Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsEnjoyable, digestible and calorie-free.
Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2017
I will have to admit that by 25% of the way through, I had two conflicting emotions. First, I was set to hurl this book across the room for the stupid, absurd, unscientific cliches. Second, I was really enjoying myself. I am glad I gave into the second emotion because the author, Robert Sawyer, managed to tie everything together into a nice, entertaining bow.
The story starts with the scientific superpower of Canada sending two paleontologists back to the age of the dinosaurs on a cut-rate scientific mission to answer the question of why the dinosaurs went extinct. Our viewpoint character is "Brandy" and his best friend "Klicks." Although they were life-long friends, things have become tense because Klicks swooped in on Brandy's ex-wife after his divorce. Things are stressful, but these are the two who sent back via the Huang Effect.
They arrive in the Mesozoic and discover three improbable things: There is a second moon in the sky, Earth gravity is one-third of normal, and blue, gelatinous aliens are using dinosaurs as hosts.
I think it was the last part that made me weigh the "hurl/not hurl" issue.
On the other hand, the whole thing is so goofily light-hearted, and it was going down so smoothly, that I gave it a shot.
I'm not going to spoil the book. It delivers on all of its improbable premises, which is a surprise and kind of a virtue compared to a lot of books.
Read it as a lark. It's enjoyable, digestible and calorie-free.
