Customer Reviews

The Quiet Pools

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is written on many levels, ranging from one man's efforts to understand the source of his own personality to the conflicts on a global basis surrounding the building of a generation starship.

The book is entertaining on the superficial level and rewarding at the deeper, personal level. Within a believable framework, it matches the thrust and parry of Jeremiah - speaking for the Homeworld vs. the head of security of the starship project. In addition, any adult reader will be stimulated to recall memories of their own childhood and the pains of growing up.

I recommend it as both fun and time well spent.

The Quiet Pools (1990) by Michael Kube-McDowell - 371 pages - rating: 6/10

Kube has crafted a detailed and plausible picture of the future. His characterizations have depth and honesty. Much of this novel is compelling and intriguing. Only occasionally does his writing style come off as overly verbose or inherently awkward.

Unfortunately he forgot to tell a story. The Quiet Pools is little more than the build up to a sequel that was never written and quite probably never intended. One is forever waiting for this glorious Starship to set sail so that the characters Kube has so vividly painted can be challenged by the dangers of the cosmos and an adventurous undertaking.

The entire book however, is just the build up BEFORE the ship launches. Perhaps I've missed the point. Ultimately the feeling one is left with is that the author has tried to do something different at the expense of failing to tell an interesting story.

Claus Kellermann
2006 May 8
Sci_Fi_Researcher@yahoo.com

First of all you have to care about at least some characters in a novel, and it was not clear how important Christopher McCutchen was till well into the story. I guessed the deeper connections to Chris , his father and the punchline, just a few chapters before it was revealed. The premise of genetic destiny was an interesting idea, that was treated too much as a mystery, instead of laying out the premises, and then letting the characterization refute and support the notion. The descriptions felt dated, (granted I read this in 2011). It was an unsatisfying read from many perspectives and was really difficult to get through. What made it worse was that Christopher who turned out to be the key character for many reasons, was about as annoying as you could possibly get. Self defeating, opening his mouth to switch his feet. His final decision was so ridiculous, it almost felt desperate and nothing off his personal problems had been solved to make him a healthier addition to the new community he suddenly joined.
Sadly a lot of near term science fiction has this feel and pace. I gave it 2 stars because it held me for the last 100 pages or so, just when I was about to toss it out. Too much disjointed build up, and in the end, who cares!! I will try the author again, because the premise was worth exploring

This is a work to be proud of. Just the right combination of action and character development, with a believable setting at the beginning of the 22nd century. Kube-McDowell chronicles the end of the Diaspora project - an ambitious program to send humanity to nearby star systems. The first ship has already left, and a second of five total is about to leave.

But wait! There's more here than meets the eye. Diaspora project geneticists have discovered that there's a genetic sequence in life that actually calls us to the stars. We no more have choice in the matter than the salmon moving upstream to spawn. The web of human activity unfolding in this engrossing tale is overprinted by a genetic pre-destiny, which drives some to the skies, and others to oppose any such venture.

Ultimately the opposers, lead by the shadowy Jeremiah, succeed in halting the project, but not before the second ship leaves. And behind the backdrop of the personal dramas, earth quietly goes to seed, casting its precious packages to the cosmic winds.

An engrossing tale. Compare this to my review of Hogan's "Cradle of Saturn".

the subtle but powerful theme of this book goes to the heart of of the eternal issue of the best of mankind's nature versus the worst...