Rating: 
Summary: Would make a good miniseries
Review: Soap opera type characters, somewhat simplistic plot. The span of time and the subject matter makes it ideal TV material. Impending doom, desparate people, a great mystery, a long search for answers and what I think is best of all... potential for sequels! If you're not into technobabble (no matter how true and accurate) just skim it and you may very well see the future of mankind unfolding
Rating:
Summary: Interesting plot with a few holes, poor to average writing
Review: Somewhat unusual hard SF with a rather unique, very interesting basic plot premise. I would have loved this book except I couldn't stop thinking how unlikely it was that there could be a race like the Tiberians - very scientifically advanced yet seemingly as dumb as a stump when it comes to dealing with adverse conditions and primitive races. Come on guys - I guess you could blow it once but twice?? What did John Barnes do? I think all the NASA-type stuff and probably some of the physics as well came from Buzz, but where was the hand of the experienced author who should have been responsible for patching the holes in the plotline and improving the often sophomoric prose
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful Book
Review: Sure, some spots are slow and very detailed, however the rest of the book makes up for that. I am amazed by the future technology that he discusses, technology that is just now being discussed in the press, and much that is a reality. Such as laser engine drives, or optical storage, and nano technology. So believable, in fact I am not surprised when I hear another news report of a new technology that Buzz wrote about in 1977.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent almost real sci-fi
Review: Sure, some spots are slow and very detailed, however the rest of the book makes up for that. I am amazed by the future technology that he discusses, technology that is just now being discussed in the press, and much that is a reality. Such as laser engine drives, or optical storage, and nano technology. So believable, in fact I am not surprised when I hear another news report of a new technology that Buzz wrote about in 1977.
Rating: 
Summary: A book of many parts - some good some Bad
Review: The book is made up of many parts some good some bad 1) The first part is much of a NASA propaganda story full of ...back in the good old days of space exploration, when we just wanted to beat the Ruskies and do science. Lots of technical info about the next step, a sad but probably true view of space politics (politics are always sad) too many un-tecnical technical explanations. 2)First contact - a lot of unexiting over simplistic stories about how a unfortunate child growing up with rich well educated parents show him how to be successfull all the while following a sub plot from Dallas the soap opera. Of course the only people who can figure out an alien messasge is an astronaught. (Buzz I sure that you are very proud to be an spaceman but don't keep going on about it) 3)The Aliens - Well if only somebody like David Brin had done this bit (Racisim, war and ignorance, Slavery and Slang are Universal it seems oh! and Politics and religion) poorly done with too much effort to tell the evolution of an entire alien race in 1/3 of a book. 4)Here all the character building over a great time period fails to come together the whole promise of 'This will change your life!' ends with the reliasation that 'Nothing has changed' though maybe that was the point. Too Much Politics, Soap and fiction Not enough Good Science Fiction Still some interesting stuff and some food for thought if you can slug your way through it Cheers
Rating:
Summary: This is the best science-fiction book I has ever read
Review: The book start describing the economical and sociological situation of the time in which the story is going to be happening. Then the story starts. All the data supplied regarding spatial navegation is real, and all the physic problem treated are real as well as the solutions. However, the most amazing fact about the book is its strangely similarity to nowadays world situation. That is, the discover of water on the moon, the suddenly interest in the moon and mars, the increasing number of private institutions involved in the spatial industry, etc. All this added to the fact that Aldrin was an active member of the NASA's spatial program a while ago, and NASA's silence policy regarding some discoveries, aim directly to suspicions about the similarity of the story in the book and our current real life. Read it and you will see. I have read a lot of science-fiction throughout my life. From many different author, americans, russians, cubans, argentinans, mexicans, peruvians, etc. This is one of the best book I have ever read.
Rating:
Summary: Detailed and Engrossing Science Fiction
Review: There is so much realistic technical and socioeconomic detail in this work that even if the rest had been mediocre it would still have been involving. Yet not only did it succeed in the other departments, but I found some deeply moving moments in this book. It also has an excellent philosophical perspective on space exploration and expansionism that properly portrays the sort of civilization that humankind could likely encounter.
Rating: 
Summary: Quite good
Review: This ambitious novel weaves five narratives together to tell the epic story of mankind's encounter with the alien Tiberians. The Tiberians came to our solar system thousands of years ago but left behind only mysterious artifacts, most notably advanced information storage devices known as Encyclopedias. The story of the Tiberians's adventures on our world is framed by the tale of the humans's multi-generational effort to retrieve an Encyclopedia and use the data therein to seek out the homeworld of the Tiberians.Buzz Aldrin's contribution is evident here. Although perhaps too detailed at times, the description of the politics and hardware involved in man's conquest of space is fascinating. A flaw of the novel becomes evident in the lengthy Tiberian mid-section, which probably came predominantly from co-author Steven Barnes. The aliens are far too human in their psychology-so much so that it is easy to forget that they are aliens at all. The novel ends beautifully on just the right note of mystery and romance as humankind, now fully matured as a star-faring race, seeks the elusive descendants of their ancient alien predecessors.
Rating:
Summary: Quite good
Review: This ambitious novel weaves five narratives together to tell the epic story of mankind's encounter with the alien Tiberians. The Tiberians came to our solar system thousands of years ago but left behind only mysterious artifacts, most notably advanced information storage devices known as Encyclopedias. The story of the Tiberians's adventures on our world is framed by the tale of the humans's multi-generational effort to retrieve an Encyclopedia and use the data therein to seek out the homeworld of the Tiberians. Buzz Aldrin's contribution is evident here. Although perhaps too detailed at times, the description of the politics and hardware involved in man's conquest of space is fascinating. A flaw of the novel becomes evident in the lengthy Tiberian mid-section, which probably came predominantly from co-author Steven Barnes. The aliens are far too human in their psychology-so much so that it is easy to forget that they are aliens at all. The novel ends beautifully on just the right note of mystery and romance as humankind, now fully matured as a star-faring race, seeks the elusive descendants of their ancient alien predecessors.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating, and informative, but only if you're in to space
Review: This book is a futuristic science fiction, but nearly all the concepts and details of space travel are based on very firm physical concepts. I found it extremely interesting and entertaining from cover to cover, and many times had to pause to understand the concepts, but enjoyed learning about everything Buzz wrote.
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