Blood Music in Beyond Reality

Nov 28, 2020 mark monday rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: new-dimensions, scifi-60s-70s-80s

the science is hard and persuasive; the microscopic beings are soft and even more persuasive. they find themselves born in a strange new universe: the human body! and as many such beings do, they form themselves into groups and they build. they build and build and build and so create a civilization in their universe. a civilization in your body!

Greg Bear is a great writer. the science is carefully explained, understandable even to science-dummies like myself. and he is just as persuasive when it ...more

110 likes · Like · see review

Aug 10, 2008 Stephen rated it liked it

Shelves: multiple-award-nominee, 1980-1989, eco-medical-biological, to-re-read, award-nominee-hugo, award-nominee-british-sf, award-nominee-nebula, award-nominee-locus, award-nominee-campbell, science-fiction

3.5 stars. Classic SF novel dealing with biotechnology, nanotechnology (including the grey goo hypothesis), the nature of consciousness and artificial intelligence. On my list to re-read in the near future as it has been some time since I first read this.

Nominee: British Science Fiction Award for Best Novel
Nominee: John W. Campbell Award for Best Science Fiction Novel
Nominee: Hugo Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (the original short story WON the award for Best Short Story)
Nominee: Nebula A ...more

16 likes · Like · see review

Jul 02, 2016 Banner rated it liked it

Shelves: sci-fi

I had no idea this book was going to be so weird! I guess the name and cover should have given me a hint, but I try to practice the "Don't judge a book by its cover" rule.

The protagonist is an interesting fellow, a sloppy research doctor. Working in the area of microbiology. Aspersions of greater things and a drive to achieve but he just isn't that careful in the lab.

A germ with intelligence....

That's all I'm saying; it just gets weirder after that. It is a good, imaginative science fiction y ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Mar 10, 2015 Mark rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Good book - great concept - I think you can tell though that it was originally a short story. The first third had the feel of a thriller, but I felt it went off the boil after that.

The one thing I would say is beware electronic editions - the one I read was absolutely awful - strewn with errors. Presumably they just scanned a printed copy - but then didn't check the result. ...more

Like · see review