Eternity [Mass Market Paperback]

Greg Bear (Author)

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Aspect (November 30, 1993)
• ASIN: B001MW0L04
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Greg Bear is the author of more than thirty books, spanning thrillers, science fiction, and fantasy, including Blood Music, Eon, The Forge of God, Darwin's Radio, City at the End of Time, and Hull Zero Three. His books have won numerous international prizes, have been translated into more than twenty-two languages, and have sold millions of copies worldwide. Over the last twenty-eight years, he has also served as a consultant for NASA, the U.S. Army, the State Department, the International Food Protection Association, and Homeland Security on matters ranging from privatizing space to food safety, the frontiers of microbiology and genetics, and biological security.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eternity is in the great tradition of Asimove and Arthur C., April 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Eternity (Mass Market Paperback)

Eternity is one of those rare examples of contemporary science fiction that sustains interest as both a story and as science fiction. Its ancestors include the best works by Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke. If you wander through the science fiction section of most book stores,an avalanche of second rate works penned under the inspiration of television or movie sequels dominates the racks. Bear's Eternity is a superb antidote to the latest Trekkie or Star Wars drivel. The story commands your interest from start to finish and raises the same kind of profound questions Clarke addressed in Childhood's End. When an author dares to be profound or ask ultimate questions in science fiction, he or she must be good or the effect is ludicrous, painful, and pathetic. Bear's work is insightful, compelling, and great fun.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not as mind-blowing as Eon, but a pretty good trip nontheless, March 6, 2010

By 

Moxie "Moxie" (Ceti Alpha V) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eternity (Mass Market Paperback)

I enjoyed this deep trip into The Way. I enjoyed how Bear explored the ramifications of The Way's existence and how mundane humans and future humans deal with it. It didn't have the same awe factor as Eon, though. This is probably because we've already been spoiled to the big reveal, about the nature of The Stone, The Way and the people aboard it. It was fresh when I first read it. My take may also be tempered by the fact that I first read Eon in high school and I didn't come to read Eternity until 15+ years later.

In any case, I did enjoy it. Bear spends more time exploring the characters he introduced in Eon, which was very welcome. His first foray with these characters was a little flat, but Eternity makes up for it by giving them dimensions and nuances.

If you read Eon, you should definitely read Eternity.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Eternity disapoints after Eon - but still a good read., May 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Eternity (Mass Market Paperback)

After reading Eon, I could not wait to get my hands on the follow-up.. . and in some ways "Eternity" came through better than I hoped.

There are some really clever twists and plot threads in this novel, but in the end it fades away rather than fulfilling the promise of the first book. There is also some great writing through the first two thirds of this book, but you may feel the last third leaves you wanting more. Great ideas abound in this novel, but they never seem to reach the climax the reader anticipates.

There is plenty of room for yet another sequel, but the story seems to work hard to quickly tie up any loose ends, just in case Greg Bear decides not to go beyond Eternity. If you liked Eon, read this novel, but be prepared a different intensity level.