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Summary: Fascinating story!
Review: This is one of the best books I have read this year. The science stuff is wonderful and the main characters interesting. Definitely a must!
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Summary: Excellent--easily Bear's best!
Review: I am not a professional reviewer. I read for enjoyment, predominately Science Fiction and some Fantasy. I read the Hugo and Nebula nominees and as many of the "Locus" recommended list as I can every year. I've read several books by Greg Bear including the EON series, The Forge of God, and Moving Mars. I've enjoyed them all; Darwin's Radio may be his best.So, I will say up front that I enjoyed this book, very much. It is entertaining. It is easy to read despite the medical and biological terminology, of which there is much. As usual, Bear's science is sound, plausible, and seamlessly fits into the story. The science enhances the story. The characters are engaging and likeable (for the most part); you care about them, especially Kay and Mitch as their relationship develops. However, if you are cynical of today's politicians and senior government officials, you may become even more so after exposure to those characters in the story. As far as shorting comings, I found the pacing of the story to be a bit inconsistent, but not overly so. I just know that at times I couldn't turn the pages fast enough as I was thoroughly engrossed in the story, while at other times I was saying to myself, "come on, let's get on with it." Once example is the part of the story line where Kay's husband Saul is involved. This sad episode may have provided an extra glimpse into Kay's humanity and compassion; but, the overall book might have been a bit tighter without this strand of the story. Finally, the ending satisfies and tantalizes. It leaves some questions unanswered; it cries sequel! I hope there is one and I hope it is soon.
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Summary: Another Great Bear Book!
Review: Greg Bear always writes interesting books, (Blood Music being on the the most unusual). This book was interesting because of the science behind it, and it made you wonder what we may define as HUMAN in the next 50 years. Recommended reading.
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Summary: Great story, fascinating science!
Review: Darwin's Radio is one of the best books I've read in a long time. The science is fascinating, the story is great, and the characters are real enough to make you actually care what happens. I loved this book so much that I sent it on to my son, the microbiology major!
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Summary: Wonderful book
Review: Filled with modern angst and X-files type intrigue the political and social settings seemed almost current headlines. Excellent book, but like a few of the others of his books they seem to be quickly ended. I think there should have been a few 100 more pages to finish up the story (maybe part 2 is coming?) Good scientific writing, maybe a little involved in molecular genetics for most people, he does include definitions and appendices for those a little rusty. I couldn't stop reading the book once I got started. It screams 'screen play' and I think it would do well if Hollywood buys it. I think that a little more technology (after all this occurs after the millennium) could have been wedged into the storyline. All-in-all a darn good book, with just a few rough edges.
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Summary: Brilliant, distrubing and cutting-edge (Some spoilers)
Review: I read Darwin's Radio in two days and spent more than a week trying to take it all in. The science is very firm and even the wilder speculations come across as frighteningly plausible. Bear has shown an interest in hierarhcies of neural networks and emergent properties for some time, with his explorations ranging from Blood Music to the AIs in Queen of Angels and Slant. Here, instead of seeing it from a technological angle, we have biology kicking us in the teeth. Society responds in all of the wrong ways to what appears to be a catastrophe, but (as per the demands of a thriller novel) three maverick characters know what is really going on... The characters jumped off the page at me. I really liked Mitch and especially the dream sequences which give us a look inside his subconscious mind and his profoundly empathic nature. I've seen people complain Kaye isn't the best role model or that her responses are irrational, but she is given a good, solid background; her marriage troubles and mixed emotions as she reacts to her husband's tragic suicide (I saw it as a waste, not merely getting rid of a character) came across as realistic. Maybe what she did was crazy, but it was under extreme provocation. She maintained her intellectual integrity while seeking out a new kind of emotional experience - even as mass trauma threatens to tear America apart. The plot is gripping from page one. As for the science, you may find yourself wanting to learn more about microbiology and genetics after you read this book. I can't wait for the sequel.
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Summary: An exploration of the humanity's reaction to its future
Review: A fantastic book that explored not only genetics and biology in a thoughtful and reasonable manner, but also the possible socio-political reactions to a sudden change in who we are. I couldn't put the book down, and although there were some minor flaws that could bother some people such as why would Kaye leave actively pursing science, although Greg Bear's description of how deeply she was in love with Mitch and her acceptance of SHEVA and its new lifeform filled that gap for me when I thought about it. I was also captivated by the well portrayed political infighting and attempts to control everything. To me it was Greg Bear at his best, I can't wait for more.
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Summary: A thought-provoking adventure
Review: My thanks to the muse for Darwin's Radio, another thought-provoking adventure by Greg Bear. It will be the Blood Music of the 21st century. This is a must for everyone who enjoys reading and thinking, who is capable, as Emerson says, of being inspired by a book.
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Summary: I could not put this book down
Review: I really enjoyed this book, some of the scientific language was a little over my head, but I enjoyed the story. I couldn't put it down until I was done with it. I can't wait for the movie..hint, hint.... I definately recommend this book to anyone who loves sci fi.
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Summary: What happened to the Nobel candidate?
Review: I'm always fascinated by Greg Bear's books. The cheerful abandon with which he wipes out the human race tends to make for a great story. But this time, he forgot who his characters were. How could someone like Kaye just leave science? There would be somewhere in the world where she would be safe -- Innsbruck, anybody? -- and her husband and baby as well. Hiding out in Arizona? Her husband working at a car dealership? Oh, please. I kept getting the feeling that Bear would be working with an idea about character development, and then abandon it, and us (the readers) with a thump. Characters you think are going to be of continuing significance simply drop out. No further mention. I was confused, and more than a little annoyed, considering that I leapt on this like a famished wolf. I'm sure there is a perfectly good explanation for the way this book is written. But still... Most of all, I can't imagine someone who is at the top, the very top, of her field simply abandoning science. Could Agassi abandon tennis, even for a happy marriage? No. You can't get there without being, at some level, intensely selfish, and I can't see her just shrugging and walking away. And I wouldn't care to see what would happen once Kaye really formed a determination to fight back. Never, ever convince a really, really smart person they need to fight back. You won't like the result. That didn't happen in this book, and I was more than disappointed. Sorry. It did satisfy my insomniac's restlessness last night. It helped with the BART ride this morning, and that's fine. But I've finished it, and I'm not happy. Sorry, I was just so disappointed with what he did with his main characters.
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