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Title: The Final Encyclopedia by Gordon R. Dickson ISBN: 0-312-86188-5 Publisher: Orb Books Pub. Date: 01 January, 1997 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.15 (13 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: For 700 pages it worth the read!!
Comment: First I would like to say my deepest respects to the late Gordon R Dickson who passed away in 2001. He was a great author who created the whole splinter cultures of the spectaular universe that he had created. After reading Young Bleys, I had to know who this Hal Mayne was. To my surprise I see why Hal Mayne was a vital piece to the whole Dorsai, Exoctic and Friendly universe. His nemesis Bleys was a powerful (Other) individual and Hal Mayne was his equal. I think others may feel that read this book may be slow and detailed on some parts that could of been omitted but I feel alot of detailed aspects of Hal Mayne, I think, were interesting and crucial if you wanted to understand his character. The story starts out with Hal Mayne witnessing the deaths of his mentors and running away from the killers. While reading you'll see him growing from a boy to a man that he was destined to be. Gordon R Dickson is a great story teller with great ideas. I feel alot authors out there have great ideas but doesn't know how to tell a story or know how to tell a story but doesn't have great ideas. Sadly Gordon R dickson will be missed in my eyes. This book will always be a treasure to me!
Rating: 2
Summary: 200 Pages of Story, 500 Pages of Filler
Comment: I read The Final Encyclopedia several years ago while in College. I somehow acquired a version that included both volumes and was over 700 pages in length. It started off really well. There was a detailed futuristic society with competing forces vying to control the ultimate fate of the human race. One such faction had through selective breeding and genetic manipulation created a young man whom they felt would be their messiah. There were various politically motivated events that changed the course of the young man's life. Then there were several hundred pages of useless drivel that had nothing to do with the point of the story. Finally the book concluded with essentially no resolution to the ongoing problems of the world it depicted. Naturally, further sequels were spawned. Yes, this story has some good ideas, but there is no real point to any of it. Do not waste your time on this epic of no consequence. It is yet another book for which the writer was paid by the word, not for its substance.
Rating: 5
Summary: A worthy conclusion to the Childe Cycle
Comment: Gordon Dickson's The Final Encyclopedia is a fitting conclusion to a top-notch science fiction series.
It tells the story of Hal Mayne, who as an infant was found deserted in a spaceship among the stars. He was raised by tutors representing the three cultural "splinters" from Dickson's future world - the military Dorsai, the fanatically religious Friendlies and the mystic Exotics. In a superficial sense, Mayne draws upon his experience with all three groups to battle an opposing group (the Others) for mankind's future.
That being said...
The book is much deeper on many levels. In it, Dickson pays tribute to each of mankind's splinters and demonstrates the worthiness of each group. The Dorsai, of course, are lionized as honorable and unbeatable warriors. The Friendlies are praised for their stalwart and unshakeable faith and their willingness to endure any ordeal without flinching in service of that faith. The Exotics are valued for seeking mankind's continued development in intellectual and paranormal areas.
In Dickson's world, Mayne journeys to each of the splinter cultures and begins to realize his purpose is to ensure mankind's continued development as a culture. Opposing him are the Others, another group of humans whose heritage is drawn from a combination of the splinter cultures. The others are led by Bleys Ahrens, who sees a future in which the Others serve as a ruling class to the lesser members of mankind.
During his journeys, Mayne runs into members of each splinter culture who represent the best of that culture. For the Dorsai, it's Amanda Morgan; for the Friendlies, it's Rukh Tamani, the charismatic freedom fighter; and for the Exotics, it's Amid. Thanks to his unique upbringing by members of each group, Mayne is accepted by each group and comes to realize mankind must bring its splintered self back together if it is to develop and survive.
People who read this book expecting a strictly military sci-fi work will be disappointed. Yes, there is action in the story...no, it's not another "Dorsai" or "Tactics of Mistake." It's the conclusion Dickson's series pointed to since its inception - where are these pivotal historic soldiers taking us?
In The Final Encyclopedia, mankind has reached the point where it can bring its splintered self back together and consciously guide its own development or it can fall into stagnation and slowly die.
While it's a stand-alone book, I recommend readers first turn the pages of the rest of the Childe Cycle books before taking on The (685 page) Final Encyclopedia.
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Title: Other (Childe Cycle) by Gordon R. Dickson ISBN: 0812515994 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 01 December, 1995 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Lost Dorsai: The New Dorsai Companion by Gordon R. Dickson ISBN: 0812504046 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 01 June, 1993 List Price(USD): $4.99 |
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Title: Soldier, Ask Not by Gordon R. Dickson ISBN: 0812504003 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 01 April, 1993 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
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Title: Young Bleys by Gordon R. Dickson ISBN: 0812509471 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 01 July, 1994 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
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Title: Necromancer by Gordon R. Dickson ISBN: 0812545303 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 01 September, 1998 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
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