Rating: Summary: epilogue was the insult to any sci-fi reader intellegence Review: This book was a five star and probably the best Clarke work in the last decade for sure, up to the epilogue, and specifically the idea within it .Although there is not a single original idea this novel presents, it still shows what good science fiction writers can accomplish. The worm-holes and basically the idea of this book is the same as in Isaac Asimov short story written in 1951 and called THE DEAD PAST (I beleive it is still available in Complete Short Stories By Isaac Asimov Volume 1). However, Clarke and Baxter fail to mention Asimov's short story in acnowledgements, for some reason. The novel has also got plenty of same ideas as in Haldeman's Hugo- Nebula winner FOREVER PEACE( brain pluges, which allow linked societies, etc). Now, the whole epilogue's idea is EXACTLY THE SAME as in Farmer's RIVERWORLD SERIES written in 1970th and also Hugo winner. The fans of Clarke and people, who do not read a lot of science fiction will probably enjoy THE LIGHT OF OTHER DAYS, because it is fast paced and loaded with sci-fi technologies and ideas; others, who read a lot of science fiction, will not be disappointed by reading this novel also, but they will not be impressed.
Rating: Summary: freaked me out... Review: I pretty much agree with "Boiler95" on this point... the technology in this story advances and becomes public WAY too quickly.I also agree with Bill testerman that the characters are a bit hollow. But the true magic behind the book is the ideas. When I finally finished it, I couldn't stop thinking about what it all meant. "Holy crud! If this meant this... then that would mean THAT!" There is a lot to think about. Another great aspect is that the technology seems real. There is one point in the book that actually made me stop reading and look around my room in wonder if it could actually be possible. Messed me up for the rest of the night. The ending is really cool. Very satisfying. And there is a slight twist as well. Maybe even a couple of them if you really start to think about everything. It's a very easy read. The technology didn't confuse me. I understood what was going on. This book is not heavy on drama in the usual sense. It's a THINKING drama. It's the facts that push things along and keep things tense. Not so much the emotion.
Rating: Summary: Another amazing story by two giants of science fiction Review: This is one of those rare science fiction books that combine hard science fiction with philosophy in a well-paced and entertaining plot. But then, what would you expect when two masters of the field combine their considerable talents? The Light of Other Days revolves around the development of microscopic worm holes, and the resulting ability to ingest light from their surroundings. The enterprising developers soon create "WormCams," and society shutters under a complete loss of privacy. Then, just as people start to come to grips with their new "public" life, another shock is unleashed. The WormCam's developers discover a way to see back in time, hence the book's title. The Light of Other days is a wonderful read, and the surprise ending is very gratifying. --David Hitchcock, author, VIRTUAL LIFE and PATENT SEARCHING MADE EASY
Rating: Summary: Not a great story, but a very intriguing concept Review: I had read the Rama series by Arthur C. Clarke, and liked the sequels which had been co-authored with Gentry Lee than the original which Clarke wrote himself, as well as Manifold: Time, by Stephen Baxter, which I hated, so I wasn't sure I would like this book. But it was highly recommended by a co-worker and the subject sounded interesting enough that I gave it a try. The concept was everything that I had hoped for with the invention of the WormCam and the fall-out from their use. The implications regarding privacy, honesty, history and religion were all very intersting to consider and were presented well in the book. Where I thought the story was lacking was in the more focused plot involving the inventor of the WormCam and his family. That story wasn't terribly interesting, and the characters were all fairly shallow and I didn't care too much about what happened to them. I was also a little annoyed that the authors didn't seem to know when the Colosseum was built, as it appears in the story around 40 years before it existed. There were also some othe minor things that annoyed me, such as how quickly the breakthroughs were made in the WormCam development, and also some of the more practical aspects of using the WormCam that weren't explained well. Like, for example, if someone is walking around "in the past" using his WormCam, how does he avoid walking into walls in the present? Overall, however, I thought the concept of the WormCam was interesting enough to overshadow the other problems, and it's capped off with a very well done ending that ties everything up pretty well. I would recommend this book even if you don't necessarily like the authors because of the interesting subject, and if you are a fan of Clarke or Baxter, then you will probably enjoy it that much more.
Rating: Summary: Good sci-fi ideas, but not great as fiction Review: I am a big fan of both Clarke and Baxter, but this novel is not among my favorites of their stories. Now, I saw as very interesting the scientific ideas of the possible uses of wormholes, as well as the social manifestations of these developments. There also were many interesting comments peppered throughout the book. These aspects of the novel seemed like they came from Baxter and Clarke. Yet as a work of fiction I do not think the book succeeds. For one thing, the characters are rather sketchy and unoriginal. Secondly, there is a fair amount of what I consider filler material that does not add to the story. Third, the overall writing style is quite harsh, often with unpleasant language and scenes that in my opinion were unnecessary. This convinces me that the book was surely not written by Clarke, since the dark tone is in complete contrast to the many other works of his I have read. My point here is that if you consider reading this novel as a way to enjoy something by Arthur Clarke, I suggest choosing another. But all in all, as a sci-fi story I enjoyed it to a fair degree.
Rating: Summary: disappointing Review: The Light Of Other Days, by Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter (though by the style of writing, it appears Clarke had little input outside of the basic concept), was sadly a tremendous disappointment. The premise is simple: In the near future, scientists discover how to generate tiny wormholes that can peer anyplace, anytime - even into the past. They are cameras of unlimited and unstoppable power. Naturally, society must adapt to this great change. The idea of scientists being able to unravel the past makes for a great story that could really touch on some fantastic issues. Filled with promise, it fell flat. The themes and situations that could have been explored were barely touched on. What could have been thought provoking was instead a gigantic let down. It wasn't even worth it for the revelation near the end, which was interesting but anti-climatic in much the same way as "Clarke's" Rama sequels were. The story touched on privacy issues and other such concerns, because the device central to the plot acts as a kind of remote camera, able to see anywhere and everything, but that theme is badly managed and poorly handled. An underground society that arises is painted half-heartedly, and the paranoia of those gripping with this changed world does not come across. Even the writing is less than gripping, often slow and boring. The characters are stale, the prose sloppy. Both men are better writers than this. Fans of either author would do well to save their money.
Rating: Summary: The Light of Other Days Review: I thought the book was good, not great. Arthur C. Clarke is an excellent author, but he could have done better. The book basically diminishes everything in the world as we know it to be usless and meaningless. It describes a grim future for our planet, one in which I think is a little insulting to the human race. The book concentraited on to many details, overuse of figurative language. If I wanted to know how the roses smelled in 2037 I would not have read a Science-Fiction book, I would have read a poem. Once the book told you something, or should I say, described it, it would have restated you again and again. I just wish the book would have been directed toward how life could be in the future, not directed at a few characters personal lives. However, even if the book did not have exactly what I was looking for, it included a lot of interesting ideas. It also related the problems in the furture to the ones we are facing now very well. I was extremely interested in the fact that Clarke used actual scientific ideas and principles, not just ones made up by a couple of mental patients. I would rate this book a good read for someone who likes a good story, and not to someone who would like to aquire some knowledge.
Rating: Summary: Interesting ideas Review: I picked this book up because of Arthur C. Clarke, and it is my first time reading Stephen Baxter. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The exploration of how society reacts when all privacy is absolutely stripped away, and when all of Earth's history - back to the first life form - is available for everyone to see with 100% accuracy, could have been explored at greater length. "True biographies" of famous people such as Jesus and Abraham Lincoln are obtained with the WormCam technology, and found to be significantly different from what is widely believed. I found the book somewhat predictable, but the ideas were engaging.
Rating: Summary: If you like to think, this book is for you. Review: This book was excellent. I am a long time fan of Arthur C. Clarke and a fan of Stephen Baxter. I was surprised that some reviewers thought it was such a grim perspective on the future of Humanity. I thought it was very positive and thought provoking
Rating: Summary: Amazing, couldn't put it down! Review: I don't know whats wrong with that JRH fella below...but he is way off base. This book is about a boy and a girl who like to eat cheese. Sometimes they buy swiss but mostly it's just cheddar. The climax really choked me up - can't go into details because I don't want to spoil it for you but OMG!!111
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