Far-Seer: Book One of the Quintaglio Ascension (The Quintaglio Trilogy) (Paperback)

by Robert J. Sawyer (Author) "Afsan often escaped to this place..." (more)
Key Phrases: hahat dan, five original hunters, palace office building, Capital City, Prince Dybo, The Family (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Sawyer ( Golden Fleece ) postulates a world (not the earth) in which dinosaurs, called Quintaglios, have evolved to humanlike levels of civilization--cities, formal government and religion. While on a sea pilgrimage to a heavenly body known as the Face of God, Afsan, a prodigy and apprentice to the court astrologer, makes some astounding discoveries with a "far-seer" (i.e., telescope). He realizes that the stars and planets and moons are at varying distances from his world; that the world is round; that the planets revolve around the sun; that their planet is also a moon that will crash into the planet it revolves around and that they must build flying machines to save themselves. Unfortunately, the planet they revolve around is the Face of God, and Afsan's discoveries go against the Quintaglios' religion, though some see him as a messiahlike prophet. Sawyer does a fine job presenting the physiological features of Quintaglios but is less convincing in making one young stargazer play the combined roles in Quintaglio society of Pythagoras, Magellan, Copernicus, Galileo, da Vinci and Jesus of Nazareth. Science Fiction Book Club alternate.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
The Face of God is what every young saurian learns to call the immense, glowing object which fills the night sky on the far side of the world. Young Afsan is privileged, called to the distant Capital City to apprentice with Saleed the court astrologer. Buth when the time comes for Afsan to make his coming-of-age pilgrimage, to gaze upon the Face of God, his world is changed forever- for what he sees will test his faith... and may save his world from disaster!


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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books (May 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765309742
• ISBN-13: 978-0765309747
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #494,588 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 1 in The Quintaglio Ascension Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Midwest Book Review - great story from the sci fi master, June 26, 2004

By	Laurel Johnson (Kansas USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

To borrow a phrase from an earlier review of Far-Seer, Robert Sawyer is the "master of biological speculation." After reading five of this author's books, I'll add my spin on that statement by saying he is the sci fi master, period. Far-Seer is a parable without equal.

Afsan is a simple country saurian, chosen as apprentice to Master Astrologer Tak-Saleed. Afsan enjoys the tranquility and peace of the night sky, entertains solitary thoughts of mysteries, and faces life with gentle humor despite his hunter's instincts. Afsan's world is one of landquakes and erupting volcanoes. His species is Quintaglio - meat eating dinosaurs. Afsan's destiny is set long before his birth.

If you believe it's impossible to sympathize with a dinosaur, think again. You'll be drawn into Afsan's life as I was, experiencing each rite of Quintaglio passage: the thrill of the hunt; his first ocean voyage to see the Face of God; his first encounter with a female. And you'll share his wonder while examining the heavens through a far-seer (telescope); his joy at proving the earth round; his horror when all signs point to the destruction of the world Quintaglios call home.

Robert Sawyer makes it all so real. This is a touching story, personable and intimate and thrilling. The saurian characters are believable as they struggle with the hypocrisies and territorial instincts of civilization. I can scarcely wait to read Books Two and Three.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DINOSAURIAN GALILEO!, January 16, 2002

By	John Burris (Milford, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Far-seer (Paperback)

This is quite simply one of my all-time favorite books. A parable of the conflict between science and religion, Sawyer managed to create a world of such startling believabilty (and familiarity) that there is no need for the suspension-of-belief that most SF/Fantasy novels require a reader to make. You simply step into this world of sentient dinosaurs as naturally as you step out of your door each morning. Within the pages of this book I found myself reliving many of the struggles I have gone through as I sought to understand the world around me. The process of discovery that leads Afsan to conclude that much of what he was taught about the world is wrong (even dangerously so) unfolds over the course of a rip-roaring, high adventure tale. How many other books take you on a thrilling Sauropod hunt and then a few pages later force you to ponder gripping questions of existence, faith and ultimate meaning? The first and easily the best of the "Quintaglio Trilogy," no one interested in dinosaurs, evolution, philosophy and religion should miss this. Do what it takes to get it!At the risk of overstatment I have to conclude by saying that "Far-Seer" is in my opinion one of the finest dino-themed adventures EVER! May it be back in print soon!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mirrored world, October 2, 2000

By	Stephen A. Haines (Ottawa, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Far-seer (Paperback)

So long as priests are granted the monopoly of declaring what is moral and what is not, the war of science and religion will never cease. Robert Sawyer here shows how that conflict not only crosses cultural lines, but species ones, as well. Merging the lives of Earth's Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler and Newton into one dinosauroid individual, he recapitulates three centuries of striving to understand Nature's secrets. Each worked in fear of the church's displeasure, addressing the absolute monopoly with various levels of success. Sawyer presents Afsan as one determined to reveal truth at whatever cost. Afsan uses the first telescope to examine the heavens, challenging the established tradition of the role of priests and their dogmas. The discoveries are too important to allow the priests to quell them. Afsan knows the future of his race is at stake.

Although Sawyer must compress many people and events into one modestly heroic character, it doesn't detract from the quality of this book. Making dinosaurs into near humans takes a special skill, but Sawyer manages it with little falsity. He exhibits a vivid imagination, but doesn't let it run away with his presentation. While the portrait of a race still using claws for emotional expression and hunting while building a civilization of stone, metal and ships may give the purist pause, Sawyer's story-telling abilities overcomes these doubts. The book remains an entertaining and clever interpretation. For the fullest enjoyment, of course, the next two volumes become mandatory reading.