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| Seeds of Earth (Humanity's Fire) |
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Seeds of Earth (Humanity's Fire)
Orbit
by Michael Cobley
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| Product Details |
ISBN/ASIN: 1841496316
Release Date:
Sales Rank: 4211
Average Rating: 
Media: Paperback
Audience Rating:
Product Group: Book
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| Product Description |
| A multi-layered, 21st century take on the classic tropes of space opera by a bold new voice in British science fiction. |
| Customer Reviews: Average Rating: 3.0/5 | | Poorly Executed, Rather a mess...: Rating: 1/5 |
I picked this up thinking it had all the indicators of a good pick, "space opera" endorsed by Iain M.Banks, but what a disappointment. The book starts out with Earth being invaded by huge insectoidal aliens, causing death and destruction on an epic scale, leading to the launch of three arks to the stars to try and save humanity. The next chapter is on the target planet of one of the arks, where there is now an existing colony. Very quickly, we find out that the insecty types got wiped out, and that a ship from Earth is coming, and there then follows a very incoherent explanation of the intergalactic situation, which is totally unbelievable. At this point I just gave up. Random plot devices whizzing in a dropping out, none properly developed, and none very credible.
Funnily enough, my son liked the look of it, and he and his mother, who is not an sci-fi fan, read him some of it. Her comment was, "did you understand a word of that?" Not really, I'm afraid.
In general, to be avoided. | | First-rate space opera series debut: Rating: 5/5 |
| Like one of the previous reviewers, I bought "Seeds of Earth" on the strength of the recommendation given by Iain M. Banks, but unlike him, I would personally rate the book as one of the better space opera series by a new author since the appearance of Alastair Reynolds's "Revelation Space" in 2001. When I buy a book by a new author, in particular one of the universe-building space opera genré, I do so with the hope that it will be new and refreshing. "Seeds of Earth" didn't disappoint me. His cast of characters, human and non-human alike, are engrossing, interesting, and often funny. His prose style is unadorned and straightforward. The main story line--first contact of a remote human colony with a future earth and its dubious interstellar allies--is intricately plotted and well paced. Cobley does an especially good job with the time-honored space opera theme of ancient interstellar civilizations and the mysterious artifacts they leave behind. I look forward to Cobley's forthcoming sequel to the series, "The Orphaned Worlds," due to be released in April 2010. | | Like watching a bad stripper.: Rating: 1/5 |
I didn't finish this book. To put this in context, I have finished all but ten of the books that I have ever started.
Why didn't I finish this book? I found I didn't care about the characters. They were individuals, there was faction amongst each of the different races, the drips of Scots that peppered the characters speech; all of these things were good but I found that I just wasn't gripped. It was like watching a bad stripper, all the parts are lovely but they just don't do it for you.
Oh, and the big faux pas. The initial premise is that the colony ship disappears before the Earth is overrun by mysterious aliens. Sometime later the survivors are contacted by Earth and all their alien friends and allies, enemies and opponents. Several hundred years without contact, thinking you are the last survivors of your race, alone in the universe but for one hive-mind xenophobic aggresor and some tree-hugging warrior monks, and no one is amazed, surprised, awed, relieved or stunned when every man and his dog and his alien uncle Tom Cobley and all turn up. No one even mentions the fact that suddenly we're not alone any more. Maybe the Uvovo told them, but if they did nobody told us, and if the Uvovo told them, why didn't they seek out some contact? Oh, and what happened to the all conquering hive-mind?
A lack of gripping characters and a fundamental plot error meant that by about two thirds of the way through I just didn't care enough to want to finish the book. I have the 100 Best Science Fiction Books, life is too short to read this in preference to any one of them. | | Unreadable: Rating: 1/5 |
| I'm a big fan of (well-written) science fiction, but this was terrible. If you are expecting Iain M. Banks don't even bother. I managed the first 85 pages - it's all very readable, but the introduction of lots of alien civilisations is handled in the most un-wondrous way. I forced myself to keep going to p100 but left the other 500 pages unread I'm afraid. | | Great new space opera: Rating: 5/5 |
This is a superb "galaxy-spanning" (whatever that means) rip-roaring space opera. After a long time have I read such a good space opera. The last time was when I read Peter Hamilton's Night's Dawn and Commonwealth Series.
This is not a substantive review of the book but I will list how this story fulfills the requirements that, in my opinion, make a good space opera story.
A terrific story line - Check
Many alien races with some really alien - Check
Super AI (artificial intelligence) both as enemies and friends - Check
Humans not all powerful but are facing difficult odds against a super powerful enemy - Check
Multi plot line should be easy to follow and short chapters - Check
Hard sci fi - Nope
This is more of a soft Sci-fi with no regards to relativistic issues when travelling, total disregard for requirements of oxygen, gravity, microbial issues for human life. Also what I don't like is one character's travel to a lower dimension of hyperspace - which is modelled just like human space. This makes a good story but sometimes it is more Start Wars than I would like.
The best thing I like about the story is that there are many big alien empires, and hence humans are like a pawn in a struggle between great powers - if done right this makes for a good story. In this novel it has been done right.
This is the first book in a trilogy. I am on the second book now, The Orphaned Worlds, which takes the story into more twists and turns.
Essentially its ticks most parts and the story is very well done. I will wholeheartedly recommend it. | |
