Dragon's Egg

Rating:
Summary: An oldie but a goodie
Review: I too read this book back in the mid-80's. I was only in early high school at the time, but I had such fond memories that I ordered it again the other day. "Dragon's Egg" remains one of my all time favorite books, of any genre. Remarkably, it was just as much a pleasure to read in 2004 as it was 20 years ago.

Rating:
Summary: Probably Forward's best. . .
Review: I've read quite a bit of Robert Forward's "hard" science fiction. It all began with this book.

Forward describes the conditions under which life might actually evolve on the surface of a neutron star -- and what that life might look like.

An extremely imaginative book which might be difficult for some who prefer more character development and less real science, but for those who wish to really have their minds stretched, this book is a good place to start.

Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Probably Forward's best. . .
Review: I've read quite a bit of Robert Forward's "hard" science fiction. It all began with this book.

Forward describes the conditions under which life might actually evolve on the surface of a neutron star -- and what that life might look like.

An extremely imaginative book which might be difficult for some who prefer more character development and less real science, but for those who wish to really have their minds stretched, this book is a good place to start.

Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Probably Forward's best. . .
Review: I've read quite a bit of Robert Forward's "hard" science fiction. It all began with this book.

Forward describes the conditions under which life might actually evolve on the surface of a neutron star -- and what that life might look like.

An extremely imaginative book which might be difficult for some who prefer more character development and less real science, but for those who wish to really have their minds stretched, this book is a good place to start.

Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: excellent hard-science novels
Review: If you're not excited by feeling your mind being stretched by science that is right at the very edge of theoretical physics, then you may be someone who thinks this book is "boring". If you aren't filled with wonder as an entire utterly alien civilization is presented to you, then you might not like this book.

But if you're enraptured by a plausible alien civilization that uses almost future-magic technology which is nevertheless comprehensible (especially if you're an avid reader of physics journals or popularizations), then this book will be one of your favorites.

Negatives: Bob Forward is at his best when writing about the science; he is weakest when writing dialog. For the alien dialog, this isn't really a problem, but sometimes the way his human characters phrase their sentences will make one wince. I found this fairly easy to overlook, but others may not.

Rating:
Summary: excellent hard-science novel
Review: If you're not excited by feeling your mind being stretched by science that is right at the very edge of theoretical physics, then you may be someone who thinks this book is "boring". If you aren't filled with wonder as an entire utterly alien civilization is presented to you, then you might not like this book.

But if you're enraptured by a plausible alien civilization that uses almost future-magic technology which is nevertheless comprehensible (especially if you're an avid reader of physics journals or popularizations), then this book will be one of your favorites.

Negatives: Bob Forward is at his best when writing about the science; he is weakest when writing dialog. For the alien dialog, this isn't really a problem, but sometimes the way his human characters phrase their sentences will make one wince. I found this fairly easy to overlook, but others may not.

Rating:
Summary: This is Hard SF!
Review: Let us be clear: This is a Hard Science-Fiction novel. The plot is driven by the science. If deep characterization is a requisit for you enjoying a novel, you will NOT enjoy this one. It would be like reading Hemingway for his purple prose.

That said, this is a great Hard SF work with genuinely mind bending ideas. If you like reading about truly alien environments, there's few things more alien than the surface of a neutron star. Most importantly, Forward makes it all seem plausible.

Rating:
Summary: Not just Si-Fi
Review: Most Si-Fi books look to life and situations that will, or could, arise in the future but this is so much more. Occasionally Si-Fi writers have branched out into areas outside the norms of Si-Fi, Asimov's Psychohistory to mention one. In Dragon's Egg Forward does this with great simplicity and yet keeps thrilling us with true flights into the imagination.

Dragon's Egg goes into the full mental and sociological development of a species from the development of mathematics, to GOD, and beyond. The story is not expected to become a reality but, in a way, has already happened.

I have lent my copy to so many people that it has about fallen apart, but until I get a new copy it will remain my most treasured book.

Rating:
Summary: This is a fantastic book!
Review: One of the great science fiction novels of all time. Will alter your worldview of time as it relates to evolution of species

Rating:
Summary: A very worthy SF read!
Review: Robert L. Forward has written an absolutely wonderful account of an alien life that simply has not been done as well as this in any other SF book I've read.

To set the tone, picture a neutron star. This is simply one of the most hostile astronomical bodies out there, something that man can orbit only with the most sophisticated equipment and technology, but from which man could learn a lot about the universe. So, when one such star is within reach of a human spacecraft, we go.

And find life on the surface of the star.

In dealing with the development of the alien race, the Cheela, Forward has crafted a magnificent piece of SF. It's unfortunate that the sophistication that he shows in regards to these aliens doesn't quite shine through with the human characters in the story. Often the humans come off flat and a little less then interesting, but this is completely overshadowed by the Cheela. Playing with notions of relative time, alien forms of perception, and with a SF ending that puts most other "alient contact" books to shame, "Dragon's Egg" is required reading for any fan of SF.

'Nathan