Lucifer's Hammer

Rating:
Summary: Really 3 books in one, discovery, survival, aftermath
Review: This is one great book, It actually had 3 parts, The discovery of the comet, what happens when it hit and how the world survives. A very good read tha tsi hard to put down, one of my top 5 SF books that has hard science in it, no fantasy

Rating:
Summary: Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle are now my favorite authors!
Review: The first book I read by these authors and the best so far. It kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time. It protrays an unusual view on how society would run if a major disaster occured. While reading, I found myself gripping the book so tight my knuckles began to ache. It was exciting and suspenseful all the way through. You're put into the story and feel the urgency of certain situations. I'd recommend this book to anyone with a taste for adventure and suspense. I'm now addicted to the books that Niven and Pournelle write together. I almost guarentee that you will be to when you read this book

Rating:
Summary: It is worth reading over and over again
Review: This is an excellent view of how frail modern society is. A comet comes near enough to the earth so that several large fragments stike with a hammer blow. The resulting chaos and fall of modern society into a feudal life is both realistic and riviting. I found this worth rereading several times over the years and each time, I see something new. I would highly recommend this book not only to science-fiction fans, but to anyone who has an interest in the interation and relationship of man to his technology and how that affects his lifestyle. . Richard Blanco

Rating:
Summary: One of the best "End Of The World", survival books.
Review: Taking place in the LA area (as well as earth and space), this book takes you on the ride of your life. An amateur astronomer discovers a comet that just happens to be heading towards earth. No one believes it's going to hit the earth but as the odds go from billions to one against to millions to one against to thousands and so on, people become unnerved. And so starts the fun. If you like action and can handle civilization crumbling, you'll love this! One of the best books I've ever read. I heard that they were going to write a sequel. But, I haven't been able to find it. Jerry? Larry?

Rating:
Summary: A realistic, apocalyptic account...
Review: I first read Larry Niven's and Jerry Pournelle's apocalyptic novel "Lucifer's Hammer" when it was released in 1977. Raised on the popular disaster movies from this period (which undoubtedly inspired this book), I remembered thinking this epic novel would make a fantastic movie. I had the good fortune of re-reading this book again recently after many years and was pleasantly surprised, if not haunted, by how accurately the end of the world was portrayed. History, in many ways, has eeriely mirrored "Lucifer's Hammer." From the Rodney King/LA riots to David Koresh to the 911 terrorist bombings, Niven and Pournelle have done an extraordinary job in creating an account of what just might happen if modern society was confronted with a complete end-of-the-world scenario. This book, while dated in many ways, has withstood the test of time.

A comet is discovered and as it comes closer to earth, it becomes apparent it may strike our planet. An American/Russian joint expedition is quickly sent into space so the comet can be studied as it passes. The first third of "Lucifer's Hammer" introduces 20-plus protagonists, developing their characters prior to the disaster. All of these characters have similar traits in that they cannot imagine the comet will hit the earth, but they make rudimentary preparations just in case. When the comet does indeed hit the earth in multiple places, causing gigantic tidal waves, earthquakes and destruction, "Lucifer's Hammer" follows these characters' lives as they attempt to survive in a society without law enforcement, without electricity, without adequate food. Some of the most exciting passages deals with the comet strike, witnessed from multiple angles though most memorably from the joint American/Russian spacecraft. The stunned astronauts shockingly view the disaster, the growing cloud cover, the tidal waves and a nuclear war which erupts between China and Russia.

As pandemonium strikes, these characters do whatever they can to survive. Cars are stolen, people are shot, and everyone scrambles for high ground as the tidal waves and rain drown everything in sight. The final third of the book deals with the pockets of civilization that slowly form. Small strongholds are built, roving groups resort to cannibalism, everyone looking for safety and food. Like castles in the Middle Ages, these groups form warrior-like bonds, with leaders forced to make tough decisions, fighting off stragglers and armies.

Much of the criticism of "Lucifer's Hammer" has dealt with its portrayal of black people, most notably that of Alim Nassor. A former Black Panther and a full-time thief, he gathers his friends together after the comet strike, adorned in a full-length mink coat, spouting ghetto slang and doing whatever he can to survive. He bonds with a band of cannibals, eventually led by a Jim Jones-like quack. They begin sweeping the countryside, raiding, looting and murdering. Granted, it's a bit uncomfortable reading these passages, as society has not only become a huge race war, but a class war. The stronghold they eventually lay siege to is made up almost entirely of caucasin residents, educated, wealthy and determined to survive.

When attempting to understand human culture, all one has to do is view a normal high school cafeteria. The pockets are abundantly clear as people bond by class, by status, by culture and by race. If earth was faced with the kind of disaster so realistically portrayed in "Lucifer's Hammer," undoubtedly pockets of survivors would form in such a fashion. When there is no food, people will begin to kill for it. The groups they bond with would be people of similar race, similar class and similar status. In today's politically-correct society, it is uncomfortable reading a book like "Lucifer's Hammer." But there is not a doubt in my mind the wars which take place in this book would indeed happen.

A scary, fascinating work, "Lucifer's Hammer" has remained in print for many years because of its uncomfortable realism. It is not a perfect work, with stilted dialogue and a few too many characters introduced and in many ways forgotten, but it is one of the finest of the apocalyptic genre.

Rating:
Summary: Not bad
Review: This is a good book but he concentrates mainly on people who survived the impact, not going into too much detail about the actual event.

Rating:
Summary: A bit dated
Review: I read this book back when it was new, then picked it up again last month (I ran out of books to read!) and read it all over again. I have to say, I was more impressed with it the first time I read it. Nowadays, it's terribly dated and plods along at a snails pace. Still, back in the day it was riveting new material. I read a similar book recently that uses the same 'meteors smash into earth' theme, but with a bit faster pace, Earth the new frontier, and it reminded me a lot of Lucifer's hammer.



Rating:
Summary: Interesting Story With A Dated Feel
Review: This book's style follows the formula of those 70's cast-of-thousands disaster movies. If you can handle that, you'll enjoy this book just fine.

You know you're in for a long read when the authors introduce the character list, which takes up two pages. And it's an interesting list that can't be fully relied upon. Many characters are introduced and disappear before we ever get to know them. Other characters not mentioned in the list arrive late in the story and become major personalities. In the end, there were so many I simply couldn't keep many of them straight.

While following the path of a comet is interesting and it certainly takes some time to set up numerous characters and their repsective lives, still it's more than 200 pages until comet impact, which is what the book's really about. That's a long time to wait for action. That said, once things get rolling it's an interesting story. Yes, there's a hint of racism but no more than was generally prevalent in the mid-70's; yes, there's a certain tone that implies only men are supposed to be heroes, but the view of women in the story merely reflects the views of society back then.

I found it hard to get too emotionally invested in too many of the characters only because there were simply so many. And while the interludes following the comet's lonely journey toward destruction were interesting, I found it difficult at times to follow what are clearly astronomical descriptions, with which I was unfamiliar.

Lucifer's Hammer is an entertaining read, but it's a long one. It offers some nice storylines and characters, but none drew me in so deeply that I felt as though I cared too much by the end.

If apocalyptic fiction is your thing and you haven't done so already, check out Swan Song. It's a terrific read with memorable characters and great story.

Rating:
Summary: Hot Fudge Sundae Falls on a Tuesdae
Review: A very good 'end of the world' novel. In this case the cause is a comet which hits the earth, causing massive tsunamis, earthquakes, and huuricanes. The comet also will change the earth's climate, causing a new ice-age.
The book concentrates on a number of disparate individuals from southern California, before and after the disaster. Fortunately pockets of order do survive, but will they be able survive roving gangs, and the coming winter? Much of the compelling storytelling comes from examining how different people cope when civilization collapses and anarchy rules. Depressing reading when one realises how fragile our modern world is and how easily humanity can descend back into barbarism.

Rating:
Summary: Somewhat shaky in its execution.
Review: An end of world book can be a struggle because inevidably the main character becomes the disaster itself (in this case the comet) and the supporting characters are literally everyone else. This book is no exception. There are LOTS of supporting characters. So many in fact that it is amazing any of them find any development time at all. The tension does indeed mount as the book goes on but the first 100 pages are quite painful to read relieved only with the excellent technical explanation of comets. The few pages preceeding the disaster and following the disaster are the best moments in the book. The utter chaos and death toll are compelling and frightening and the use of weather for dramatic tension really draws you right into the book. Niven really knows how to exploit the situations at hand. It's as good as it gets. The last half of the book is really an examination comparing enlightenment (John Lockman and others) thinking to religious thinking. Frankly both sides don't show too many admirable traits but frankly the religious side is presented in the harshest light possible. The author also argues, through his characters, that civilization as we know it where relative safetly and stablity is taken for granted, has been achieved through technology and NOT religion which the author argues brings more chaos than it solves. However your point of view I'm sure the author hopes that through this book you'll think about those issues.
My largest complaint is the use of too many characters. There is just not enough time to really develop them leaving too many feeling very one dimensional and therefore uninteresting. The other is the pace. This is mainly due to so many characters that in an effort to cover them all it can seem like an endless exercise in getting to know the over 40 characters, many of which simply supply the body count.
Overall, it made me think about things and that alone makes it worth reading. Just don't expect to be finished with it in less than a week.