Rollback (udgave 2007)

Someone in my bookclub suggested this book, and as far as books for bookclubs, this one should generate very interesting discussions when we do meet. To be fair to Robert J. Sawyer, it already has created an array of discussions around the kitchen table with my husband and kids. But, in many ways I feel it was not executed with the mastery it deserved. The author utilizes dialogue as a form of explaining ideas to no end, making the reading a bit tiring. The ending is too nice and the characters too naïve.

Would I recommend it? I already have. I recommended to a friend that enjoys discussions on ethics, morality and the plausibility of God. The caveat: Don’t expect a great literary work.
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I was favorably impressed by the Neanderthal series, but hadn't read any more of his stories until much later. This was a large failing of mine. Mr. Sawyer deserves all the credit he has garnered over the years and I'm looking forward to the rest of his novels soon! I really appreciated the study of ethics and responsibility with the tale. It was also nice to have a hollywood ending. I know it isn't for everyone, but sometimes it is absolutely called for. ( )

I love Robert J. Sawyer books, but this book seemed to be more of a thought-experiment as opposed to an book wrapped in a narrative. It had a pretty interesting plot, but the book was missing character-building. It's one of the few books I've read that I felt should have been longer. ( )

Oh, man. What a book. ( )

This was tough to review without spoilers, but I managed it :)

Rollback by Robert J. Sawyer is, really, about family. The story couldn't be told without the science part of the fiction, and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence is central to the story, but even those elements are used to focus on what a family is, and what it means to be in a family.

The story starts with our main character, Donald Halifax, lamenting his age. Right away, you get the clue that age will be involved in this story. His only claim to fame is reflected glory; his wife is slightly famous for having decoded the first message from an alien intelligence.

Don tends to pontificate, and make Star Trek references. No, most people don't talk like that. But nerdy fannish types do. I've had conversations like he does with his wife, so they're believable to me. To a general audience, though, it may seem a bit tedious.

I occasionally wanted to grab Don and shake him, but I can't fault the story for that - it made sense that he would make some less than stellar decisions. That they also moved the plot along was convenient, but didn't detract from the believability.

The plot was good, but predictable. There were a couple unexpected twists, but for the most part, you'll see it all coming. The characters are good, but mostly just deep enough to serve their purpose in the story. I cared about Don and his family, but I don't feel particularly attached to them, either.

The writing is good, and pretty engaging. It's an easy read, but only occasionally gripping. If you're looking for a fun read that'll make you think, this is a good option. ( )