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229 of 239 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A great story and not as racist as has been claimed, October 18, 2001
There have been so many reviews accusing this book of being racist that I guess I'll have to address that issue before I can even talk about my opinion of the book. What a lot of people don't seem to realize these days is that there's a differnce between portraying racism (e.g. in a novel) and actually supporting racism. In my opinion Niven and Pournelle weren't trying to stereotype blacks or make any kind of political statement, they were simply depicting something that could likely take place. It's not all that far fetched to believe that an inner city LA gang of African-Americans would band together after an apocalypse and might hook up with a radical fanaticist army promising them power, plenty to eat, and no racial barriers. And they weren't the only ones doing this. As I remember, they weren't even the ones who started the cannibalism. That was an army platoon mainly composed of white guys who did that, and forced everyone else to come on board or else starve or be killed. As I see it Niven and Pournelle gave a fairly accurate depiction of race relations as they stood in 1970. If I thought they were deliberately targeting one group or another and trying to negatively stereotype them, I could just as easily complain that this book is biased against Christians since it displayed the leader of the cannibals as an insane preacher. But I don't complain because I know they weren't trying to take potshots at Christianity, they were merely portraying what could happen, same as they were portraying what could happen to an inner city gang after the end of the world. That being said. I do think that this book was one of the best end of the world stories I have read yet. It is riveting and you won't be able to put it down after the Hammer actually falls. In these kinds of stories I always like best the parts about what kind of society would develop after the apocalypse, and I thought this portrayal was very accurate. The cannibalism (far from being a racist device against blacks) is probably an accurate picture of what some people will be forced to when all the food is wiped out. And the new feudal system which quickly develops is almost certainly the way things would have to be structured for survival and protection, in the early days at least. I would give one warning. The book is not at all interesting until about 100 to 150 pages into it. It moves very, very slowly at first as the authors introduce each of numerous character in depth. You will probably need to use the character list in the front of the book just to keep everyone straight at first. I almost gave up on the book at first, but trust me, every character is important and will figure into the story at some later point. This can be a clue to the plot if, when you're being introduced to a character in the beginning, you think about how they might figure in later. At any rate, the action greatly picks up and doesn't let up from the moment the comet hits till the end of the book. If you're a fan of apocalyptic fiction this is a must read. It's a classic in the genre on the same level as "On the Beach" or "A Canticle for Liebowitz".
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167 of 173 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A brilliant tale of desperation and hope. What a book!, January 19, 2001
I just finished "Lucifer's Hammer," and, well, I'm impressed! Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle have done a wonderful job in weaving a tale of excitement, fear, devastation, fear, desperation, and hope. This is 5-star sci-fi all the way! If all you read is the first 100 pages, however, you probably won't agree with that. You see, the first part of the book is a bit slow in getting moving, but that's because the authors introduce a whole string of characters that interact with one another as the story and the action unfolds. And once the action starts, it doesn't stop. In fact, it makes you want to store some food, some water, some other things...and get ready for what COULD happen. As I started reading this book I thought to myself, this book has many similarities with the movie "Deep Impact." Was I ever wrong with that assumption! This book goes way beyond "Deep Impact." It goes beyond it in that this book is not so much about events surrounding a comet-earth collision as it is about the aftermath, and how people do or do not cope with that kind of calamity. Imagine this...world-wide cataclysmic events wipe out the major governments on the planet -- national, state, and local governments collapse, and people are left to fend for themselves. What will they do for food, shelter, personal safety, information, etc.? It's a whole new ballgame out there! The kinds of challenges described in the book bring out the best in some people, the worst in others, and trapped in the middle of everything that's happening are the characters you'll come to know quite well. The characters are, for the most part, believable, the plot development is rivetting, and the conclusion is satisfying. Do good guys always finish first? Do they even survive? Read "Lucifer's Hammer" and find out -- if you dare... The authors really did their homework on this one. 5+ stars all the way for feasible, believable sci-fi. Good luck out there... Alan Holyoak
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65 of 66 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Time to say goodnight ..., May 5, 2006
Stephen King's 'The Stand' was virus, Robert R. McCammon's 'Swan Song' was nuclear, Thomas Disch's 'The Genocides' was alien plant growth, Walter J. Williams 'The Rift' was earthquake; and 'Lucifer's Hammer' is annihilation by comet. Each of these books are 'must have's' for fans of Apocalypse Fiction. The major protagonist is Tim Hamner, a rich-boy with nothing to do but indulge his fascination with the stars. Hamner, along with a young boy named Gavin Brown from Iowa, discover a comet heading towards earth. The comet, Hamner-Brown, soon becomes known as The Hammer, as scientists plot its course closer and closer to Earth's orbit. Hamner makes acquaintance with Harvey Randall, a news reporter who wants to make a documentary series on the comet. Joining with them is Dr. Charles Sharps from the Jet Propulsion Laboratories, Senator Arthur Jellison and his daughter Maureen, Dr. Dan Forrester, an astronomy Phd and computer programmer, a team of astronauts, and a dedicated postal worker named Harry Newcombe. The story centers around Los Angeles and the San Joaquin Valley, after pieces of the "calved" comet hit all across the world, causing first earthquakes and then a massive tidal wave to hit the Los Angeles basin. Senators, rich men, thieves and killers are suddenly made equal in the wake of Mother Nature. Rich and poor take on a whole new meaning in a society that suddenly has different values and different needs. Senator Jellison owns a ranch in the foothills of the Sierras, and along with his neighbor George Christopher begins to form an aftermath society bent on survival at all costs. The good points of 'Lucifer's Hammer' are the characters, the topography staying fairly true to form, the realism of many of the needs and behaviors of an abandoned society (especially the herding behavior) and the many points of view from all the different types of survivors. The bad points would be some flat spots in the prose, some outdated notions (since the book was written in 1977) and too many circumstantial meetings. All in all, this is a great book, and again, a must have for any fans of Apocalypse Fiction. Enjoy!
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