The Mote in God's Eye

Rating:
Summary: Classic, hard SF with a title to match..
Review: What a title! The Mote in God's Eye has to be the best title in the history of Science Fiction. Anyway, this novel of the far future when mankind is well on its way to colonizing the galaxy, is hard SF with the conventions thereof. There is the hard-charging battle-scarred captain with a sensitive side. There is the uber-Military admiral with the crusty exterior and the soft middle. There is the female xenobiologist who tries to explain alien psychology (and is often wrong). There are the requisite explanations of what far future human society has become. But the real stars of this book are the Moties, a race as alien and yet not alien as possible. I won't explain that duality here, as that could spoil one of the great joys of this book. The aliens may be the most ingenious ever imagined by man, and they present all sorts of problems, physical and philosophical, for the humans who come upon them. Is it kill or be killed? Or can we negotiate with them? In the end, the answer isn't the easy answer you would get from Star Trek. As far as the writing itself, don't expect literature here. This is about cool aliens, man!

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Summary: Niven is obsessed with genetics
Review: If you have read the Ringworld books by Larry Niven you will have noticed that he is obsessed with sex. It's not that he writes steamy erotic novels. But you cannot ignore it, the central theme of his books is always how sex and procreation affects a species.

In this book humankind finds an alien race locked in to their planetary system by an astronomical accident. Unable to control their sex drive or expand outwards these aliens, who seems to multiply like rabbits, have watched their civilisation rise and fall again and again for eons.

Just like in the Ringworld books the species has split into some kind of races each genetically specialised for their special tasks. Masters decide, engineers tinker etc.

The arrival of humans shows them that there might be a way out of their cosmic cul-de-sac...

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: There is little question after reading The Mote In God's Eye why it is considered a Science Fiction classic. This is a book written in a fashion that you rarely see today. The characters are developed and believable, the aliens are truly alien but believable and the science has held up very well considering the time when this book was written.

The book takes place in a time long after Man has spread across the stars. Humans have not had an easy go of it and have had Galaxy wide governments rise and fall in the past. Earth has been nearly destroyed by the wars of the past. Entire planets have been wiped out in civil war. At the time of the telling the universe recovering from the last great collapse and has recovered most of there previous technology but not all. Rebellions persist but are beginning to be brought under control. Oddly enough in all the thousands of years no intelligent aliens have ever been encountered until now.

The book takes a group of people involved in a recently subdued rebellion, both villain and hero, and thrusts them into the forefront of first contact with Aliens. The action is rapid and the plot not predictable. What seems evil is often good, what seems good is often evil and much is somewhere in that gray in between area.

The vast majority of the book deals with the main human characters encounters with the aliens and their attempt at understanding them and there struggle on how to deal with them. I don't want to say much more as anything else would ruin some rather clever plot twists. A thinking mans Science Fiction novel that is a true delight to read.

Rating:
Summary: A Classic Science Fiction First Contact Tale
Review: "The Mote in God's Eye" is one of the finest collaborations I've ever read, only surpassed in literary quality and detail by Gibson's and Sterling's "The Difference Engine". Part of Pournelle's "Co-Dominion" future history series, the "Mote in God's Eye", is a fascinating, mesmerizing look at man's first contact with an alien civilization. Niven and Pournelle have created an alien civilization, "The Moties", that is among the most unique in science fiction. How the "Moties" interact with humanity's "Empire of Man" is both original and compelling to read. Although some may criticize Niven and Pournelle for creating a male-dominated, imperialist future for mankind, their female characters are a lot more credible than those I've read in recently published works such as Caleb Carr's "Killing Time". And I must commend how they've created many interesting personalities in their large cast of characters. You will find yourself rooting for them - both humans and Moties - as this gripping tale unfolds. Without a doubt, "The Mote in God's Eye" is one of the finest, most thoughtful, works of space opera, with an original twist on a time-worn premise. If you've grown tired of "Star Trek" or "Star Wars" or wish to delve further into science fiction, then this fine novel is a good place to start.

Rating:
Summary: Great Review
Review: I thought that this was an awesome book. It would be great from science-fiction lovers. This book has lots of action and suspense.Little kids might not understand this, but anyone over 10 or 11 would like it.

Rating:
Summary: An SF must read
Review: This story is a fascinating portrayal of man's discovering an alien species and the problems that this discovery poses. The Motie world richly unfolds as Niven and Pournelle gradually bring us to understand the problems that this race face. We slowly realize that the Motie are in trouble and need help, but they don't know how to ask for it. They believe that their flaw would be taken advantage of by humans and thus, they try to keep their plight secret. Humanity is forced to decide how to react to a people that poses a threat in the future, but not today. This dilemma causes great discussion between political, military, scientific and theological communities. The authors give us insight into the human psyche through a series of debates over the future of the Motie.

The authors are very good at dropping little hints as to what will happen in the future, which piques your curiosity. These little hooks maintain the flow of the book and keeping the reader's interest. The future human civilization is very well developed. The authors maintained current human cultures in the future, giving the characters more body and depth.

I would put this book as a peer to The Foundation Trilogy and Dune as one of the select classics in SciFi.

Rating:
Summary: A great story
Review: This was really my first book into the science fiction realm all those years ago. And what a beginning indeed. The writing was well done; I actually cared for the characters. The political set-up for the human universe is also interesting. As for the Moties, their whole social structure, physiological differentiation and make-up, the unique history of their civilization... It all makes for a very fascinating species.

All this AND an exciting story.

There are a couple points where the story drags a little. But most stories have that, and it happens in this book very infrequently. I would have liked a little more background (I'm really thinking of the supermen here), but the timeline in the beginning of the book is more than sufficient in giving a great historical account.

I have consistently gone back to reread this book when I want a good, well thought out story that is actually believable.

Rating:
Summary: Some of the most believable. . .
Review: . . .alien life-forms ever presented in a science fiction format.

Normally, sci-fi novels excel in one of a number of areas. Either the science is good, or the plot is exciting, or significant issues are discussed, or the characters are well-developed -- but rarely are more than one or two of these elements ever found within the pages of the same book.

"The Mote in God's Eye" is a spectacular exception to this trend. It is a believable "First Contact" story with a reasonable "history". The characters are deep and well-developed. Serious moral and ethical issues are fearlessly tackled. The plot is exciting -- and the science is plausible. However, perhaps the most noteworthy point of this book is that the "alien life" presented is both truly alien and believable.

This is a book not to be missed.

Rating:
Summary: SF hit a peak here.
Review: A story of First Contact. No. The Story of First Contact. It is hard to imagine how first contact with a non-terrestrial species could unfold differently from this novel's projection, allowing for the inevitable differences in characteristics between Niven and Pournelle's imagined species and whatever true one(s) emerge. Neither side can afford to let the full truth be known; both sides hide certain secrets all the while attempting to pull out the other's; yet both sides really want (for differing reasons here) peace and the possibility of growing prosperity between species. The thought of the different castes/subspecies of the Moties was a wonderful touch; the secret they conceal, a history of continual and destructive Cycles, based on their biology, was inspired. Even without these two aspects of the non-Human intelligence, though, this is a wonderful book. Well written, with strong characters, some of whom are neither "good" nor "bad" ~ though one attributes them one way or the other at various times ~ but, like all people, a mixture of motives. The only quibble i have, the only thing which jarred slightly was the sudden and utter turnabout of the Trader Bury from a twisting weasel to a straightforward enemy of the Moties. I know why it happened, it just doesn't quite ring true. One small point, though, in a full-length novel isn't bad going!

Rating:
Summary: Movie - NO!
Review: I've read through all the reviews and agree wholeheartedly with those who say that this is a truly great book. But please, please, do not turn it into a movie!! No director could do it justice, and the best pictures are the ones drawn inside your own head...