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7th Sigma
7th Sigma
Welcome to the territory. Leave your metal behind, all of it. The bugs will eat it, and they'll go right through you to get it…Don't carry it, don't wear it, and for god's sake don't come here if you've got a pacemaker. The bugs showed up about fifty years ago--self-replicating, solar-powered, metal-eating machines. No one knows where they came from. They don't like water, though, so they've stayed in the desert Southwest. The territory. People still live here, but they do it without metal. Log cabins, ceramics, what plastic they can get that will survive the sun and heat. Technology has adapted, and so have the people. Kimble Monroe has chosen to live in the territory. He was born here, and he is extraordinarily well adapted to it. He's one in a million. Maybe one in a billion. In 7th Sigma, Gould builds an extraordinary SF novel of survival and personal triumph against all the odds.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2011
17 people are currently reading
1235 people want to read
About the author
Steven Gould
52 books1,156 followersSteven Charles Gould is an American science fiction author. His novels tend to have protagonists fighting to rid government of corrupt antagonists. The struggle against corruption is the focus, rather than the technology.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
July 6, 2011
Stephen Gould is perhaps best known for his novel Jumper originally released in 1992 and later adapted into a film in 2008. I found the film enjoyable if somewhat forgettable and regrettable only in that it managed to line the pockets of Hayden Christensen. Burried in a box of ARCs from Baker and Taylor I found Gould's most recent novel, 7th Sigma, and immediately cued in on the idea giant metal eating bugs.
In 7th Sigma a plague of metal devouring bugs of mysterious origin overran the American southwest some 50 years ago. The government cordoned off the region with a bug-repelling barrier and the area, now known as the Territory, has become something a no-man's land populated by the stubborn, the hardened, and often the unwanted. Our story, or stories depending on how you look at it, center around the irascible rapscallion known as Kimble. Kimble, a young teen, has been surviving on his own in the Territory ever since his drunk of father passed away using his wits and martial arts skills to say on the up and up. Life still isn't easy and he quickly latches onto Ruth Munroe, a pioneer type setting out set up a new Aikido dojo.
The novel does little to hide that is a reworking of Rudyard Kipling's Kim. This is a fact that I can only point out as I have no real first hand experience with Kipling's work. Reader's more familiar with Kim might be able to point out similarities or notice the parallels far better than myself. Regardless, one of the more fascinating aspects of the novel is its setting. While the book is decidedly set in the near-future, the inability to use metal (since the bugs are attracted to it) and the hardscrabble nature of the Territory lend the novel a frontier feel. It is the Wild West as seen through the lens of modern society with just about any and every throwback to frontier living you can think of from covered wagons to the town drunk. It lends the novel a familiar feeling enhanced by the science fiction element of the mysterious bugs.
On the one hand the bugs are a pervasive force of the novel while on the other they serve quite often as background dressing. Gould manages to keep the bugs central to the story while at the same time never quite addressing their presence directly. He is fairly straight forward in hinting that there is more to them than meets the eye. The novel is split into vignettes of a sort and at least once during each section of the novel Gould manages to highlight one oddity of bug behavior. These oddities take a very distinct path that plays out in an entertaining if somewhat predictable fashion. I was occasionally frustrated that some action takes place off-screen, indeed the main event (Kimble's first mission for Captain Benthem) serves as an important clue as to Kimble's character but is only discussed in dialog. I would have really liked to have seen the action of this early adventure relayed more directly.
Gould populates this Territory with a cast of likeable characters with Kimble at the forefront. He is an extraordinarily capable young man with a headstrong attitude and a tendency to act before thinking. Occasionally his skills strain credulity and there were moments when I felt things went a bit too smoothly for him. Kimble has a strong supporting cast of characters from the capable and wise Ruth, the fatherly Captain Bentham, and curious Thayet. None, save perhaps Ruth, are revealed in quite as much detail as Kimble and the relationship between Kimble and Ruth is one of the novel's strongest points.
7th Sigma is not the most thought provoking of novels but it is one of the most fun. Its young lead character gives it a YA vibe but Tor is not really marketing it as such. Truth be told save for some instance of harsh language, and at least one situation that deals with the mistreatment of women, 7th Sigma is completely YA friendly. While it doesn't precisely end on a cliffhanger Gould leaves enough open at the end to leave readers anxious for more.
In 7th Sigma a plague of metal devouring bugs of mysterious origin overran the American southwest some 50 years ago. The government cordoned off the region with a bug-repelling barrier and the area, now known as the Territory, has become something a no-man's land populated by the stubborn, the hardened, and often the unwanted. Our story, or stories depending on how you look at it, center around the irascible rapscallion known as Kimble. Kimble, a young teen, has been surviving on his own in the Territory ever since his drunk of father passed away using his wits and martial arts skills to say on the up and up. Life still isn't easy and he quickly latches onto Ruth Munroe, a pioneer type setting out set up a new Aikido dojo.
The novel does little to hide that is a reworking of Rudyard Kipling's Kim. This is a fact that I can only point out as I have no real first hand experience with Kipling's work. Reader's more familiar with Kim might be able to point out similarities or notice the parallels far better than myself. Regardless, one of the more fascinating aspects of the novel is its setting. While the book is decidedly set in the near-future, the inability to use metal (since the bugs are attracted to it) and the hardscrabble nature of the Territory lend the novel a frontier feel. It is the Wild West as seen through the lens of modern society with just about any and every throwback to frontier living you can think of from covered wagons to the town drunk. It lends the novel a familiar feeling enhanced by the science fiction element of the mysterious bugs.
On the one hand the bugs are a pervasive force of the novel while on the other they serve quite often as background dressing. Gould manages to keep the bugs central to the story while at the same time never quite addressing their presence directly. He is fairly straight forward in hinting that there is more to them than meets the eye. The novel is split into vignettes of a sort and at least once during each section of the novel Gould manages to highlight one oddity of bug behavior. These oddities take a very distinct path that plays out in an entertaining if somewhat predictable fashion. I was occasionally frustrated that some action takes place off-screen, indeed the main event (Kimble's first mission for Captain Benthem) serves as an important clue as to Kimble's character but is only discussed in dialog. I would have really liked to have seen the action of this early adventure relayed more directly.
Gould populates this Territory with a cast of likeable characters with Kimble at the forefront. He is an extraordinarily capable young man with a headstrong attitude and a tendency to act before thinking. Occasionally his skills strain credulity and there were moments when I felt things went a bit too smoothly for him. Kimble has a strong supporting cast of characters from the capable and wise Ruth, the fatherly Captain Bentham, and curious Thayet. None, save perhaps Ruth, are revealed in quite as much detail as Kimble and the relationship between Kimble and Ruth is one of the novel's strongest points.
7th Sigma is not the most thought provoking of novels but it is one of the most fun. Its young lead character gives it a YA vibe but Tor is not really marketing it as such. Truth be told save for some instance of harsh language, and at least one situation that deals with the mistreatment of women, 7th Sigma is completely YA friendly. While it doesn't precisely end on a cliffhanger Gould leaves enough open at the end to leave readers anxious for more.
July 19, 2011
Before you read this book, read "Kim" by Rudyard Kipling. Firstly, because Kim is a great book. Secondly, because if you read 7th Sigma first, you would be missing all the references to Kim. And thirdly because if you read 7th Sigma first you might give it more credit than it deserves. (And also because it is available for free on the web, kindle, iBooks, etc)
I really like Steven Gould's work, and I think he can tell a realistic sci-fi story like few others, but I really think 7th Sigma didn't live up to previous work. Maybe partly because I re-read Kim last year for the first time since I was a child, and realized what an amazing, human and lovely book it was. 7th Sigma borrows a number of elements from Kim, and it comes across as unoriginal in those aspects, rather than as a homage, which is a shame because the rest of 7th Sigma is not bad. If Gould had told his own story without any reference to Kim, it would have gotten another star from me.
Aside from the Kim issue, the book didn't fulfill much of the promise that it laid out during the story. The title refers to some kind of exceedingly rare "outlier" events, and while certain "outliers" related to the metal-eating bugs in the novel pop up mysteriously from time to time, neither the cause, purpose or relation to the title is ever explained. At one point the timeline skips ahead, and we completely leave behind the Kimble character we had come to know and now we have a more adult main character to finish out the book.
The science-fictional elements are mere backdrop in this story, unlike Gould's better novels where he seems intent on saying "what if…" and following it through rigorously human responses. Yes there are metal-eating bugs that pose a danger to anyone traveling through the now-nineteenth-century-like Southwest, but they might as well be rattlesnakes, and might the story just as well be set in the nineteenth century? And if you ask that question, you might as well read Kim.
tl;dr: Read Kim by Rudyard Kipling instead; India in the 19th century through the eyes of a precocious, resourceful and daring youth is basically as science-fictional as Gould gets in this intriguing but unfulfilling imitation.
I really like Steven Gould's work, and I think he can tell a realistic sci-fi story like few others, but I really think 7th Sigma didn't live up to previous work. Maybe partly because I re-read Kim last year for the first time since I was a child, and realized what an amazing, human and lovely book it was. 7th Sigma borrows a number of elements from Kim, and it comes across as unoriginal in those aspects, rather than as a homage, which is a shame because the rest of 7th Sigma is not bad. If Gould had told his own story without any reference to Kim, it would have gotten another star from me.
Aside from the Kim issue, the book didn't fulfill much of the promise that it laid out during the story. The title refers to some kind of exceedingly rare "outlier" events, and while certain "outliers" related to the metal-eating bugs in the novel pop up mysteriously from time to time, neither the cause, purpose or relation to the title is ever explained. At one point the timeline skips ahead, and we completely leave behind the Kimble character we had come to know and now we have a more adult main character to finish out the book.
The science-fictional elements are mere backdrop in this story, unlike Gould's better novels where he seems intent on saying "what if…" and following it through rigorously human responses. Yes there are metal-eating bugs that pose a danger to anyone traveling through the now-nineteenth-century-like Southwest, but they might as well be rattlesnakes, and might the story just as well be set in the nineteenth century? And if you ask that question, you might as well read Kim.
tl;dr: Read Kim by Rudyard Kipling instead; India in the 19th century through the eyes of a precocious, resourceful and daring youth is basically as science-fictional as Gould gets in this intriguing but unfulfilling imitation.
August 25, 2011
3 Stars
3 is probably a little generous, but this is a short and fast read with some enjoyable moments.
This book started out interesting enough, with a post apocalyptic feel, and a bit of horror to boot.
"There was less blood when it came out of his chest, but the blind black snout of the June-bug-sized creature came right through the remnants of the shirt as if it weren't there. It crawled up and out, wet and red. It stood up high on it's legs and spread it's wings. It buzzed them and the blood splattered off in a pink mist..."
Good stuff, scary, gory, and written well.
Unfortuately, this book really is not about the bugs. They are simply there, part of life 50 years after they changed the world. Our hero Kimble, is a likable 13 year old boy that has gone through alot in his short life. He is raised by a kick ass Sensei named Ruth. This book turns out to be yet another coming of age YA novel, that uses a post apocalyptic setting to make it feel more unique. Pretty much all the obligatory ups and downs of every other coming of age story are here.
Kimble is special, that much is made very clear. From his accomplished training with Ruth, to his bravery of deeds, that all culminate as he works as a spy. Much of the spy stuff is a bit tough to believe, but it will still have you turning the pages.
Gould only briefly touches on the cooler aspects of this story, the bugs and the not-animals. It is a shame that the book didn't take a more sci-fi approach as their are some cool concepts here ready to be explored.
Turns out one of my favorite side chatacters was that of old Mrs Perdicaris...an old, angry, and down right mean.... mule. She provided some comic relief to our story.
I enjoyed Goulds writing and will definitely read more of his works. This book is simply just ok. Much more suited for the YA crowd.
3 is probably a little generous, but this is a short and fast read with some enjoyable moments.
This book started out interesting enough, with a post apocalyptic feel, and a bit of horror to boot.
"There was less blood when it came out of his chest, but the blind black snout of the June-bug-sized creature came right through the remnants of the shirt as if it weren't there. It crawled up and out, wet and red. It stood up high on it's legs and spread it's wings. It buzzed them and the blood splattered off in a pink mist..."
Good stuff, scary, gory, and written well.
Unfortuately, this book really is not about the bugs. They are simply there, part of life 50 years after they changed the world. Our hero Kimble, is a likable 13 year old boy that has gone through alot in his short life. He is raised by a kick ass Sensei named Ruth. This book turns out to be yet another coming of age YA novel, that uses a post apocalyptic setting to make it feel more unique. Pretty much all the obligatory ups and downs of every other coming of age story are here.
Kimble is special, that much is made very clear. From his accomplished training with Ruth, to his bravery of deeds, that all culminate as he works as a spy. Much of the spy stuff is a bit tough to believe, but it will still have you turning the pages.
Gould only briefly touches on the cooler aspects of this story, the bugs and the not-animals. It is a shame that the book didn't take a more sci-fi approach as their are some cool concepts here ready to be explored.
Turns out one of my favorite side chatacters was that of old Mrs Perdicaris...an old, angry, and down right mean.... mule. She provided some comic relief to our story.
I enjoyed Goulds writing and will definitely read more of his works. This book is simply just ok. Much more suited for the YA crowd.
October 13, 2016
Goddammit. I was sure I was going to flip out over this book before I started. That’s the second time this has happened to me this year, where I have a book set aside to enjoy as my absolute favorite book of all time candidate. It’s hard to do that with a book I’ve never read, but I knew that Stephen Gould has written some pretty adored books, I know my son read Jumper and thought it was pretty great, and I heard Mr Gould in an interview a few times and thought he made a pretty good sell on whatever book he happened to be talking about at the time.
I remember this one from an interview with him a few years ago. It’s been on my watch list for a long time. I found it used last summer and picked it up for a dollar or two and have had it hidden away on my to-be-read pile since then. And I’d been waiting for that perfect time to sit back and enjoy.
So when my wife went away last week I thought it was time to dive into something new, but something that I was really looking forward to. I wanted to get caught up in something the way I did with the Dresden Files books when I read them several years ago. I’ve probably talked about them before in one of my reviews, but that series saved me during a pretty awful time in my life. I poured through every book in that series (at the time) in about a week. It was, seriously, better than any therapy I could have imagined.
I’m not going through any personal drama now, but I was alone, and kinda bored. And thought it would be great to get lost in some made up world for a while. No humans were around to ask me to take out the trash, or walk the dog, or ask me to watch a lifetime movie about a young divorcee that learns about the true meaning of Christmas. Nope, just me and whatever book I feel like reading. Sweet.
This one, it’s about a young boy that was living as a runaway in the American West in an alternate earth where some small outbreak of autonomous insect-sized robots have gone nutty, devouring every significant source of metal they can find. If you happen to have metal tooth fillings and you’re in the wrong place, a swarm of those little buggers will eat all that metal up. Oh and if happen to be unlucky enough to have that metal filled tooth in your mouth, then those little buggers will probably eat you up too. Same goes for a pacemaker, or jewelry, or a belt buckle, or zipper, or the pipes below your house, or the mine in the hills…. And those robots reproduce almost continually. They’re a swarm that has taken over a giant chunk of the American West.
Like I said, this young boy lives amongst the robobugs. He isn’t the only one. It’s not hard to do as long as you are willing to live without electronics or any other modern convenience you might be able to think of. There are thousands of folks living this way, clustered in small towns and all avoiding those bugs the best they can.
Great premise. I’m sold on it all over again.
Except for the problem is that this novel isn’t about any of that stuff. It’s about a teenage ninja cowboy. Almost like a Jedi, I guess. He wanders the deserts of the American West solving crimes and ninja kicking badguys.
That, in of itself, is a-okay with me too. Except that almost every chapter is a standalone adventure. Young boy ninja kicks horse thief, Young boy ninja kicks Donkey abuser, Young boy ninja kicks meth dealers… this is wish fulfillment of the highest order. There is no plot to this book at all, that I could discern. Just adventure after adventure of our wunderkind kicking ass, ninja style, and dispensing the wisdom of the ancients… also communing with animals and understanding the robobugs on a gut level.
Only once does our young hero face any real danger, and I’m flummoxed to no end as to how this thing got produced as it was. I’ve come across a number of books like this in the past year or two. Just characters that wander about being superhuman.
In fact, it reminds me of that John Ringo book I reviewed a few months ago. That one was about a teenage girl that could do almost anything. While I hated that one with some all-time epic hatred, this book is actually readable. Gould writes readable prose, and by readable, I mean silky smooth, my eyes just glide over the page, soaking in each word effortlessly, and he’s got a million dollar premise to tell his stories in.
I just wish he chose to tell an interesting story.
If I could sum up my frustration in an understandable way, I guess it would be like having finding out Michael Jordan is going to be at the mall. You rush out to the mall to see him, because, you know, he’s one of the greatest basketball players of all time, and you find out that he just wants to sell you his twelve-step course on how to get rich with real estate.
That is what this book is to me, Michael Jordan selling real estate. You think at first, Ohmygod. It’sMichaelJordan.He’sthemostamazingbasketballplayereverandhe’stalkingtome, but slowly, you realize he’s just some old dude trying to steal your money with some real estate scam.
I remember this one from an interview with him a few years ago. It’s been on my watch list for a long time. I found it used last summer and picked it up for a dollar or two and have had it hidden away on my to-be-read pile since then. And I’d been waiting for that perfect time to sit back and enjoy.
So when my wife went away last week I thought it was time to dive into something new, but something that I was really looking forward to. I wanted to get caught up in something the way I did with the Dresden Files books when I read them several years ago. I’ve probably talked about them before in one of my reviews, but that series saved me during a pretty awful time in my life. I poured through every book in that series (at the time) in about a week. It was, seriously, better than any therapy I could have imagined.
I’m not going through any personal drama now, but I was alone, and kinda bored. And thought it would be great to get lost in some made up world for a while. No humans were around to ask me to take out the trash, or walk the dog, or ask me to watch a lifetime movie about a young divorcee that learns about the true meaning of Christmas. Nope, just me and whatever book I feel like reading. Sweet.
This one, it’s about a young boy that was living as a runaway in the American West in an alternate earth where some small outbreak of autonomous insect-sized robots have gone nutty, devouring every significant source of metal they can find. If you happen to have metal tooth fillings and you’re in the wrong place, a swarm of those little buggers will eat all that metal up. Oh and if happen to be unlucky enough to have that metal filled tooth in your mouth, then those little buggers will probably eat you up too. Same goes for a pacemaker, or jewelry, or a belt buckle, or zipper, or the pipes below your house, or the mine in the hills…. And those robots reproduce almost continually. They’re a swarm that has taken over a giant chunk of the American West.
Like I said, this young boy lives amongst the robobugs. He isn’t the only one. It’s not hard to do as long as you are willing to live without electronics or any other modern convenience you might be able to think of. There are thousands of folks living this way, clustered in small towns and all avoiding those bugs the best they can.
Great premise. I’m sold on it all over again.
Except for the problem is that this novel isn’t about any of that stuff. It’s about a teenage ninja cowboy. Almost like a Jedi, I guess. He wanders the deserts of the American West solving crimes and ninja kicking badguys.
That, in of itself, is a-okay with me too. Except that almost every chapter is a standalone adventure. Young boy ninja kicks horse thief, Young boy ninja kicks Donkey abuser, Young boy ninja kicks meth dealers… this is wish fulfillment of the highest order. There is no plot to this book at all, that I could discern. Just adventure after adventure of our wunderkind kicking ass, ninja style, and dispensing the wisdom of the ancients… also communing with animals and understanding the robobugs on a gut level.
Only once does our young hero face any real danger, and I’m flummoxed to no end as to how this thing got produced as it was. I’ve come across a number of books like this in the past year or two. Just characters that wander about being superhuman.
In fact, it reminds me of that John Ringo book I reviewed a few months ago. That one was about a teenage girl that could do almost anything. While I hated that one with some all-time epic hatred, this book is actually readable. Gould writes readable prose, and by readable, I mean silky smooth, my eyes just glide over the page, soaking in each word effortlessly, and he’s got a million dollar premise to tell his stories in.
I just wish he chose to tell an interesting story.
If I could sum up my frustration in an understandable way, I guess it would be like having finding out Michael Jordan is going to be at the mall. You rush out to the mall to see him, because, you know, he’s one of the greatest basketball players of all time, and you find out that he just wants to sell you his twelve-step course on how to get rich with real estate.
That is what this book is to me, Michael Jordan selling real estate. You think at first, Ohmygod. It’sMichaelJordan.He’sthemostamazingbasketballplayereverandhe’stalkingtome, but slowly, you realize he’s just some old dude trying to steal your money with some real estate scam.
August 2, 2011
Anyone else notice dystopian novels are being released like every other week, kinda like when Pride and Prejudice and Zombies came out and then monster mash up books were coming out so fast you didn't even know they existed until you stumbled across them in the book store.
This is yet another dystopian novel that has been released among the hordes of others that have great premises but seriously fail in the execution. Whether that is due to time restraints (publishers wanting to churn these books out at a breakneck speed, most likely this books problem), or a writers lack of talent (not really the case with this book in particular) or some other reason. Either way, the results are disappointing.
This books main problem was the fact that there wasn't a single overreaching plot. Some might say that it was a coming of age story of Kimble but I disagree. The book is marketed as a scifi, dystopian adventure, and so the plot should be mysterious, centered around the problems with the environment the characters are living in, and affect their livelihoods in some way. Not just be a bunch of vignettes jumping months, and even years at a time, of one boys life. Sadly there was possibility of a great overarching plot involving the evolution of the bugs that have taken over this portion of the US into sentient creatures but it is literally not even mentioned until the last 5 pages and the brushed off completely from the main characters concerns like it isn't his problem so oh well, whatever, life goes on.
Otherwise I do think it was a well written book with excellent settings and descriptions. The characters all pretty much had their one character trait and that was it, ad Kimble was a little too good to be true considering he was raised in an abusive household, and lived on the streets. I did feel invested in them despite this and cared that they overcame their obstacles. Again though the problem was the lack of an overall obstacle.
Basically it felt as if the entire book were actually only the firs third of any other book. So it definitely started to feel longer towards the end and become harder to stick with and read since there wasn't really any build up or climax. To me this says that this book is meant to become a series, but judging from this book alone that isn't made clear, nor is there a 7th Sigma book hinted at on the authors website or goodreads.
tldr: great premise but a lack of over arcing plot = fail.
This is yet another dystopian novel that has been released among the hordes of others that have great premises but seriously fail in the execution. Whether that is due to time restraints (publishers wanting to churn these books out at a breakneck speed, most likely this books problem), or a writers lack of talent (not really the case with this book in particular) or some other reason. Either way, the results are disappointing.
This books main problem was the fact that there wasn't a single overreaching plot. Some might say that it was a coming of age story of Kimble but I disagree. The book is marketed as a scifi, dystopian adventure, and so the plot should be mysterious, centered around the problems with the environment the characters are living in, and affect their livelihoods in some way. Not just be a bunch of vignettes jumping months, and even years at a time, of one boys life. Sadly there was possibility of a great overarching plot involving the evolution of the bugs that have taken over this portion of the US into sentient creatures but it is literally not even mentioned until the last 5 pages and the brushed off completely from the main characters concerns like it isn't his problem so oh well, whatever, life goes on.
Otherwise I do think it was a well written book with excellent settings and descriptions. The characters all pretty much had their one character trait and that was it, ad Kimble was a little too good to be true considering he was raised in an abusive household, and lived on the streets. I did feel invested in them despite this and cared that they overcame their obstacles. Again though the problem was the lack of an overall obstacle.
Basically it felt as if the entire book were actually only the firs third of any other book. So it definitely started to feel longer towards the end and become harder to stick with and read since there wasn't really any build up or climax. To me this says that this book is meant to become a series, but judging from this book alone that isn't made clear, nor is there a 7th Sigma book hinted at on the authors website or goodreads.
tldr: great premise but a lack of over arcing plot = fail.
January 14, 2013
If I was to take a look at my outfit, I’ve got a metal bracelet on, a zipper, and metal bra hooks, this means that if I was a character living in the Territory in Steven Gould’s 7th Sigma, I'd be screwed. The territory is basically the Southwestern US. It is infested by these dangerous metal eating bugs who don’t give a shit about your flesh and will eat you up if it means getting to sweet delicious alloy. However, people are resilient and willing to build lives without the use of metal, coping instead by using plastics and ceramic.
Read the rest of my review here
Read the rest of my review here
July 11, 2012
Although the first few pages were hard for me to get through (mostly because I think there were too many names, side commentary, and info dump), I was quickly drawn into the story once the words became normal. I would say this is a western, except set in the near future after a semi-disaster involving bugs that eat all metal. I found it particularly interesting to see how people still adapted and changed (as did technology, by necessity).
Though there was no general plot arc in terms of an epic evil to conquer, I enjoyed just following the life of Kimble, the main lead. It's just the day-to-day life of this kid. I am eagerly anticipating a sequel!
Though there was no general plot arc in terms of an epic evil to conquer, I enjoyed just following the life of Kimble, the main lead. It's just the day-to-day life of this kid. I am eagerly anticipating a sequel!
September 3, 2011
There have been parts which I really enjoyed. But I missed more information about the bugs and not-animals.
This is a book about survival under certain conditions and it is a book about aikido. I think a younger audience will enjoy it more than I did.
This is a book about survival under certain conditions and it is a book about aikido. I think a younger audience will enjoy it more than I did.
August 10, 2011
I didn't like this book at all. Generally, when I rate books, I try to balance my personal enjoyment of the book with the book's actual quality. Some well-written books just aren't my cup of tea; some lesser-quality books are very entertaining. Sadly, I found this book to be neither enjoyable nor well-written.
If you've read the Goodreads description of this book, which appears verbatim on the book's jacket, this sounds like an interesting novel. People must learn to adapt when metal-eating bugs require them to live without any kind of metal whatsoever. According to the book description,
People still live here, but they do it without metal. Log cabins, ceramics, what plastic they can get that will survive the sun and heat. Technology has adapted, and so have the people.
Kimble Monroe has chosen to live in the territory. He was born here, and he is extraordinarily well adapted to it. He’s one in a million. Maybe one in a billion.
In 7th Sigma, Gould builds an extraordinary SF novel of survival and personal triumph against all the odds.
Don't be fooled by the description -- 7th Sigma tells a very different story. It turns out that life with the bugs isn't much different at all than life without, since just about everything that can be done with metal is done with plastic. The characters use knives that can (when they're used carefully) cut as nicely as metal ones, and some characters even have plastic guns. Seriously. The characters' lives are not that different, and they've already been using the adaptive, metal-free tools. The survival bit is mostly wrapped up within the first few pages. Without spoiling the ending, I can say that the bugs are connected with the main obstacle in the novel, but for the most part, the book just seems to have dropped a simple story into the sci-fi genre by holding it up against a backdrop of metal-eating bugs. This story could have been set anywhere, against a number of different backdrops. In fact, I almost wish it had been; if this story had not had to sell the fantastical idea of metal-eating bugs (which don't really drive the plot) there would have been much less to detract from the main characters and their interactions (which is what really provides the story's main thrust). The bugs are almost a hindrance, a distraction.
The main focus of the book is on a young teenager called Kimble who studies martial arts, and for much of the book, each chapter works as a short vignette about a different aspect of his life. One, for example, tells of a burglar who robs his home; another chapter deals with an annoying house-guest. Unfortunately, Kimble isn't the most likable character in literature. When I was reading about Kimble, I was painfully reminded of Bella Swan, from the Twilight saga. Kimble, like Bella, is one of those annoyingly flat, perfect characters that can do no wrong and whom everyone adores. When he suffers, he is just that much nobler. When he tries anything, he always triumphs.
In addition to the disappointing writing, this book was unenjoyable in other ways. In the first place, I have never had much interest in martial arts, and it was difficult to read chapter after chapter of the student/sensei relationship, and what they studied, and what weapons they used, and who the other students were, and who was better at what (and why), etc. If you're not already interested in the martial arts, reading this book might be tedious.
Moreover, much of this book was offensive. Although I myself have never studied martial arts, I had always been taught to regard it as a time-honored tradition of self-defense. It was something I'd been taught to respect. On this story's very first page, however, the book's hero uses his martial arts skills to bully other children, to hassle them because he disagrees with their religion. I found it sick. In addition, Kimble feels no remorse for his actions. This is not a troubled man seeking to redeem himself: on the contrary, his unjust actions are actually condoned. (He's the hero, remember? He can do no wrong.) I am troubled that this novel uses something as revered as martial arts and turns it into just a means for one character to hurt others.
Finally, I was bugged (no pun intended) by this book's religious content. I suspect the author has an axe to grind, but every few chapters, there would be some other reference to how terrible Christians are, or how hypocritical or how judgmental, or how they lie to suit themselves. Even the main villains are Christian lunatics who twist the Bible to their purpose. And I understand that stories need villains, but why did every Christian character (even the non-evil non-villains) need to be bad? Was it really necessary to pepper the book with Kimble's anti-Christian moralizing? Did he really need to be described, on the very first page, as "an avowed apostate and frequent blasphemer"? I know that most martial artists are not anti-tolerant bullies, so why was it necessary to portray the hero (the poor, sweet, stoic, LOVABLE hero who can do no wrong, bless his heart) as such?
My advice? Don't waste your money. If you're interested in this book, get it from the library. But I think you're better off not being interested.
I received this book for free from Goodreads Giveaways.
If you've read the Goodreads description of this book, which appears verbatim on the book's jacket, this sounds like an interesting novel. People must learn to adapt when metal-eating bugs require them to live without any kind of metal whatsoever. According to the book description,
People still live here, but they do it without metal. Log cabins, ceramics, what plastic they can get that will survive the sun and heat. Technology has adapted, and so have the people.
Kimble Monroe has chosen to live in the territory. He was born here, and he is extraordinarily well adapted to it. He’s one in a million. Maybe one in a billion.
In 7th Sigma, Gould builds an extraordinary SF novel of survival and personal triumph against all the odds.
Don't be fooled by the description -- 7th Sigma tells a very different story. It turns out that life with the bugs isn't much different at all than life without, since just about everything that can be done with metal is done with plastic. The characters use knives that can (when they're used carefully) cut as nicely as metal ones, and some characters even have plastic guns. Seriously. The characters' lives are not that different, and they've already been using the adaptive, metal-free tools. The survival bit is mostly wrapped up within the first few pages. Without spoiling the ending, I can say that the bugs are connected with the main obstacle in the novel, but for the most part, the book just seems to have dropped a simple story into the sci-fi genre by holding it up against a backdrop of metal-eating bugs. This story could have been set anywhere, against a number of different backdrops. In fact, I almost wish it had been; if this story had not had to sell the fantastical idea of metal-eating bugs (which don't really drive the plot) there would have been much less to detract from the main characters and their interactions (which is what really provides the story's main thrust). The bugs are almost a hindrance, a distraction.
The main focus of the book is on a young teenager called Kimble who studies martial arts, and for much of the book, each chapter works as a short vignette about a different aspect of his life. One, for example, tells of a burglar who robs his home; another chapter deals with an annoying house-guest. Unfortunately, Kimble isn't the most likable character in literature. When I was reading about Kimble, I was painfully reminded of Bella Swan, from the Twilight saga. Kimble, like Bella, is one of those annoyingly flat, perfect characters that can do no wrong and whom everyone adores. When he suffers, he is just that much nobler. When he tries anything, he always triumphs.
In addition to the disappointing writing, this book was unenjoyable in other ways. In the first place, I have never had much interest in martial arts, and it was difficult to read chapter after chapter of the student/sensei relationship, and what they studied, and what weapons they used, and who the other students were, and who was better at what (and why), etc. If you're not already interested in the martial arts, reading this book might be tedious.
Moreover, much of this book was offensive. Although I myself have never studied martial arts, I had always been taught to regard it as a time-honored tradition of self-defense. It was something I'd been taught to respect. On this story's very first page, however, the book's hero uses his martial arts skills to bully other children, to hassle them because he disagrees with their religion. I found it sick. In addition, Kimble feels no remorse for his actions. This is not a troubled man seeking to redeem himself: on the contrary, his unjust actions are actually condoned. (He's the hero, remember? He can do no wrong.) I am troubled that this novel uses something as revered as martial arts and turns it into just a means for one character to hurt others.
Finally, I was bugged (no pun intended) by this book's religious content. I suspect the author has an axe to grind, but every few chapters, there would be some other reference to how terrible Christians are, or how hypocritical or how judgmental, or how they lie to suit themselves. Even the main villains are Christian lunatics who twist the Bible to their purpose. And I understand that stories need villains, but why did every Christian character (even the non-evil non-villains) need to be bad? Was it really necessary to pepper the book with Kimble's anti-Christian moralizing? Did he really need to be described, on the very first page, as "an avowed apostate and frequent blasphemer"? I know that most martial artists are not anti-tolerant bullies, so why was it necessary to portray the hero (the poor, sweet, stoic, LOVABLE hero who can do no wrong, bless his heart) as such?
My advice? Don't waste your money. If you're interested in this book, get it from the library. But I think you're better off not being interested.
I received this book for free from Goodreads Giveaways.
September 4, 2012
Kimble is a smart kid who knows he'd rather be on the streets of the Territory than under the heavy hand of his drunken father. Then he meets Ruth, who is leaving a divorce behind to open a new dojo deep in the Territory. They get along better than they should, and so the story rolls. Kim is a smart boy who is already mostly grown up at thirteen, but looks much smaller and younger even than that. With an adult reckoning, incredible aikido skills, and a strong need for justice, Kim is an easy recruit for undercover work for the Territory Rangers.
The challenge in the Territory is the Bugs. No one knows where they came from - a lab experiment gone bad, an Army experiment ditto, outer space, wrath of God - but the end result is that nothing metal or electronic can survive in the Territory. The Bugs will eat it. They swarm on exposed pipes, house frames, cars, pacemakers, metal teeth fillings... So either you survive without metal or you leave for Outside.
The Bugs have busted the Territory back to the... plastic age. Everything is glass, plastic, composite, or back to the good old days of wood, stone, clay, and fiber. Horses are the main mode of transportation once again, and theater is live again too.
The book is built in parts, mostly because there isn't one single plot that Gould wants to explore. He wants to tell us about Kim and Ruth, and the people of the Territory, and the exploits that Kim has while working for the Rangers. But there isn't one overarching plot line, adventure, or issue that is driving the book. Gould doesn't even pretend. So I could pick up the book, read to a good stopping point, and pick it up again later. What is even better, Gould doesn't try to explain the Bugs. They are there, they work, they have rules like any science fiction universe, but they are not the point of the story. They are a challenge to overcome in the Territory just like bandits or cactus or bad water.
Once I realized that this was really a western disguised as a science fiction, I totally changed my perspective on it. It was a compilation of short Ranger stories pretending to be longer short stories pretending to be sci/fi. So, when I started looking at it like a Western, where the issues of riding the territory and just getting there were half the challenge, it became a good book. If I had stubbornly stuck to this being some kind of Contact book, I would have been vastly disappointed.
I picked it up because Kim's street fight in front of Ruth was featured in Opening Acts.
I recommend it to people who enjoy westerns, old-fashioned Rangers stories, and like both with a sprinkling of science fiction on top.
The challenge in the Territory is the Bugs. No one knows where they came from - a lab experiment gone bad, an Army experiment ditto, outer space, wrath of God - but the end result is that nothing metal or electronic can survive in the Territory. The Bugs will eat it. They swarm on exposed pipes, house frames, cars, pacemakers, metal teeth fillings... So either you survive without metal or you leave for Outside.
The Bugs have busted the Territory back to the... plastic age. Everything is glass, plastic, composite, or back to the good old days of wood, stone, clay, and fiber. Horses are the main mode of transportation once again, and theater is live again too.
The book is built in parts, mostly because there isn't one single plot that Gould wants to explore. He wants to tell us about Kim and Ruth, and the people of the Territory, and the exploits that Kim has while working for the Rangers. But there isn't one overarching plot line, adventure, or issue that is driving the book. Gould doesn't even pretend. So I could pick up the book, read to a good stopping point, and pick it up again later. What is even better, Gould doesn't try to explain the Bugs. They are there, they work, they have rules like any science fiction universe, but they are not the point of the story. They are a challenge to overcome in the Territory just like bandits or cactus or bad water.
Once I realized that this was really a western disguised as a science fiction, I totally changed my perspective on it. It was a compilation of short Ranger stories pretending to be longer short stories pretending to be sci/fi. So, when I started looking at it like a Western, where the issues of riding the territory and just getting there were half the challenge, it became a good book. If I had stubbornly stuck to this being some kind of Contact book, I would have been vastly disappointed.
I picked it up because Kim's street fight in front of Ruth was featured in Opening Acts.
I recommend it to people who enjoy westerns, old-fashioned Rangers stories, and like both with a sprinkling of science fiction on top.
January 6, 2014
The bugs will go through anything to eat metal, self-replicate, and have completely devastated the western seaboard of the United States. Kimble lives in the now metal-barren Territory and builds a life after his abusive father with an Aikido instructor.
I really enjoyed this book. The pace was great, the characters were interesting. I wasn't enthralled to the point of un-put-down-able but the premise was engrosing.
However, there was more than one spot in the narrative where sections of time are skipped and there's NO indication this has happened. The beginning of the story the main character is 13, by the end he's at least 18 and leaving for college but at no point is there a clear sign that significant time (ie: more than a day) has passed.
Second, and related, there's more than one spot where I felt an entire swath of story was simply missing from the narrative. At one point in particular the main character is sparring in the dojo and there's a single line refering to passing out due to being hit by a whip. This came out of nowhere and had no relation to the paragraph which preceded it. I re-read the previous page just to make sure I wasn't skipping anything. The whip event in question is later recounted in enough detail that I was certain I had skipped an entire chapter of story- no such chapter exists. I don't know if it was written and removed (that's what I feel) or just poorly hinted at and later detailed, but I was bothered and confused.
Don't allow these two details to stop you from reading the book, however. I still consider it 5 star worthy and an excellent afternoon read.
***SPOILER ALERT! STOP READING HERE!!***
***SPOILER ALERT! STOP READING HERE!!***
The end of the novel closes with Kimble going to college and talking with a federal agent that he spent much of the book working with. It's reveiled that the bugs are believed to be alien in origin. There was NOTHING in the ENTIRE book that would possibly lead to this conclusion. It came out of nowhere and utterly knocked me out of the story. Up until that point I was honestly curious about the bug problem. Now I'm just disappointed. 'They're all actually aliens' is almost as bad as 'it was all a dream.'
I really enjoyed this book. The pace was great, the characters were interesting. I wasn't enthralled to the point of un-put-down-able but the premise was engrosing.
However, there was more than one spot in the narrative where sections of time are skipped and there's NO indication this has happened. The beginning of the story the main character is 13, by the end he's at least 18 and leaving for college but at no point is there a clear sign that significant time (ie: more than a day) has passed.
Second, and related, there's more than one spot where I felt an entire swath of story was simply missing from the narrative. At one point in particular the main character is sparring in the dojo and there's a single line refering to passing out due to being hit by a whip. This came out of nowhere and had no relation to the paragraph which preceded it. I re-read the previous page just to make sure I wasn't skipping anything. The whip event in question is later recounted in enough detail that I was certain I had skipped an entire chapter of story- no such chapter exists. I don't know if it was written and removed (that's what I feel) or just poorly hinted at and later detailed, but I was bothered and confused.
Don't allow these two details to stop you from reading the book, however. I still consider it 5 star worthy and an excellent afternoon read.
***SPOILER ALERT! STOP READING HERE!!***
***SPOILER ALERT! STOP READING HERE!!***
The end of the novel closes with Kimble going to college and talking with a federal agent that he spent much of the book working with. It's reveiled that the bugs are believed to be alien in origin. There was NOTHING in the ENTIRE book that would possibly lead to this conclusion. It came out of nowhere and utterly knocked me out of the story. Up until that point I was honestly curious about the bug problem. Now I'm just disappointed. 'They're all actually aliens' is almost as bad as 'it was all a dream.'
August 4, 2011
I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. The blurb had me going "Wow, that sounds fascinating!" Unfortunately, when all was said and done, the book didn't live up to my expectations. Steven Gould did a good job telling the story of the book, but it's not exactly the one I was expecting from the description.
Gould apparently based the character of Kimble Monroe on the titular character of Rudyard Kipling's "Kim", which I've never read, nor do I have any intention of reading. So I can't comment on other reviewers allusions to or comparisons between the characters.
It was well-written, engaging, and the characters were believable. Although Kim was on the "well...... okay, I guess" side. A little bit of magic hand-waving and I could get from the street urchin to the master spy with some effort. Street kids are supposed to be nigh-invisible, and I could see him being a master of the observatory craft in trying to stay away from the Territorial Rangers. I liked how Gould referenced the Baker Street Irregulars at one point in the story, because that's how I saw Kimble.
Once I got past the idea that the story I thought I was going to be reading - about the metal-eating bugs - was actually more of a sideplot, I could finally get into the novel. It was a good spy story, and the addition of the aikido made for an interesting twist. Ultimately, I was left wondering just what the deal was with the bugs. There was no real resolution there, just some vague references to other plot points that didn't happen until the last two pages.
All in all, it was a good book, though I wish I'd bought the ebook instead of shelling out the $30 for it at the bookstore. Although for $11.99 as an ebook, I'm not sure I would've done that, either. The blurb needs work to more accurately set the reader's expectations, but it's still a well-told story.
Gould apparently based the character of Kimble Monroe on the titular character of Rudyard Kipling's "Kim", which I've never read, nor do I have any intention of reading. So I can't comment on other reviewers allusions to or comparisons between the characters.
It was well-written, engaging, and the characters were believable. Although Kim was on the "well...... okay, I guess" side. A little bit of magic hand-waving and I could get from the street urchin to the master spy with some effort. Street kids are supposed to be nigh-invisible, and I could see him being a master of the observatory craft in trying to stay away from the Territorial Rangers. I liked how Gould referenced the Baker Street Irregulars at one point in the story, because that's how I saw Kimble.
Once I got past the idea that the story I thought I was going to be reading - about the metal-eating bugs - was actually more of a sideplot, I could finally get into the novel. It was a good spy story, and the addition of the aikido made for an interesting twist. Ultimately, I was left wondering just what the deal was with the bugs. There was no real resolution there, just some vague references to other plot points that didn't happen until the last two pages.
All in all, it was a good book, though I wish I'd bought the ebook instead of shelling out the $30 for it at the bookstore. Although for $11.99 as an ebook, I'm not sure I would've done that, either. The blurb needs work to more accurately set the reader's expectations, but it's still a well-told story.
September 7, 2012
The premise of this one intrigued me: a future earth where US nano-technology got out of hand and created self replicating “bugs” that consume metal. They seem to be more prevalent in the Southwest than elsewhere in the States or world. The book also surprised me - I didn’t realize it was a YA book until after I started.
I enjoyed the simplicity of the plot and characters while some of the morality was a bit heavy handed. It relies on Japanese philosophy as taught through martial arts with some Buddhism thrown in. Christianity was portrayed as bad or evil. Our young hero, Kimble, a streetwise urchin who is picked up and taken under Sensei Ruth’s tutelage learns through hard work and hard lessons what it means to grow up in a harsh land where stepping on a ‘bug’ could mean immediate death, where men take the law into their own hands, and to rely on doing the right thing even if it might seem contrary to orders.
Morality aside, it was the world setting that really drew me in. Loved the idea of metal eating, self-replicating bugs. That to go out into the Territory with any kind of metal on or in your person could spell your immediate death. Clay, ceramics, plastic, cement reinforced with fibers, leather, Velcro…these spell a survival of sorts. And if the Territories aren’t for you, you can live behind the Barrier with all its modern conveniences.
But this isn’t about the Barrier. It’s about Kimble, life, and bugs.
I recommend this selection if you just want an enjoyable SF read.
I enjoyed the simplicity of the plot and characters while some of the morality was a bit heavy handed. It relies on Japanese philosophy as taught through martial arts with some Buddhism thrown in. Christianity was portrayed as bad or evil. Our young hero, Kimble, a streetwise urchin who is picked up and taken under Sensei Ruth’s tutelage learns through hard work and hard lessons what it means to grow up in a harsh land where stepping on a ‘bug’ could mean immediate death, where men take the law into their own hands, and to rely on doing the right thing even if it might seem contrary to orders.
Morality aside, it was the world setting that really drew me in. Loved the idea of metal eating, self-replicating bugs. That to go out into the Territory with any kind of metal on or in your person could spell your immediate death. Clay, ceramics, plastic, cement reinforced with fibers, leather, Velcro…these spell a survival of sorts. And if the Territories aren’t for you, you can live behind the Barrier with all its modern conveniences.
But this isn’t about the Barrier. It’s about Kimble, life, and bugs.
I recommend this selection if you just want an enjoyable SF read.
July 26, 2011
Days later Kim is still on my mind. The book seems like fun but is not balanced like I've come to find Gould's other works. If history has taught me anything I can see a reasonable sequel coming along and then I'd probably like this one more.
I know I'm a fan of Gould but the vignettes do get a little tired and the whole experience does leave me wanted more. It doesn't quite flesh out the parts where I'm wondering is he still training? How is he and Sensei getting along. What is life actually teaching him. We get the broad strokes for awhile in the middle there and it isn't filling enough - now I'm not exactly asking for a montage but I know if it were a movie that's probably what I'd get during the time.
There's a part of me that knows I need to read the other Kim by the guy who wrote The Jungle Book but since that doesn't seem to be high on my list right now I'm going to leave off here and hope to return in the future...
I know I'm a fan of Gould but the vignettes do get a little tired and the whole experience does leave me wanted more. It doesn't quite flesh out the parts where I'm wondering is he still training? How is he and Sensei getting along. What is life actually teaching him. We get the broad strokes for awhile in the middle there and it isn't filling enough - now I'm not exactly asking for a montage but I know if it were a movie that's probably what I'd get during the time.
There's a part of me that knows I need to read the other Kim by the guy who wrote The Jungle Book but since that doesn't seem to be high on my list right now I'm going to leave off here and hope to return in the future...
July 20, 2011
It’s hard for me to say whether or not this book was a hit. On the one hand, I am disappointed by how the author pushed some important subject matter to the back burner. As I discussed above, I never did feel fully engaged in this book as a whole. However, on the other hand, 7th Sigma isn’t really deep, or thought provoking and I don’t think it’s supposed to be. It’s a fast paced ride through an interesting world. It’s immensely fun and entertaining. For readers who are looking for that kind of thing, I think 7th Sigma could be an amazing hit.
Read my full review here:
http://bookwormblues.blogspot.com/201...
Read my full review here:
http://bookwormblues.blogspot.com/201...
June 11, 2020
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. Set in a near dystopian future, metal-devouring metal “bugs” have taken over the southwest desert, now known as The Territories, a place where metal is problematic. Young runaway Kim is taken in by Sensai Monroe, a recently divorced woman setting up an aikido dojo in The Territories. While the occasional Kung Fu vibe was a little weird, the story of Kim and his adventures was interesting and kept me reading. I picked this book because the “bugs” were referred to as replicators, a term familiar to fans of the Stargate tv series. These replicators are different, more mysterious, and, perhaps, less ill-intentioned. So, sort of a sci-fi western.
October 24, 2018
This was a good enough book, just not the book I was expecting.
What do you mean?
Well, I will tell you. First, I saw a spine with Steven Gould's name on it. Being a fan of the 'Jumper' series (and movie-not embarrassed to admit), and having not read this particular novel, I was intrigued. I pull the book out and see a mechanical bug on the front and was pretty much sold right there, but I went ahead and read the jacket anyway (I don't always read the jackets of authors I enjoy). Nothing in the jacket dissuaded me from continuing my journey so I checked it out. But that is where that particular journey ended.
Most of the book has nothing to do with the bugs themselves. They are present but it is their presence that shapes the environment and the characters in that environment. Just know that they are constantly there and that you have to be eternally vigilant. But as the story moved on, it didn't really bother me as much as it did at first because the story I was given was very interesting.
Each chapter or cluster of chapters, told a mini story about these people who have to survive in the west without the use of any metal. The chapters were easy to read and enjoyable and if I take the book based on that alone, it was an upper 3-star, possibly a low 4-star book. But only when you get to the end do you realize that when you look back on the chapters as a whole book, that it is lacking an overarching story arc. There is no resolution to an overall conflict, just an interesting slice of time in one characters life. There are hints of a broader plot in the background with the evolution of the bugs but nothing concrete. If this was a movie, you would call this book the origin story with hints of the future villain being shown at the conclusion of the movie. This is probably the main reason it stays at 3-stars. I wanted more bugs and less of a western.
And what does '7th Sigma' mean?
I don't know. Either it references something very obvious that I am just oblivious to or it is just a really cool sounding name cooked up by the author because I don't think it was touched on in the book.
When closing the cover and seeing that robotic bug again, I felt like I was the victim of a bait-and-switch. I was promised $10 and instead got $5 cash and a $5 gift card to an out of town restaurant I really like.
For those that are looking for what this book promised, I would read Daniel H. Wilson's Robopacalypse and Robogenesis.
What do you mean?
Well, I will tell you. First, I saw a spine with Steven Gould's name on it. Being a fan of the 'Jumper' series (and movie-not embarrassed to admit), and having not read this particular novel, I was intrigued. I pull the book out and see a mechanical bug on the front and was pretty much sold right there, but I went ahead and read the jacket anyway (I don't always read the jackets of authors I enjoy). Nothing in the jacket dissuaded me from continuing my journey so I checked it out. But that is where that particular journey ended.
Most of the book has nothing to do with the bugs themselves. They are present but it is their presence that shapes the environment and the characters in that environment. Just know that they are constantly there and that you have to be eternally vigilant. But as the story moved on, it didn't really bother me as much as it did at first because the story I was given was very interesting.
Each chapter or cluster of chapters, told a mini story about these people who have to survive in the west without the use of any metal. The chapters were easy to read and enjoyable and if I take the book based on that alone, it was an upper 3-star, possibly a low 4-star book. But only when you get to the end do you realize that when you look back on the chapters as a whole book, that it is lacking an overarching story arc. There is no resolution to an overall conflict, just an interesting slice of time in one characters life. There are hints of a broader plot in the background with the evolution of the bugs but nothing concrete. If this was a movie, you would call this book the origin story with hints of the future villain being shown at the conclusion of the movie. This is probably the main reason it stays at 3-stars. I wanted more bugs and less of a western.
And what does '7th Sigma' mean?
I don't know. Either it references something very obvious that I am just oblivious to or it is just a really cool sounding name cooked up by the author because I don't think it was touched on in the book.
When closing the cover and seeing that robotic bug again, I felt like I was the victim of a bait-and-switch. I was promised $10 and instead got $5 cash and a $5 gift card to an out of town restaurant I really like.
For those that are looking for what this book promised, I would read Daniel H. Wilson's Robopacalypse and Robogenesis.
July 23, 2012
I really enjoyed Jumper and Wildside by Steven Gould, so I thought I would check this out. Plus, I had the pleasure of meeting him and his wife many years ago now when they came up to Faribanks, Ak for a writer's workshop. I thought both of them were nice, interesting people who came across as really caring about talking to aspiring writers.
7th Sigma didn't disappoint, it is classic juvenile sci-fi. And I mean that in the best Heinlein-esque sense. I guess these days we say "young-adult" fiction. I liked the set-up and plot. The hook at the end was foreseeable, but not horribly so. I expect a sequel.
My one peeve with the book and I guess it is a pet peeve, but why the infatuation among sci-fi writers with making Christians into villains? Eastern religions used to be exotic in most fiction, but quickly moved from du jour to blase. But I don't have an issue with main characters being any religion ( love the McKinzie's in S.M Stirling's books), I do have an issue with the laziness of setting Christian characters as straw man villains.
My 12 year old has a better understanding of Christian theology than the better part of three sci-fi authors put together. Yes, I know there have been crazy, bad and evil folks who use the Bible. Guess what, there have been crazy, evil folk of every other stripe as well.
Can't I keep my religion out of it? I could have, but since he deemed it plot worthy to not once, but twice, have the main character almost killed by unrelated groups of "Christian" lunatics, it seemed worth mentioning in my review.
I would still recommend it and will likely read a sequel if one comes out.
7th Sigma didn't disappoint, it is classic juvenile sci-fi. And I mean that in the best Heinlein-esque sense. I guess these days we say "young-adult" fiction. I liked the set-up and plot. The hook at the end was foreseeable, but not horribly so. I expect a sequel.
My one peeve with the book and I guess it is a pet peeve, but why the infatuation among sci-fi writers with making Christians into villains? Eastern religions used to be exotic in most fiction, but quickly moved from du jour to blase. But I don't have an issue with main characters being any religion ( love the McKinzie's in S.M Stirling's books), I do have an issue with the laziness of setting Christian characters as straw man villains.
My 12 year old has a better understanding of Christian theology than the better part of three sci-fi authors put together. Yes, I know there have been crazy, bad and evil folks who use the Bible. Guess what, there have been crazy, evil folk of every other stripe as well.
Can't I keep my religion out of it? I could have, but since he deemed it plot worthy to not once, but twice, have the main character almost killed by unrelated groups of "Christian" lunatics, it seemed worth mentioning in my review.
I would still recommend it and will likely read a sequel if one comes out.
August 1, 2012
Finally! A young adult book where the main character is not wrought with emotion. 7th sigma is set in a dystopian desert southwest. Bugs have taken over that area. Not just any bugs. Bugs that will eat any scrap of metal there is. There are people who have decided to live in the what is now referred to as the Territory. They have adapted to living in this barron land with these creatures. They have had to do without though. Nothing metal inside or out. Kimble is one of those people. A boy just trying to survive.
The book is pretty fast past and the characters are rich without the author being over descriptive. The book has lessons on the values of honestly and perseverance. I fell in love with Kimble. He is good roll model. I wish I had read this when I was younger. It may have given me something to strive for.
The story itself was interesting.What a fascinating concept. Once the author starts eliminating things I took for granted it really made me think and ponder about what I would do. I have a metal plate in my arm so I would not be able to live there without having it removed. Steven Gould did a good job at small scale world building. Definitely not what I was expecting. Fast enough to keep my attention. However, not too fast to where the story is lacking depth and weight. A excellent book with heart.
The book is pretty fast past and the characters are rich without the author being over descriptive. The book has lessons on the values of honestly and perseverance. I fell in love with Kimble. He is good roll model. I wish I had read this when I was younger. It may have given me something to strive for.
The story itself was interesting.What a fascinating concept. Once the author starts eliminating things I took for granted it really made me think and ponder about what I would do. I have a metal plate in my arm so I would not be able to live there without having it removed. Steven Gould did a good job at small scale world building. Definitely not what I was expecting. Fast enough to keep my attention. However, not too fast to where the story is lacking depth and weight. A excellent book with heart.
December 15, 2011
I'm a long fan of Rudyard Kipling's Kim, and this story is an open homage to that, set in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic American southwest and paying at least as much tribute to the Western genres I read so much of as a kid. It was an interesting world, and the story was fairly carefully written.
I've studied aikido for some years, so the martial arts part was well-written, but made me a bit uneasy. There is a bit of the "martial arts discipline turns people into thoughtful, well-adjusted humans" vibe here (and maybe a general romanticization of "eastern wisdom"), and I've spent enough time on the floor of various martial arts schools to know better. People will be people, good or bad, and the ones who last it out are usually the ones who have the discipline to begin with -- not the other way around.
If I have any other complaints, it's largely that the story felt a bit too "easy." I suppose the blame is partially the attempt to keep the story at least PG-13, and partly the fact that it follows Kipling's formula so closely. I'm not really sure what would have made it better, though. I'll still read the inevitable sequel when it's eventually out.
I've studied aikido for some years, so the martial arts part was well-written, but made me a bit uneasy. There is a bit of the "martial arts discipline turns people into thoughtful, well-adjusted humans" vibe here (and maybe a general romanticization of "eastern wisdom"), and I've spent enough time on the floor of various martial arts schools to know better. People will be people, good or bad, and the ones who last it out are usually the ones who have the discipline to begin with -- not the other way around.
If I have any other complaints, it's largely that the story felt a bit too "easy." I suppose the blame is partially the attempt to keep the story at least PG-13, and partly the fact that it follows Kipling's formula so closely. I'm not really sure what would have made it better, though. I'll still read the inevitable sequel when it's eventually out.
August 29, 2012
Its basically several short stories that follow Kimble (the main character)over the course of 6 or 7 years as he grows up from a runaway boy (escaping an abusive father who we never meet, he's already been living on the streets for a while when we first meet him) of about 11, while living in an area of the USA that has become kind of primitive due to metal eating bugs that cover a huge are of the country. Because of the bugs people have to do without many of todays technologies such as cars, telephones, radio and such and have to live a more primitive life (people who want to enter the area have to be without even metal fillings as it can cause the bugs to swarm and attack to get at the metal)
Kimble has several adventures while growing up, including meeting different forms of the bugs (which seem to be evolving into new shapes, like a not-dog, not-crow, not-mule as he terms them) and helping out the local law as a underage spy, all this while learning aikido with his sensei who moved to the area after a bad divorce who decides to start a dojo.
All in all a great read. I havent read the author's Jumber stories but if they are this good i'l give them a go.
Kimble has several adventures while growing up, including meeting different forms of the bugs (which seem to be evolving into new shapes, like a not-dog, not-crow, not-mule as he terms them) and helping out the local law as a underage spy, all this while learning aikido with his sensei who moved to the area after a bad divorce who decides to start a dojo.
All in all a great read. I havent read the author's Jumber stories but if they are this good i'l give them a go.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2011
I have always like Steven Gould's books. Jumper is still one of my favorites.
7th Sigma is another great story by Gould that I cannot categorize. It might fit under a Young Man's Adventure like early Heinlein novels. I highly recommend reading this book, just so he continues in the series.
7th Sigma is another great story by Gould that I cannot categorize. It might fit under a Young Man's Adventure like early Heinlein novels. I highly recommend reading this book, just so he continues in the series.
February 6, 2013
OK, the extra star is probably because I'm from NM, and enjoyed all the references (and maybe secretly want Albuquerque to be eaten by post-apocalyptic metal bugs?). Inventive and fun read.
November 27, 2025
3 stars, Metaphorosis reviews
Summary
In the territory, strange bugs eat all metal, and they'll cut right through a person to get to it. No one's sure where they came from or what they're doing. Kimble Monroe, a young boy hiding out from the law, hooks up with an aikido instructor to build a new dojo and to use his skills to go after bad guys.
Review
7th Sigma is a sequel, of sorts, to Helm – book two (I think) in Gould’s unacknowledged Ode to Aikido series. But it’s not a case of an author over-including cool material they found in their research; it’s the worse case of an author so enthused by a hobby that they insist on sharing it.
Beyond the aikido references (which thankfully tone down somewhat in the second half), this is an adventure story in search of a purpose. It’s well written, it’s engaging, it’s active, but … there’s not much actual structure to it. Instead, it’s a series of loosely connected action episodes against a faintly speculative background. That background, which gives Gould a reason to go back to a faux Wild West, never really develops, and never feels like it’s more than an excuse. It’s too bad, because elements of it are interesting.
The character aspects of the story are straightforward. A young boy grows up, becomes interested in girls, follows the path of honor and right. He succeeds in large part because of his aikido skills and because his sensei and other mystics force him to find things out for himself – while also requiring absolute obedience. Purely temporal authorities, meanwhile, can often be disregarded if the boy’s native wisdom (aided by meditation) show a better way. He invariably learns from any mistake, while his elders say, “Ah, yes. Now you know.”
All that – which you can tell got on my nerves – doesn’t mean this is entirely a bad story; it’s often fun. But it doesn’t add up to very much. While the character is quite similar to Gould’s other characters in Helm, Wildside, Jumper, etc., they’re going somewhere. Kimble, on the other hand, is just experiencing without judging (except bad guys; he judges them a lot), accepting the world for what it is. It’s about the journey, because, by and large, there is no destination.
The enigmatic title, by the way, remains enigmatic. There are one or two veiled references late in the book, but essentially title and story are unrelated. Similarly, the chapter epigraphs, quotes from Rudyard Kipling’s Kim , have little to do with the story beyond both books relating to intelligent, independent boys.
Summary
In the territory, strange bugs eat all metal, and they'll cut right through a person to get to it. No one's sure where they came from or what they're doing. Kimble Monroe, a young boy hiding out from the law, hooks up with an aikido instructor to build a new dojo and to use his skills to go after bad guys.
Review
7th Sigma is a sequel, of sorts, to Helm – book two (I think) in Gould’s unacknowledged Ode to Aikido series. But it’s not a case of an author over-including cool material they found in their research; it’s the worse case of an author so enthused by a hobby that they insist on sharing it.
Beyond the aikido references (which thankfully tone down somewhat in the second half), this is an adventure story in search of a purpose. It’s well written, it’s engaging, it’s active, but … there’s not much actual structure to it. Instead, it’s a series of loosely connected action episodes against a faintly speculative background. That background, which gives Gould a reason to go back to a faux Wild West, never really develops, and never feels like it’s more than an excuse. It’s too bad, because elements of it are interesting.
The character aspects of the story are straightforward. A young boy grows up, becomes interested in girls, follows the path of honor and right. He succeeds in large part because of his aikido skills and because his sensei and other mystics force him to find things out for himself – while also requiring absolute obedience. Purely temporal authorities, meanwhile, can often be disregarded if the boy’s native wisdom (aided by meditation) show a better way. He invariably learns from any mistake, while his elders say, “Ah, yes. Now you know.”
All that – which you can tell got on my nerves – doesn’t mean this is entirely a bad story; it’s often fun. But it doesn’t add up to very much. While the character is quite similar to Gould’s other characters in Helm, Wildside, Jumper, etc., they’re going somewhere. Kimble, on the other hand, is just experiencing without judging (except bad guys; he judges them a lot), accepting the world for what it is. It’s about the journey, because, by and large, there is no destination.
The enigmatic title, by the way, remains enigmatic. There are one or two veiled references late in the book, but essentially title and story are unrelated. Similarly, the chapter epigraphs, quotes from Rudyard Kipling’s Kim , have little to do with the story beyond both books relating to intelligent, independent boys.
dnf
July 11, 2023The cover and synopsis are the reason I picked up this book. Bugs that eat metal: what a great thought. Unfortunately, this is the last time we hear of them as we now are in the aftermath of their destruction. They barely make an appearance in the rest of the pages and instead, we're following an orphan teenager who is good at martial arts and is trying to be a spy in... the wild west? It feels like Little House on the Prairie meets Mission Impossible with no tech. The cover makes no sense, the title makes no sense and the story is too slow to have any kind of salvation from false advertising.
September 30, 2025
The Territorv is an area of SW USA (Arizona/New Mexico) that is sparselv inhabited after an unspecified nanotech catastrophe which unleashed the bugs - mechs that eat metal and create new mechs, and eat anything in the way - including people. Kimble Monroe is a teen who staved in the Territory to avoid his abusive father and is taken in by an older sensei for her doo, where he becomes an adept at aikido. The exploits of Kim become well-known and he is recruited as a spy by the local Rangers. Plotwise it's a bit thin but as an example of martial arts SF it's entertaining enough. Would have liked to learn more about the not-men but I guess Steven Gould is leaving that for another time. :)
August 23, 2017
I scanned a few other goodreads reviews of this book and was gobsmacked by the 1- and 2-star ratings. A good reminder that one man's trash is another man's treasure, I guess.
This book is almost scripture to me. I go back and read it again when I'm really down and don't know what my life is about, and it centers me. Maybe it will do that for you, or maybe it'll be entirely forgettable. I'll probably re-read it every two years or so from now until I'm dead. It *might* be my favorite book. I am so totally fine with that not being the case for other people.
This book is almost scripture to me. I go back and read it again when I'm really down and don't know what my life is about, and it centers me. Maybe it will do that for you, or maybe it'll be entirely forgettable. I'll probably re-read it every two years or so from now until I'm dead. It *might* be my favorite book. I am so totally fine with that not being the case for other people.
December 4, 2018
Would have been a five except for our indomitable hero being slightly too perfect. Don't get me wrong, I do love a perfect protagonist (c.f. "The Name of the Wind")! But a little more vulnerability would have kept me more engaged.
Although this is supposedly sci fi, it really is just a bunch of great storytelling. I really loved reading this book, and the dash of mystery sprinkled throughout was lovely.
Although this is supposedly sci fi, it really is just a bunch of great storytelling. I really loved reading this book, and the dash of mystery sprinkled throughout was lovely.
July 13, 2020
I checked this book out because I was intrigued by the idea of metal-eating insects plaguing the world, decimating our structures, and ravaging our bodies for the iron in our blood. You know, things normal people like.
What I got was a pseudo-old timey, karate kid-style coming of age story with low, clunky action and unrealistic characters.
This book isn't terrible by any means. It just isn't what it advertises itself to be.
What I got was a pseudo-old timey, karate kid-style coming of age story with low, clunky action and unrealistic characters.
This book isn't terrible by any means. It just isn't what it advertises itself to be.
March 3, 2021
I tried to like this. It's got some great solarpunk themes, and a mildly interesting premise about its world, but the whole book reads like a bunch of rather boring western serials. Great if you are into that. I'm not. The main character is underdeveloped and bland, and I just couldn't bring myself to care about any of what was happening. Gave up halfway through
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