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Nov 25, 2009
Gaijinmama
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review of another edition
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science-fiction
This is a story of first contact, quite similar to how it must have been for Columbus or other explorers out to see New Worlds, with little hope of ever returning home.
Even though the story unfolds like a Greek tragedy, and it is clear from the very beginning that something horrible happened, I loved the premise of this book, the humor (Oh. My. Gods! Quotes from Young Frankenstein and The Princess Bride? how could you not love this?), and the writing style. I also genuinely came to care about th ...more
Even though the story unfolds like a Greek tragedy, and it is clear from the very beginning that something horrible happened, I loved the premise of this book, the humor (Oh. My. Gods! Quotes from Young Frankenstein and The Princess Bride? how could you not love this?), and the writing style. I also genuinely came to care about th ...more
Read this many years ago. This is how science fiction should be written!
Feb 06, 2010
Sunflower
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review of another edition
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fiction-read-2010
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In Russell's tremendously capable hands, what could have been a standard sci-fi plot with saccharine overtones becomes a modern classic. Her meditation on the nature of faith and what it means to connect to God is powerful stuff.
...more
Wow!--hold onto your horses, as Mary Doria Russell unfolds an amazing out-of-this-world adventure, filled with interesting & complicated characters. A Jesuit mission to a planet in the Alpha Centauri system and all the complex issues that come wrapped up in making first contact and trying to understand a different sentient species.
Emilio Sandoz, is the only survivor of a jesuit led mission to a recently discovered planet, Rakhat. Sandoz returns in discgrace. The story alternates between Sandoz's return and how the mission began and the time on Rakhat. Though the story involves space exploration it is mostly about faith. I really liked the characters who went on the mission to Rakhat. My main problem with the book is the ending seemed very rushed and it leaves the reader hanging. It takes a very logn time to get to what we
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Jul 31, 2008
Shannon Wallner
marked it as to-read
Jan 09, 2013
Sam
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Feb 01, 2013
Kim DeCina
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Sep 03, 2015
O'Rissa
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May 23, 2018
Julie
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Aug 22, 2018
Dana Arbelaez
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Nov 12, 2018
Jules
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Nov 27, 2018
Sara
marked it as to-read
