The Dig

Rating:
Summary: Pre-"Rama" story
Review: This was good tale, with a lot of interesting people. It reminded me of A. C. Clarke's story "Rama" and "Rama II", though this one ended within one book and it did not have the social dilemma. The ending was a bit disappointing, but, what else to do? At least it was positive and did not dwell on the problems that would be encountered in real life.

Rating:
Summary: Decent.
Review: Could have been good, but characters were not believable. The concept of people being as naive as they were in The Dig, on an alien planet, is really something else. Also, a few other things... words recycled in clumps, alien background info condensed, and certain areas where it was just plain predictable.

Rating:
Summary: Totally unrealistic...
Review: First of all, I'm a fan of Mr. Foster and have enjoyed many of his books. I didn't realize that this book was based on a game - so the unrealistic plot points might not be his fault. But I was disappointed.

For example, one of the main characters was pushed into leading this shuttle mission because he was known as a great pilot (fine) and was a 'hero' because of a previous shuttle mission. In this previous mission, he had managed to bring the shuttle down safely even though the shuttle was sent up *without enough fuel to bring it back down* !?!?!?!!?! Huh!!

You want him to be a hero - no problems! Have something go wrong in the previous mission - that could happen. But not enough fuel - that's ludicrous!!

Another one - this 'asteroid' suddenly shows up in an orbit around Earth. No one saw it coming - it just appeared. But it didn't occur to anyone that - just perhaps - it wasn't an asteroid??

And this 'asteroid' has a decaying orbit that will eventually send it crashing into the Earth. The mission goes up to set some nuclear bombs that will nudge it into a better orbit. So this is basically a do-or-die mission for Earth. And they send along a cute, perky journalist!! I don't think so.

There are just so many things that don't ring true. After the asteroid's orbit is changed, three of them go to explore a bit. (Of course, they bring along the journalist.) But there's no major emergency, the asteroid's orbit is stable - so why do they pick up these artifacts and move them around and try fitting them into things?? This would never happen - a lot more investigation would be done first.

The whole thing is stupid.

Rating:
Summary: Totally unrealistic...
Review: First of all, I'm a fan of Mr. Foster and have enjoyed many of his books. I didn't realize that this book was based on a game - so the unrealistic plot points might not be his fault. But I was disappointed.

For example, one of the main characters was pushed into leading this shuttle mission because he was known as a great pilot (fine) and was a 'hero' because of a previous shuttle mission. In this previous mission, he had managed to bring the shuttle down safely even though the shuttle was sent up *without enough fuel to bring it back down* !?!?!?!!?! Huh!!

You want him to be a hero - no problems! Have something go wrong in the previous mission - that could happen. But not enough fuel - that's ludicrous!!

Another one - this 'asteroid' suddenly shows up in an orbit around Earth. No one saw it coming - it just appeared. But it didn't occur to anyone that - just perhaps - it wasn't an asteroid??

And this 'asteroid' has a decaying orbit that will eventually send it crashing into the Earth. The mission goes up to set some nuclear bombs that will nudge it into a better orbit. So this is basically a do-or-die mission for Earth. And they send along a cute, perky journalist!! I don't think so.

There are just so many things that don't ring true. After the asteroid's orbit is changed, three of them go to explore a bit. (Of course, they bring along the journalist.) But there's no major emergency, the asteroid's orbit is stable - so why do they pick up these artifacts and move them around and try fitting them into things?? This would never happen - a lot more investigation would be done first.

The whole thing is stupid.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: Foster did a great job on the book. Not a detailed translation of the game, though as good as the game itself. Whether you're searching for the meaning of life or just willing to have plain old fun, this book is for you, and owners of the game should not miss it by any means. The only scene which should have been worked on was the pre-ending scene: how couldn't the very advanced beings see the Eye as obviously as Low did and pass through it, after being there for a thousand years? Foster should have given a better excuse.

Rating:
Summary: A Cosmic Letdown
Review: Foster is great at painting images of NASA, the Senate, and the workings of a shuttle mission. He goes even further with surprising the reader with the looks of the inside of the mysterious asteroid, and the grand climax of the asteroid sailing away at the speed of light to an alien planet called Cocytus.

The descriptions of the ancient alien machinery is uninspired, and the beauty of the world that comes across in the game is noticeably absent. Brink's crystal madness is understated, and instead of becoming a raving, screaming madman, as he does in the game, he sort of states that he has a problem with Boston Low and lets it go at that. I was extremely disappointed in this book.

Rating:
Summary: Not close to the game, but a fair reading
Review: Game fans that have enjoyed a game always vie for the backstory. That's why they buy books based on popular games, like "The Dig", one of the best true sci-fi graphic adventures in my opinion. A game with depth. It's good therefore to see the one dimensional characters to be transfered to full dimensional, meet their thoughts, acts, fears and it's also good to bind the diferent scenes with conceivable words. It is also good the begin- ing that Foster and Clark give us, different from the game, but well narrated and again with depth. And as I said in the beginning: the backstory lies there on well written english, with a steady flow and with scenes that have a certain, but slow tem- po. A novel idea that he presents the Cocytans as caged Gods, the watching eye. And that's where the pros end. Unfortunately they don't stay focused on the game scenery, which is most imposing and while they try to exhibit the surroundings, their use of language is too complex and too picturous, to ill- ustrate clearly what they want to present us. In order to get the meanings you lose the scene. Also as they stay away from the game, their translation of the characters actions and problem solving is sometimes resolved by endless talks, or lucky findings, or too naeve descriptions. Their base should be the game and not the story they wanted to write. Description of the problem solving and of the story should be the way LUCAS ARTS had thought of the game to be better played (viz hint book), or let's say the solution to the game by a famous magazine (PC GAMER for me, you can add your favourite here). That's where a backstory can be based. Also, their characters are described in a good way, but not let's say in a vivid way that some of them had to (Ludger Brink's loonacy). Also, the end of the book seems like a hasten sum up, like they ended all they wanted to say, but if we bring again in mind the game itself, there are scenes that are missing (e.g the underwater cave, the hidden island, aso). Why then the three stars ? Well, they did a good job in trying to translate a game into a novel and they need some encouragement, with a good tendered criticism in mind. Although not as complete and close to the original idea, it has style, a good beginning and adequate character building to be criticised as a "fair" reading. Do a better job then next time gentlemen (viz Mr. Alan Dean Foster and Sean Clark).

Rating:
Summary: The game translated well into a book...
Review: I didn't realize that the book was based on a game until after I had listened to it on tape. A group go off to blow a hole in an asteroid so it doesn't hit earth, but they find more than they bargained for. Sort of like Alice they fall thru the rabbit hole into a strange world - what will happen next? Are the Cocytens alive or just a prerecorded memory? And will they ever get home? The audiobook is read by John Shea, who does an excellent job. He has a soothing reading voice and does great characterizations. I listened to it twice and enjoyed it both times.

Rating:
Summary: Great Sci-Fi book! It should become a movie!
Review: I enjoyed this book a lot. Even though some of the personalities lacked realism, it still had a very good plot. Starts out slow, but later you get sucked into it. Anyone who is crazy about reading books should definitely read this one. It should become a movie! Lastly, It also serves as a hidden guide to finishing the video game!

Rating:
Summary: The best deep space adventure novel since 2001!
Review: I have played the game.
I have listened to the soundtrack.
I have read the book.
I have listened to the audiobook.
I hope for the original intent - a film.

The Dig is by far one of my favorite adventures ever! The story pulls you into a deep sojourn to another world where you will wonder what will happen next.

This book is written by a great writer, Alan Dean Foster. It is based off an idea by Steven Spielburg. Unfortunatly at the time the adventure was too big to put on the screen. I'm hoping that this idea was not lost

Amazing. Truly Amazing.