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I really hate it when I lose reviews. Okay, take two.
I was just reminiscing on my younger self's condemnation (or at least his valid annoyances at the plot holes and some of the straight story elements), or the fact that I was trying to compare this classic SF work with other classic SF works that I was making my way through at the time and comparing them unfavorably because I wanted a lot more of the psychedelic naked singularity stuff and aliens, not just a long-winded optimistic synthesis of science, religion, politics, and philosophy.
But now, after having read a lot of so-so average SF, I can easily bump this one up because it balances everything on a good tightrope, including the story elements and the characterizations...
And I'm gonna face it... I'm SERIOUSLY in need of good science and heavy optimism and reconciliations between disparate camps of philosophies.
Whoa... was this novel exactly what the doctor ordered, or what?
I rocked to all the good science. I jammed to the intelligent discussions, whether they were religious, political, or even the ethics of science. Of course, the novel is about aliens and whether or not we're grown up, too, but that's all part of the big package, and what a huge package!
Sagan is rightly considered a god. :) I'm not alone in thinking he should have been writing tons more novels, either, and not just this single masterwork.
So if I ever get the chance to travel back in time and slap around my younger self, I'll do it joyfully. Sure, the novel has a few plot and element faults, but overall, I'm rather amazed that so much was able to come out of the text. As a whole, the book itself is a synthesis, and not only its message.
Oh, and other than that, I've seen the movie like a 10x24 times, as if each iteration was a point in pi, so it was also fun as hell picking out all the divergences between the book and the movie. I was always pretty amazed that not only the spirit was intact, but so was most of the pieces.
Sure, she wasn't alone on her little trip in the book, but both ways were pretty great. Want visual? Or do you want extrapolation and discussion and theory? Pick one. Watch or Read. :) Good, either way. :)
I can enthusiastically recommend this novel to anyone. :)
I was just reminiscing on my younger self's condemnation (or at least his valid annoyances at the plot holes and some of the straight story elements), or the fact that I was trying to compare this classic SF work with other classic SF works that I was making my way through at the time and comparing them unfavorably because I wanted a lot more of the psychedelic naked singularity stuff and aliens, not just a long-winded optimistic synthesis of science, religion, politics, and philosophy.
But now, after having read a lot of so-so average SF, I can easily bump this one up because it balances everything on a good tightrope, including the story elements and the characterizations...
And I'm gonna face it... I'm SERIOUSLY in need of good science and heavy optimism and reconciliations between disparate camps of philosophies.
Whoa... was this novel exactly what the doctor ordered, or what?
I rocked to all the good science. I jammed to the intelligent discussions, whether they were religious, political, or even the ethics of science. Of course, the novel is about aliens and whether or not we're grown up, too, but that's all part of the big package, and what a huge package!
Sagan is rightly considered a god. :) I'm not alone in thinking he should have been writing tons more novels, either, and not just this single masterwork.
So if I ever get the chance to travel back in time and slap around my younger self, I'll do it joyfully. Sure, the novel has a few plot and element faults, but overall, I'm rather amazed that so much was able to come out of the text. As a whole, the book itself is a synthesis, and not only its message.
Oh, and other than that, I've seen the movie like a 10x24 times, as if each iteration was a point in pi, so it was also fun as hell picking out all the divergences between the book and the movie. I was always pretty amazed that not only the spirit was intact, but so was most of the pieces.
Sure, she wasn't alone on her little trip in the book, but both ways were pretty great. Want visual? Or do you want extrapolation and discussion and theory? Pick one. Watch or Read. :) Good, either way. :)
I can enthusiastically recommend this novel to anyone. :)
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Reading Progress
March 26, 2013
– Shelved
March 27, 2013
– Shelved as:
sci-fi
July 28, 2016
–
Started Reading
July 29, 2016
–
Finished Reading
December 31, 2016
– Shelved as:
2016-shelf
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Paul
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Jul 29, 2016 02:32PM
Another great review, Brad. This is another one I need to re-read...
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I have the movie and seen it many times (if we are indeed talking about the one with Jodie Foster). So maybe I need to read this some time.
The Jodie Foster movie is the adaptation of this novel. I enjoyed the movie, too.
Yeah, it's pretty classic and yeah it's adapted from this novel. Is the novel better? Yes. :)
I'm always torn between the novel and the movie. I lost my Dad three years ago so the movie makes me ridiculously weepy but the novel is so much more satisfying to read. Personally, I'm going to re-read it :(
Probably a smart move to read if you want to avoid all the weepy. I get it.
It was one of the first science fiction movies I ever watched and I loved it (still do). In fact, I might watch it tomorrow.
Great review. One of those exceptions that I liked the movie too, actually very much.
great review of a great book
*sigh* Am I the only one who hasn't read the book?!
Well, there IS a solution to your problem. :)
And where the hell do I get the time for this solution??? I don't even know if I get to keep the promise I made myself of finishing KD today so I can read Heinlein tomorrow!
lol do it when you have time. :) No one is judging you. :) It took me almost 18 years to do a re-read. :)
*sigh* Maybe I should have gotten the audiobook file for the Heinlein book, then I could do it while typing here.
Trish wrote: "Too late now."take the book to work...if anyone asks you what you're doing..batter them with the bratwurst...may as well be PAID to read
*shakes head while laughing*You're obsessed with the Bratwurst.
I have the audiobook in the meantime and plan on finishing it today. But that might not be possible since we had an immense storm last night, with lots of destruction all around that needs to get cleaned up first. :/
Although ... maybe that is the perfect scenery for listening to the audio.
Trish wrote: "*shakes head while laughing*You're obsessed with the Bratwurst.
I have the audiobook in the meantime and plan on finishing it today. But that might not be possible since we had an immense storm l..."
huh....ok must have been a hell of a storm
It was. :( Usually I love falling asleep to the sound of thunder and rain but this was so extreme that I kept jerking awake although I was REALLY tired (it was 4 in the morning). And the sound of lightining bolts striking houses wasn't better (we had 2 fires in the vicinity).
Trish wrote: "It was. :( Usually I love falling asleep to the sound of thunder and rain but this was so extreme that I kept jerking awake although I was REALLY tired (it was 4 in the morning). And the sound of l..."huh thats one hell of a storm....
Yup. The wailing of the sirens is already getting on my nerves (headache).
Brad wrote: "; ;"Is my brain supposed to know what that means? *yawns*
falling tears like summer rain
Well, there was much more rain here last night, I can tell you that.
Trish wrote: "Well, there was much more rain here last night, I can tell you that."the only reason my tears are falling like summer rain is because Trish is traumatizing me. I'm elderly and VERY fragile :(*
Sud666 wrote: "Trish wrote: "Well, there was much more rain here last night, I can tell you that."the only reason my tears are falling like summer rain is because Trish is traumatizing me. I'm elderly and VERY ..."
I made him cry! Yes! *victory dance*
Trish wrote: "Sud666 wrote: "Trish wrote: "Well, there was much more rain here last night, I can tell you that."the only reason my tears are falling like summer rain is because Trish is traumatizing me. I'm el..."
it's not very hard since I'm known to be tremendously sensitive
*snorts**gets apple juice all over laptop*
Yeah, right.
Trish wrote: "*snorts**gets apple juice all over laptop*
Yeah, right."
I'm like a teenage girl-I cry at the drop of a hat. In fact I'm crying now. Copiously.
Sud666 wrote: "I'm like a teenage girl-I cry at the drop of a hat. In fact I'm crying now. Copiously."Oh boy, I think there might have been a mix-up in what was in your joint!
Trish wrote: "Sud666 wrote: "I'm like a teenage girl-I cry at the drop of a hat. In fact I'm crying now. Copiously."Oh boy, I think there might have been a mix-up in what was in your joint!"
*lol* No that only happens if I cough a lot :) Now I am no longer crying..eating a Turkey BLT and sipping on a Guiness at Ye Olde Tavern..and then will migrate to the commons- people watch and smoke...then head home ..I know rough day
Sud666 wrote: "*lol* No that only happens if I cough a lot :) Now I am no longer crying..eating a Turkey BLT and sipping on a Guiness at Ye Olde Tavern..and then will migrate to the commons- people watch and smoke...then head home ..I know rough day "Oh yes, totally rough.
I had a lovely dinner (which is why it took me so long to answer to your and Paul's comments) and am now listening to the first history / time travel books.
That bar has a commens? Sounds really cool!
Trish wrote: "Sud666 wrote: "*lol* No that only happens if I cough a lot :) Now I am no longer crying..eating a Turkey BLT and sipping on a Guiness at Ye Olde Tavern..and then will migrate to the commons- people..."no..well yes....it has a patio and a back patio..but the commons are in the center of town close to the comic store....it has a bunch of random stores (art gallary, a glass piece shop, a pizza place, some weird psychic place) and the front has trees, flowers and a place to sit....it's nice..there were a lot of people out as I walked by-ok a "lot" here means like 8....but still that's a lot
*lol* 8 is a lot?! I like this place more and more!
Trish wrote: "*lol* 8 is a lot?! I like this place more and more!"it's hot out-so many of the college kids aren't outside yet....it's 2pm on a mon-I figure most people are at work..so yeah 8 is a lot-this isn't a large town...the "center" isn't big- you could walk the whole commercial part of town in about 15 mins -the rest is residential and then it goes into the Park....
Sud666 wrote: "Trish wrote: "*lol* 8 is a lot?! I like this place more and more!"it's hot out-so many of the college kids aren't outside yet....it's 2pm on a mon-I figure most people are at work..so yeah 8 is a..."
So it's about as big as my city centre (although mine is bigger than where you live and has less nature).
Trish wrote: "Sud666 wrote: "Trish wrote: "*lol* 8 is a lot?! I like this place more and more!"it's hot out-so many of the college kids aren't outside yet....it's 2pm on a mon-I figure most people are at work...."
whats your population? for the entire town I mean
Paul wrote: "One."what the? one?!!
Unless you include the stupid people.
Paul wrote: "Unless you include the stupid people."oh..*lol* no I don't..they don't count
Sud666 wrote: "whats your population? for the entire town I mean"40.000 - 45.000
Paul wrote: "One."
If they keep getting on my nerves, could happen actually.
I'm sorry you lost a review - but glad to read this one.(I lost one a couple of weeks ago, but I don't know which it is, and the only way to work it out will be to trawl through 599 titles here and compare them with my backup, which I don't really want to do.)
