Book Diary Entry: Starborn and Godsons Review
Book: Starborn and Godsons
Author: Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, Steven Barnes
Pages: 385
Hard Core Scale: 2.5/4 (I did not want to pull this trigger)
Normal Scale: 8/10
Publish Date: 2020
About: The human colony of Avalon carries onward. With the technology lost in the Grendel wars the colony will slide into barbarism. Yet, their failing computer system detects a interstellar object on its way: Point of origin Sol. What do these new colonists bring and what other horrors and mysteries await Beowulf's children.
Review: Another long overdue end. The first in this trilogy, "Legacy of Heorot," written in 1987. It is a very enjoyable work which I have read several times. This technically is the last book “written by Jerry.” The old game is who writes what? Apparently Steven has been doing the leg work tutored and critiqued by these masters of Science Fiction. Jerry’s thoughts added in his final years. Often I wonder at the thoughts of such supposed great author’s and the publishing world webs they spin for themselves. My hopes were a bit in skepticism due to the severe issues that were the result of the second book in this series "Beowulf's children. ," An end of which sunk that second book into one territory. This is far better fair, almost a three, but some strange things cop it. Some plot movements that are unexplained or of severe convenience. Names issues were not caught in edits and neither was time issues. Many Godson things where just glazed over or avoided entirely such as the love between two characters. A bad snaffoo of Deus Ex Machina. Again, some technologies catch up exciting, reflective and fun, but there is the line of technology not existing or being as relevant in older novels. A big issue is the side book of all contact being lost by the colony when it does not seem the result here. Marco’s final message contradicts the stated secrecy of the previous page and the "Destiny's Road" issue. Larry always provides himself on the hard science of the genre. The first book is very much that. This felt more trying to be an action track, like a B movie. A shame that edge is on and the either forgotten issues in "Destiny’s Road" and contradictory dates in the novel. Outside of these issues it is a very solid written book that took me back to when SF had teeth. Skal to Jerry and that the work is done.
A fun note: In an interview with Steven, he mentioned how much how three of them feared the book cover of the first book would lead to nobody buying it. That thing led me like a moth to flame. This cover on the other hand is CGI Which tends to repulse me. Kurt's work here is actually really good and not a turn off at all. Just a funny notion in my head.
