The Gods Themselves

I like Asimov's development of an interesting concept to its logical extreme. This story reminds me of "Waldo" by Robert A. Heinlein, but Asimov isn't content to accept a phenomenon as observed and use it (engineering); he wants to understand why it exists (science) and then predict interesting consequences.

This was my first Asimov and it definitely lived up to the Hype. I searched around for what to read first and stumbled unto this, Caves of steel, and the Foundations Series. I chose this because of the blurb. I loved his style, the caracters and also the explanation and break down of complex scientific theories / terms that makes you not only understand but also makes you imagine the whole implcations. Later on they become an essential part of the story. I can sense that there are many layers in this book and I can assume that is part of his signature and charm. From the relevance of social interaction no matter the universe or species, sci fi theories all the way to a social or environmental critique. This little bubbles of complexity, layers, and relevance of subjects makes you feel submerged in the novel, always feeling empathetic because you can withdraw certain similarities to our current world situation. I can honestly say I really enjoyed this book. I finished it in less than 3 days, didn't feel long, kept me very interested and the overall ending had enough "twists" to finish with a small big bang.

Smart and believable characters, smart dialogue, smart settings, great story. Hard to find such sci-fi these days.

What a fantastic read for those obsessed with the Universe! Isaac Asimov elegantly reveals when science can become a foe by introduction of so-thought unlimited energy source gained from space. Scientists and inventors often cannot account all variables, therefore introducing at first unobservable problems. Once the effects are noticeable and measurable, it is hard to admit that new scientific achievement could actually end the world (or whole Universe). Science, turns out, is all too human. The introduction of para-Universe, who experiences direct effects of unlimited energy exchange, gives the moral tone, however, the introduction of alien triads, keeps it very out of our imagination. Alien “melting” is an exploration of sexuality and an attempt to own it. This book melts together various complexities we experience here on Earth. But I agree with Isaac Asimov, that, if there is other forms of life outside of our planet, they could be dealing with similar complexities. Stunning exploration.

The Gods Themselves is a science fiction fan’s dream. While there is a little confusion with how Asimov portrays other worlds, he still writes it beautifully and it’s definitely worth the read.

This was definitely a book in 3 very distinct parts. Part 1 was the most "watch these white men be assholes, but they're smart so at least it's interesting, but they're SOOOOOO white" and mediocre. Part 2 was all about the other universe and that was AMAZING! I can't stress how much I loved this part. Part 3 felt like a continuation of part 1, but in a good way as the characters were much more nuanced and there was a killer female part. As much as I liked the ending, I wanted more of part 2.