Paperback, 608 pages
English language
Published July 4, 1991 by Legend paperbacks.
James Blish's epic history of the future -- of the cities that left Earth to roam interstellar space -- makes up one of the landmark works of science fiction. Now, for the first time, the four classic "Okie" books are available in one volume.
I think I should've read these as separate books. For some reason I sort of lost the thread, and, though I got a lot of Heinleinism out of Blish's style of writing, wasn't overly impressed. I got the same sort of "I expected more" that I had when finishing Asimov's Foundation.
This is a review of the first two books of the quartet. The first is in a style I have come to expect from Blish; a rather high brow and deep philosophical discussion masquerading as an eventful piece of pulp. Dubious science fiction is carried off by a presentation indebted to a knowledge and understanding of real science, unlike many modern approaches where any attempt to explain the nature of advanced technology is not forthcoming. The book does take oblique looks at two common Blish themes: religion and the search for knowledge, which are closely interwoven in Black Easter, A Case of Conscience and Doctor Mirabilis.
THIS REVIEW HAS BEEN CURTAILED IN PROTEST AT GOODREADS' CENSORSHIP POLICY
See the complete review here:
http://arbieroo.booklikes.com/post/335149/post
