Rating: 
Summary: 200 Pages of Story, 500 Pages of Filler
Review: I read The Final Encyclopedia several years ago while in College. I somehow acquired a version that included both volumes and was over 700 pages in length. It started off really well. There was a detailed futuristic society with competing forces vying to control the ultimate fate of the human race. One such faction had through selective breeding and genetic manipulation created a young man whom they felt would be their messiah. There were various politically motivated events that changed the course of the young man's life. Then there were several hundred pages of useless drivel that had nothing to do with the point of the story. Finally the book concluded with essentially no resolution to the ongoing problems of the world it depicted. Naturally, further sequels were spawned. Yes, this story has some good ideas, but there is no real point to any of it. Do not waste your time on this epic of no consequence. It is yet another book for which the writer was paid by the word, not for its substance.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't let the title of this book throw you, it's great!
Review: I, never having heard of Gordon Dickson, saw this title when it came out and thought that it was another knock-off of Isaac Asimov's classic Foundation series so didn't read it until much later. What a surprise! A great novel that introduces several different thoughts and ways of thinking and a lead character that truly symbolizes something that we can all become! What's more it introduced the Dorsai! series to me and what a great rollicking military adventure that is! Read this and enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Continuing the Childe Cycle
Review: Mankind has splinter in many cultures. Hal Mayne is raised by three tutors, each from a different culture. His goal is the reunification of mankind. This is an excellent novel about mankind future.
Rating: 
Summary: FANTASTIC
Review: Other than DUNE, this is the best science-fiction (IMO) book ever written. This will capture any sci-fi lover into Dickson's Childe cycle epic. A must read.
Rating: 
Summary: If you love military SF then skip this
Review: This author wrote the Dorsai-novels which are readable, with "Spirit_of_Dorsai" perhaps the best. However the credibility of the Dorsai-novels, already a little shaky, is compromised by "The_Final_Encyclopedia" (I have a thick book, so probably more than Volume I). Anybody who has read anything on military history (other than comic books) will find this a highly objectionable book. The leading character is supposed to be a super-super-soldier, but all he does is snoop around (serving as a spy) and gathering information from which he finally draws a conclusion that is so stupid as to be beyond belief. Probably has too much magic in it to be counted as SF. Not well written either.
Rating:
Summary: Better than you think
Review: When I read the Final Encyclopedia, I realized that it is very similar in theme with that of the novel Dune. First off, you have a character who does not know that they will be the ulitimate leaders in society. Furthermore, you have a vast array of societies that must be brought together. Throw in a couple of genetic programs and some family secrets, and you have two parallel books. But, this novel does have its own identity and style. For one thing, it has one of the greatest projects humans have ever built in the Final Encyclopedia. Yes, the book is long, and boring at times. But the overall picture shows the sociological impact that is present in this novel. You may want to read the other books in this series, because then you can see the real Hal Mayne in this novel This appears on the surface as a pure military novel, but drive a little deeper, and you will see this is a war of the minds. A great analogy of a chess match written in a book. The book had great character development, especially in Hal Mayne. Furthermore, the universe that Dickson creates is unique and interesting. It can be slow and boring at times, but yet at other times it is highly intellectually stimulating. Don't just read the surface value of this novel, dive into the symbolism and meaning behind what is shown. This novel may not appeal to a person due to its size alone, but I must admit that it is a crowning achievement for a unique universe in the science fiction world. Pick it up and read it!
Rating:
Summary: A good book that seems to parallel another classic
Review: When I read the Final Encyclopedia, I realized that it is very similar in theme with that of the novel Dune. First off, you have a character who does not know that they will be the ulitimate leaders in society. Furthermore, you have a vast array of societies that must be brought together. Throw in a couple of genetic programs and some family secrets, and you have two parallel books. But, this novel does have its own identity and style. For one thing, it has one of the greatest projects humans have ever built in the Final Encyclopedia. Yes, the book is long, and boring at times. But the overall picture shows the sociological impact that is present in this novel. You may want to read the other books in this series, because then you can see the real Hal Mayne in this novel This appears on the surface as a pure military novel, but drive a little deeper, and you will see this is a war of the minds. A great analogy of a chess match written in a book. The book had great character development, especially in Hal Mayne. Furthermore, the universe that Dickson creates is unique and interesting. It can be slow and boring at times, but yet at other times it is highly intellectually stimulating. Don't just read the surface value of this novel, dive into the symbolism and meaning behind what is shown. This novel may not appeal to a person due to its size alone, but I must admit that it is a crowning achievement for a unique universe in the science fiction world. Pick it up and read it!
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