Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as Darwinia
Review: This is a slightly above-average book, among the books that I choose to finish. I did take the time to finish this one, which says something for it. But it is not nearly the book that Wilson's Darwinia is, and I was disappointed on that score.
Rating:
Summary: Bios - Wilson Lite
Review: Toronto author Robert Charles Wilson has built up a bit of a reputation for being the most unknown good SF author out there. After a hiatus in the mid 90's he came back with the interesting "Darwinia". His next book was Bios. This is a much more traditional adventure novel and doesn't really include any of the hard science elements that are to be found in Darwinia. Yet it also isn't quite as character driven as his earlier books (e.g. Mysterium and Gypsies). The fact that it has 28 chapters in 200 pages, means that this is really little more than an extended novella. All in all this is a minor book for Wison, but it is still an excellent SF novel (if short!)
Rating:
Summary: Bios - Wilson Lite
Review: Toronto author Robert Charles Wilson has built up a bit of a reputation for being the most unknown good SF author out there. After a hiatus in the mid 90's he came back with the interesting "Darwinia". His next book was Bios. This is a much more traditional adventure novel and doesn't really include any of the hard science elements that are to be found in Darwinia. Yet it also isn't quite as character driven as his earlier books (e.g. Mysterium and Gypsies). The fact that it has 28 chapters in 200 pages, means that this is really little more than an extended novella. All in all this is a minor book for Wison, but it is still an excellent SF novel (if short!)
Rating: 
Summary: Wilson is back to his old self.
Review: Unlike Wilson's last book, Darwinia, this one is a clear cut winner. It covers an interesting twist on scifi: what if there weren't lots of "M Class" planets out there where humans could casually show up and start colonizing? What if other planets had organisms completely toxic to humanity? Like Darwinia, around the middle of the book you start to realize there's a much larger conspiracy going on, but unlike Darwinia, the two halves flow together easily. There was a lot of emotional intensity in this book, and it had a very satisfying ending. I thouroughly enjoyed it.
Rating:
Summary: Subtle and fascinating
Review: Wilson's first off-Earth novel (as far as I know)and a fascinating exploration of the themes of communication and isolation. Loved it. Can't wait for more -- I wish Wilson were more prolific.
Rating: 
Summary: So?
Review: Yeah, RCW puts forth a good hypothesis about life, consciuousness and communication. But, when I finished the last page and put the book down, I said "So?". The book really didn't leave me with anything to think about. The characters were shallow (probably have to be in a book this thin). I never really got to know anyone, even the protagonist. A short book. An easy read. Read it if you're into RCW's books, or if you want a short, planetary exploration diversion. But don't expect too much.
Rating:
Summary: So?
Review: Yeah, RCW puts forth a good hypothesis about life, consciuousness and communication. But, when I finished the last page and put the book down, I said "So?". The book really didn't leave me with anything to think about. The characters were shallow (probably have to be in a book this thin). I never really got to know anyone, even the protagonist. A short book. An easy read. Read it if you're into RCW's books, or if you want a short, planetary exploration diversion. But don't expect too much.
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