Helpful Score: 7
This is a "must read". Niven and Pournelle have done more than produce a truely riveting novel that you honestly won't want to put down- this is a cautionary tale cum survival manual. Many of you have no idea of just how quickly our "Civilization" will yield to simple survival- and what you might be able to do to get through it. Do your family a favor and read this book!
Helpful Score: 5
a great story about the effects of a comet strike on american society. from big science to a fuedal society where the quick and strong might not be quick and strong enough. an engrossoing plot, with very well developed characters.
I would describe this book as the end-of-the-world disaster story that ayn rand never got to tell. Very engaging and thought provoking - although changes in world politics do make some storylines feel outdated.
Helpful Score: 4
Apocalyptic action packed sci-fi. Great summer entertainment.
Helpful Score: 4
If you can make it though the LONG set up, where all the characters are introduced and their background is set up (and parts of that are LONG winded), the action that happens once the hammer falls is a huge payout. Vivid details of the destruction caused by the hammer hitting the earth, and people struggling to survive and make it through the aftermath. This is the book that turned me onto PA as a genre... an oustanding book (and HUGE too). And--while the intros seem to take forever--its really a small portion of the overall book.
If you're a fan of PA this is the book for you... great characters, easy to follow and great (and gripping) story telling... and disaster sequences that you'll remember for a long time.
If you're a fan of PA this is the book for you... great characters, easy to follow and great (and gripping) story telling... and disaster sequences that you'll remember for a long time.