Paleontologist meets giant, six legged, spider-like alien. A marriage made in heaven? Well Toronto; if you believe internationally acclaimed author Robert J. Sawyer. And, that’s just the start of the lives-up-to-it’s-title Hugo Award finalist novel, Calculating God.
Having been a sci-fi fan for over forty years, it’s been a while since I’ve come across a novel that can stand toe-to-toe with Arthur C. Clark classics such as the imposing Childhood’s End, and with a sense of humor to boot. Calculating God is no light weight, as is recognized by the sci-fi community. Asimov’s Science Fiction magazine put it best, “Robert J. Sawyer seems to be content on revisiting all the classic themes of science fiction, often with new twists that arise from a genuine rethinking of their premises…A writer whose willingness to give us new takes on the central questions of SF makes him a valuable barometer of the genre’s health.”
It’s not just the ‘hard core’ sci-fi cognoscenti that appreciate Sawyer. The short lived, unfortunately, ABC television series FlashForward is based on Sawyer’s same titled novel. Oh, and if you happen to enjoy international magazines; the latest issue of the British based Philosophy Now magazine has an engrossing interview with Sawyer.
Lastly, next time you’re surfing the net, you might want to check Sawyer’s complimentary (includes reading group guides for his novels) website: sfwriter.com
Read On!
Tom C Smith
P. S. The Avon Free Public Library does not own this title but we will get it for you if you request it. Call us or stop by.
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