The Engines of God (Academy - Book 1)

Product Information

McDevitt went to La Salle University, where a short story of his won the annual Freshman Short Story Contest and was published in the school's literary magazine, Four Quarters. As McDevitt explained in an interview: Leaving the Kosmik ship for the newly arrived Academy vessel, they set out, once again, to try and solve their cosmic mystery once and for all. Reread for the first time since God knows when. Very impressive book, better than I recalled. This was the first of the Academy series, and introduced Priscilla Hutchins, starship pilot, who loses two beaux in this book, one to a gruesome (but valorous) battle with alien fauna.

I’ve read quite a few books in my day, some complex, some simple, some with convoluted plots and surprise endings. But this book has way too much complex machinery. There is action, danger and a lot of who-made-them-and-why about this novel. It is a milieu novel, and as such we get to explore the galaxy according to McDevitt. Something strange has been happening for a very long time and as you read you get to wondering if what happened to other alien civilizations will one day happen to ours. Yes, the universe is still the same. Yes, the big set pieces, with the associated thrills, are still there. Yes, characters still do stupid things (with their associated consequences) which, in fact, probably makes them more human than character sin some other books...The Omega Clouds – agents of destruction which seem to be able to recognise right angles and other signs of intelligent life – have been studied intensively. Apart from the fact that they are based on nanotechnology, there is very little else discovered about them. One is heading toward Earth and will arrive in around a thousand years. One of the mysterious clouds was on the far side of the solar system, but one would pass relatively close to the moon on which they were creating their fake Monuments. The mystery deepened when, suddenly, the nearby cloud began to change direction and reduce speed, on a direct course for the moon and the new monuments. This was, obviously, inconsistent with any natural phenomena. Omega succeeded both at creating a compelling setting and some very believable and memorable characters. In the first book of the series, The Engines of God, we learn that most of the ruined civilizations discovered by humans were destroyed by "omega clouds," possibly-artificial, planet-sized clouds that move through space and target technological societies (as identified by right angles detectable from space). The next two books in the series mentioned the omegas, but they did not figure prominently in the stories. Omega, obviously, puts the omegas front and center.

Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry. It is kind of a “Rendezvous with Rama” but with much more than just one large artifact to explore. There are ruins on planets, objects in space and monuments with perfect right angles on moons. And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by skilful men, to be on the towers and upon the corners, wherewith to shoot arrows and great stones. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.

In Jerusalem, he made devices, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and on the battlements, with which to shoot arrows and great stones. His name spread far abroad, because he was marvelously helped until he was strong. This is a "hard science fiction" novel, with a well-defined plot and set of characters. The best thing this book has going for it, is its focus on archaeology, and the deciphering of clues from ancient alien artifacts. The entire story is a mystery, and even by the end of the book the puzzle is only partially solved. This, of course, allows the author to extend the story into sequels. So, this is the first book of The Academy series. Access-restricted-item true Addeddate 2021-10-13 20:08:40 Boxid IA40258108 Camera Sony Alpha-A6300 (Control) Collection_set printdisabled External-identifier