Pentapod reviewed Seveneves (free Sampler) by Neal Stephenson
Review of 'Seveneves (free Sampler)' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
If you like astronomy and astronautic adventures in GREAT detail then you'll probably love this one. The moon is suddenly destroyed by a force nobody can ever confirm; possibly a small black hole, but the entire book is about the aftermath. Three sections: the event, and figuring out what it means for earth to suddenly have an asteroid belt instead of a moon; then post-figuring that out, preparing for some fairly serious effects; and then several thousand years in the future, looking back.
There was definitely an interesting story in here. Some good characters and some great details and clearly a lot of research. However, at least half of it could have been cut, and the third section felt a little like a long afterword; it might have been better as an entirely separate sequel with a bit more weight of its own.
I looked up the review I wrote …
If you like astronomy and astronautic adventures in GREAT detail then you'll probably love this one. The moon is suddenly destroyed by a force nobody can ever confirm; possibly a small black hole, but the entire book is about the aftermath. Three sections: the event, and figuring out what it means for earth to suddenly have an asteroid belt instead of a moon; then post-figuring that out, preparing for some fairly serious effects; and then several thousand years in the future, looking back.
There was definitely an interesting story in here. Some good characters and some great details and clearly a lot of research. However, at least half of it could have been cut, and the third section felt a little like a long afterword; it might have been better as an entirely separate sequel with a bit more weight of its own.
I looked up the review I wrote for Reamde and it 100% applies to this one too: "The book was lengthy at almost 1000 pages, and could easily have been cut in half without losing substance. It left me suspecting that Stephenson has reached a point in his reputation at which editors are now afraid to tell him to be more concise for god's sake, so he just rambles on and on when he really shouldn't."
