Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle
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Book Reviews of Lucifer's Hammer
Book Review: Great Read That Endures
Summary: 5 Stars
My second read of the book twenty five years later reminded me again of the quality of both the story and the writing. It leaves one wondering what would really happen after a major natural disaster, large act of terrorism or even an major attack by another nation.
The rapid decline of law and order and civil behavior is not stuff of racial bias but rather documented (thankfully on a much smaller scale) in the riots in LA, near breakdown of civil order after earthquakes in both Northern and Southern California and the events of Katrina.
Twenty five years of history only made the story more believable. If written today it might well be inner city Hispanics banding together. Regardless of race we have become a society where an overwhelming percentage of people are not intellectually or physically prepared to deal with a world even temporarily without Starbucks and 7-11.
As others have noted the story starts slow, like building the foundation of a building it only seems that nothing is happening. The foundation serves the rest of the story well and early patience is well rewarded.
The struggles, the characters and the reemergence of civil structure adds depth to the story.
Highly recommended.
Book Review: A great, great, GREAT, book
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is by far one of my favorite books that I've ever read. I have read many reviews that complain about the "slow" start to the book. Personally I found that the pace in the first third of the book was perfect. To many books that I've read start out with a bang and never let up. This book refreshingly develops the characters and situations surronding them to an extent that few other books do. By the time that "Hot Fudge Tuesdae" (the impact of a massive comet) arives, the authors have developed the characters to such an extent that their reactions to the events caused by HammerFall illustrate the changes in the way people must now live much more effectively than if the characters hadn't been developed to such a degree.I'm not going to give the ending away, but it is also one of the top endings of any book I've read. It's not a cookie cutter ending that leaves nothing left to ponder. Instead it leaves the reader with much to think about even after they have finished the book.
I would strongly recomend this book to anyone who enjoys doomsday or classic sci-fi novels, as well as those who haven't been much exposed to these genres. After you finish reading it, you'll want to start at the begining and read it again (as I did).
Book Review: Fantastic "End of the World" novel! Ahead of it's time!
Summary: 5 Stars
"Hamner-Brown", the comet, sped toward Earth and was supposed to pass by as close as 1000 Kilometers. Instead it hit the Earth in pieces blowing the Richter scale right off the graph. It was a disaster of Biblical proportions. The people who survived the impact did so because they had the instinct to live. With all manufacturing at a sudden halt, no electricity, no communication, no gasoline, etc, those with guns are the ones with power. Those with power are both good and evil. With a new ice-age coming on, the people need more than just hope and faith to live. They need works!
This is the best book I've read in a while. The only criticism I have is as much for myself as it is for the book. I had a hard time keeping track of all the characters because they were so many and somewhat complex. Niven and Pournelle considered lots of things I wouldn't have thought of that would occur in a massive disaster. It made me want to update my food storage, and hone my archery skills. It also gave me pause to consider what I think is worth fighting for... my family?... my freedom?... my friends?... electricity?... a can of soup? How do I want to live, and how to I want to die?
All in all a fantastic book!
Book Review: One of the best post-apocalyptic novels ever.
Summary: 5 Stars
This book, this story, is a gift. It has so many strengths from concept, to character development, to execution. I have read it numerous times since its publication and it never seems dated. The characters internal and external struggles were finely honed.
I will admit this book, as much as any I have read, has given me a bit more of a survivalist mentality and a desire to be more autonomous, independent, versatile, and knowledgeable. I don't imagine those are bad things!
If civilization collapsed today, what would it mean to the average Joe? Just how dependent are we on technology, public services, industry, modern medicine, and commerce? These questions are all vividly addressed in entertaining, horrifying, and memorable events, while offering hope.
Fine details of the book come back pleasurably even several years after my last reading, like the return of an old friend.
Thanks again, Larry and Jerry. Five stars.
The Postman (Bantam Classics), by David Brin, is almost Lucifer's Hammer's equal. Far richer and better than the movie.
Book Review: A good read of value to anyone considering survival issues.
Summary: 5 Stars
When I first read LH I was still with the government and involved in contributing to what passes for our government's emergency action plan. Since no one individual can imagine all possible scenarios, it is a good idea to get the benefit of someone else's thinking. That's why many of us read books like LH and Alas Babylon - - to get the value of other's ideas of what MIGHT happen and how people MIGHT react. From this standpoint I give the book a 10. It makes you think and gives you a scenario within which to organize those thoughts. Are you prepared? If not, why not? What do you do to become more prepared. I suspect that the trauma associated with the El Nino storms this year might have been mitigated if more people had looked at possible worst case scenarios and prepared for them. If you plan to start some study along this line, don't neglect the many factual books out there from histories such as The 900 Days (the siege of Leningrad)and/or the myriad publications dealing with specific hazards such as hurricane, earthquake and other mass disasters. Our society is more fragile than most believe. It does NOT stretch the imagination to envision something similar to the plot of LH.