Rating: 
Summary: Ambitious but not completely successful
Review: Vernor Vinge makes another very ambitious foray into new territory. While he doesn't completely succedd, even a near miss by Vinge is better then a lot of others can do.Deepness is set in the same universe as "A Fire Upon the Deep", but predates it, probably by thousands of years. The planet and star system used a sa setting are novel and fascinating. The human culture that Vinge introduces along side his Qeng Ho traders is called the Emergency (as in emergence, not as in crisis), and this is one of the things that doesn't quite hit the target. Human interactions change course for little reason, and too many of the characters are merely spear carriers. The alien race introduced, the Spiders, come off as merely people in eight-legged suits. There is nothing really alien about the way they are presented, though this is something rarely pulled off by anyone other than Larry Niven. Particularly vexing is their completely unexplained rate of technological progress, which while essential to the plot otherwise makes no sense. The book seems like it could have used another pass through the editor, and maybe to be put aside for a time and then tightened up by the author. Nevertheless, it's woth reading for Vinge fans and others.
Rating:
Summary: Way too long, but worth reading.
Review: This would have been a great 300 page book. There just isn't enough story here to justify the almost 800 page length of this book. I loved Fire Upon the Deep and I feel that this prequel doesn't measure up. Also, the evil characters are a bit too over-the-top for me. But still, Vernor Vinge is a very good writer, and this book would have been great with more editing!
Rating: 
Summary: As good as A Fire Upon the Deep!
Review: The book is great. Pham Nuwen is done much better then in A Fire Upon the Deep. The spiders are a great portrait of an alien species. Only the Mote in God's Eye really matches it. The characterization is great. You really care about Ezr Vinh and Sherkaner Underhill. The book's one flaw is we know what happens to Pham Nuwen. (It's in A Fire Upon the Deep.) The book is an excellent read. I read it in a week. (It is 800 pages long.) One of the best SF novels I've read!
Rating: 
Summary: Read this book - with caveats
Review: First, the bad part: The novel is disturbed. There are some fairly harsh descriptions of things in here, and they are done in such a matter of fact way that it's fairly unpleasant to read. Mosts authors would revel in the inhumanity of the antagonists, rather than simply put it out there for your consideration. In addition, the ending is really irritating. It's pure Deus ex machina. You know what has to happen, you figure there's no way it will, then it does. There is a neat twist, but it's still dissatisfying. On the other hand, the book is a very good read, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I prefer Fire Upon the Deep, but let's face it - most novels aren't that good. Deepness is still a fine book, and better than most of the hackwork that's currently available.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible!
Review: This book was absolutely great. I liked it much better than A Fire Upon the Deep - and I thought that book was pretty good and deserved a 4 star rating. If this book doesn't win some major awards, I don't think anything should. The length might be long, but I also longed for more detail in regards to some events. The characters are deep, the storyline seemlessly flows from one event to the next, and the ending is well worth the read. I hope Mr. Vinge is writing a sequel to this, as it has been perfectly set up. I can't wait for more. I own the paperback, but am buying this in hardback because I think it is so amazingly well written and enthrawling.
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Book
Review: Having read a few of Vinge's works I think A Deepness in the Sky holds its own. It is a good length. The spiders were treated well and I did not feel they were anthropomorphized at all (the writing style makes it feel like a translation) If you have not read any Vinge but enjoy Science Fiction then you should certainly read this book or A Fire Upon the Deep as you are missing out on one of the best authors around.
Rating:
Summary: Worth reading, but...
Review: It's not a bad book, but it's not a good one either. So I guess the word is average. The characters are well described within the first few chapters and then you spend the rest of the "long" book waiting for the obvious finale. Mr. Vinge presents some great ideas and likable characters, but in my opinion, there is little story here.
Rating:
Summary: Less is more
Review: Vinge's body of work stands as a rebuke to that majority of SF writers who crank out a book or two of mediocrity every year. Although Vinge's books appear at three to four year intervals, each of them is a gem. His skills are getting even better, and this book and its predecessor, "A Fire Upon the Deep," will surely be considered classics. Vinge has all of the tools of a good SF writer: a mastery of science, creativity in projecting future developments, and the grasp of history necessary to make future societies believable. He's also a good writer. He creates credible characters. The good guys have weaknesses and the bad guys a few admirable traits. His scenic descriptions aren't great, but he does succeed occasionally in creating a sense of place for his exotic locales. But what marks Vinge as great is his logic. Many writers give have their protagonists win either because their opponents are stupid or are implausibly blind to key weaknesses in their position. The baddies in "Deepness" are smart and are constantly a half step ahead of the good guys, which makes for an exciting read. And, in a particularly brilliant touch, Vinge sets up the climax to look like a cheap deus ex machina, and then returns to explain how it all makes complete sense. Finally, Vinge also plays a neat little game with part of the narrative, making it seem to be from one point of view and then slowly revealing that it is, in fact, from another. In sum, "Deepness" is not just a good story, but a good book by a talented author who has thought through everything. If you buy it, maybe Vinge can quit his day job and give us more like it.
Rating:
Summary: wonderment and sheer joy
Review: Like FIRE, when I finished DEEPNESS, I longed for more. It is so good that when it was over, I felt a sense of loss. For those of you who are wondering about the length of the book (as many reviewers complain that it is too long), I have one point to make--it is too short. There are only a handful of writers that can take a reader across the heavens and truly astonish. Vinge is the best of all. My advice to the uninitiated--buy FIRE AND DEEPNESS and read them slowly, taking in all of Vinge's magic. It will be years (if ever) that he takes us all back to his vision of the future.
Rating:
Summary: Fantabulous
Review: I have not finished it yet, but so far, it has been excellent. Ignore the comments about the length of the book. It was just perfect.
| 
