The Web and the Stars (Five Star Science Fiction & Fantasy) (Bk. 2) [Hardcover]

Brian Herbert (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the sequel to Timeweb (2006), bestseller Herbert (Sandworms of Dune) offers readers a space opera where interstellar travel is mostly embargoed and characters spend over a third of the book in solitary self-reflection. When the alien Parvii cut two empires off from the podship networks, the Parvii derail a war between humankind and the shape-shifting Mutati and forcibly separate many members of Herbert's large cast. Frequent viewpoint shifts and lengthy stretches of internal monologue make character development all but impossible. Neither guerrilla mystic Noah Watanabe nor his nemesis, Doge Lorenzo, are more than cartoon archetypes, and hardly anyone else has enough time onstage to acquire much depth. The short chapters also create an odd tonal dissonance, with heavy-handed philosophical musing regularly interrupted by crisp plot newsbreaks. Pacing improves somewhat in the book's second half (a grisly torture sequence marks the turning point), but in the end, ideas are spread too thin and most characters drawn too broadly to lift the novel above pulp-era comic strip quality. (Dec.)
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 531 pages
• Publisher: Five Star (December 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594142173
• ISBN-13: 978-1594142178
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.9 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #582,996 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

BRIAN HERBERT is a widely-published science fiction author in his own right. This is his first novel to call on his father's work: previously, he has created his own worlds, sometimes in collaboration. He has also written Dreamer of Dune, a comprehensive biography of his illustrious father.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an interesting space opera, December 17, 2007

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Web and the Stars (Five Star Science Fiction & Fantasy) (Bk. 2) (Hardcover)

The discovery of the cosmic web and how to use this faster than light transportation link between the stars of the galaxy led to an economic boom for the newly formed Merchant Princes Human Empire. However legendary researcher Noah Watanbe has noticed the web is showing signs of deterioration that could lead to a pandemic depression if the solar shortcut connector begins failing.

At the same the Human Empire is at war with the shape-shifting Mutati Kingdom; who plan to activate doomsday weapons to destroy the human worlds. Noah knows he must shift his research to prevent such a calamity from occurring, but he has enemies like powerful Doge Lorenzo, who just want him and his influence removed from the Human Empire anyway possible. Finally the HibAdu Coaltion consisting of neutrals from both sides of the hostilities try to broker a peace while the alien Parvii to keep the warring parties apart; only the HibAdu plan to supersede the Human Empire and the Mutati Kingdom by taking over the galaxy through stealth while no one knows what the Parvii want.

The second Timeweb Chronicles science fiction thriller (see TIMEWEB) is an interesting space opera focusing on an a galactic war between two economic giants while the environment that enables interstellar travel is disintegrating. Instead of war for oil; it is war for the cosmic web. The third neutral party brokering a peace while pursuing a hidden agenda is a clever concept, but to be honest this reviewer is not sure how secret that would remain based on how the Neocons early obsessions with Iraq has surfaced though they did the war they craved. Still this is an entertaining tale, especially the action-packed latter half in which readers get past the long introspections of the hero and his rival.

Harriet Klausner

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Cracks Become Apparent, May 8, 2009

By 

Feo T. "A published author . . . or I will be... (Probably shouldn't add this) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Web and the Stars (Five Star Science Fiction & Fantasy) (Bk. 2) (Hardcover)

My review of the first book was gushing. My review of the third will be brutal. This is in between--most of the positive traits I discussed remain, but the main character's power increasingly outclips that of everyone else combined, while at the same time more and more pages are devoted to people talking about how wonderful he is. If you watched Star Trek during the time of Wesley Crusher, you know where this is going.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful series, September 21, 2008

By 

Tara (Rohnert Park, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Web and the Stars (Five Star Science Fiction & Fantasy) (Bk. 2) (Hardcover)

This book I found very interesting, and he had some great idea's. But, anything this man writes -- I am always sure to buy it. I look forward to Webdancers.