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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
a great start, September 16, 2002
Zindell's first novel, and it is epic SF in the grand tradition. Epic? Yes. It is long (552 pages in the paperback edition), set on a grand scale (the main character works his way up from an initiate star pilot to godhead), full of esoteric musings on the nature of mathematics, life and love. Gee, sounds a bit like Dune, doesn't it? The comparison is apt. Each chapter here starts with a quote, mainly from a fictitious book; the plot involves both personal mysteries as well as scientific mysteries; the plot centers around the only son of a "ruling" dynasty; and there are guilds and trades with strange and bizarre powers. But Zindell, for all these similarities, has not copied Herbert. He's also thrown in quite a bit of Aldiss, Heinlein and Sturgeon. This is not a novel for a first-time SF reader. It's like modern jazz, in which the latest work is composed of variations on previous themes, and while the new listener might be able to enjoy it, chances are that they will have a difficult time understanding it.The real problem with Neverness, however, is in its pacing. Some episodes seem to drag on interminably, while others fly past at the speed of light. Part of this is due to the fact that at least one section had been published previously as a stand-alone short story, and it may be true that other sections were written to stand alone as well. But, even given the above, this is an impressive achievement as a first novel. There's a lot of imagination here in world- and culture-building, and the writing, while not spectacular, isn't dry or stilted either. With some more maturity as a writer, Zindell could be a major contender.
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding Sci Fi, June 23, 2000
David Zindell is one of those authors whose works are just too subtle, complex and intelligent to capture mass market attention. However, I believe that the "Neverness" series will eventually be recognized as one of the great sci fi epics of all time. I have read "Neverness" several times and I always find something new. Aside from the fascinating characters and imaginative plot, Zindell raises compelling questions about consciousness, death, selfhood, love, cruelty, and the purpose of life. Through Zindell's many references to scientific, literary and religious thought (from Schoedinger's Cat to William Blake to Hindu mythology), we eventually come to realize that the technology may change, but the questions humankind asks the universe remain the same. This book is challenging and not for everyone: you need to be the kind of person who enjoys a long, complex story that makes you think.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Breathtaking, December 23, 2000
"Neverness" is an awesome book, by which I mean you will simply be in awe of both the novel and its author. David Zindell has crafted a universe so entirely full of fascinating people, creatures, ideas and institutions that I can't even fathom how he could have kept everything straight in his head. (Think of a world as rich as "Dune" but set on Arrakis' opposite number: the frost-evoking world of Icefall.)Zindell manages to discuss two of the weightiest questions known to man without sounding foolish: "Is there a god?" and "What is the secret of life?" Along the way, he throws in "How can we live forever?" and "How do I save the universe?" And even when Zindell's characters discover the answers to these questions, there are still more questions to be asked. The breathtaking scope of Neverness (equalled, in my mind, only by the aforementioned "Dune" and perhaps Vernor Vinge's "A Fire Upon the Deep" and Asimov's "Foundation" series) inspires me to give the book a five-star rating, though it does have some flaws. For one, Zindell introduces a critical feature of Neverness's universe way too late in the game (a sort of Fermat's Last Theorem-type hunt). In other instances, he is inconsistent in describing his character's emotions. (One example: The protagonist is bereft when a dog dies, because he has neither seen nor even contemplated a dead creature before. However, this same man rather blithely accepts the fact that most of his class of journeyman star pilots will die before graduation.) But, overall, if you like truly epic and philosophical literature, this is a book for you. I am eagerly looking forward to reading Zindell's three sequels.
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