The Gods Themselves

293 pages

English language

Published Feb. 24, 2011

ISBN:
978-0-553-28810-0
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Goodreads:
724667

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(5 reviews)

Only a few know the terrifying truth -- an outcast Earth scientist, a rebellious alien inhabitant of a dying planet, a lunar-born human intuitionist who senses the imminent annihilation of the Sun. They know the truth -- but who will listen? They have foreseen the cost of abundant energy -- but who will believe? These few beings, human and alien, hold the key to the Earth's survival.

7 editions

Asimovin heikko vuorovaikutus lukijan kanssa

Tieteilijät ovat löytäneet mahtavan tavan tuottaa ilmaista energiaa rinnakkaisuniversumin avulla. Rinnnakkaismaailman asukkaat tuntuvat oikein tarjoavan sitä. Valitettavasti hommassa tuntuu olevan vakavia jopa eksistentiaalisia riskejä, joita ei haluta ottaa vakavasti.

Tarinassa oli "hauskoja" rinnastuksia nykyajassakin tutulle don't look up -mentaliteetille. Hyödyllisistä mutta tuhoavista asioista ei haluta luopua. Rinnakkaisuniversumilaisten esittely ja näkökulma oli mielenkiintoinen mutta jäi puolitiehen. Liikaa tiedeukkojen tylsää papatusta tai ihan jonninjoutavaa ja mitenkään tarinaa eteenpäin viemätöntä selittelyä. Kaikkein kauhein osuus oli tietysti kuussa asuvien ihmisten kuvaus nakuiluineen. Kaksi naispuolista päähahmoa ja heidän älynsä kuvattiin jotenkin hyvin erikoisiksi ja erityisiksi muiden joukossa.

Many good ideas but

I read this book in the 1970s when it was published in Finnish, and I was maybe 13 years old. Now somebody mentioned it on Mastodon and I decided to read it again, in English.

It contains many good ideas, a lot of which apply well to world politics today. Like the idea that problems can be easily solved by pretending they don't exist. But the depiction of women is definitely not from this century. Even female (?) aliens are less intelligent, but have more empathy than the less female aliens. The naked women on the Moon with I still remember from the 1970s.

Review of 'The Gods Themselves' on 'Goodreads'

A story in three sections, and the first is barely science fiction. Mostly politics, with a MacGuffin that gives free energy - or is it free? This book won a Nebula, a Hugo, and the Locus SF award, and was regarded by Isaac Asimov as his favorite book.

The second section is a very alien world, with the connection only visible near the end. The third section brings the whole story together quite well, though I found myself thinking of [b:The Moon is a Harsh Mistress|16690|The Moon is a Harsh Mistress|Robert A. Heinlein|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348768309s/16690.jpg|1048525], written six years earlier. Do all lunar colonies have intrigues and rebellions?

Keeping this from five stars for me was all the dialog to tell the story. There isn't a lot of action. How many other books did Asimov use a three part structure for? It turns out this was published serially in Galaxy Magazine, so that …

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