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Cosmic Engineers
Second printing of this edition, 1967. Paperback library catalog number 52-498. One of Simak's earlier works - note that it took a quarter decade to come out in paperback.
159 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1950
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978 people want to read
About the author
Clifford D. Simak
956 books1,071 followers"He was honored by fans with three Hugo awards and by colleagues with one Nebula award and was named the third Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) in 1977." (Wikipedia)
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifford...
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifford...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
December 4, 2018
This fast-paced slice of pulp science fiction may only be 2 stars worth of fun, but at least it is a breezy, painless 2 stars, despite sloppy plotting and mainly cardboard characters. It was smart fun as well. The story hurtles back and forth, from our solar system to the edge of the galaxy, into the distant future to visit Earth's last resident and back again, universes colliding & altruistic robots & all-powerful but senile puppetmasters, oh my. There's an interesting character in the peace-loving scientist woken from her thousand-year suspended animation - a suspended animation where she was busy thinking away, the entire time. Now awake, and ready to save the universe with her supra-intelligence!
This is probably only for Simak completists, which after reading City and Way Station and A Choice of Gods, I definitely consider myself. And as a Simak enthusiast, it was fun seeing all of the themes and favorite subjects that would come to define him, already present in nascent form: the need for humans to evolve - without a reliance on technology; robots and dogs; the regrettable human urge to reject the physically alien; a detached intelligence that could be God; the nonsense of human bureaucracy; an ideology that somehow combines progressive values with old-fashioned conservatism. I also quite enjoyed the short bit that appears to be endorsing Christian Science as a viable perspective on life and the universe - that was a surprise!
This is probably only for Simak completists, which after reading City and Way Station and A Choice of Gods, I definitely consider myself. And as a Simak enthusiast, it was fun seeing all of the themes and favorite subjects that would come to define him, already present in nascent form: the need for humans to evolve - without a reliance on technology; robots and dogs; the regrettable human urge to reject the physically alien; a detached intelligence that could be God; the nonsense of human bureaucracy; an ideology that somehow combines progressive values with old-fashioned conservatism. I also quite enjoyed the short bit that appears to be endorsing Christian Science as a viable perspective on life and the universe - that was a surprise!
July 12, 2016
Every great novelist has to begin somewhere, and for future sci-fi Grand Master Clifford D. Simak, that beginning was his first novel, "Cosmic Engineers." This is not to say, of course, that this novel was the first attempt at writing that Simak had ever made. Far from it, as a matter of fact. "Cosmic Engineers" originally appeared as a three-part serial in the February – April 1939 issues of John W. Campbell's highly influential "Astounding Science-Fiction" magazine, and in a slightly expanded book form 11 years later. But before 1939, Simak had placed no fewer than 10 short stories in the pages of "ASF" and "Thrilling Wonder Stories," while at the same time working as a journalist on the "Minneapolis Star & Tribune," his "day job" until his retirement in 1976, at age 72.
"Cosmic Engineers" is an atypical book for this beloved author, displaying little if any of his later, "gentle" style, pastoral leanings, and settings in rural Wisconsin. (There IS one passage, however, in which one of the characters declares "There are some things that never change. The smell of fresh-plowed fields and the scent of hayfields at harvest time and the beauty of trees against the skyline at evening….") It is, rather, a novel of fairly hard science, a genre that Campbell (an ex-MIT student and aspiring engineer himself) highly favored, mixed in with a goodly dollop of "sense of wonder" writing that was deemed so very essential for Golden Age sci-fi. The result is a just barely pleasing, mixed affair that should come as a surprise to all of Simak's many fans.
In the book, the reader meets Gary Nelson and Herb Harper, reporter and photographer, respectively, for the "Evening Rocket." On board their cramped "Space Pup," the two have been roaming the solar system, doing a continuing weekly column on the manifold wonders of the nine planets. Before long, however, they get the story of their careers when they discover a 1,000-year-old craft in orbit around Pluto. Inside the small ship lies a young woman in suspended animation, who, when revived, admits to being none other than Caroline Martin, a scientific genius who had been unfairly charged with treason a millennium earlier and marooned in an orbiting prison. She'd placed herself into the suspended animation state but had not reckoned with the fact that, although her body would remain in stasis, her mind would remain active. Thus, the young woman had been, for 1,000 years, pondering the mysteries of space and time, and developing her gift for telepathy. And Caroline's newly awakened skills are soon to be tried to their utmost.
Dr. Kingsley, a researcher on Pluto, has recently been picking up messages from the very fringe of our universe, at the very edge of where the time/space continuum ends; messages imploring assistance to avert some kind of large-scale catastrophe. Using instructions from these so-called Cosmic Engineers, Kingsley and Caroline construct a stabilizing portal that will open up a space-time warp and enable rocket hotshot Tommy Evans' faster-than-light starship to traverse the billions of light-years in moments. Thus, the quintet eventually reaches the home world of the telepathic, metallic-looking Cosmic Engineers in good time, only to learn the shocking truth: Our universe is just one of many billions, and very shortly will be coming into collision with another! The "friction" generated by the initial rubbing of the two universes will generate enough energy to completely destroy both! And as if that weren't enough, a race known only as the Hellhounds is engaged in an ongoing war with the Engineers, and is actually trying to facilitate the universe's extinction!
In a set of books that this reader just reviewed, Wylie & Balmer's "When Worlds Collide" (1933) and "After Worlds Collide" (1935), the Earth and its moon are destroyed in spectacular fashion in a collision with the rogue planet dubbed Bronson Alpha, but a mere destruction of worlds seems to have been deemed small potatoes for Simak in his first novel. Indeed, the author's main intention here, one gets the feeling, was to write as large-scale and mind-blowing a novel as he possibly could, rife with cosmic speculations, origin theories for the birth of mankind on Earth, time travel, bizarre-looking aliens, weapons of superscience, and, as mentioned, the wholesale destruction of two universes. He touches on the possibility of a planet's having a myriad of possible "parallel" realities, a concept dealt with in much fuller detail in the author's brilliant novel of 1953, "Ring Around the Sun." Simak's first novel is simply and plainly written, verging at times on what is now known as YA--fans of lyrical prose, such as that sported by such authors as Clark Ashton Smith and Lord Dunsany, should not expect anything on the order of beautiful verbiage here--but still manages to perplex the reader when he delves into such matters as hyperspheres, miniature universes, interspace, and five-dimensional space. The first-time novelist does manage to get in some pleasingly written passages, such as this one, in which Gary contemplates the possibility of parallel Earths:
"His mind whirled at the thought of it, at the astounding vista of possibilities that the thought brought up, the infinite number of possibilities that existed as shadows, each with a queer shadow existence of its very own, things that just missed being realities. Disappointed ghosts, he thought, wailing their way through the eternity of nonexistence.…"
But at the same time, Simak turns in some real clinkers in the prose department, such as when he tells us "Its skin was mottled and its eyes were narrow, slitted eyes," and "A slinking shape slunk across a dune." Oy. Likewise, ungrammatical sentences abound, such as "…someone had tidied up before they walked off...." Was this book ever copyedited by editor Campbell?
The book, unfortunately, comes freighted with some other minor problems. It is set in the year 6948, and yet seems to take place only a few hundred years in our future; 1,000, at the very most. Simak manages to get some basic facts incorrect in his first novel, too. He mentions that the age of the Earth is 3 billion years, whereas we now know that it is closer to 4.5 billion, and tells us that the Andromeda galaxy is a whopping 900 million light-years from Earth, instead of the more accurate figure of 2.5 million! Overall, the novel lacks descriptive detail, and perhaps should have been twice as long as it is. (The time-travel trip that Gary and Caroline make to the Earth of millions of years hence takes up a mere 12 pages, for example.) Characterization is sketchy, at best, and the potentialities of such imaginative constructs as a woman who's developed her mental powers over a millennium, the harnessing of the interspace energies, the Engineers' precise relationship with mankind, and the backstory of those reptilian Hellhounds are left, sadly, unrealized. Simak, thus, here displays an abundance of imaginative ideas but does not flesh out his ideas sufficiently to engender believability. I would categorize it as an excellent first effort by a talented amateur writer; one who shows great promise, to be sure.
Writing of Simak's novel in his "Ultimate Guide to Science Fiction," Scottish critic David Pringle tells us that it is an "amusingly inept space opera...best left buried"; author and critic Damon Knight would seem to agree, and has called the book "a potboiler [that] should have been left interred." Ouch! Both critics, I feel, are perhaps being a bit too harsh, here. "Cosmic Engineers" is certainly a fun enough novel to zip through, one that surely does include some mind-warping concepts and ideas, as well as colorful vistas; a compact and fast-moving (perhaps too compact and fast-moving) affair that is of course required reading for all Simak completists. All others should find it a nonessential but engaging entertainment, at best....
(By the way, this review originally appeared on the FanLit website at http://www.fantasyliterature.com/ ... a most excellent destination for all fans of Clifford D. Simak....)
"Cosmic Engineers" is an atypical book for this beloved author, displaying little if any of his later, "gentle" style, pastoral leanings, and settings in rural Wisconsin. (There IS one passage, however, in which one of the characters declares "There are some things that never change. The smell of fresh-plowed fields and the scent of hayfields at harvest time and the beauty of trees against the skyline at evening….") It is, rather, a novel of fairly hard science, a genre that Campbell (an ex-MIT student and aspiring engineer himself) highly favored, mixed in with a goodly dollop of "sense of wonder" writing that was deemed so very essential for Golden Age sci-fi. The result is a just barely pleasing, mixed affair that should come as a surprise to all of Simak's many fans.
In the book, the reader meets Gary Nelson and Herb Harper, reporter and photographer, respectively, for the "Evening Rocket." On board their cramped "Space Pup," the two have been roaming the solar system, doing a continuing weekly column on the manifold wonders of the nine planets. Before long, however, they get the story of their careers when they discover a 1,000-year-old craft in orbit around Pluto. Inside the small ship lies a young woman in suspended animation, who, when revived, admits to being none other than Caroline Martin, a scientific genius who had been unfairly charged with treason a millennium earlier and marooned in an orbiting prison. She'd placed herself into the suspended animation state but had not reckoned with the fact that, although her body would remain in stasis, her mind would remain active. Thus, the young woman had been, for 1,000 years, pondering the mysteries of space and time, and developing her gift for telepathy. And Caroline's newly awakened skills are soon to be tried to their utmost.
Dr. Kingsley, a researcher on Pluto, has recently been picking up messages from the very fringe of our universe, at the very edge of where the time/space continuum ends; messages imploring assistance to avert some kind of large-scale catastrophe. Using instructions from these so-called Cosmic Engineers, Kingsley and Caroline construct a stabilizing portal that will open up a space-time warp and enable rocket hotshot Tommy Evans' faster-than-light starship to traverse the billions of light-years in moments. Thus, the quintet eventually reaches the home world of the telepathic, metallic-looking Cosmic Engineers in good time, only to learn the shocking truth: Our universe is just one of many billions, and very shortly will be coming into collision with another! The "friction" generated by the initial rubbing of the two universes will generate enough energy to completely destroy both! And as if that weren't enough, a race known only as the Hellhounds is engaged in an ongoing war with the Engineers, and is actually trying to facilitate the universe's extinction!
In a set of books that this reader just reviewed, Wylie & Balmer's "When Worlds Collide" (1933) and "After Worlds Collide" (1935), the Earth and its moon are destroyed in spectacular fashion in a collision with the rogue planet dubbed Bronson Alpha, but a mere destruction of worlds seems to have been deemed small potatoes for Simak in his first novel. Indeed, the author's main intention here, one gets the feeling, was to write as large-scale and mind-blowing a novel as he possibly could, rife with cosmic speculations, origin theories for the birth of mankind on Earth, time travel, bizarre-looking aliens, weapons of superscience, and, as mentioned, the wholesale destruction of two universes. He touches on the possibility of a planet's having a myriad of possible "parallel" realities, a concept dealt with in much fuller detail in the author's brilliant novel of 1953, "Ring Around the Sun." Simak's first novel is simply and plainly written, verging at times on what is now known as YA--fans of lyrical prose, such as that sported by such authors as Clark Ashton Smith and Lord Dunsany, should not expect anything on the order of beautiful verbiage here--but still manages to perplex the reader when he delves into such matters as hyperspheres, miniature universes, interspace, and five-dimensional space. The first-time novelist does manage to get in some pleasingly written passages, such as this one, in which Gary contemplates the possibility of parallel Earths:
"His mind whirled at the thought of it, at the astounding vista of possibilities that the thought brought up, the infinite number of possibilities that existed as shadows, each with a queer shadow existence of its very own, things that just missed being realities. Disappointed ghosts, he thought, wailing their way through the eternity of nonexistence.…"
But at the same time, Simak turns in some real clinkers in the prose department, such as when he tells us "Its skin was mottled and its eyes were narrow, slitted eyes," and "A slinking shape slunk across a dune." Oy. Likewise, ungrammatical sentences abound, such as "…someone had tidied up before they walked off...." Was this book ever copyedited by editor Campbell?
The book, unfortunately, comes freighted with some other minor problems. It is set in the year 6948, and yet seems to take place only a few hundred years in our future; 1,000, at the very most. Simak manages to get some basic facts incorrect in his first novel, too. He mentions that the age of the Earth is 3 billion years, whereas we now know that it is closer to 4.5 billion, and tells us that the Andromeda galaxy is a whopping 900 million light-years from Earth, instead of the more accurate figure of 2.5 million! Overall, the novel lacks descriptive detail, and perhaps should have been twice as long as it is. (The time-travel trip that Gary and Caroline make to the Earth of millions of years hence takes up a mere 12 pages, for example.) Characterization is sketchy, at best, and the potentialities of such imaginative constructs as a woman who's developed her mental powers over a millennium, the harnessing of the interspace energies, the Engineers' precise relationship with mankind, and the backstory of those reptilian Hellhounds are left, sadly, unrealized. Simak, thus, here displays an abundance of imaginative ideas but does not flesh out his ideas sufficiently to engender believability. I would categorize it as an excellent first effort by a talented amateur writer; one who shows great promise, to be sure.
Writing of Simak's novel in his "Ultimate Guide to Science Fiction," Scottish critic David Pringle tells us that it is an "amusingly inept space opera...best left buried"; author and critic Damon Knight would seem to agree, and has called the book "a potboiler [that] should have been left interred." Ouch! Both critics, I feel, are perhaps being a bit too harsh, here. "Cosmic Engineers" is certainly a fun enough novel to zip through, one that surely does include some mind-warping concepts and ideas, as well as colorful vistas; a compact and fast-moving (perhaps too compact and fast-moving) affair that is of course required reading for all Simak completists. All others should find it a nonessential but engaging entertainment, at best....
(By the way, this review originally appeared on the FanLit website at http://www.fantasyliterature.com/ ... a most excellent destination for all fans of Clifford D. Simak....)
April 26, 2020
Ще започна с това , че Саймък дълго време беше моят любим автор, изчел съм почти всичко негово с изключение на два , три романа (тези дни ще поправя това)и вероятно няколко разкази губещи ми се във пространството, всъщност по правилно е да се каже , че Саймък винаги ще бъде мой любим автор , тази книга е истинско богатство , пълна е с мн идеи писана е в зората на златният век на фантастиката , бях чел доста противоречиви мнения , била слаба , Саймък бил още незрял , всеки има право да оценява , според мен още тук автора загатва за огромния си потенциал , любимата му тема контактът между световете и тук загатната .За мен тази книга беше завръщане в уютният дом , след дълго пътешествие и нови автори и заглавия , винаги се връщаш при любимия си писател и го откриваш отново и отново .
January 14, 2019
"Cosmic Engineers" ("An Interplanetary Saga by Clifford D. Simak"), is his first full length novel, first published in 1950. However, up until then, Simak had published several short stories and novellas in various sf pulp magazine starting in the mid thirties. This particular story was, in fact, an expanded 1939 serial from Campbell's Astounding (predating van Vogt's ground breaking "Black Destroyer" by six months.) This pre-war work having been expanded during the dawn of the fifties, and Simak being a career newspaper man, I would have thought that he might have done a much better job of editing it. The published version is uneven as there are several awesome 'big idea' mind-blowing segments, such as colliding universes, mixed in with bits that are pure pre-golden age pulp awfulness - ancient almost bewildered robots and senile puppet master entity. It does not have much of the back woods homey rural feel that Simak is know for with his future works, but is overall, a fast paced (perhaps too fast), memorable and standout story; the sort that was favoured by astounding editor John Campbell Jr.
Note: Having the beautiful woman character as being the top genius here was probably a novel idea for the time.
Found it interesting that Stephen King endorsed this novel in a fashion in his "On Writing" book.
Note: Having the beautiful woman character as being the top genius here was probably a novel idea for the time.
Found it interesting that Stephen King endorsed this novel in a fashion in his "On Writing" book.
September 18, 2025
Simak's first novel started off as a short story in 1939 before being published as a short novel in 1950; every writer has to start somewhere! While certainly entertaining, I found this quite OTT in so many ways. Our leads, two magazine writers, start the novel on a tour of the solar system, writing about the various planets and peoples they encounter. The year, approximately 6000, has witnessed humanity colonize the solar system, but yet to go interstellar. On their journey to Pluto for their next scoop, they find a derelict space ship, and within it, a woman who has been 'hibernating' for 1000 years! During that time, her brain never slowed, so she had all kinds of time to think, and being a scientist, all kinds of time to ponder esoteric mathematics.
Anyway, when they get to Pluto, and its small colony, they find something incredible. Apparently, some alien race has been trying to communicate with the colony there, but no dice. With the help of the newly thawed woman, however, a breakthrough is made. The Alien race, the titular Cosmic Engineers, desperately need humanity's assistance to save the universe! Another universe approaches ours and when they contact, both will be obliterated! Can this small group of humans figure out a plan to save not just the world, but the universe itself? Pick up a copy and find out!
I enjoyed the pacing, and Simak tosses in twists and turns throughout the book. Mind bending discussions of 4th and 5th dimensions, multiple universes, alongside some very dated science. Fun pulpy read which I assume was serialized for Amazing Stories back in the day. Simak went on to write some really excellent science fiction, but this is more pulp adventure than anything else. 2.5 stars, rounding up for nostalgia.
Anyway, when they get to Pluto, and its small colony, they find something incredible. Apparently, some alien race has been trying to communicate with the colony there, but no dice. With the help of the newly thawed woman, however, a breakthrough is made. The Alien race, the titular Cosmic Engineers, desperately need humanity's assistance to save the universe! Another universe approaches ours and when they contact, both will be obliterated! Can this small group of humans figure out a plan to save not just the world, but the universe itself? Pick up a copy and find out!
I enjoyed the pacing, and Simak tosses in twists and turns throughout the book. Mind bending discussions of 4th and 5th dimensions, multiple universes, alongside some very dated science. Fun pulpy read which I assume was serialized for Amazing Stories back in the day. Simak went on to write some really excellent science fiction, but this is more pulp adventure than anything else. 2.5 stars, rounding up for nostalgia.
March 2, 2025
Check out a book discussion with Shawn, Pat, Scott and Gavin on Shawn D. Standfast’s channel HERE.
This was Simak’s first novel published in 1950 but this story was serialized in Astounding back in 1939 and then expanded a bit for this publication. While this feels a bit dated and pulpy at times you can see all the seeds being planted for some of Simak’s future works. Compared to other SF from the 1930’s I think this one is above average and has a very strong female character leading the way in the story. Probably not the best place to start with Simak but a good one for the completionist or someone wanting to see what was being written back in the 30’s.
This was Simak’s first novel published in 1950 but this story was serialized in Astounding back in 1939 and then expanded a bit for this publication. While this feels a bit dated and pulpy at times you can see all the seeds being planted for some of Simak’s future works. Compared to other SF from the 1930’s I think this one is above average and has a very strong female character leading the way in the story. Probably not the best place to start with Simak but a good one for the completionist or someone wanting to see what was being written back in the 30’s.
September 2, 2012
Stephen King favorably mentioned author in Chapter 2 of Berkley's 1983 paperback edition of Danse Macabre.
Wow was Simak ahead of his time with this fun and fast little science fiction story. Some space/time confusion for us layman, but not too bad. What was unheard of in the day may actually be possible in the future. Fun take on humankind (MAN) as the savior of the universe. Glad the author tempered that with the knowledge that man isn't ready to have the power to save the universe (and destroy it) in our untrustworthy war-mongering hands!
Wow was Simak ahead of his time with this fun and fast little science fiction story. Some space/time confusion for us layman, but not too bad. What was unheard of in the day may actually be possible in the future. Fun take on humankind (MAN) as the savior of the universe. Glad the author tempered that with the knowledge that man isn't ready to have the power to save the universe (and destroy it) in our untrustworthy war-mongering hands!
December 27, 2024
I’ve read a stack of Simak, this one doesn’t fit well with the others.
Reading this I felt like it was missing some of his usual style, when I saw the original publication date when it was serialized in a magazine “1939” I realized this was an early work, written before he developed his signature style.
Not a bad book, lots of big ideas about physics, space and time, multiple universes etc. we tend to think of those concepts as much more modern but they go way back.
Reading this I felt like it was missing some of his usual style, when I saw the original publication date when it was serialized in a magazine “1939” I realized this was an early work, written before he developed his signature style.
Not a bad book, lots of big ideas about physics, space and time, multiple universes etc. we tend to think of those concepts as much more modern but they go way back.
December 2, 2024
Cosmic Engineers (no "The") was Simak's first novel. It was serialized in John W. Campbell's Astounding SF magazine's February-through-April issues in 1939, and then the wonderful Gnome Press released an expanded version of it in hardback in 1950 with a lovely blue and gold Edd Cartier cover. It's a very fast-paced, big-idea space opera with none of the pastoral flourishes or friendly down-home touches for which Simak would become best known later in his career. If you were to pick it up and read it without knowing who the author was, you'd probably identify the era correctly but guess the name of the writer to be Edmond Hamilton or Murray Leinster or Doc Smith or Jack Wiliamson. It's a fun race around the cosmos to save the universe featuring two newspaper reporters and a genius sleeping beauty; sense of wonder stuff. Simak throws in a lot of the tropes and gimmicks that those authors were best known for and seasons it with a dash of Buck Rogers and a hint of Flash Gordon. Reading it while wearing a propellor beanie isn't required, but it wouldn't hurt.
January 30, 2023
EDIT: I didn't know this was Simak's first novel. EVERYTHING MAKES SENSE NOW.
This is very much like an old Doctor Who episode (yeah, like old old, where an 'episode' was made up of 7 parts aired separately, and yes - like in 1965). And also not so much one of the good ones. There are some great big ideas, but it's almost as if they're all too jumbled up - too many big ideas all in one pot, so it seems all fragmented, and none of them are fully developed, which in turn also makes most of the characters flat, as there are just so many things to tell and seemingly not enough pages for it.
This is very much like an old Doctor Who episode (yeah, like old old, where an 'episode' was made up of 7 parts aired separately, and yes - like in 1965). And also not so much one of the good ones. There are some great big ideas, but it's almost as if they're all too jumbled up - too many big ideas all in one pot, so it seems all fragmented, and none of them are fully developed, which in turn also makes most of the characters flat, as there are just so many things to tell and seemingly not enough pages for it.
January 4, 2017
This is one of Simak's earliest novels, written before he developed his characteristic pastoral style of storytelling. At the time of this novel, he was primarily writing "super-science" style pulp stories and that's the style this novel uses. But hints of classic Simak style and plot points are hiding everywhere: friendly robots, aliens with dark and incomprehensible minds, main characters who are also reporters. There's even a strong, female lead character. The story is entertaining and moves way too fast for the reader to have time to complain about the 1930's ideas about hyperspace, time-travel, and the multiverse. Recommended.
January 11, 2025
Hellehonden, metalen super inteligente chad, kabouter space monkeys, gestoorde bipolaire stem in de ruimte en een overthinking boss girl. Dit was een leuke space opera.
December 23, 2011
There's nothing like golden age sci-fi. Even the mistaken science is charming; it's nice to go back to a time when Pluto was a planet. Most of all, it's nice to return to a time of optimism. This book is set far enough in the future, further than most, which makes the level of scientific advances more believable. It was a time when we believed that we were just a few tweaks away from a promising new future--atomic energy, interstellar travel, time travel, robots, colonies on Mars--and Jupiter! It was a time when we believed the human race can, when so often today we hear about what we can't, won't, shouldn't. Our outlook is much more negative. We're fighting each other, space programs are being canceled. It's nice to get back to a time when we could believe that good things were just right around the corner.
October 3, 2015
You can find a lot to complain about this book; mostly retro-technologies that don't quite fit the environment that's supposed to be the future and a lot of mambo-jambo about higher dimensions of space.
But the share number of big ideas and astonishing encounters make it very impressive for a 1939 novel, that's why I gave it 5 stars.
As an historical point, I strongly suspect that when Asimov said that Simak had a great influence on him he had this book in mind. I can see in "Cosmic Engineers" germs for "The Gods Themselves" and the character R. Daneel Olivaw - maybe others also.
*5 stars
But the share number of big ideas and astonishing encounters make it very impressive for a 1939 novel, that's why I gave it 5 stars.
As an historical point, I strongly suspect that when Asimov said that Simak had a great influence on him he had this book in mind. I can see in "Cosmic Engineers" germs for "The Gods Themselves" and the character R. Daneel Olivaw - maybe others also.
*5 stars
October 14, 2024
My first exposure to American Sci Fi novelist, Clifford D. Simak was back in my university days when I took a Sci Fi novel course and one of the books we read was City by Simak. Over the years I've read it three or four times. It's such an excellent book if you're just exploring the Sci Fi genre. Since then I've read another 4 and I have to say they've been hit or miss. The Werewolf Principle was surprisingly good, whereas I've mixed feelings about the others; Time is the Simplest Thing, The Goblin Reservation and Cemetery World were just ok. Each had something to offer, but for those last three, they sort of missed the mark.
Now to look at Simak's first novel, Cosmic Engineers. The novel was originally published as a short novel in 1939 and then rereleased in a larger version (this one I read) in 1950, Simak's first novel.
So, onto the story. Two reporters, Gary and Herb, are traveling through our solar system, sending articles on our planets back to Earth. They are on their way to Pluto when they discover a space ship basically floating in space. It's not like any that they've seen before (of course I mean those manufactured by Earth). Deciding to explore, they discover a young woman in suspended animation. When they revive her, they discover she is one Caroline Martin and has been suspended for 1,000s of years. (a long time anyway). Many centuries ago, there was a war between the people on Jupiter and the rest of the Solar System and Caroline had come up with a weapon that would help Earth defeat Jupiter. She refused to give her plans up (they were in her mind) and so was punished by being put in suspended animation and floated into space.
It turns out only her body was asleep. She had thousands of years to think and also began to communicate with another race at the edge of the universe, the titled Cosmic Engineers. (Got it so far?0
The trio head to Pluto, where Herb and Gary had been about to report on another guy, Ted (love the names, eh?) who has devised a new propulsion system that he wants to use to go to Alpha Centauri. Anyway, to try and make this a bit shorter than the actual novel, it turns out that the Cosmic Engineers need our help to prevent a catastrophe that will maybe destroy the whole universe. With Caroline's help, Ted's ship is updated and the group, along with Plutonian scientist , Kingsley, travel through some sort of space / time warp to get to the Engineers planet.
The gist is that another universe is about to collide with our universe which will have disastrous consequences to both.. DISASTROUS!! So there you go. The group must try to help the Engineers, mainly represented by 1824 (that's his name) and it will involve Caroline and Gary traveling to a 'possible' future to get the mathematics to achieve their aim. Caroline and Gary will be kidnapped by a psychotic 'mind'. The planet of the engineers will be attacked by their arch enemies the Hellhounds. So, lots going on.
Let's say it's a fun space adventure with lots of math and science involved. At the same time, it's pretty normal. Gary gives Caroline a scrap of paper from an envelope and a stub of a pencil to write down all the calculations that future mathematician gives them. Not some sort of computer. There were things that made me think of later TV shows.
The powerful mind that captures Caroline and Gary makes the battle two hellhounds to see which side he will release. There are a couple of episodes of the original Star Trek that relate; do you remember the bored spoiled alien that keeps them prisoners in his castle until his parents come along?
Also an episode of the Big Bang Theory where the boys are trying to analyze Back to the Future came to mind when I read this discussion. Make sense of it. It relates to the trip to the future
"I followed its world line, said the Engineer, ' and yet not its actual world line, but the world line that as to come. I traced it into the realm of probability. I followed it ahead in time, saw it as it is not yet, as it may never be. I saw the Shadow of its probability." LOL
One final quote. No matter when a story is written, there are issues that I can relate to the current time. This relates to the fact that when universe #2 is destroyed, aliens from that universe will cross over to ours. Can you see where this is going?
"What bothers me,' declared Kingsley, 'are those people from the other universe. It's just like letting undesirable elements come in under our immigration schedule on Earth. You can't tell what sort of people they are. They might be life forms that are inimical to us."
mind you, the ever positive, intelligent Caroline has the perfect response.
"Or,' suggested Caroline, "they might be possessors of great scientific accomplishments and a higher culture. They might add much to this universe." (There you go)
So, somewhat hit and miss but still an entertaining space adventure. Check out Simak. (3.0 stars)
Now to look at Simak's first novel, Cosmic Engineers. The novel was originally published as a short novel in 1939 and then rereleased in a larger version (this one I read) in 1950, Simak's first novel.
So, onto the story. Two reporters, Gary and Herb, are traveling through our solar system, sending articles on our planets back to Earth. They are on their way to Pluto when they discover a space ship basically floating in space. It's not like any that they've seen before (of course I mean those manufactured by Earth). Deciding to explore, they discover a young woman in suspended animation. When they revive her, they discover she is one Caroline Martin and has been suspended for 1,000s of years. (a long time anyway). Many centuries ago, there was a war between the people on Jupiter and the rest of the Solar System and Caroline had come up with a weapon that would help Earth defeat Jupiter. She refused to give her plans up (they were in her mind) and so was punished by being put in suspended animation and floated into space.
It turns out only her body was asleep. She had thousands of years to think and also began to communicate with another race at the edge of the universe, the titled Cosmic Engineers. (Got it so far?0
The trio head to Pluto, where Herb and Gary had been about to report on another guy, Ted (love the names, eh?) who has devised a new propulsion system that he wants to use to go to Alpha Centauri. Anyway, to try and make this a bit shorter than the actual novel, it turns out that the Cosmic Engineers need our help to prevent a catastrophe that will maybe destroy the whole universe. With Caroline's help, Ted's ship is updated and the group, along with Plutonian scientist , Kingsley, travel through some sort of space / time warp to get to the Engineers planet.
The gist is that another universe is about to collide with our universe which will have disastrous consequences to both.. DISASTROUS!! So there you go. The group must try to help the Engineers, mainly represented by 1824 (that's his name) and it will involve Caroline and Gary traveling to a 'possible' future to get the mathematics to achieve their aim. Caroline and Gary will be kidnapped by a psychotic 'mind'. The planet of the engineers will be attacked by their arch enemies the Hellhounds. So, lots going on.
Let's say it's a fun space adventure with lots of math and science involved. At the same time, it's pretty normal. Gary gives Caroline a scrap of paper from an envelope and a stub of a pencil to write down all the calculations that future mathematician gives them. Not some sort of computer. There were things that made me think of later TV shows.
The powerful mind that captures Caroline and Gary makes the battle two hellhounds to see which side he will release. There are a couple of episodes of the original Star Trek that relate; do you remember the bored spoiled alien that keeps them prisoners in his castle until his parents come along?
Also an episode of the Big Bang Theory where the boys are trying to analyze Back to the Future came to mind when I read this discussion. Make sense of it. It relates to the trip to the future
"I followed its world line, said the Engineer, ' and yet not its actual world line, but the world line that as to come. I traced it into the realm of probability. I followed it ahead in time, saw it as it is not yet, as it may never be. I saw the Shadow of its probability." LOL
One final quote. No matter when a story is written, there are issues that I can relate to the current time. This relates to the fact that when universe #2 is destroyed, aliens from that universe will cross over to ours. Can you see where this is going?
"What bothers me,' declared Kingsley, 'are those people from the other universe. It's just like letting undesirable elements come in under our immigration schedule on Earth. You can't tell what sort of people they are. They might be life forms that are inimical to us."
mind you, the ever positive, intelligent Caroline has the perfect response.
"Or,' suggested Caroline, "they might be possessors of great scientific accomplishments and a higher culture. They might add much to this universe." (There you go)
So, somewhat hit and miss but still an entertaining space adventure. Check out Simak. (3.0 stars)
May 14, 2020
Throughout Simak's books robots play large roles, and they all are operating under the same principles of loyalty, benevolence and melancholy, and I love them.
March 10, 2022
Two reporters are looking for a story out in the wilds of space. They happen upon a derelict spaceship and revive its lone inhabitant from suspended animation. Her body had been frozen, but her mind had continued to expand and thus she's probably the smartest person ever. The group is called upon by a group called the Cosmic Engineers to 'save the universe' but one of our journalist heroes is skeptical and not sure whether they're to be trusted. Encounters with other alien species compound the issue as some of these others had attempted the whole universe saving thing before and were apparently unsuccessful.
I liked this one. Originally serialized in three 1939 issues of "Astounding", it was later expanded for publication as Simak's first novel. Having been a journalist himself, (for my hometown paper, the Minneapolis Star Tribune), the reporter character seems like an avatar, but not annoyingly so. Also, the inclusion of a female super-genius in a book from this era seems remarkably progressive.
I don't think I've ever had a bad time reading a Simak book, and this one just makes me eager to read more of his work.
I liked this one. Originally serialized in three 1939 issues of "Astounding", it was later expanded for publication as Simak's first novel. Having been a journalist himself, (for my hometown paper, the Minneapolis Star Tribune), the reporter character seems like an avatar, but not annoyingly so. Also, the inclusion of a female super-genius in a book from this era seems remarkably progressive.
I don't think I've ever had a bad time reading a Simak book, and this one just makes me eager to read more of his work.
March 12, 2025
Very much feels like it's from 1950
January 13, 2023
First serialised as a novelette in 1939, "Cosmic Engineers" was slightly expanded as a novel in 1950, and is highly distinct from all of Simak's later stories, that were more closely related to the subdued, pastoral style of Ray Bradbury. This novel, however, reads more like the intergalactic "super-science" stories made popular in the late twenties and thirties by authors like E.E. "Doc" Smith.
A small team of scientists in the 70th century revive a mysterious young woman who has been hibernating in a floating space ship for thousands of years. With the help of her telepathic abilities, enhanced with new technology, they are able to decipher a message from a robotic race at the edge of the universe, who asks for their help in stopping our world's collission with another universe. They figure out a way to travel across the expanse, and reach the robotic people, who are engaged in a struggle with a people known as the Hellhounds, who relish in the chaos that the collission of worlds would entail.
It is a fun, pulpy adventure story, but one expects more from an author like Simak. The book is particularly plagued by the clash of 1930's ideas and worldviews with the supposedly super-advanced society of the 70th century. In this novel, placed 5,000 years in the future, the world is still haunted by the pre-war/post-war geopolitical ghosts of WWII, people behave and think in a distinctly 1930's manner (anachronistic even in the 50's), and despite having conquered the universe and discovered telepathy, people still haven't found a better way of storing and transferring large amounts of data than through capsules of microfilm (a staple in Golden Age SF). It's a fun read, but somewhat irritating with its short-sighted anachronisms.
A small team of scientists in the 70th century revive a mysterious young woman who has been hibernating in a floating space ship for thousands of years. With the help of her telepathic abilities, enhanced with new technology, they are able to decipher a message from a robotic race at the edge of the universe, who asks for their help in stopping our world's collission with another universe. They figure out a way to travel across the expanse, and reach the robotic people, who are engaged in a struggle with a people known as the Hellhounds, who relish in the chaos that the collission of worlds would entail.
It is a fun, pulpy adventure story, but one expects more from an author like Simak. The book is particularly plagued by the clash of 1930's ideas and worldviews with the supposedly super-advanced society of the 70th century. In this novel, placed 5,000 years in the future, the world is still haunted by the pre-war/post-war geopolitical ghosts of WWII, people behave and think in a distinctly 1930's manner (anachronistic even in the 50's), and despite having conquered the universe and discovered telepathy, people still haven't found a better way of storing and transferring large amounts of data than through capsules of microfilm (a staple in Golden Age SF). It's a fun read, but somewhat irritating with its short-sighted anachronisms.
May 8, 2017
Забил глава в новите селения на фантастиката, търсейки оригиналност и сингулярност, забравям за размаха на фантазията проявяван от авторите в първите години на нейната „Златната ера“. Саймък е един от флагманите на жанровата литература и любим писател. „Резерватът на таласъмите“ е една от първите книги които прочетох изобщо.
„Космически инженери“ е един от най-ранните му романи. С еднопластовите си герои и раздърпан, като старо чердже сюжет е типичен пример за жанра, но галактиката от идеи, затворени между тези 150 страници няма как да не накара човек да го обикне. Пътуване във времето с хилядолетия напред, петизмерна математика, агресивна извънземна раса, спасяване на вселената, сблъсък между вселени, хилядагодишна хибернация, мигновени комуникация и пътуване до ръба на вселената. Теории за създаването на човечеството, за създаването на вселените, карта на милиарди години еволюция на човешката и други раси. Извънземна раса, затънала в технически прогрес, забравила да фантазира; друга – еволюирала до безплътен единствен разум, полудяла от тежестта на знанията; трета – технически развита, но насочила знанията си към завоевания и унищожение; други – толкова различни от човечеството, че контактът е буквално невъзможен. И още, и още, Плутон все още е планета, водещ женски образ, абсолютно нетипичен за 40-те години, леки алюзии с войните тресящи Земята, по време на написването, морални дилеми, ситуации с бежанци... Не мога да обхвана пълния спектър на проблемите, които книгата отваря, без да я преразкажа.
Авторът успява да избяга от така популярните поджанрови категоризации, като космическа опера, спейс фантастика, военна фантастика и т.н. и предлага чиста фантастика от вселенски мащаби.
Препоръчвам я искрено, но не очаквайте уникалност или дълбочина, просто чисто удоволствие от прочетеното.
„Космически инженери“ е един от най-ранните му романи. С еднопластовите си герои и раздърпан, като старо чердже сюжет е типичен пример за жанра, но галактиката от идеи, затворени между тези 150 страници няма как да не накара човек да го обикне. Пътуване във времето с хилядолетия напред, петизмерна математика, агресивна извънземна раса, спасяване на вселената, сблъсък между вселени, хилядагодишна хибернация, мигновени комуникация и пътуване до ръба на вселената. Теории за създаването на човечеството, за създаването на вселените, карта на милиарди години еволюция на човешката и други раси. Извънземна раса, затънала в технически прогрес, забравила да фантазира; друга – еволюирала до безплътен единствен разум, полудяла от тежестта на знанията; трета – технически развита, но насочила знанията си към завоевания и унищожение; други – толкова различни от човечеството, че контактът е буквално невъзможен. И още, и още, Плутон все още е планета, водещ женски образ, абсолютно нетипичен за 40-те години, леки алюзии с войните тресящи Земята, по време на написването, морални дилеми, ситуации с бежанци... Не мога да обхвана пълния спектър на проблемите, които книгата отваря, без да я преразкажа.
Авторът успява да избяга от така популярните поджанрови категоризации, като космическа опера, спейс фантастика, военна фантастика и т.н. и предлага чиста фантастика от вселенски мащаби.
Препоръчвам я искрено, но не очаквайте уникалност или дълбочина, просто чисто удоволствие от прочетеното.
February 14, 2013
I first read this book over 40 years ago and was blown away by its scope and imagination. It remains one of my five favourite books (and cover artwork). Ok the ideas seem slightly out of date and the characters are a little one-dimensional but that was how science fiction was written in the 50's. It was one of the first books I read where the female character was more than just eye candy for the beefy hero. I found the idea of man being a very minority presence a bit depressing but far more realistic than the 'everybody looks human' idea of the daft Starwars/Trek universes. Definitely a must read, I have just finished it for the sixth time.
April 30, 2011
Wham-bam space opera, originally from 1939 but expanded into short novel form by 1950.
It does show its age a little, with rootin'-tootin' Space Reporters, a gorgeous gal who's stayed in suspended animation (but with her mind working!) for hundreds of years.
But there's some great, if implausible, ideas here: colliding universes, alien races, massive machines.
Very much in the Doc Smith vein; not surprisingly, really.
Good fun, but by no means Simak's best.
It does show its age a little, with rootin'-tootin' Space Reporters, a gorgeous gal who's stayed in suspended animation (but with her mind working!) for hundreds of years.
But there's some great, if implausible, ideas here: colliding universes, alien races, massive machines.
Very much in the Doc Smith vein; not surprisingly, really.
Good fun, but by no means Simak's best.
March 27, 2018
A delightful fast read, but it shows its age.
August 17, 2018
Imagination Makes the Difference
This is vintage space opera. Both the ideas and the canvas they are painted on are vast spanning multiple universes, dimensionality and time, but with incredible speed.
The story arc begins with two newshounds, Gary and Herb, their beat the outer solar system, enroute to cover Man's first extrasolar flight. On the way they come across an abandoned prison craft. Gary goes on board and rescues Carol Martin, a political prisoner of a thousand years ago, who managed to put herself in suspended animation in order to survive. Carol was a brilliant mathematical physicist who refused to develop a terribly destructive weapon that would have helped humanity against the Jovians. However Carol did not figure that while SA would keep her alive by slowing her body, her mind would be awake the whole time. Think plot device. In order to keep herself sane she spends 40 lifetimes working on the mathematics of physical theory - which comes in quite useful as the book progresses.
The three carry on to Pluto where they meet Professor Kingsley (no relation/;->) and Tommy Evans, pilot and designer of the interstellar craft. Kingsley has picked up a strange transmission from a group they soon name "The Cosmic Engineers". The Universere is in danger and only humans (for reasons later explained) can help! Instructions for a portal are sent and the FTL ship is used to transport the five to the planet of the Engineers.
An author today would not be able to get away with this - there's too much plot and too little development. The Carol Martin device is brilliant, however Gary's co-worker Herb is wasted - he's a photographer and he doesn't even take a picture. There's a reference to another brilliant mathematician on Earth - and that thread is quickly dropped. "Everyman" Gary logically should not be making suggestions relating to hyperdimensional physics - his background doesn't warrant it and Professor Kingsley is simply a foil who's there to reassure that Martin's theorizing is correct, even if he doesn't quite follow the reasoning. Yet the descriptive imagining and the high concept conjectures stay with you over time as does the flow of the plot. My fine toothed rating of this book would be 3.6.
If you come across this book, pick it up. At 159 pages its a short read and lots of fun. The fate of the universe will be in your hands. ;-)
This is vintage space opera. Both the ideas and the canvas they are painted on are vast spanning multiple universes, dimensionality and time, but with incredible speed.
The story arc begins with two newshounds, Gary and Herb, their beat the outer solar system, enroute to cover Man's first extrasolar flight. On the way they come across an abandoned prison craft. Gary goes on board and rescues Carol Martin, a political prisoner of a thousand years ago, who managed to put herself in suspended animation in order to survive. Carol was a brilliant mathematical physicist who refused to develop a terribly destructive weapon that would have helped humanity against the Jovians. However Carol did not figure that while SA would keep her alive by slowing her body, her mind would be awake the whole time. Think plot device. In order to keep herself sane she spends 40 lifetimes working on the mathematics of physical theory - which comes in quite useful as the book progresses.
The three carry on to Pluto where they meet Professor Kingsley (no relation/;->) and Tommy Evans, pilot and designer of the interstellar craft. Kingsley has picked up a strange transmission from a group they soon name "The Cosmic Engineers". The Universere is in danger and only humans (for reasons later explained) can help! Instructions for a portal are sent and the FTL ship is used to transport the five to the planet of the Engineers.
An author today would not be able to get away with this - there's too much plot and too little development. The Carol Martin device is brilliant, however Gary's co-worker Herb is wasted - he's a photographer and he doesn't even take a picture. There's a reference to another brilliant mathematician on Earth - and that thread is quickly dropped. "Everyman" Gary logically should not be making suggestions relating to hyperdimensional physics - his background doesn't warrant it and Professor Kingsley is simply a foil who's there to reassure that Martin's theorizing is correct, even if he doesn't quite follow the reasoning. Yet the descriptive imagining and the high concept conjectures stay with you over time as does the flow of the plot. My fine toothed rating of this book would be 3.6.
If you come across this book, pick it up. At 159 pages its a short read and lots of fun. The fate of the universe will be in your hands. ;-)
January 11, 2025
Having in my brain a reasonable sketch of the history of scientific progress but without many specific date markers on the mental timeline, I often experience surprise and wonder at the many ideas which feel relatively modern, yet turn up in science fiction of, say roughly 90 years ago - like this one.
For the best possible review of this book, please look for Sandy's review on GR. For two shorter but also high quality summaries you could check out Denis' and Craig's reviews. For my two cents, read on.
This appears to be Simak's first novel length entry. I think this was also possibly the first Simak that I added to my bookshelf, long before I realised that Simak would become my number one fave author. The consensus is that this one doesn't feel much at all like the Simak we all fell in love with from his later, more popular works. I think that's certainly true, but I think that's largely due to the serialised origin of this story and I actually think I can sense at least a little bit of what the author is famous for.
While it features many of the hallmarks of the golden age serialised space adventures, Simak not only pushes the boundaries of imagination but also manages to comment on humanity's conflicting goals and motivations. Much of this story seemed like it was pioneering thoughts for the time, but I honestly wouldn't know for sure. There are many ideas that seem to be the blueprints for Star Trek stories; like two warlike species being whisked away and pitted against each other, for one example.
I found the writing as underdeveloped as noted by the reviewers I mentioned above, but I was happy to put that largely down to the nature of serialised publication of the time and even still I found several quotes which I enjoyed.
To end my review, here's just one passage I liked:
"Cosmic Crusade! He laughed to himself, deep in his throat. This wasn't the way he had imagined it. He had thought of gleaming ships of war, of stabbing rays, of might arrayed against might, a place where courage would be at a premium. But there was nothing to fight. No physical thing. Nothing a man could get at. Another universe, a mighty thing of curving space and time! That was the enemy. A man simply couldn't do anything about a thing like that."
For the best possible review of this book, please look for Sandy's review on GR. For two shorter but also high quality summaries you could check out Denis' and Craig's reviews. For my two cents, read on.
This appears to be Simak's first novel length entry. I think this was also possibly the first Simak that I added to my bookshelf, long before I realised that Simak would become my number one fave author. The consensus is that this one doesn't feel much at all like the Simak we all fell in love with from his later, more popular works. I think that's certainly true, but I think that's largely due to the serialised origin of this story and I actually think I can sense at least a little bit of what the author is famous for.
While it features many of the hallmarks of the golden age serialised space adventures, Simak not only pushes the boundaries of imagination but also manages to comment on humanity's conflicting goals and motivations. Much of this story seemed like it was pioneering thoughts for the time, but I honestly wouldn't know for sure. There are many ideas that seem to be the blueprints for Star Trek stories; like two warlike species being whisked away and pitted against each other, for one example.
I found the writing as underdeveloped as noted by the reviewers I mentioned above, but I was happy to put that largely down to the nature of serialised publication of the time and even still I found several quotes which I enjoyed.
To end my review, here's just one passage I liked:
"Cosmic Crusade! He laughed to himself, deep in his throat. This wasn't the way he had imagined it. He had thought of gleaming ships of war, of stabbing rays, of might arrayed against might, a place where courage would be at a premium. But there was nothing to fight. No physical thing. Nothing a man could get at. Another universe, a mighty thing of curving space and time! That was the enemy. A man simply couldn't do anything about a thing like that."
Read
January 5, 2021Throughout the line of innumerous science fiction authors for me to discover, I don’t think there’d be many to match the prose of Clifford Simak. His are by far not the most intriguing stories. They are neither that perplexing nor thrilling, could be even boring for some. Yet, although there were times of blankly staring the page, he manages to mate fatalism with logic into a beautiful bond of fiction:
"Even were the universe destroyed, the probability would still exist, for the world could have been.
Destruction of the universe would be a factor of accident which would eliminate actuality and force all lines of probability to remain mere probability.”
Right?
This story is published exactly 70 years ago, yet it will hold fresh for many more. Probably it doesn’t stand scientifically that high nowadays, who knows, and he doesn’t even push it that far to imagine how things could evolve technologically in time (like sending people to make analog pictures of Jupiter in the year 2950, seriously?), where paragraphs like the one above could be comical or a pure turn-off for people who are theoretically better prepared. I suppose I’m not and I find the philosophical grounds with the voice with which he holds them as the pivotal attractions in his works. His words are like an educated promise that our civilisation won’t fail, no matter how hard we try.
“But there will be interludes of defeat. Times when seems that all is lost - that Man will slip again to primal savagery and ignorance. Times when the way seems too hard and the price too great to pay. But always there will be bugles in the sky and challenge on the horizon and the bright beckoning of ideals far away. And Man will go ahead, to greater triumphs, always pushing back the frontiers, always moving up and outward.”
This kind of preachery brushes my soul with the calmness of a starry cloudless night spent in the wild. If you’re not afraid of the unknown and your self-preserving fear of beasts doesn’t limit your drive for exploring and challenging the “unimaginable”, than this book should suit you nicely.
"Even were the universe destroyed, the probability would still exist, for the world could have been.
Destruction of the universe would be a factor of accident which would eliminate actuality and force all lines of probability to remain mere probability.”
Right?
This story is published exactly 70 years ago, yet it will hold fresh for many more. Probably it doesn’t stand scientifically that high nowadays, who knows, and he doesn’t even push it that far to imagine how things could evolve technologically in time (like sending people to make analog pictures of Jupiter in the year 2950, seriously?), where paragraphs like the one above could be comical or a pure turn-off for people who are theoretically better prepared. I suppose I’m not and I find the philosophical grounds with the voice with which he holds them as the pivotal attractions in his works. His words are like an educated promise that our civilisation won’t fail, no matter how hard we try.
“But there will be interludes of defeat. Times when seems that all is lost - that Man will slip again to primal savagery and ignorance. Times when the way seems too hard and the price too great to pay. But always there will be bugles in the sky and challenge on the horizon and the bright beckoning of ideals far away. And Man will go ahead, to greater triumphs, always pushing back the frontiers, always moving up and outward.”
This kind of preachery brushes my soul with the calmness of a starry cloudless night spent in the wild. If you’re not afraid of the unknown and your self-preserving fear of beasts doesn’t limit your drive for exploring and challenging the “unimaginable”, than this book should suit you nicely.
June 26, 2024
The universe of The Cosmic Engineers is not a friendly one for intelligent life. “The universe is so hostile to it that it would seem almost to be abnormal… a strange disease that should not be here at all…”
It is over a thousand years into the future, and humans are only just beginning to spread beyond the solar system. The book starts out with a couple of newshounds sent to cover an adventurer about to defy the powers that be and fly a spacecraft to a nearby star.
On the way, they find an anomaly, an abandoned spacecraft from a time of interplanetary war a millennium in the past.
The anomaly leads to other anomalies, strange intelligences beyond human ken speaking from star to star in violation of the speed of light.
And that leads to a truly cosmic crisis, one that will literally shake the foundations of the universe.
This is, on the one hand, classic old-school science fiction, with space ships, adventurers, lone genius, and very weird science that in one case amounts to practically a superhero origin.
On the other hand, it is a unique view of the universe as a harsh and alien place, of a destiny for mankind that spans millions of years, of implacable hatred and unthinkable charity mixed with inhuman peoples whose unfathomable intelligence borders on and crosses into madness. It’s one of the most amazing books I’ve read, science fiction or otherwise.
It is over a thousand years into the future, and humans are only just beginning to spread beyond the solar system. The book starts out with a couple of newshounds sent to cover an adventurer about to defy the powers that be and fly a spacecraft to a nearby star.
On the way, they find an anomaly, an abandoned spacecraft from a time of interplanetary war a millennium in the past.
The anomaly leads to other anomalies, strange intelligences beyond human ken speaking from star to star in violation of the speed of light.
And that leads to a truly cosmic crisis, one that will literally shake the foundations of the universe.
This is, on the one hand, classic old-school science fiction, with space ships, adventurers, lone genius, and very weird science that in one case amounts to practically a superhero origin.
On the other hand, it is a unique view of the universe as a harsh and alien place, of a destiny for mankind that spans millions of years, of implacable hatred and unthinkable charity mixed with inhuman peoples whose unfathomable intelligence borders on and crosses into madness. It’s one of the most amazing books I’ve read, science fiction or otherwise.
A ghostly machine was taking shape upon the hard, pitted, frozen surface of the field… a crazy machine that glittered weirdly in the half-light of the stars. A machine with mind-wrenching angles, with flashing prisms and spidery framework, a towering skeleton of a machine that stretched out spaceward.
December 23, 2024
Stephen King, in his book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, describes Cosmic Engineers, by Simak, as a "terrific read". This recommendation encouraged me to indulge my imagination and deep dive into the sci-fi genre. At first the style of writing was a slight challenge, for me, although acknowledging Cosmic Engineers was first serialised as a novelette in 1939 then extended as a novel in 1950, helped me to understand the influences that may have contributed to Clifford D Simaks writing style. It wasn't long before I found myself absorbed in the sci-fi world of Simak, invited to take on the journey, with his characters. I found Simaks ability to place his main group, of rather ordinary characters, into extraordinary circumstances, interesting. The reader is enabled to immerse themselves, fully, into the multiple universes, planets, time and space. Introduced to other life forces and mechanisms. Finding humour throughout. Reading this book has helped change my perception of how and why I read. I didn't find the storyline kept me engaged, I found it to be predictable. The conversations between characters didn't always flow in a believable rhythm. What helped me to enjoy reading this book was in Simaks ability to create tension, heighten anticipation and increase excitement, inviting the reader to engage with their senses, which for me, gave an experience rather than just a good read.
December 28, 2022
This is a good science fiction book, with great ideas and a fast moving plot (perhaps too fast) that suffers from some very complicated flaws. First, there is basically no character development and the book forgets to describe places and characters, focusing merely in the plot and leaving the rest for the reader to imagine on its own.
Second, the good ideas in this book - such as suspended animation, time travel, telepathic communication, instant travel between distant parts of the universe and even the ability to destroy universes - could work better if the writer used just a few of them in the book or if they were presented as something more complex and time consuming to achieve. In the way they were presented, they look too implausible and fantastic, as if it was possible to develop such gigantic technological and scientific feats in a very short period of time and with almost no efforts. Because of this, the word “science” starts to sound more like “magic” and the book loses a lot of its value.
Second, the good ideas in this book - such as suspended animation, time travel, telepathic communication, instant travel between distant parts of the universe and even the ability to destroy universes - could work better if the writer used just a few of them in the book or if they were presented as something more complex and time consuming to achieve. In the way they were presented, they look too implausible and fantastic, as if it was possible to develop such gigantic technological and scientific feats in a very short period of time and with almost no efforts. Because of this, the word “science” starts to sound more like “magic” and the book loses a lot of its value.
December 23, 2023
This is just what the doctor ordered. I had really been needing to read a good space opera science fiction book. Do you remember that old Star Trek episode "Arena" with the Gorn? I think Roddenberry got the idea from this book, because that's exactly what happened. Except in this book the protaganists fashion bows & arrows. Kind of nice how Star Trek one upped that to gunpowder. But that was only one small part of the novel. The premise of the book concerns what is beyond the edge of the expanding universe. What is it expanding into? Something I used to think about a lot as a young physics student too. This book is chock full of theoretical science, as well as theories about the far past and the far future of humankind. Interesting stuff; I'm giving 3 stars because there's a lot of exposition but not a lot of character development or action.
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