Proxima 9780575116832 Books
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Proxima 9780575116832 Books
Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf star far, far from the planets of Earth, the Moon, Mars, Mercury and all the other planets so familiar to present day Earthlings. The year is 2166 and laser beams of energy developed from kernel engineering can hurl a spaceship into different galaxies. Phases of history on Earth have passed, including a period of purging intelligent scientists who supposedly committed “crimes” (though never specified); and now there is an intellectual war about who will control the forces of energy with amazing potential for not only space travel but also creating new colonies on distant planets.Yuri and Mardina were both forced to become colonists on Proxima or Per Adua as it is otherwise called. Their fellow inhabitants were initially a larger group; but uncontrolled feelings, thoughts and deeds caused several violent scenes in which many were murdered, leaving finally only Yuri and Mardina as survivors. There are other colonists somewhere on the planet but they were dumped in places far away and the chances of their meeting each other are slim indeed! For now Yuri, Mardina and a specialized robot ColU explore their new world. It appears that its living inhabitants are plant-like creatures, with a hidden eye, who are always busy building other plant-like structures and creating structures like dams to move or close water sources. Even the water contains bacterial life that is impossible to define by earth standards. However, thanks to the genius of ColU the species learn to live with each other, their only major problem the solar flares that could kill them if exposed.
Over a long period of time Mardina sets up a plan whereby she and Yuri will have children. Mardina refuses to believe no one will ever come to rescue them but Yuri thinks differently.
At the same time other subplots are happening that involve the battle over these super-kernels. Who obtains them and controls them can rule not only the earth but also other planets in the cosmos and beyond.
Eventually other settlers will join Yuri and Mardina and their lives will be irrevocably changed by a change coming to Proxima that will mandate their moving elsewhere. The “Hatch” will take them where they never dreamed of going; this is the discovery of a lifetime that totally shifts the plot of this novel.
Proxima is brilliant science fiction, the best this reviewer has read in more years than will be admitted. It’s hard science fiction with a complex plot interlaced with real scientific explanations that are intelligently delivered and best of all highly readable and comprehensible to the average non-scientist reader. It depicts a world where inhabitants resemble nothing encountered in earth’s experience and yet doesn’t come across as silly but highly credible, exciting and intriguing reality. For any reader who has the slightest interest in science fiction, this is your must read for the year; and for those who have never experienced the “other world vicissitudes of life on other planets,” this is the greatest introduction to the world of science fiction you will ever find! Highly, highly recommended, a truly wonderful work of science fiction that ranks up there with the masters of the genre!
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Proxima 9780575116832 Books Reviews
Interesting premise, but not fully realized. Characters not fully developed, and then killed off early. All sorts of loose ends in the plot. Where did the hatches come from? How did the builder inhabitants of Per Ardua develop? What was the purpose of the mounds of bacteria, how did they fit in with the local environment? Why did the Chinese do what they did when they had examples of the energy sources they wanted? None of these questions get answered. Was somehow left with a let down feeling after finishing the book.
I've read many of Stephen Baxter's books, and though the scale of this book matches some his previous works, it misses the high-bar that those previous works set. The story itself meanders almost lazily, making me feel like I had to work to piece together the plot line and elements. There are allusions and subplots that don't seem fulfilled, and elements that feel like they're all setup for a larger, longer story, which perhaps is why the book was separated into a series unnecessarily. The pieces that we do see are intriguing, and the future posited seems not only plausible, but reminiscent of our collective past.
I feel like we were introduced to a universe with lots going on, given too many pictures of history to consider, and then told to wait for the real story. I've seen this in a few other recent series, and think it may be a push by the industry to build series of books rather than stand-alone, grand novels. Which is unfortunate, because you feel unsatisfied at the conclusion. Cliffhangers are one thing, but unresolved stories are another. I may read Ultima more because I dislike loose ends.
Personally, I thought the first third of the book went kind of slow. I even put it down for over a week. But I'm glad I came back and picked it up again because it turned out I put it down about where it became interesting. I think the most difficult thing I found in the early book was the way the first settlers for an interstellar settlement were 'selected', considering the financial investment involved and the importance to establishing a settlement that could succeed. That was my biggest criticism. The book has a major ending, the result of opposing ideologies and fights over territory and resources. It does emphasize the importance to the human race of establishing other human outposts beyond the Earth to ensure species survival in the event of catastrophic events. Combine all these with parallel universes and timelines and it has me ready to tackle the second book, 'Ultima'.
I have read an enormous amount of science fiction over the years. It has become increasingly rare to stumble upon originality in the genre, because let’s face it, there are only so many alien constructs that can be convincingly presented. Only so many “hard” science fiction methods of faster than light travel that can be posited. That is not to say that good science fiction cannot be written within somewhat hackneyed constructs, only that doing so must rely on something other than the science fiction. Character development becomes increasingly important.
I found Proxima to be an enjoyable and thought provoking work. It had an abundance of hard science fiction, coupled with sometimes intriguing characters and enough originality to score points in that regard. Through the discovery of “kernels” on the planet Mercury, near light speed travel becomes possible. The solar system is divided between two superpowers, the Chinese Confederation and the United Nations. Discovery of the kernels and then a second artifact, tip the balance of power in favor of the UN, setting the stage for interstellar conflict. Colonization of the nearest habitable planet, Per Adua, ups the ante.
This is the first of two books in a series, the second being Ultima. I was very pleased with Proxima, right up until the very last few pages, at which point I knew that I would have a major plausibility problem with the second book in the series; and I was right.
Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf star far, far from the planets of Earth, the Moon, Mars, Mercury and all the other planets so familiar to present day Earthlings. The year is 2166 and laser beams of energy developed from kernel engineering can hurl a spaceship into different galaxies. Phases of history on Earth have passed, including a period of purging intelligent scientists who supposedly committed “crimes” (though never specified); and now there is an intellectual war about who will control the forces of energy with amazing potential for not only space travel but also creating new colonies on distant planets.
Yuri and Mardina were both forced to become colonists on Proxima or Per Adua as it is otherwise called. Their fellow inhabitants were initially a larger group; but uncontrolled feelings, thoughts and deeds caused several violent scenes in which many were murdered, leaving finally only Yuri and Mardina as survivors. There are other colonists somewhere on the planet but they were dumped in places far away and the chances of their meeting each other are slim indeed! For now Yuri, Mardina and a specialized robot ColU explore their new world. It appears that its living inhabitants are plant-like creatures, with a hidden eye, who are always busy building other plant-like structures and creating structures like dams to move or close water sources. Even the water contains bacterial life that is impossible to define by earth standards. However, thanks to the genius of ColU the species learn to live with each other, their only major problem the solar flares that could kill them if exposed.
Over a long period of time Mardina sets up a plan whereby she and Yuri will have children. Mardina refuses to believe no one will ever come to rescue them but Yuri thinks differently.
At the same time other subplots are happening that involve the battle over these super-kernels. Who obtains them and controls them can rule not only the earth but also other planets in the cosmos and beyond.
Eventually other settlers will join Yuri and Mardina and their lives will be irrevocably changed by a change coming to Proxima that will mandate their moving elsewhere. The “Hatch” will take them where they never dreamed of going; this is the discovery of a lifetime that totally shifts the plot of this novel.
Proxima is brilliant science fiction, the best this reviewer has read in more years than will be admitted. It’s hard science fiction with a complex plot interlaced with real scientific explanations that are intelligently delivered and best of all highly readable and comprehensible to the average non-scientist reader. It depicts a world where inhabitants resemble nothing encountered in earth’s experience and yet doesn’t come across as silly but highly credible, exciting and intriguing reality. For any reader who has the slightest interest in science fiction, this is your must read for the year; and for those who have never experienced the “other world vicissitudes of life on other planets,” this is the greatest introduction to the world of science fiction you will ever find! Highly, highly recommended, a truly wonderful work of science fiction that ranks up there with the masters of the genre!
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