tivasyk reviewed The Cosmic Computer by H. Beam Piper
Review of 'The Cosmic Computer' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
не вразило: навіть класична фантастика бува цікавіша.
mass market paperback, 249 pages
Published April 26, 1977 by Ace Books.
The Cosmic Computer
3 stars
(8 reviews)
A planet which has suffered from economic depression since the unexpected end of the galactic war have pinned all of their hopes on finding a super-computer called Merlin, which they believe will show them how to fix everything and become prosperous again. Only Conn Maxwell isn't convinced that Merlin even exists. All he wants is to buy or build a ship to get the planet's goods to market. But what if he can get people to help him find a ship by telling them he's looking for Merlin? And what if along the way he finds out that Merlin might just be real after all?
Stuart Woodward reviewed The Cosmic Computer by H. Beam Piper
Review of 'The Cosmic Computer' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
I chose to read this book because of one reason and one reason only. I read that this book was an inspiration for the game science fiction RPG Traveller and I was not disappointed. The universe that it describes is very obviously similar to the Traveller universe which is clearly derived from it.
I did like the story and the topic is still relevant. The protagonists are in search of an AI computer that was abandoned 40 years previously during a period of war. No one knows if the computer is real or not or whether this it just a legend and the computer gains almost mystical status.
I got the impression that the computer Deep Thought in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy could have been inspired by the computer in this novel. You could imagine if it was so clever then someone might ask it what is the …
I chose to read this book because of one reason and one reason only. I read that this book was an inspiration for the game science fiction RPG Traveller and I was not disappointed. The universe that it describes is very obviously similar to the Traveller universe which is clearly derived from it.
I did like the story and the topic is still relevant. The protagonists are in search of an AI computer that was abandoned 40 years previously during a period of war. No one knows if the computer is real or not or whether this it just a legend and the computer gains almost mystical status.
I got the impression that the computer Deep Thought in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy could have been inspired by the computer in this novel. You could imagine if it was so clever then someone might ask it what is the meaning of life the universe and everything is.
This genre of science fiction forms the background for Star Trek and Star Wars though we clearly live in a more high tech computer age than the author could imagine.
