Rating: 
Summary: Hard to finish
Review: A great novel mixing the best elements of a little comedy, romance, action/suspense, mystery, and of course, SCI-FI! Frank Robinson really outdid himself, and created a masterpiece.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the more enjoyable sci-fi reads
Review: DBTS is one of the more fascinating sci-fi novels I've ever read (and I've read hundreds). One of the things I love most about it is that in a very short novel, Robinson manages to develop a really well-rounded protagonist, while still leaving plenty for you to think about on your own. The story line is great and while there are many interesting and unexpected plot turns, they all end up making sense and furthering the story (unlike some plot devices used as red-herrings). Another thing about this book that's so fabulous is that it plays with alternate lifestyles and human relationships very convincingly. I can't give many details without possibly ruining your pleaseure, so just get a copy of this great novel and enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: One of the more enjoyable sci-fi reads
Review: DBTS is one of the more fascinating sci-fi novels I've ever read (and I've read hundreds). One of the things I love most about it is that in a very short novel, Robinson manages to develop a really well-rounded protagonist, while still leaving plenty for you to think about on your own. The story line is great and while there are many interesting and unexpected plot turns, they all end up making sense and furthering the story (unlike some plot devices used as red-herrings). Another thing about this book that's so fabulous is that it plays with alternate lifestyles and human relationships very convincingly. I can't give many details without possibly ruining your pleaseure, so just get a copy of this great novel and enjoy.
Rating: 
Summary: Mutiny on the Astron
Review: I first found Frank M. Robinson from the movie "The Power" with Michael Rene of "The Day the Earth Stood Still" fame. Later I read the book by the same name with a theme of struggle by superior people. Next I read "Waiting" surprise it was an anthropological theme about superior people. You guessed it; this is a sci-fi story that contains superior people. I am not saying that Frank is stuck in a rut; just that he seems to stick to his theme.Sparrow is a victim of amnesia and can not remember anything before the accident. Naturally he has friends and unseen enemies with a few overt antagonists. He also finds himself on the Astron. The Astron is an ancient spaceship that is in need of repair. The Captain that seems like a nice guy, with one thought (find extra terrestrial life), is about to take the Astron on a journey through the dark beyond the stars. A journey that will exhaust the ship before reaching the other side. Some of the crew rather turn back to the point of mutiny. Who is Sparrow and who will he side with? More important why? We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
--from "Little Gidding,"
T.S. Eliot
Rating:
Summary: An unforgetable read
Review: I read "The Dark Beyond the Stars" shortly after its original publication in 1991 and was blown away by it at the time. I lost track of both the name and the author, but the plot stayed with me. Thanks to Google, I've rediscovered the bibliographic details and plan to reread the book in the near future. This book is an engrossing piece of SF that blends many disparate elements into a coherent whole. It takes place on a decaying generations ship whose mission has been to search for sentient life. Robinson ably depicts the necessities of life in such a closed environment, but he also uses them as a backdrop against which to spin out other themes--the protagonist's search for identity, the captain's obsession with the mission and his endangerment of the crew, plus portrayals of love, friendship, rivalry, competition, and above all, loneliness. The many plot twists and reversals make "The Dark Beyond the Stars" an exciting read, but what lingers afterwards is the humanity of its characters and their sense of aloneness in a big, dark universe.
Rating:
Summary: Great read!
Review: I was just randomly choosing a second hand book at a bookstore and happened to pick this one up. The cover looks cheesy but there was something that made me feel that the book was going to be a good read and so, here I am writing a review about it! The characters are nicely developed and the climax builds up at a good pace (not too fast and not too slow). Most of the plots are explained in the end, although they may seem strange when the plots are happening. Mainly the theme of this book deals with the question of whether there is life out there in the vast universe, pitting both extremes against each other in the form of the mutiny, with Sparrow (the main character) being caught in the middle. There are also many interesting ideas of the changes in culture and customs in a closed environment of the generation-ship. Overall, this is one of the best sci-fi stories that I've read in a long time!
Rating:
Summary: Great sci-fi even for the casual fan
Review: I'm a periodic sci-fi reader and must be interested to finish a book in this genre. This met my needs--a thrilling page-turner that's a fine blend of sci-fi (without too much science) and suspense. I heard about this after finding it was a Lambda award winner in 1991. After reading it, I'm surprised it won a "gay" award--though that occurs in the book, it's in the context of how all of society feels. I wouldn't call it a "gay" novel.
The story is of 17-year-old Sparrow, who, after an accident, has no memories. He's on a ship called the Astron, which has been in space for centuries looking for other life. As others and events begin to seem vaguely familiar, he discovers a secret movement aboard--some want to go back to earth. They've been to hundreds of planets and found nothing and believe earth truly is the only source of life.
Things are at a crisis point now. They must enter the "dark," a part of space where there are no planets to explore. After they will pass through it (which will take a whopping 100 generations), they will enter an area of more planets to explore.
This story kept me gripped, and the main character and other characters were well-drawn. I was surprised at the level of sophistication in the characterization. Fine points usually found only in literary novels make the characters a rich tapestry. The spaceship environment seems likely and real. Apparently Frank M. Robinson has not written a lot of sci-fi, but I am sure to read the rest of his books.
Rating:
Summary: Best SF book I've read
Review: Robinson is able to weave such an amazingly intricate character study into the backdrop of an interstellar ship that's been voyaging for thousands of years. Extremely readable, gripping, and enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: Thoroughly enjoyable.
Review: This book was highly entertaining, and peppered with big surprises. Just when you think you've got things figured out...
Rating:
Summary: Time Waits For No-one
Review: This immensely thought-provoking sci-fi extravaganza must surely be the most vibrant depiction ever of the generation-ship concept. The Astron, once the shining zenith of humankind's technological achievement, has been in deep space searching unsuccessfully for alien life for two millennia, and is now rapidly falling into decrepitude. Robinson paints vivid pictures of the grime-smeared bulkheads, the fetid stench of recycled air, bland reconstituted food and gradually failing life support systems. In this daunting environment however, the ever hopeful spark of human spirit shines forth like a diamond. The few hundred crew represent a true microcosm of humanity. Good, bad, noble and treacherous; everyone has hidden depths and all the time in the world to reveal them. The skillfully depicted dynamic human interaction would be enough in itself to recommend this book. But there's more, much more. Our hero - Sparrow's quest for his missing memories reveals intrigue and mind-blowing secrets of Machiavellian proportions, which lead to a breathtaking conclusion. Throughout, Robinson's prose is flawless - I'm sure I shivered whilst reading the description of the frozen methane hell of Aquinas II. My only criticism would be that the novel does take rather a long time to gather momentum. It is a substantial work (over 400 pages) and its measured pace may not appeal to lovers of more conventional action-packed sci-fi. The poignancy in the book's denouement, generated by relentless turning of the wheel of time, has a profound philosophical edge to it and will certainly make you consider your own humanity. I am very glad to have read this book.
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