2005.
6/10. Media de los 20 libros leídos del autor : 7/10

Sexta entrega de la serie Venus Prime con inteligencias extraterrestres que no quieren que los seres humanos sepan sus misterios.
Dosis de reflexión sobre el destino de la raza humana ya tópico de Clarke. Perdonable el libro.

[Paul Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

by Paul Preuss, published in 1991.

This novel, ‘Venus Prime 6: The Shining Ones’, is the sixth and final volume in the Venus Prime series. It is written by Paul Preuss and not Arthur C. Clarke, but each of the six novels is based off of one of Clarke’s short stories. This one is based off of Clarke’s short story ‘The Shining Ones’ which deals with intelligent squid using light to communicate.

I will say that overall I enjoyed the series but this, the concluding volume, left me a little bit out in the cold. There was a great deal of time travel and alternate reality jumping, but it just seemed like it was trying to be so much and not really achieving its potential. Still, it was another pretty good read and if you have read to the end of volume 5 you will need to read this one to finish the tale.

Without giving too much away I’ll just say that this novel comes back full circle and ties into the first three nicely. Mysteries that have been piling up are sifted through and explained and several really cool concepts are kicked around. Again though, the time travel and multiple realities are not pulled off quite as well as James P. Hogan, but credit where credit is due. I had to read them all to find out the story and that was fine enough in and of itself.

So, if you are in the mood for a fairly short series of interstellar mystery, intrigue and wonder you could do worse than the Venus Prime novels. What becomes of Sparta and the human race is what keeps the pages turning and the answers you find may not be earth shattering but satisfying enough.

I’m not making this series sound too good, am I. Well, I leave the final decision up to you. The novels are easy to find in any bookstore so at least if you decide to read them they should be easily obtained.

My final suggestion is to pick up some genuine Arthur C. Clarke, the true master of great Science Fiction. But if you are like me and have read almost everything that Clarke has written already, then this will suffice to fill the gap - a bit.

The six books in the Venus Prime series all written by Paul Preuss are:

Venus Prime 1: Breaking Strain
Venus Prime 2: Maelstrom
Venus Prime 3: Hide and Seek
Venus Prime 4: The Medusa Encounter
Venus Prime 5: Diamond Moon
Venus Prime 6: The Shining Ones

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the first 5 books in this series are pretty typical pulp sci-fi, this one diverges from its focus on the main character quite a bit and then gets all muddled up in ham-fisted explanations of quantum theory. The science is actually pretty interesting (and precludes Brian Greene's explanations of multiple worlds by several years) but it just doesn't make for good story-telling.

[Bill Cooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A (mostly) satisfying finish for the six book story arc. There was a lot of “Quantum Physical Gobbledegook” toward the end of this book #6 to explain where Sparta/Ellen/Linda & her mate eventually wind up. But, that is a very minor gripe.

A lot (all?) of the loose threads and mysterious happenings from the first 5 books are pleasantly resolved. A couple of nice twists explain a few other past goings-on that, at the time didn’t need explanation, but are so much richer when considering these new twists added in this book #6.

Paul P successfully integrated Arthur C’s original short story (The Shining Ones) into this final book. In this last book #6 only, the transition to that short story segment was abrupt and obvious. Did not make it less enjoyable, but I the reader could see where the short story was wrenched-into this larger novel. I didn’t notice those transitions in the first 5 books.

This was a nice reread of this series that I originally read 20+ years ago. And, this book #6 was a satisfying capstone to the 6 book story arc.

Yup... 5 stars :-)

[B. Barceló · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este libro es algo totalmente diferente a los cinco anteriores de la saga.
Ya no solo por la manera de narrar la historia (que se hace muy cuesta arriba en según qué situaciones) sino por la complejidad del propio argumento.
Nos encontramos que los dos protagonistas principales de la saga: Sparta y Blake, en esta última novela no tienen casi fuerza ni protagonismo, pasando a ser simplemente unos personajes que pasan de tanto en cuando por ahí para hacer alguna cosa.

No me parece un final adecuado para la historia de Sparta y de todas las aventuras que hemos estado viviendo hasta ahora con la saga. Me parece que se podía haber hecho mucho mejor.

[James Ronholm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely my least favourite of the Venus Prime books.

I think this book needed to exist to wrap up the events from Venus Prime 5 - but the main story elements were rather weak. Most of this novel is spent trying to deal with quantum mechanics in non-technical ways and it really doesn't come across as good science or as a good story.

Still, if you have read Venus Prime 5, it's worth reading this one.

[Astor Reinhardt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll keep it short. This final chapter to the series was a convoluted mess. It's always a disappointment when sci-fi authors have to rely on over complicated words and phrases in their books. None of the other books in the series had this issue, so why did they do it in this book? I had a hard time trying to get through this one.

[Jiri Eischmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book serves a sort of explanatory role in the series. Quite mixed feelings about it. A lot of things from previous books explained. There is a lot of time traveling which is always tricky when you want to keep the integrity of the story and the author is getting a bit lost in it.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

We have other means to save them, besides modification. You must persuade your fellow human beings of the necessity. From what you have told us, this will be a great obstacle.
Why do you say so?
Because you are--what do you call yourselves?--'individuals'.

[Matteo Fulgheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall, a great exalogy, and this last book is probably the best one. Never has quantum mechanics been so fascinating and intriguing...

[Tomasz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Done and done. The last instalment threw away all the tension, replacing it with quantum uncertainty, and it didn't help the matters any. Can't recommend it, not in good conscience.

[Paul Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not going to give too much away on the last book, but the story gets a little confusing towards the end. All in all, these novels were very fun and exciting to read and if you like science fiction and thrillers as much as I do.....READ THESE BOOKS!

[Chris Devine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly I have no idea how to rate this book. It bears no resemblance to the previous 5 except for the character names. Forster takes point in a 1st person narrative and Sparta / Ellen / Linda and Blake (now genetically modified amphibians) are reduced to walk on parts and asides in Forster’s recollections. The Venus Prime universe ‘real world physics’ is ripped up and replaced with pure fantasy with time travel, multiple universes and spaceships that resemble immense medusa like jellyfish.

As a wrap up to the whole VP series I have to give it 1* because I enjoyed the Sparta / Ellen / Linda back story and her love affair with Blake. As a pure fantasy, I can only give it 3*. Some passages are beautifully conceived and written whereas others just skim over massive events and the final climax was a real let down for me.

I was also waiting for a conclusion to the medusa / manta conflict on Jupiter. This was never explained in 5 and never revisited in 6. There had to be a point to it for but I am at a loss as to what it is supposed to be.
Overall 2*

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the Soviet Embassy discovers some of their underwater structures destroyed, they are hesitant to label it as sabotage without definitive proof. The technician who installed the parts goes back underwater to discover what may have caused the damage. To everyone's great surprise, he finds a colony of small squid which use photoluminescence to communicate amongst themselves. Their messages indicate that a larger cousin of Melvillian renown truly exists.

[Bill]

This entire 6-volume series was a fascinating read for me. Paul Preuss is not well known among hard science fiction authors, but has a unique and well honed style and talent. My understanding with the Venus Prime series is that he dedicated it to inspiration he received from Arthur C. Clarke. But in my opinion he stands on his own with his talents.

[Claudio · Rating 2 out of 5]

Demasiado enredo, poco protagonismo de la protagonista, y definitivamente no me gustó la forma de narrar la historia. El trozo de Clarke está calzado a la fuerza y al final me salté párrafos completos sin que afectara la historia general. Decepcionante final de la serie.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the last in a series- that I didn't read except for this book. The writing was slow, the character development low except for the narrator, and the story full of plot holes. Overall, it was interesting, but not great. Maybe it was fascinating if you had read the whole series.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent Clarke scifi read. Stimulating and imaginitive. What happened to dreaming of science and space? Oh yeah, TV.

[Happycomfort · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome series

[Jeff Rudisel · Rating 4 out of 5]

VENUS PRIME ARTHUR C. CLARKE
TIE-TOGETHER SERIES OF SIX CLARKE STORIES INTO NEW SERIES BY PREUSS.

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

A big let down after the first five, what a shame.