Customer Reviews

Infinity Beach

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Infinity Beach takes the reader on an exciting ride. Top-notch adventure, strong characters, a gripping mystery, burnished prose, and good science--this book has it all.

Twenty-seven years prior to the opening of the main story, four interstellar explorers in search of extraterrestrial life unexpectedly return home early from a mission. Two of the four disappear, and a third is killed in an explosion that devastates a mountain on their home world. The fourth team member, the starship captain, never flies again and eventually dies in a planetary rescue mission far from his home. Although the authorities suspect foul play in the explosion, they have neither proof nor motive, and never solve the case.

What happened? And why?

This mystery forms the centerpiece of Infinity Beach. The main character, Doctor Kim Brandywine, is the younger sister to one of the missing explorers. A relative of the other vanished explorer convinces Kim to conduct her own investigation into what happened twenty-seven years ago.

Much of the action takes place on the terraformed planet of Greenway. Machines care for the needs of its human settlers, most everyone has a healthy youth and extended lives, and almost no crime exists. However, rumors of strange ghostly phenomena run wild in the region of the explosion. No one has proof and the stories are dismissed--at least officially.

Kim is drawn into a puzzle that becomes ever more complex, involving incidents that happened far from Greenway, in interstellar space. McDevitt develops the mystery beautifully, introducing one clue here, another there, tantalizing the reader with bits and pieces of the puzzle. He draws in the players one by one, giving them intriguing personalities without resorting to cliches. By weaving this refreshing mix of characters in and among the clues, he makes the puzzle even more riveting.

Infinity Beach showcases world building at its best. McDevitt constructs a believable society. He layers in the science with expertise, using a light touch that remains unobtrusive. The world, Greenway, it well described in all its quirks. Parts of the story take place in space, near a star in the belt of Orion. McDevitt creates the milieu well, successfully evoking a sense of incomparable beauty out among the stars.

The clean, polished prose in this book flows well, and the characterization pleases. Kim is particularly strong; she comes across as self-confident, skilled, and likable, yet at the same time she is no paragon. She stumbles, then pulls herself up and continues on. McDevitt writes with understanding and compassion for his characters, making their tragedies and triumphs all the more poignant.

The most compelling subplot involves Kim's relationship with Solly, or Solomon Hobbs, a starship captain. Solly thoroughly charms and for the most part plays an excellent role in the story. I did very much wish that this subplot had a different conclusion, however. The reason I had such a strong reaction, of course, is because McDevitt writes human interactions with such a wonderfully appealing touch.

Infinity Beach is an engrossing science fiction mystery. In addition to telling a great story, it offers the reader thoughtful questions about what it means for humanity to mature rather than stagnate as a species. McDevitt has served up another exciting, literate yarn.

Sometime in the future... Earth's population spread out to nine planets, thanks to faster-than-light starships. It is the year 600 on Earth's colony planet Greenway, and scientist Kim Brandywine gets a phonecall from her former history teacher, bringing back the past to her. Three decades ago, Kim's clone sister vanished after a failed mission to find extraterrestrial life. But did the mission really fail?
These prerequisites are at the start of McDevitt's excellent novel which is a hybrid of different styles: hard SF, first contact but mostly a classic detective story. It's been ages since I read a SF novel where the author builds up so much suspense that you have a hard time putting the book down. The hard SF elements give the book a nicely futuristic atmosphere, but even people who are more into generic mystery literature will be able to get a kick out of this book.
McDevitt has the rare ability of combining a concise vision of the future with a remarkably accessible writing style. The positive message the book leaves at the end makes `Infinity Beach' a one-of-a-kind book that deserves to be read by a multitude of people.

I found the first half of this to be a very engaging mystery, though one having little to do with science fiction. Had the prologue not been there, I'd have thought I was reading a suspense thriller that was set in a bland society somewhere, and an effective thriller at that. It pulled me right along until we started getting answers.

The answers, frankly, were clunkers. Sure, they explained things, but the explanation was basically that everyone involved was an idiot with the brains of a five year old, and not a smart five year old. It was like watching an accident about to happen on a playground because everyone wanted to get on one particular swing. I winced at reading this. I suppose it's not unlikely that there be idiots in space, but why write about them? This dropped the book to a 3 out of 5 for me.

I'd like to address other readers' complaints about the blandness of the world, and the characters in general. First, the blandness was planned. It's clear that McDevitt, from the book and comments elsewhere, intends this book to show that we need to stretch our horizons. It's what the title means. Humans aren't meant to stick close to the beach. We'll always believe that there's something out there that we'll find if only we search hard enough. It's a major theme of this novel. The bland society that had developed on this planet made that instinct awaken among some of those living there to reach out and search.

Second, concerning character development. Only one character was really explored in depth, and that was the heroine Kim. The story is told from her point of view. She was a passable female (as a female I think I'm qualified to judge), and Mcdevitt made far more of an attempt than most sf writers to write from a female perspective. He's not Charles deLint, but he doesn't need to be. Some of the other characters that he sketches through her eyes are sharp and clear, like Solly and Ben. McDevitt did a good job of getting across who they were without wasting a lot of time on it.

It's not a bad book technically. But the people in it just had brain disconnect, including the unrepentant, selfish heroine whom I wanted to kick at several points along the way. Romance readers have an acronym, TSTL, Too Stupid To Live, to note characters whose actions that fly in the face of logic. There were an awful lot of TSTL ones in this book, and frankly I wish it had been about ones who were a little brighter.

Three quarters of the way through this one I was convinced it was destined for a three ("my better than a poke in the eye" category.) However, the last fourth was superb, leading it overall into the "really good read" area.

We open with the starship "Hunter" and two of it's crew obviously doing battle with a extraterestrial. There's just no doubt about what or when this is occuring. The author then warps us ahead a few decades to a time when humanity has finally given up ever making contact with another intelligent species in this galaxy or any other. Having explored a vast amount of the local space, colonizing nine worlds, and finding no evidence at all of another species, the human race has begun to turn to introspection and some say, decay. It is here we find Kim, our brave tenatious protagonist, who at the bequest of her college mentor begins a search for "the truth." Her old professor insists "there is something in the forrest of Severin" near the last known location of most of the Hunter's crew; among who was her sister that never returned from it's final mission to find extraterrestrial intelligence. Three of the crew disappeared or died mysteriously soon after. The lone survivor perishing a few years later in an act of heroism. This forrest exploration by Kim begins her step by step methodical approach to finding the answer of what really happened to Hunter and her sister.

The problem with this bit, is that it is written with too much attention to the methodical and logical (as fascinating as it is.) There is just not enough attention to character development. Along the way we have love, a bit of juvenile sex, and a heroic act that really few readers will waste any emotion on. A solid three.

The rest, well it must be taken in by you the reader. Just remember what I say, it definately pulls the book into a really really good read. Enjoy!

McDevitt is a master of creating a mystery of cosmological proportions. When he is on, as for "Engines of God", the result is a poignant expoloration of the human condition within the context of the universe.

Unfortunately, Infinity Beach falls quite short of these expectations. The beginning is wonderful, but then the execution of the idea fails. Character development is pedantic, and more time is spent on the actual footwork of solving the mystery, rather than developing the main theme of the novel.

In short, the characters were un-memorable and it was a struggle to finish the book. If you want to experience the author at his best, my opinion is that you should read Engines of God.

This is easily one of the best books I've read so far this year... Although the beginning was a bit confusing (maybe just because I was tired), it quickly turned out to be one of those books you just can't stop reading... The character development was excellent, and the plot just wouldn't stop twisting... Overall, a perfect blend of sci-fi and mystery...

This is my first time reading Jack McDevitt. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised by the way he mixed in murder and intrigue, science fiction, and even a ghost story. The plot twisted and turned enough to engage even the most jaded reader who has experienced every recycled plot in the known universe. It's difficult to write in any of these genres, but McDevitt melds them together so seamlessly that you don't realize how cleverly he's lured you in.

I enjoyed all his alien vistas and there seemed to be a good dollop of hard facts behind his fiction. Alnitak and the Horsehead Nebula are real and he painted them in such spectacular starshine that they glittered from the pages like diamonds. Yes, McDevitt is that good. My only complaint, and it's a minor one, are his characters. They take a back seat to his plot, which pilots everything. Kim Brandywine is a thinly contrived female character who seems to wander aimlessly from one situtation to another. She is put on the scent of the Hunter by her former professor, and one wonders why she waited so long to investigate her sister's disappearance. If, like her society, she was growing complacent, then what was it about him that made her jump into action? After that, she transforms into this impulsive creature who sees nothing wrong with breaking the law to get at the truth.

So, while the characters are not especially memorable or even all that likable, this is still a damned good read from a fine writer.

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Infinity Beach stands out for its polished, adult prose, and for its
complex, conflicted characters, muddling through life. McDevitt's
writing is clean and mature. The plot is twisty, genre-bending,
romantic, recomplicated. Experienced readers will have seen all of his
plot-elements before, but McDevitt plants enough red herrings to keep
you guessing (me, anyway). This is a world-class novelist writing at the
height of his powers. A Nebula award nominee, and not to be missed.

Infinity Beach features some of the creepiest aliens since, well, "Alien".
At least three times, I felt the hair rise up on the back of my neck.... it's
been awhile since that's happened. I liked this book a lot. A definite
keeper.

"Jack McDevitt is that splendid rarity, a writer who is a
storyteller first and a science fiction writer second... If you've
never read McDevitt before, you couldn't find a better book to
start with than Infinity Beach, a nail-biting neo-Gothic tale that
blends mystery, horror, and a fascinating look at how first contact
with an utterly alien species might happen. I simply couldn't put
it down - I was up until long past midnight and loving every minute
of it. Kim Brandywine is one of McDevitt's most engaging
characters, both real and appealing. Snatch this baby up, all
right? You're going to love it even if you think you don't like
science fiction. You might even want to drop me a thank-you note
for the tip before racing out to your local bookstore to pick up
the Jack McDevitt backlist."
-- Stephen King, at McDevitt's website.

Happy reading!
Pete Tillman

The fascinating premise of INFINITY BEACH gets lost in too many pages of irrelevant activities and ponderous, repetitive conversations and reflections. By "irrelevant activities," I mean ones such as lunches and errands that neither advance the plot nor develop the characters. What a pity, because if this were a lean, fast paced novel, it would rank very highly.

Do publishers sometimes push the writers to pad their novels to make the books feel heavy and therefore "worth the money"? This particular novel has at least 150 completely unnecessary pages, perhaps as many as 200! But Mr. McDevitt is not alone; this seems to be happening throughout the genre. DARWIN'S RADIO is another example that comes to mind.

Compare INFINITY BEACH to a novel such as FALLING FREE, by L.M. Bujold. (Ok, maybe unfair, because that is the kind of novel that comes around only once a decade or so.) Ms. Bujold is able to build a very realistic habitat, develop solid, memorable characters, and tell a complete story in 320 pages. More pages don't make for better world-building, and going over and over the same ideas doesn't make them more profound. Nor does adding one or two more characters nearly every chapter right up until the end result in a satisfying complexity.

Another example of getting it done without padding would be CAMOUFLAGE, a relatively lean book with a much weaker premise. Despite its flaws, CAMOUFLAGE sails along, giving us a fun read and a bang for our bucks. (Again, I'm comparing to a Nebula winner, so this might also be unfair.)

I admire Mr. McDevitt's imagination and writing skills. But I don't understand how he could type so many extraneous passages that he buries his plot and characters. Why didn't his editor call him on this?

No, I'm not saying a thick book can't be great. DUNE is great. THE MOTE IN GOD'S EYE is great. A FIRE UPON THE DEEP is great. Add many more to this list.

But what do I know? The fat books sell--just ask Stephen King! I'm just a reader asking questions. I hope I didn't come off sounding like an arrogant, cranky critic.

Infinity Beach is a really, really interesting book. McDevitt has successfully melded a mystery, a love story, and some very good social and sci-fi commentary in a way that is both surprising and rewarding.

The first half of the book sets up the mystery. The main character, Kimberly Brandywine, becomes increasingly involved with the 25 year old disappearance of her sister, Emily. Emily had gone on one of the few interstellar missions at that time still looking for first contact. The mission had returned early and unsuccessfully because of engine trouble. Emily ended up missing just a few days later after a still-unexplained explosion ripped the side of a mountain off, decimating the city she was visiting.

There are considerable overtones of possible first contact in this part of the story. But McDevitt lets us chew quite a while on the possibility that life on earth might be unique; a question not often considered in this genre. McDevitt does not stress this question overly much. Instead, he spends significant time inspecting the societal impact on humans in a future where, after considerable effort, no contact has been made with any type of lifeform other than from earth. Every world humans have visited have so far proved completely sterile.

In Infinity Beach, humans have given up on finding other life, at least within their lifespan. The society he describes has slowly relaxed into a world of virtual pleasures and work-free luxury.

The only negative I had with Infinity Beach was that at this point, about mid-book, the story has slowed down quite a bit; if you feel like quitting here, keep going (it will be worth it!)!

The second half of the book builds the suspense as Kim gets closer to answers. A love story and more scifi elements get involved when she follows the path of Emily's last voyage. Quite a ways from the end of the book, McDevitt starts providing some answers to the mystery and all its threads. These last hundred pages produce a number of great plot twists, and are fun (in a couple different ways) and depressing (in a couple other ways!) all at the same time.

Infinity Beach is one of those rare books that does not just "stop" on you. The conclusion to the story winds down at a very nice pace, giving plenty of time for the reader to consider the consequences of the characters actions, evaluate the state of the human race, tie-up various hanging threads in the story line, and to "detach" from the story. The slow buildup at the beginning of the book seemed finally worthwhile, as the end reciprocated in a similar and very rewarding fashion.

Infinity Beach is a great sci-fi book, with a lot of elements and pacing that are rare in the genre. Highly recommended.