My husband's review on Post Human (Amazon)
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ambitiously Imaginative and Fast Paced, December 14, 2012
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Post-Human (Paperback)
I'm picky about my sci-fi, and I'm a hard sell, but I loved this book!
I generally stick to "hard" science fiction; e.g., "Neuromancer". I like my sci-fi with some grit and an edge. I would describe "Post-Human" as "gritty sci-fi delivered in a 'soft' way", but that's not meant as a criticism - this is not a kid's book, and there are some scenes that conjure very dark images in one's mind. Hard, gritty sci-fi usually demands a commitment to dense and lengthy writing, but some writers can deliver something that can grab one from the very start and urge one to yearn for the next page. I was very happy to find both edge and urge in David Simpson's "Post-Human".
Simpson unloads a plethora of big and bold ideas. He hurls them at you mercilessly and his imagination is impressive to the point of intimidating. At the start of this book he quotes Arthur C. Clark; "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic". To many readers, the technology conjured in this book will be unbelievable, but isn't that the way sci-fi should be? Jules Verne's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" was published in 1870. By today's standards, submarine technology of that age is almost comical, but Verne took the germ of the concept, ran with it, and in fact ran a very long way with it. Exactly how the "Nautilus" was powered remains unexplained to this day, yet the book is regarded as an historical classic. I've read a few rather harsh reviewers who criticise Simpson for invoking "super-science". I disagree and challenge them to issue the same rebuke to Verne's work. Furthermore, would those reviewers be so critical of Michael Chrichton's "Prey", in which nano-sized bots perform miraculous and (to us, at the present time) unbelievable feats? I doubt that many critics would do be so quick to speak out against such respected authors.
Unexpectedly, a feeling came over me shortly after beginning "Post-Human". It was something I'd not felt for a very long time, like a mix of wonder and nostalgia. "Post-Human" brought forth the same feelings I'd felt as I read sci-fi books in my youth. I've repeatedly read all of Asimov's robot stories and they too were completely implausible when published. And yet they completely captured me. I can't recall any book I've read over the last 20 years that evoked that warm, nostalgic feeling. I felt like I was in "old territory" again and enjoyed that feeling throughout the book
"Post-Human" also touches on some very deep and thoughtful themes. The fact that they appear alerts me that Simpson is indeed a very deep and insightful thinker and a person who understands human behaviour as much as he understands technology. The fact that some themes are not developed in more depth (in some instances they consist of a mere sentence or two) seems to point to Simpson's goal - to simply deliver an exuberant, highly creative, fast-paced and entertaining read. If you're in the mood for something very dense, like Herbert's "Dune", then this book is not for you; however if you want to experience a deluge of amazingly original and breathtakingly huge ideas popping up in a fast flowing, action-packed stream, you will enjoy this book. I found Simpson's imagination nothing short of breath-taking, which I suspect is what reminded me of Asimov's robot stories.
I thoroughly enjoyed "Post-Human" and have the trilogy. I've just begun "Sub-Human" (the prequel) and am loving it. "Post-Human" and what I've read of its prequel leaves me with the confidence to highly recommend the trilogy to sci-fi lovers, and given the price, you really can't go wrong. It's been a long time since an author's transported me back to the golden age of science fiction, and I thank David Simpson for doing so. I hope there's a lot more to come.
Peter Musgrove
I generally stick to "hard" science fiction; e.g., "Neuromancer". I like my sci-fi with some grit and an edge. I would describe "Post-Human" as "gritty sci-fi delivered in a 'soft' way", but that's not meant as a criticism - this is not a kid's book, and there are some scenes that conjure very dark images in one's mind. Hard, gritty sci-fi usually demands a commitment to dense and lengthy writing, but some writers can deliver something that can grab one from the very start and urge one to yearn for the next page. I was very happy to find both edge and urge in David Simpson's "Post-Human".
Simpson unloads a plethora of big and bold ideas. He hurls them at you mercilessly and his imagination is impressive to the point of intimidating. At the start of this book he quotes Arthur C. Clark; "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic". To many readers, the technology conjured in this book will be unbelievable, but isn't that the way sci-fi should be? Jules Verne's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" was published in 1870. By today's standards, submarine technology of that age is almost comical, but Verne took the germ of the concept, ran with it, and in fact ran a very long way with it. Exactly how the "Nautilus" was powered remains unexplained to this day, yet the book is regarded as an historical classic. I've read a few rather harsh reviewers who criticise Simpson for invoking "super-science". I disagree and challenge them to issue the same rebuke to Verne's work. Furthermore, would those reviewers be so critical of Michael Chrichton's "Prey", in which nano-sized bots perform miraculous and (to us, at the present time) unbelievable feats? I doubt that many critics would do be so quick to speak out against such respected authors.
Unexpectedly, a feeling came over me shortly after beginning "Post-Human". It was something I'd not felt for a very long time, like a mix of wonder and nostalgia. "Post-Human" brought forth the same feelings I'd felt as I read sci-fi books in my youth. I've repeatedly read all of Asimov's robot stories and they too were completely implausible when published. And yet they completely captured me. I can't recall any book I've read over the last 20 years that evoked that warm, nostalgic feeling. I felt like I was in "old territory" again and enjoyed that feeling throughout the book
"Post-Human" also touches on some very deep and thoughtful themes. The fact that they appear alerts me that Simpson is indeed a very deep and insightful thinker and a person who understands human behaviour as much as he understands technology. The fact that some themes are not developed in more depth (in some instances they consist of a mere sentence or two) seems to point to Simpson's goal - to simply deliver an exuberant, highly creative, fast-paced and entertaining read. If you're in the mood for something very dense, like Herbert's "Dune", then this book is not for you; however if you want to experience a deluge of amazingly original and breathtakingly huge ideas popping up in a fast flowing, action-packed stream, you will enjoy this book. I found Simpson's imagination nothing short of breath-taking, which I suspect is what reminded me of Asimov's robot stories.
I thoroughly enjoyed "Post-Human" and have the trilogy. I've just begun "Sub-Human" (the prequel) and am loving it. "Post-Human" and what I've read of its prequel leaves me with the confidence to highly recommend the trilogy to sci-fi lovers, and given the price, you really can't go wrong. It's been a long time since an author's transported me back to the golden age of science fiction, and I thank David Simpson for doing so. I hope there's a lot more to come.
Peter Musgrove
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