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Title: Startide Rising (The Uplift Saga, Book 2) by David Brin ISBN: 0-553-27418-X Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 01 March, 1984 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.2 (80 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: While somewhat muddled, an excellent science-fiction story.
Comment: The second in the first Uplift trilogy, "Startide Rising" is an immense improvement over the first book in the series, "Sundiver". While overall not terribe, "Sundiver" was only an above-average story set in an incredible universe, and these two factors didn't mix all that well. With "Staride Rising", David Brin takes a wonderful story and places it in that fantastic universe, creating a wonderful science-fiction novel that's only hurt by its own complexity.
Unlike "Sundiver", which dealt with more of a murder mystery than anything, "Startide Rising" deals with the key factor that binds the trilogy together: Uplifting. The story mentions the possibility of the Patron race of humans, the legendary race that seeded all races in existence, and how a crew of humans and uplifted dolphins are protecting a vital secret from all the hostile races of the galaxy, just to name a few ideas.
David Brin's imagination is unbelievable. It's hard to think how he managed to create such a magnificent world without selling his soul or something. Things in the novel seem so "futuristic" and "sci-fi," and yet we believe them without question. Brin manages to flesh out a world so perfectly we can imagine it, live it, and sympathize with it. Every alien, every technological machine, and every idea has some substance in it.
Probably the only problem involves the story itself. While one of the best stories I've ever read in science-fiction, it has one tragic flaw: it's too complex. The story is overloaded with so many characters and so many plot twists that it can be difficult to keep up with everything. Readers will sometimes wonder why something is going on or who this person is, which can get a little frustrating. Thankfully, the story is so engrossing it keeps the readers interested and allows them to catch up to things on their own time.
All in all, "Startide Rising" is a marvelous science-fiction story that's only hindered by its own complex story. The ending sets up the third novel in the trilogy perfectly, although it does leave some questions unanswered in the story. Will the third novel answer them? We can only read "The Uplift War" and see...
Rating: 4
Summary: Exciting and thought-provoking
Comment: A starship crewed by dolphins chances upon a discovery that could have enormous repercussions throughout known space, causing it to become the object of a hunt by a number of more powerful races. The ship crashes on a water world and struggles for survival as the "Galactics" battle overhead for the right of capture.
I was not so impressed with "Sundiver," the first book in the Uplift series. I'm so glad that I didn't stop there. "Startide Rising" is an exceptional read. David Brin has a unique talent for constructing consistent, plausible alien world-views. When I saw that dolphins were major protagonists in this story, I was half-expecting some kind of new age pseudo-philosophy about the wisdom of the deep and the lessons that we humans need to learn. Brin, however, is nowhere near as simplistic as that. There is wisdom in his dolphins, but there is also avarice, ambition, brutality and other characteristics that are unique to the species.
The novel is somewhat more convoluted than necessary, and it seemed to me that several major plots were left unresolved. Perhaps that will be addressed in future books.
Rating: 5
Summary: Brin Does It Again.
Comment: David Brin never ceases to amaze me. His creations are so detailed that you feel like you are there experiencing them. In "Startide Rising" he creates a breathtaking universe where humans are the bastard sons. It is a universe where every alien race is 'uplifted' to sentience. Humans are the only ones that haven't been. Most of the five galaxies hate us because of it. We have our friends, but they still look at us as if we're the little 'wolfling' children that haven't grown old enough to leave the block. We humans have in turn uplifted Chimpanzees and Dolphins.
The book is about a Dolphin commanded starship that discovers a clue to our Terran heritage that any of our enemies would love to get their hands on. The information accidentally leaks and the Streaker goes into hiding with enormous fleets following it's every move. The ship land on the water world of Kithrup. Geological, galactic political, and inter-ship political problems ensue with big fights strewn through out.
This is a very informed book that is detailed and entertaining at the same time. You don't have to read "Sundiver" before reading this book, but "Sundiver" does explain the politics a little better. I suggest everyone read this because it is way too good to pass up. It did win both the Hugo and the Nebula awards. I give it five stars.
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Title: Sundiver (The Uplift Saga, Book 1) by David Brin ISBN: 0553269828 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 01 January, 1985 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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Title: The Uplift War (The Uplift Saga, Book 3) by David Brin ISBN: 0553279718 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 01 August, 1995 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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Title: Brightness Reef (The Uplift Trilogy, Book 1) by David Brin ISBN: 0553573306 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 01 October, 1996 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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Title: Infinity's Shore (The Uplift Saga, Book 5) by David Brin ISBN: 0553577778 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 03 November, 1997 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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Title: Heaven's Reach (The Uplift Saga, Book 6) by David Brin ISBN: 0553574736 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 11 May, 1999 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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