Firstborn (Mass Market Paperback)

by Arthur C. Clarke (Author), Stephen Baxter (Author)
Key Phrases: big whack, dry ice snow, sun storm, Bob Paxton, Bisesa Dutt, John Metternes (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Though supposedly the last volume of Clarke and Baxter's Time Odyssey series (after 2005's Sunstorm), this intriguing and frustrating installment of the high-octane space opera ends with an astounding cliffhanger just as humans have begun to confront the ancient and super-powerful Firstborn, who attack any species that might become a rival. Having barely survived a Firstborn-created solar flare, Earth now must cope with a meteor bomb approaching from deep space. Tensions rise between secretive, paranoid forces on Earth and equally suspicious groups among the Spacers, whose identification with humanity's home is waning. Meanwhile, in a pocket universe created by the Firstborn for some inscrutable purpose, slices from different Terran eons nervously adjust to each other. The narrative leaps about too much to develop characters, but Clarke has never been as interested in individuals as in humanity's ability to accept change as a species. It's too early to tell whether that theme will be enough to carry the story to a coherent conclusion. (Dec.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review
Praise for Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter

Sunstorm

“Clarke and Baxter have mastered the art of saving the world in blockbuster style.”
–Entertainment Weekly

“An absolute must for science fiction fans.”
–All Things Considered

“Sure to blow your mind.”
–BookMarks

Time’s Eye

“Wonderfully entertaining . . . a story that engrosses you with its dramatized ideas about the nature of existence.”
–Chicago Tribune

“A rousing adventure.”
–The New York Times Book Review

“A fast and engaging read.”
–Rocky Mountain News



From the Hardcover edition. --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey; Reprint edition (October 28, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345491580
• ISBN-13: 978-0345491589
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #184,515 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Firstborn is far from Arthur C. Clarke's best; but still worthwhile, December 31, 2007

By	Christopher Robbins "Space and Aviation Lawyer" (Florida) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Firstborn (A Time Odyssey) (Hardcover)

Firstborn is the concluding volume in Sir Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter's Time Odyssey trilogy. The preceding two books in this science-fiction series are Time's Eye (2003) and Sunstorm (2005). Each prior novel was vivid, innovative, and compelling. I cannot say the same thing about Firstborn. The final installment is a disappointing capstone.

Without spoiling the story, Firstborn leaves us with as many questions as it answers. It lacks finality. Readers are left wanting more. Yet there is nothing more for Clarke and Baxter to give, after they seem to write themselves into a corner.

The concluding chapters of the book are increasingly ambiguous. Clarke and Baxter seem distracted by their own storyline. It becomes ever more complex as Firstborn unravels. As the end nears, Firstborn becomes tenuous and unconvincing.

This is in contrast to most of Clarke's writing over the past 60 years. I credit Clarke and author Robert Heinlein (1907-1988) as being the best at weaving science, engineering, physics, and futurism into their works of science fiction. Unfortunately, in Firstborn, the concepts Baxter and Clarke select - particularly the theoretical physics they invoke - are simply unrealistic. To the extent that any of it is credible, the writers fail to properly explain core principals. Unlike Clarke and Baxter's former works, the technology in Firstborn does not buttress the narrative. It detracts from it.

I concede that there is lengthy discussion in the book of space elevators and anti-matter rocket motors. As to the first, it is a rehash of a concept Clarke wrote about 25 years ago in The Fountains of Paradise (1979). As to the second - anti-matter rockets - the discussion of this technology is pedestrian and under-developed. Clarke and Baxter seem to know as much/little about it as some sophisticated readers know. It makes the technological application and discussion in Firstborn seem far-fetched and contrived.

Character development in Firstborn is also disappointing. There are several strong female characters. We met some of them before in Sunstorm and Time's Eye. In Firstborn, however, they are not easy to warm up to. Their demeanors, amid massive catastrophes and suffering, are measured and stiff. Certain male protagonists exhibit the opposite problem: they are caricatures and impossible to identify with. Many lesser characters are unmemorable. This is despite excellent creative opportunities which could have been leveraged in the "Mir" universe.

The writing in Firstborn simply does not compare with Clarke's past work. In other books he easily and vividly communicated joy, pain, courage, and suffering. He was at his best, for example, in Songs of Distant Earth (1986) and Childhood's End (1953), which better explore love, friendship, family and a range of human emotions in the context of a space-faring society. Firstborn falls far short of his own standards.

Please do not let this review dissuade you from reading other Arthur C. Clarke novels. He is one of my favorite writers of all time. It is in fact difficult for me to write this less-than-favorable review of Firstborn. Clarke ties Heinlein in my mind for being the best science fiction writer in history. Significantly, Clarke's vision, including early work on geostationary satellites, transcends science fiction. He is legitimately celebrated for contributions to "science fact."

It is therefore not my opinion that Firstborn is a poorly-written book; it is only lacking when compared to Clarke (and Baxter's) prior works.

J. Christopher Robbins
Aviation & Space Law Department
Robbins Equitas, P.A.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars He did better alone..., July 3, 2008

By	Timothy P. Scanlon (Hyattsville, MDUSA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Firstborn (A Time Odyssey) (Hardcover)

As a lifelong fan of Sir Arthur, I admit to having lost my taste for his work since he collaborated with others. In one of his earlier collaborations, I could easily figure out what lines Clarke wrote, into the story written, obviously, by the other.

This book just didn't...catch me! I tried, I really did. But the first in this series of three struck me as a cross between the themes of "2001: A Space Odyssey" and the old "Time Tunnel" television series. The ideas weren't engaging, and the story not really worth the time it took to read it.

This went downhill from there.

Maybe when I get some time--yeah, that's likely to occur--I'll read all three of them and, wow, I'll have an insight and change my reviews. But for now, I'm awaiting Sir Arthur's last collaboration, of which I read in his Washington Post obituary (and I've ordered but it won't be here for another month or so). And I hope to the heavens that it's better than the last few.

Rest in Peace, Arthur. I'll always remember you for your better work.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Lacking in Scope, Cohesion, and Resolution, January 7, 2008

By	Anonymous - See all my reviews

This review is from: Firstborn (A Time Odyssey) (Hardcover)

Firstborn is the continuation, and supposed, conclusion to the Time Odyssey trilogy. The book floats between several settings, including Mars, Earth, and Mir (the alternate world created in Time's Eye). This book attempts to tie in all of the previous elements of Time's Eye and Sunstorm. Once again, we follow Bisea Dutt between space and between universes, all the way back to Mir. The Firstborn are on the attack again. This time, they are lobbing a "Q bomb" at the Earth. The Q bomb will wipe out the whole of Earth, if it hits.

I can see what Clarke and Baxter were trying to accomplish with this novel. However, the ideas and writing are underdeveloped and lacking in cohesion. The novel starts out promisingly enough, with Bisea Dutt waking from suspended animation and running away from authorities. However the novel quickly loses its focus and edge by indulging in half-plots and contrived conflicts.

Much of the novel is focused on humanity's attempts to defeat the Q bomb. Without spoiling the story, the novel focuses on the conventional, government lead attempts to stop the bomb and a less conventional attempt, involving Mir.

At every step in the plot, it seems Clarke is a few pages from a great concept, chapter and book. However, he falls short - consistently. The world he initially creates is, seemingly, supposed to be more paranoid, authoritative and divided, but that is barely conveyed with the simple technical devices he creates (ex. a mandatory ident tattoo on everyone's cheek). Close to the novel's resolution, the sweeping changes in society are empty and uninspiring.

To the dismay of those who enjoyed Time's Eye, Alexander is reduced to a shell of what he could be and the Babylonian court is barely touched on. This exhibits none of the wonderful counter-factual history Time's Eye exhibited. At the same time, it does not explore any ground breaking scientific material (the Q bomb is never truly explored), nor does it give a sense of human drama as Sunstorm did.

Though it's far from out of character for Clarke, the conclusion of the book leaves another open ending and feels very unsatisfying for a true end of a trilogy. I sat puzzled and had to reread the last sentences a couple times, just to make sure I read them correctly. Sometimes needing to reread the last few sentences of a book is very satisfying, but this was not the case for Firstborn.

Lastly, in terms of the trilogy as a whole, I thoroughly enjoyed the first two installments in the series. Yet, when taken holistically with this last installment, I can't help but think there could have been a better job done of interwoven story lines, resolution and character development throughout the trilogy itself. The first two novels were excellent on their own merits, but this third installment seems as though it's trying to weave together two incompatible stories.

If you've read the two previous novels, I'd still recommend you read Firstborn, but don't get your hopes up, and wait for the paperback.