I should start off by saying I have a real soft spot for the Big Dumb Object section of the sci fi bookshelf. I’ve happily lost myself exploring the wonders found in Clarke’s “Rendezvous With Rama” and Bear’s “Eon,” where the dramatic tension is all “let’s see what’s around this next (really big) corner”.But “Bowl of Heaven” just didn’t do it for me. Sure the BDO IS impressive but the characters are either barely drawn out, or, in the case of the few that are, not very compelling. The action sequences are sapped of drama by being retold by more than one viewpoint and the sense of wonder basically goes away once the book turns into a glorified episode of “Survivor”. Worst of all, the book just ends, with no real resolution and the promise of a sequel (or, to put it more correctly, second half of the story), that I’m not even sure I even care enough to read. Felt like "Ringworld" meets "Rendezvous with Rama" but with very little of the wonder that made those classics. If you haven't read them, this might be a much more interesting read for you. Interesting mostly for the hard sci-fi concepts/thought experiments it puts out there, less so for the character interaction or plot action. I didn't find the world the authors have created to be super engaging, but I kept reading hoping that I would get swept up in it. I never really did, though. Biggest problem: this book sets several grand arcs in motion but ends abruptly with zero resolution of any plot threads. Most promising: the authors clearly have some good twists up their sleeves, but are holding on to them for the next book (presumably).
What do You think about Himmelsjäger: Roman (2013)?
Niven always builds intriguing worlds based on scientific theory, first in a series.
—k5survives
Interesting idea but the prose is not very good.
—Vic
