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Editorial Reviews
The winner of every major science fiction award, Kim Stanley Robinson is a novelist who looks ahead with optimism even while acknowledging the steep challenges facing our planet and species: a clear-eyed realist who has not forgotten how to dream. His new novel offers his most audacious dream yet. At the heart of a brilliant narrative that stretches from Renaissance Italy to the moons of Jupiter is one man, the father of modern science: Galileo Galilei.
To the inhabitants of the Jovian moons, Galileo is a revered figure whose actions will influence the subsequent history of the human race. From the summit of their distant future, a charismatic renegade named Ganymede travels to the past to bring Galileo forward in an attempt to alter history and ensure the ascendancy of science over religion. And if that means Galileo must be burned at the stake, so be it.
Yet between his brief and jarring visitations to this future, Galileo must struggle against the ignorance and superstition of his own time. And it is here that Robinson is at his most brilliant, showing Galileo in all his contradictions and complexity. Robinson's Galileo is a tour de force of imaginative and historical empathy: the shining center around which the novel revolves.
From Galileo's heresy trial to the politics of far-future Jupiter, from the canals of Venice to frozen, mysterious Europa, Robinson illuminates the parallels between a distant past and an even more remote future—in the process celebrating the human spirit and calling into question the convenient truths of our own moment in time.
From the Hardcover edition.
To the inhabitants of the Jovian moons, Galileo is a revered figure whose actions will influence the subsequent history of the human race. From the summit of their distant future, a charismatic renegade named Ganymede travels to the past to bring Galileo forward in an attempt to alter history and ensure the ascendancy of science over religion. And if that means Galileo must be burned at the stake, so be it.
Yet between his brief and jarring visitations to this future, Galileo must struggle against the ignorance and superstition of his own time. And it is here that Robinson is at his most brilliant, showing Galileo in all his contradictions and complexity. Robinson's Galileo is a tour de force of imaginative and historical empathy: the shining center around which the novel revolves.
From Galileo's heresy trial to the politics of far-future Jupiter, from the canals of Venice to frozen, mysterious Europa, Robinson illuminates the parallels between a distant past and an even more remote future—in the process celebrating the human spirit and calling into question the convenient truths of our own moment in time.
From the Hardcover edition.
Related Reviews
GALILEO'S DREAM is a shining example of the level of quality to be found in science fiction
More than the Heavens Through Galileo's Eyes
This is something of a sprawl of a book, attempting to meld two stories, that of the life and times of Galileo and one of a far future battle around the Jovian moons. To connect the two, Galileo is `transported' to the future time and place via an `entangler', and returned after his visits with his memories and knowledge gained from his trip mainly erased via drugs, though with some residual `déjà vu' effects.
It's an uneasy balance between the two stories. On the one hand, we follow Galileo and get to see him as a great scientist, but also as a very fallible, hard-headed, and somewhat obnoxious person, along with thematic messages of where science should leave off and faith prevail, or perhaps meld in a type of synthesis that would have greatly altered the course of history as we know it; and on the other we observe (along with Galileo, who rarely takes any active part in the action) the efforts of the future civilization to resolve their own factional disputes while at the same time try to change the past to achieve a less horrifying path of humanity from Galileo's time to theirs.
The trouble is that these two parts are unequally balanced; Galileo's story is immediate and readily understandable, while the future society never seems to be concrete, never crystallizes into a `you are here' environment, despite strong descriptive material and some excellent scientific exposition of the known features of the Jovian moons and current theories about space-time and ten dimensional manifolds. In addition, the reason Galileo was brought to this future is never given a strong reason (the reason that is given of Galileo's advice being sought is almost immediately refuted as nobody really listens to him, and his understanding of the situation is naturally very limited).
The story of Galileo himself is rich and finely detailed, although not told in entirely linear order, and at the beginning the reader may find many of the references to people in his orbit rather opaque. But by the end of the book a very fine portrait of the man can be seen, warts and preeminence both proudly displayed. Most of the secondary characters are only sketched in, and there is a little bit of a problem keeping track of which Cardinal or Duke this is and whether they are friendly or not to Galileo's position. But as we track Galileo's life, the entire historical period and the vagaries of politics and the Catholic church also come to life.
Given the weakness of the second, future world story, and the strength of the historical one, I think I would have much preferred that Robinson would have written this as a pure biography. The end result would have been much better.
--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)
It's an uneasy balance between the two stories. On the one hand, we follow Galileo and get to see him as a great scientist, but also as a very fallible, hard-headed, and somewhat obnoxious person, along with thematic messages of where science should leave off and faith prevail, or perhaps meld in a type of synthesis that would have greatly altered the course of history as we know it; and on the other we observe (along with Galileo, who rarely takes any active part in the action) the efforts of the future civilization to resolve their own factional disputes while at the same time try to change the past to achieve a less horrifying path of humanity from Galileo's time to theirs.
The trouble is that these two parts are unequally balanced; Galileo's story is immediate and readily understandable, while the future society never seems to be concrete, never crystallizes into a `you are here' environment, despite strong descriptive material and some excellent scientific exposition of the known features of the Jovian moons and current theories about space-time and ten dimensional manifolds. In addition, the reason Galileo was brought to this future is never given a strong reason (the reason that is given of Galileo's advice being sought is almost immediately refuted as nobody really listens to him, and his understanding of the situation is naturally very limited).
The story of Galileo himself is rich and finely detailed, although not told in entirely linear order, and at the beginning the reader may find many of the references to people in his orbit rather opaque. But by the end of the book a very fine portrait of the man can be seen, warts and preeminence both proudly displayed. Most of the secondary characters are only sketched in, and there is a little bit of a problem keeping track of which Cardinal or Duke this is and whether they are friendly or not to Galileo's position. But as we track Galileo's life, the entire historical period and the vagaries of politics and the Catholic church also come to life.
Given the weakness of the second, future world story, and the strength of the historical one, I think I would have much preferred that Robinson would have written this as a pure biography. The end result would have been much better.
--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)
I'm a huge fan of Kim Stanley Robinson's "The Years of Rice and Salt" which is a terrific blend of pseudo science fictional philosophy and religion, and fun and entertaining alternative history. It's deep and touching and provides a strong sense of activity (if not specifically action and adventure).
The concept behind "Galileo's Dream" drew me to the book the instant I read the description: Galileo is taken from Earth to the moons of Jupiter (which he discovered) in an attempt to modify the past to make for a better future. Unfortunately, while it's a fun concept, Robinson provides an uneven implementation.
The vast majority of the book follows Galileo over the course of 30 or 40 years through his major astronomical discoveries and inventions. His is, by far, the strongest character throughout the book that includes a mix of humans from the future, Galileo's daughters, and numerous other good and bad guys from 17th century Italy.
The first several times that Galileo is spirited away by "The Stranger" the table is set for a interesting view of human life in the future, living on a moons of Jupiter. I was settling in for a nice space/time travel ride but became disappointed and the increasingly shorter visits to space and the future, and the increasing focus on philosophies of time travel, it's impact on the past, and vagueness on the battles between science and religion.
These elements are interesting and good scifi fodder, however I found them to be bluntly addressed and not well balanced with the minute details of Galileo's daily travails and triumphs.
If you're interested in a solid period piece, with strong historical research and a decent story, then I'd recommend this book. But read with appropriately measured expectations.
The concept behind "Galileo's Dream" drew me to the book the instant I read the description: Galileo is taken from Earth to the moons of Jupiter (which he discovered) in an attempt to modify the past to make for a better future. Unfortunately, while it's a fun concept, Robinson provides an uneven implementation.
The vast majority of the book follows Galileo over the course of 30 or 40 years through his major astronomical discoveries and inventions. His is, by far, the strongest character throughout the book that includes a mix of humans from the future, Galileo's daughters, and numerous other good and bad guys from 17th century Italy.
The first several times that Galileo is spirited away by "The Stranger" the table is set for a interesting view of human life in the future, living on a moons of Jupiter. I was settling in for a nice space/time travel ride but became disappointed and the increasingly shorter visits to space and the future, and the increasing focus on philosophies of time travel, it's impact on the past, and vagueness on the battles between science and religion.
These elements are interesting and good scifi fodder, however I found them to be bluntly addressed and not well balanced with the minute details of Galileo's daily travails and triumphs.
If you're interested in a solid period piece, with strong historical research and a decent story, then I'd recommend this book. But read with appropriately measured expectations.
An ambitious blend of genres, but ultimately flawed
"Galileo's Dream" is the fifteenth and latest novel by critically-acclaimed author Kim Stanley Robinson. Part-historical novel, part-science fiction, it is set primarily in seventeenth-century Italy and follows the career of Galileo Galilei, widely considered to be one of the founders of modern science: the inventor of the telescope and an early defender of the Copernican theory that the earth revolves around the sun. But after he is approached by a mysterious stranger in Venice's crowded marketplace, he finds himself embroiled in the affairs of another world far in our future, where the descendants of humanity are battling over his fate in an attempt to rewrite history.
A curious hybrid of genres, the book in many ways represents a continuation of themes first introduced in Robinson's 2002 novel "The Years of Rice and Salt", an alternative history which explored how events might have unfolded had the Black Death wiped out Western civilisation. At the heart of both works lie ideas regarding the nature of time itself and the ability of certain individuals to alter the course of human history by their actions: a concept which clearly fascinates the author.
In common with all of his novels, a tremendous amount of research has gone into "Galileo's Dream", and Robinson's passion for his subject is made clear. It is never easy to take a real-life individual as one's main character, but the author succeeds here in bringing him to life, showing us the man's faults as well as his virtues. Robinson's Galileo drinks too much, suffers from ill health, is easily angered and generally shows himself to be a difficult man to associate with, despite his intellect and his many talents. His struggles against the authorities of the day - the Roman Catholic Church and the Inquisition - are mirrored in his attempts to come to terms with his own historical significance, and to become the master of his own destiny, against the wishes of those who seek to control him.
At over 500 pages, however, this is a weighty tome, and not always an easy read. Rather than focusing on a few key episodes in Galileo's life, Robinson describes in detail his entire career - from his rise to prominence under the Medici rulers of Florence to his eventual downfall at the hands of the Inquisition. Long sections of the text relate Galileo's movements and work from year to year and even month to month, little of which is in fact relevant to the plot. Unfortunately the result is that the novel sometimes reads less like fiction, and more like a biography. Events lack pace and drama, even as the book approaches its climax - Galileo's trial for heresy in 1633 - while the sci-fi and historical sections feel clumsily interwoven, with several inconsistencies becoming apparent as the story progresses. The secondary characters are only roughly sketched and lack depth, and the dialogue suffers from often slipping into modern idiom, which jars with the seventeenth-century setting.
"Galileo's Dream" is an ambitious work, splicing two very different genres while also dealing with the ever-difficult relationship between science and religion. But whilst it is highly informative, with a great deal to say regarding Galileo's life and his legacy, for the most part it remains a sprawling and confused novel, unfulfilling of its promise, and as such it struggles to live up to Robinson's usual high standard.
A curious hybrid of genres, the book in many ways represents a continuation of themes first introduced in Robinson's 2002 novel "The Years of Rice and Salt", an alternative history which explored how events might have unfolded had the Black Death wiped out Western civilisation. At the heart of both works lie ideas regarding the nature of time itself and the ability of certain individuals to alter the course of human history by their actions: a concept which clearly fascinates the author.
In common with all of his novels, a tremendous amount of research has gone into "Galileo's Dream", and Robinson's passion for his subject is made clear. It is never easy to take a real-life individual as one's main character, but the author succeeds here in bringing him to life, showing us the man's faults as well as his virtues. Robinson's Galileo drinks too much, suffers from ill health, is easily angered and generally shows himself to be a difficult man to associate with, despite his intellect and his many talents. His struggles against the authorities of the day - the Roman Catholic Church and the Inquisition - are mirrored in his attempts to come to terms with his own historical significance, and to become the master of his own destiny, against the wishes of those who seek to control him.
At over 500 pages, however, this is a weighty tome, and not always an easy read. Rather than focusing on a few key episodes in Galileo's life, Robinson describes in detail his entire career - from his rise to prominence under the Medici rulers of Florence to his eventual downfall at the hands of the Inquisition. Long sections of the text relate Galileo's movements and work from year to year and even month to month, little of which is in fact relevant to the plot. Unfortunately the result is that the novel sometimes reads less like fiction, and more like a biography. Events lack pace and drama, even as the book approaches its climax - Galileo's trial for heresy in 1633 - while the sci-fi and historical sections feel clumsily interwoven, with several inconsistencies becoming apparent as the story progresses. The secondary characters are only roughly sketched and lack depth, and the dialogue suffers from often slipping into modern idiom, which jars with the seventeenth-century setting.
"Galileo's Dream" is an ambitious work, splicing two very different genres while also dealing with the ever-difficult relationship between science and religion. But whilst it is highly informative, with a great deal to say regarding Galileo's life and his legacy, for the most part it remains a sprawling and confused novel, unfulfilling of its promise, and as such it struggles to live up to Robinson's usual high standard.
I'm really mystified by the low grade reviews of this book. I think it may be because it is misclassified as science fiction. It would be more accurately called historical fiction (I'm starting to sound like Polonius in Hamlet). Rather than argue the point I will just offer the alternative that the "science fiction" portions are intended to be allegorical in nature. Not unlike Dante's work that was referred to in the text several times. It can also be seen as an updated version of the discourses Galileo himself used.
The turmoil faced by Galileo in his argument that science and religion are not necessarily antagonistic in their nature but can be turned to the antagonistic ends of the humans who profess them for their own ends applies equally to both 17th century Europe and 35th century Jupiter as it does today. The issue is, can man be true to his own destiny when faced with the fact that he is not the supreme product of nature? That others are far more powerful than he. Can we dwell in our own genius when others may outshine us?
On another level Robinson deals with the fruits of a strictly patriarchal society. Galileo's mother was an extremely intelligent women who because of her gender and her status could not engage that intelligence in a meaningful way. Her experiences drove her insane and made all those around her, including Galileo, feel inadequate, unloved and meaningless. This shaped Galileo's life and in the end he becomes aware of the damage that was done. This does not excuse his self-serving and sometimes brutish actions which he came to deeply regret. Nor does it excuse his lack of relationships with any of the women in his life. It does, however, give some insight into the "why" of these actions and traits. Fortunately for Galileo he come to realize this in time to appreciate the love of his daughter Virginia before her untimely death.
Cory Doctorow has said that science fiction authors do not write about the future but about their own time. The chronological disconnect permits them to more freely voice that which none may utter. If the Jupiter segments of "Galileo's Dream" can be viewed in that context we can see that the torment of Galileo is with us today and will be for some time to come. Will we be able to stifle the devils of our lesser nature and give flight to the angles of our better nature? Time will tell.
The turmoil faced by Galileo in his argument that science and religion are not necessarily antagonistic in their nature but can be turned to the antagonistic ends of the humans who profess them for their own ends applies equally to both 17th century Europe and 35th century Jupiter as it does today. The issue is, can man be true to his own destiny when faced with the fact that he is not the supreme product of nature? That others are far more powerful than he. Can we dwell in our own genius when others may outshine us?
On another level Robinson deals with the fruits of a strictly patriarchal society. Galileo's mother was an extremely intelligent women who because of her gender and her status could not engage that intelligence in a meaningful way. Her experiences drove her insane and made all those around her, including Galileo, feel inadequate, unloved and meaningless. This shaped Galileo's life and in the end he becomes aware of the damage that was done. This does not excuse his self-serving and sometimes brutish actions which he came to deeply regret. Nor does it excuse his lack of relationships with any of the women in his life. It does, however, give some insight into the "why" of these actions and traits. Fortunately for Galileo he come to realize this in time to appreciate the love of his daughter Virginia before her untimely death.
Cory Doctorow has said that science fiction authors do not write about the future but about their own time. The chronological disconnect permits them to more freely voice that which none may utter. If the Jupiter segments of "Galileo's Dream" can be viewed in that context we can see that the torment of Galileo is with us today and will be for some time to come. Will we be able to stifle the devils of our lesser nature and give flight to the angles of our better nature? Time will tell.
The Mars trilogy changed my life, changed the way i think about humanity, social science, applied technology, space, everything. The character development left me feeling as they were old friends, and virtualy every element of the stories is plausable, even probable.
Then i read several other KSR books, most recently 'Galileo's Dream'.
It is as if the Mars books were written by someone else! None of his other books, including this one, come even close to the quality i enjoyed so much in Red/Green/Blue Mars. How is this possible?
The story-line borders on absurd, with weak plots of future humanity intertwining with historical revisitations to Galileo's time, both of which may have been mildly enjoyable if written as separate stories.
Some interesting details around what Galileo lived like (maybe) and accomplished do not make up for the shabby, boring pages that laboriously go over days, even hours of his life.
The 'future' parts of the story are a joke, reminding me of 'Choose Your Own Adventure' stories for kids.
Like so much SF out there, it is just disappointing. I know KSR is highly intelligent, and an incredible author, capable of so much more.
I read this book with high hopes and excitement, and expected much, much more, only to be let down, page after page, chapter after chapter.
Then i read several other KSR books, most recently 'Galileo's Dream'.
It is as if the Mars books were written by someone else! None of his other books, including this one, come even close to the quality i enjoyed so much in Red/Green/Blue Mars. How is this possible?
The story-line borders on absurd, with weak plots of future humanity intertwining with historical revisitations to Galileo's time, both of which may have been mildly enjoyable if written as separate stories.
Some interesting details around what Galileo lived like (maybe) and accomplished do not make up for the shabby, boring pages that laboriously go over days, even hours of his life.
The 'future' parts of the story are a joke, reminding me of 'Choose Your Own Adventure' stories for kids.
Like so much SF out there, it is just disappointing. I know KSR is highly intelligent, and an incredible author, capable of so much more.
I read this book with high hopes and excitement, and expected much, much more, only to be let down, page after page, chapter after chapter.
Kind of a snooze. Couldn't finish it.
I loved the premise Future colonists on the moons of Junpiter go back in time to bring Galileo to the moons to manipulate the political problems they are experiencing. I loved the idea but I didn't feel drawn into the story. i didn't get the sense I was on the moons of jupiter in the future. Everything was vaugely described and not relly aprt of the story at all. I didn't feel the experience of being there. I couldn't finish. I gave 3 stars because the idea was so good and the reasearch into Galileo's life was good. Didn't do it for me. Sorry.
A challenging, but rewarding reading experience.
Robinson's Galileo's Dream is a Sci-Fi book unlike any other I've ever read. At its heart Galileo's Dream is Robinson's blood and tear soaked letter to the man responsible for igniting the scientific process. Told through someone very close to Galileo, Galileo's Dream reads more like a biography of the legend that has become Galileo, but gives the reader a deep appreciation of the long and painful life full of triumph and devastation he went through on his way to becoming a Scientific revolutionary.
Galileo's Dream starts at what most would consider the height of his fame before the infamy from the Church took over. The bulk of the narrative takes place in Galileo's time and begins when he is coming in to prominence around his creation of telescope. The story gives a perfect rendition of how Galileo implemented what is now known as the scientific process. We also learn about the daily life in the 17th century and how engrained religion was to its people.
Robinson uses a lot of Galileo's personal correspondence interspersed throughout the narrative, which gives the work a strong historical aspect unseen in most Science Fiction. At times the story can be overly dry and take longer to move along as Robinson strives to keep an accurate record of all of Galileo's follies, foibles, and foes.
There is definitely a space opera bent to this story as well. Galileo is visited by a mysterious stranger who's suggestions often lead Galileo back to or into a new train of thinking he hasn't explored much. Eventually he travels to the far future with this stranger where humanity is still at odds with one another and an important decision is being debated. These sections are very cloudy at first, but as Galileo learns more the situation is revealed. One tiresome part was how Galileo kept having his memory wiped, but never cleanly from these advanced people.
The future sections were far too brief for my liking, in their instances not their length. It did feel right for the visits to be short, but in the last half of the book we only visit this time period a couple times which left a lot of questions unanswered about the future. In a way I think that is precisely what Robinson was going after as a fundamental question in the book is that our future in not knowable and if it were would it change our actions and therefore the future? But this also had me wondering if Robinson forced himself a little to divorce more material from the latter time frame in lieu of revealing more about Galileo.
Galileo's Dream is a challenging, but rewarding reading experience. Galileo comes alive as he earns his moniker of The World's First Scientist. I give Galileo's Dream 7.5 out of 10 Hats. For long-time Robinson fans this will be a must. However, historical science buff will get the most out of the reading experience. The work just begs the question: If Galileo was instead brought to a more contemporary time what would he think of our world?
Galileo's Dream starts at what most would consider the height of his fame before the infamy from the Church took over. The bulk of the narrative takes place in Galileo's time and begins when he is coming in to prominence around his creation of telescope. The story gives a perfect rendition of how Galileo implemented what is now known as the scientific process. We also learn about the daily life in the 17th century and how engrained religion was to its people.
Robinson uses a lot of Galileo's personal correspondence interspersed throughout the narrative, which gives the work a strong historical aspect unseen in most Science Fiction. At times the story can be overly dry and take longer to move along as Robinson strives to keep an accurate record of all of Galileo's follies, foibles, and foes.
There is definitely a space opera bent to this story as well. Galileo is visited by a mysterious stranger who's suggestions often lead Galileo back to or into a new train of thinking he hasn't explored much. Eventually he travels to the far future with this stranger where humanity is still at odds with one another and an important decision is being debated. These sections are very cloudy at first, but as Galileo learns more the situation is revealed. One tiresome part was how Galileo kept having his memory wiped, but never cleanly from these advanced people.
The future sections were far too brief for my liking, in their instances not their length. It did feel right for the visits to be short, but in the last half of the book we only visit this time period a couple times which left a lot of questions unanswered about the future. In a way I think that is precisely what Robinson was going after as a fundamental question in the book is that our future in not knowable and if it were would it change our actions and therefore the future? But this also had me wondering if Robinson forced himself a little to divorce more material from the latter time frame in lieu of revealing more about Galileo.
Galileo's Dream is a challenging, but rewarding reading experience. Galileo comes alive as he earns his moniker of The World's First Scientist. I give Galileo's Dream 7.5 out of 10 Hats. For long-time Robinson fans this will be a must. However, historical science buff will get the most out of the reading experience. The work just begs the question: If Galileo was instead brought to a more contemporary time what would he think of our world?
I was eagerly looking forward to this novel. Any new Kim Stanley Robinson book is a treat, and given the amount of time and energy he'd put into this novel, I had high hopes. And while I liked some of the chapters, I found the book to be very uneven. I enjoyed reading about Galileo's trips to the Galilean moons, and the story surrounding Ganymede was intriguing and could easily have been the basis of its own novel. However, most of the novel tood place in Renaissance Italy and told the story of Galileo's life. These were the parts I could never get into, largely because Galileo came across very differently when he was in his own time. When Galileo was with Ganymede and then Hera, he was full of wonder, intellectually sharp, and ultimately out of his league trying to understand a time that was well beyond his own. In other words, he was an interesting historical character put into a complicated and messy universe. But when Galileo was in Italy, he often took on a pathetic role, crying over his "illnesses", hitting others out of anger, and generally having little clue how to handle himself regarding his heresy case. Galileo's character was redeemed towards the end, but the story didn't bring home his redemption.
Additionally, there were certain parts that just never seemed to fit into the novel. While I liked Cartophilus as a character, the way his character was brought together at the end of the book seemed contrived. Also, there was little mention of Galileo's Jovian travels towards the end of the book, and it did not seem clear how they fit with the development of Galileo's character. Finally, I could see where Kim Stanley Robinson was going w/ the time travel concepts, but they became confusing whenever they were brought into the storyline and ultimately detracted from what he was trying to accomplish.
So, in some parts the book was lovely, but there were larger portions that just didn't seem to work well and more importantly I found it difficult to care about Galileo.
Additionally, there were certain parts that just never seemed to fit into the novel. While I liked Cartophilus as a character, the way his character was brought together at the end of the book seemed contrived. Also, there was little mention of Galileo's Jovian travels towards the end of the book, and it did not seem clear how they fit with the development of Galileo's character. Finally, I could see where Kim Stanley Robinson was going w/ the time travel concepts, but they became confusing whenever they were brought into the storyline and ultimately detracted from what he was trying to accomplish.
So, in some parts the book was lovely, but there were larger portions that just didn't seem to work well and more importantly I found it difficult to care about Galileo.
Galileo through Space and Time
"Galileo's Dream" is an ambitious, fictionalized biography of Galileo; while the scenes in his home country of Italy are largely representative of his actual life, he occasionally gets yanked forward a millennium and a half to mediate some problems on the Galilean moons of Jupiter. As a pseudo-biography it was fascinating and extremely well-written, but I had some trouble following the storyline around Jupiter, and I'm not entirely sure what the point of it was. Regardless, I enjoyed reading it; the story of the battle between Galileo and the Vatican remains one of the most interesting stories in the history of science, and Galileo's defiant, gruff personality leaps from the page, warts and all.
I'm surprised that not one of the previous reviews has mentioned several oddities in this book. First and most striking, Robinson adds 3 or 4 gas giant planets to our solar system. He gives no context, no explanation for this, so it seems a rather obvious signal from Robinson that the future that Galileo repeatedly visits is a sharply alternative future--after all the addition of multiple gas giants is a pretty large alteration in our local physical environment! Whether those gas giants exist in Galileo's present, his nature timeline, is not apparent, as they haven't been discovered yet--if they were there to be discovered. So the questions of whether Galileo's timeline is even the same as the future timeline he visits is undeterminable.
Then there are a few oddities in the narration of this novel. In two isolated and widely separated paragraphs, the POV switches to the first person, that of Cartophilius. He becomes the narrator of the story, but only for those two paragraphs. There may have been more such paragraphs which I missed, but no more than a handful. Then there are a scattering of further paragraphs that focus on Galileo's household and their collective reaction to events, most particularly Galileo's physical or mental state at his crisis points. In those paragraphs, the narrators suddenly begins to use "we" and "our" to describe the household's reactions and thoughts. Otherwise, throughout the novel, the narration from is an impersonal third person POV.
These shifts in POV do not seem to me to be intentional and don't add at all to the narrative effect. In fact, they are so isolated and so striking in their abrupt shifts that I am left guessing that they are oversights, missed in a final revision of the novel. I should mention that I read the Kindle version--could it be that these problematical shifts in POV did not exist in the printed versions?
I don't mean to say that these oddities mar the novel in any significant manner. I admire Robinson's work and writing style and have read most of his long form fiction. Rather, I wonder at the other readers who didn't bring these issues to the forefront, as they really are pretty striking!
Galileo's Dream is carried by Robinson's exploration of who Galileo might have been, the writer's surprising strength in conveying the society and landscape Galileo lived in, and the very interesting exploration of issues scientific and philosophical, posed in a manner that relates them very strongly to the questions with which the historical Galileo clearly grappled.
Dan Carmell
Oakland, California
Then there are a few oddities in the narration of this novel. In two isolated and widely separated paragraphs, the POV switches to the first person, that of Cartophilius. He becomes the narrator of the story, but only for those two paragraphs. There may have been more such paragraphs which I missed, but no more than a handful. Then there are a scattering of further paragraphs that focus on Galileo's household and their collective reaction to events, most particularly Galileo's physical or mental state at his crisis points. In those paragraphs, the narrators suddenly begins to use "we" and "our" to describe the household's reactions and thoughts. Otherwise, throughout the novel, the narration from is an impersonal third person POV.
These shifts in POV do not seem to me to be intentional and don't add at all to the narrative effect. In fact, they are so isolated and so striking in their abrupt shifts that I am left guessing that they are oversights, missed in a final revision of the novel. I should mention that I read the Kindle version--could it be that these problematical shifts in POV did not exist in the printed versions?
I don't mean to say that these oddities mar the novel in any significant manner. I admire Robinson's work and writing style and have read most of his long form fiction. Rather, I wonder at the other readers who didn't bring these issues to the forefront, as they really are pretty striking!
Galileo's Dream is carried by Robinson's exploration of who Galileo might have been, the writer's surprising strength in conveying the society and landscape Galileo lived in, and the very interesting exploration of issues scientific and philosophical, posed in a manner that relates them very strongly to the questions with which the historical Galileo clearly grappled.
Dan Carmell
Oakland, California
A complex attempt to do maybe too much in story
A stranger approaches Galileo and tells him that someone in northern Europe is using a lenses to see far-away objects. Intrigued, Galileo experiments with lenses, creating a telescope and (upon further prodding by the stranger) discovers the moons of Jupiter. Then, he's shanghaied to the moons of Jupiter themselves where a future society of humans are attempting to sustain life and explore their worlds. The stranger attempts to use Galileo for his own ends.
Galileo learns that he was burned at the stake in at least one future and sets out to prevent this fate. He can't however, help himself from his snarky commentaries, making fun of those who support the (Church-favored) Ptolemaic geo-centric model of the universe. Ultimately, despite his efforts, he is brought to trial by the Catholic Church. Even those who thought they were his friends cannot, or perhaps will not, exert themselves to clear his name.
Meanwhile, Galileo attempts to manage his own life. Perpetually in debt, unable to make any money off of his inventions, forcing his daughters into a nunnery, and perpetually sick and miserable, Galileo is not a happy man.
In GALILEO'S DREAM, author Kim Stanley Robinson re-imagines one of the seminal moments in human history--the time when science confronted religion and claimed for itself a position that, if not superior, is at least separate and non-subordinate to the long-dominant forces of non-evidence-based faith. Robinson asks us to wonder what would have happened if Galileo had not angered the Church, if he and his science had been co-opted into the Church. Would progress have slowed? If so, would the wars we've fought since then have been shorter, or perhaps even more violent and destructive?
It seemed to me that Robinson was attempting to accomplish a number of purposes with this story...perhaps too many. First, he brings Galileo, one of the great scientists of history, to the science fiction reader. I, for one, have never read a biography of Galileo and was interested in his personal and scientific life. Second, Robinson is presenting an alternate history, one where Galileo is aware of his future and put in position to change it. Third, we have the pure science fiction angle, with Galileo heading to the moons of Jupiter to reason with the other humans...and the non-human intelligences of the Jovian system.
For me, those second purposes didn't quite work. The science fiction story never really jelled. It was hard to see what should be done and it wasn't at all clear to me that Galileo's presence there made any difference at all. As far as the alternate history angle, I would have liked to see how the world changed as a result of Galileo's knowledge of his future. This is a fairly substantial book, with the bulk being a biography of Galileo...but a biography that diverges from history in ways that aren't explained and that the casual reader may not recognize. GALILEO'S DREAM is an interesting experiment. It left me feeling unsatisfied although it was certainly worth the effort of reading.
Galileo learns that he was burned at the stake in at least one future and sets out to prevent this fate. He can't however, help himself from his snarky commentaries, making fun of those who support the (Church-favored) Ptolemaic geo-centric model of the universe. Ultimately, despite his efforts, he is brought to trial by the Catholic Church. Even those who thought they were his friends cannot, or perhaps will not, exert themselves to clear his name.
Meanwhile, Galileo attempts to manage his own life. Perpetually in debt, unable to make any money off of his inventions, forcing his daughters into a nunnery, and perpetually sick and miserable, Galileo is not a happy man.
In GALILEO'S DREAM, author Kim Stanley Robinson re-imagines one of the seminal moments in human history--the time when science confronted religion and claimed for itself a position that, if not superior, is at least separate and non-subordinate to the long-dominant forces of non-evidence-based faith. Robinson asks us to wonder what would have happened if Galileo had not angered the Church, if he and his science had been co-opted into the Church. Would progress have slowed? If so, would the wars we've fought since then have been shorter, or perhaps even more violent and destructive?
It seemed to me that Robinson was attempting to accomplish a number of purposes with this story...perhaps too many. First, he brings Galileo, one of the great scientists of history, to the science fiction reader. I, for one, have never read a biography of Galileo and was interested in his personal and scientific life. Second, Robinson is presenting an alternate history, one where Galileo is aware of his future and put in position to change it. Third, we have the pure science fiction angle, with Galileo heading to the moons of Jupiter to reason with the other humans...and the non-human intelligences of the Jovian system.
For me, those second purposes didn't quite work. The science fiction story never really jelled. It was hard to see what should be done and it wasn't at all clear to me that Galileo's presence there made any difference at all. As far as the alternate history angle, I would have liked to see how the world changed as a result of Galileo's knowledge of his future. This is a fairly substantial book, with the bulk being a biography of Galileo...but a biography that diverges from history in ways that aren't explained and that the casual reader may not recognize. GALILEO'S DREAM is an interesting experiment. It left me feeling unsatisfied although it was certainly worth the effort of reading.
A great read, and a great novel...
A classic Robinson work. It encompasses many of the themes of his earlier works -- world-building, the centrality of science in solving humanity's problems, the fact that 'we' are the ones who must act if change is to succeed -- in a fun time-travel story that may be the best literary hommage to Galileo ever written. A grand story, and a great read.
In this anniversary year for Galileo's great discoveries, Robinson takes a microscope to his life, his trial for heresy, and his methods of discovery, and imagines a marvelous character whose powerful personality -- warts and all -- dominates the novel. Robinson's Galileo is vain, indeed vainglorious, physically challenged by his miserable health, and living the rough, coarse life of the Italian countryside of his day: Galileo as he was, rather than what some television writer might make him out to be. Add in the efforts of time travelers to change Galileo's life so as to better their own, Galileo's visits to the petty political struggles of the Galilean moons off Jupiter in 3020, and the byzantine Vatican and European politics that drove his condemnation by the Church. This is a great tale, exceedingly well told.
In this anniversary year for Galileo's great discoveries, Robinson takes a microscope to his life, his trial for heresy, and his methods of discovery, and imagines a marvelous character whose powerful personality -- warts and all -- dominates the novel. Robinson's Galileo is vain, indeed vainglorious, physically challenged by his miserable health, and living the rough, coarse life of the Italian countryside of his day: Galileo as he was, rather than what some television writer might make him out to be. Add in the efforts of time travelers to change Galileo's life so as to better their own, Galileo's visits to the petty political struggles of the Galilean moons off Jupiter in 3020, and the byzantine Vatican and European politics that drove his condemnation by the Church. This is a great tale, exceedingly well told.
Galileo's Dream is a dense and complicated novel, but its surprisingly gripping just the same. I won't write any spoilers here except to say that the story jumps from a detailed and fascinating account of Galileo's day to day life of sixteenth-century politics, science, religion, his inventions and family drama to a strange new science fictional world that blends in an eerie way with his real life. This book is unique and captivating. I'm an old KSR fan and definitely felt like I got my money's worth. Four stars.
Readable, but not one of his best.
Robinson is a fantastic writer. This book is just more boring than his previous works. I like his sci-fi. His alternate reality stuff kind of drags on forever (this, years of rice and salt).
Best sci-fi book of 2010, bar none!
I set a high bar when it comes to quality science fiction. None of the "we are from the planet Boku - stop your atomic testing or else" crap or yet another asteroid blast. Forget dragons, witches and magic along with yet another apocalyptic ecological thriller. What makes GALILEO's DREAM so captivating is its superb literary quality. The writing is wondrous, learned and enthralling.
Many reviewers feel the need to choose history or sci-fi but I see no reason to choose one over the other if both are presented well. And they are in this case. The 17th century is presented in an almost hallucinogen aura, transporting the reader to Florence and the time of the powerful popes. Likewise, the 31st century comes across as knowable yet distant. More importantly, the incredible technological advances have not changed human nature, our desires, needs and emotions. The author retained just enough murkiness to make the whole thing realistic.
Of course, infusing actual dialogue within the framework was effortless and although it's been done numerous times, the narrator as character succeeds. Anyone interested in both the future and the past, religion and science and what makes great people will enjoy this work. Galileo comes across as coarse, flawed, egotistical but most importantly, brilliant and inventive. The side plot with his daughter was touching and supported by documentation. The ending has come for criticism but it struck emotional gold, coming across as a meditation on age, life and the wonder of the mind. My Grade - A+
Many reviewers feel the need to choose history or sci-fi but I see no reason to choose one over the other if both are presented well. And they are in this case. The 17th century is presented in an almost hallucinogen aura, transporting the reader to Florence and the time of the powerful popes. Likewise, the 31st century comes across as knowable yet distant. More importantly, the incredible technological advances have not changed human nature, our desires, needs and emotions. The author retained just enough murkiness to make the whole thing realistic.
Of course, infusing actual dialogue within the framework was effortless and although it's been done numerous times, the narrator as character succeeds. Anyone interested in both the future and the past, religion and science and what makes great people will enjoy this work. Galileo comes across as coarse, flawed, egotistical but most importantly, brilliant and inventive. The side plot with his daughter was touching and supported by documentation. The ending has come for criticism but it struck emotional gold, coming across as a meditation on age, life and the wonder of the mind. My Grade - A+
Enjoyable Robinson tale, but feels like something is missing
Robinson explores the life of Galileo, with somewhat mixed results. The book covers Galileo's experiments with the telescope and trial by the Catholic Church, and Robinson does a good job of portraying the debate of science versus religion, and how people who are closed minded can cause a lot of damage. But to a large extent this book is about mathematics, and how it underlies the universe, and how much joy Galileo gained from studying and understanding this structure. Fun story, with time travel thrown in as well, and Robinson fans will recognize some of his familiar themes, but overal this novel is not as good as Robinson's earlier works. I just feel like there is something missing from the KSR magic in this one. However, I really enjoyed reading about Galileo first looking through the telescope and being the first to see Jupiter's moons - I can't imagine what a feeling that must have been! And Galileo's trial by the Church, and the rejection of his work made me realize how much modern science and established scientific fact we now take for granted.
Kim Stanley Robinson tries something different to his usual classic science fiction novels in Galileo's Dream, employing a combined story of Galileo's life as a scientist with an unusual setup on a moon of Saturn in the distant future. The result is an incredible novel that uses all of the great styles and abilities that Robinson has to offer with his complex, developed writing style, the excellent research, the hard science fiction, and an incredible, unique story.
Galileo's Dream essentially has two storylines going on that involve Galileo Galilei: one is the moving story of Galileo's life in becoming a hard scientist, scrutinizing everything, researching and learning, coming up with new inventions, and studying the heavens every day. As his popularity grows and his ideas and theories on the Copernican idea of the universe - that everything does not revolve around the Earth, but that the planets revolve around the sun - turn to proven facts in his mind and he tries to publish works claiming this, he begins to feel the wrath of the church and more importantly the Pope who he though would be an ally and is instead turning into an adversary.
The other story to Galileo's Dream is when Galileo uses his recently invented telescope with superior lenses, he discovers the moons of Jupiter - which are known as the Galilean moons - and in a moment is magically transported from the seventeenth century to the year 3020 on the moon of Europa where he must help the strange looking inhabitants with their own problems. Each time he is transported back to his time, he remembers a little more of his forays into the distant future.
Galileo's Dream is a unique story that could only have been conceived of in the mind of Kim Stanley Robinson, taking the reader on a journey they won't soon forget, as they learn about the incredible life of someone often referred to as the world's first scientist, as well as being entertained by an engrossing science fiction story set in the thirty-first century.
Originally written on March 11th 2010
Galileo's Dream essentially has two storylines going on that involve Galileo Galilei: one is the moving story of Galileo's life in becoming a hard scientist, scrutinizing everything, researching and learning, coming up with new inventions, and studying the heavens every day. As his popularity grows and his ideas and theories on the Copernican idea of the universe - that everything does not revolve around the Earth, but that the planets revolve around the sun - turn to proven facts in his mind and he tries to publish works claiming this, he begins to feel the wrath of the church and more importantly the Pope who he though would be an ally and is instead turning into an adversary.
The other story to Galileo's Dream is when Galileo uses his recently invented telescope with superior lenses, he discovers the moons of Jupiter - which are known as the Galilean moons - and in a moment is magically transported from the seventeenth century to the year 3020 on the moon of Europa where he must help the strange looking inhabitants with their own problems. Each time he is transported back to his time, he remembers a little more of his forays into the distant future.
Galileo's Dream is a unique story that could only have been conceived of in the mind of Kim Stanley Robinson, taking the reader on a journey they won't soon forget, as they learn about the incredible life of someone often referred to as the world's first scientist, as well as being entertained by an engrossing science fiction story set in the thirty-first century.
Originally written on March 11th 2010
i'm a 73 year old retired professor of philosophy. kim's book is outstanding! i taught a university course in the history and philosophy of renaissance science. galileo was my favorite scientist covered by the course. kim's treatment of galilieo moved me to years! truly outstanding!
The mix between history and science fiction in this novel reminded me of Dan Simmons's Ilium and Olympos. All were enjoyable if also a bit disconcerting and confusing. On the whole I enjoyed this but I wish I didn't feel quite so befuddled at times.
another great book by KSR & timely to celebrate Galileo's 400th anniversary of his discovery of Jupiter's moons.
If only studying history was as enjoyable
With this beautiful Historical/Science Fiction novel about Galileo, "The first scientist", Kim Stanley Robinson is back near the peak of his form. He has provided us with an incredible insight into Galileo's life, turning detailed research into an entertaining story and quietly educating us. It is well worth investing the time to read this lengthy but rewarding book, where we are given an intimate view into Galileo's love of scientific discovery, his challenges in financing his estate and of course the overarching challenge of publishing his scientific findings whilst keeping the Catholic Church from burning him at the stake. The SF component adds interest and breaks up the historical narrative, while purportedly providing a driver for Galileo's actions in his later life. While the SF component is enjoyable (I looked forward to when Galileo would next 'visit' the future), it is definitely the historical depiction of Galileo's life that most interested me. If only studying history could have been so enjoyable!
a so-so effort by a first rate author
Galileo's Dream is a hybrid between history and science fiction. I think the first part works better than the second. Robinson presents an interesting look at life in Italy in the 17th century, with special emphasis on the central role of the Catholic Church. He paints a vivid picture of Galileo's genius and mercurial personality.
I think the book founders when Galileo is transported to the Jovian moons in 3020. The conflict there isn't all that well explained, nor is the role Galileo would play as "first scientist". It almost seems as if Robinson force-fit this into a historical narrative. If you like historical/science fiction, Dan Simmons' Ilium and Olympos are better choices.
I think the book founders when Galileo is transported to the Jovian moons in 3020. The conflict there isn't all that well explained, nor is the role Galileo would play as "first scientist". It almost seems as if Robinson force-fit this into a historical narrative. If you like historical/science fiction, Dan Simmons' Ilium and Olympos are better choices.
One of the greats in any genre.
Kim Stanley Robinson has again transcended the gheto of Science Fiction. In a book of ideas and characters, he carries the reader from 16th century Florence to the moons of Jupiter in the 31st century seen through the eyes of Galileo. Gelileo"s Dreams manages to be both a historical romance, and a meditation on the nature of time by one of our greatest writers.
Galileo encounters a stranger, who introduces him to a glass apparatus that he later uses to fashion into a telescope. The stranger brings him to the future, where he walks the surface of Jupiter's moons and finds himself involved in a complex development. In the past, Galileo struggles with superstitions and religious beliefs. Confounded by it all, he faces his own demise for his beliefs. Robinson shows the real Galileo with all his faults and limitations and how he deals with them.
//Galileo's Dream// has been referred to as a cross genre novel--part science fiction, part history. This is nothing new. In the last 20 years, many novels have begun to share genres with science fiction. Among them, //Sign of the Anasazi//, //You've Got Murder//, both sci-fi mysteries, etcetera, have appeared. //The Da Vinci Code// is historical fiction. Although no one argues with that, a good argument can be made for the entertainment angle. It is intriguing.
For science enthusiasts, it is a revelation of the great Galileo, but for those who long for science fiction, 544 pages remains a little daunting. Still, Robinson delivers extraordinary insight with excavating detail. If you have the time, it's worth the read.
Reviewed by D. Wayne Dworsky
//Galileo's Dream// has been referred to as a cross genre novel--part science fiction, part history. This is nothing new. In the last 20 years, many novels have begun to share genres with science fiction. Among them, //Sign of the Anasazi//, //You've Got Murder//, both sci-fi mysteries, etcetera, have appeared. //The Da Vinci Code// is historical fiction. Although no one argues with that, a good argument can be made for the entertainment angle. It is intriguing.
For science enthusiasts, it is a revelation of the great Galileo, but for those who long for science fiction, 544 pages remains a little daunting. Still, Robinson delivers extraordinary insight with excavating detail. If you have the time, it's worth the read.
Reviewed by D. Wayne Dworsky
Kim Stanley Robinson does it again -- this time weaving time travel to the world of Jupiter with the historical setting of Renaissance Italy and the fascinating story of Galileo's life. The cranky, inventive, and funny Galileo emerges from Robinson's research and elegant, finely crafted prose. A delight to the end!
Robinson's past is as good as his future
Readers who loved Dava Sobel's "Galileo's Daughter" will love this book too, as will those who like the emotional resonance of time travel stories.
The best thing about this novel is unquestionably the magnificent character of Galileo -- larger than life, like Falstaff or Achilles, but true, I think, to the man himself. Robinson sees all of Galileo's extravagant flaws along with his extravagant virtues, and the reader cannot help loving him.
The premise of the novel sounds much simpler than it is: what if Galileo was introduced to the telescope by a time traveler from the future? How did this action change history, diverting the first experimental scientist from his groundbreaking work on mechanics and sending him on a cosmological journey that caused so much trouble? And what can possibly have been the time traveler's motivation?
Ultimately political as well as scientific in its outlook, in places psychoanalytic and even Lacanian (!) in its treatment of human character, moving from Rome to Florence to human colonies on the moons of Jupiter, this is a delicious voyage into history and speculation. We walk in a seventeenth-century Italy so real we can smell it, and fly between the Galilean moons with a giant woman therapist.
The themes are grand and thought-provoking, the characterization impeccable, the pathos palpable.
The best thing about this novel is unquestionably the magnificent character of Galileo -- larger than life, like Falstaff or Achilles, but true, I think, to the man himself. Robinson sees all of Galileo's extravagant flaws along with his extravagant virtues, and the reader cannot help loving him.
The premise of the novel sounds much simpler than it is: what if Galileo was introduced to the telescope by a time traveler from the future? How did this action change history, diverting the first experimental scientist from his groundbreaking work on mechanics and sending him on a cosmological journey that caused so much trouble? And what can possibly have been the time traveler's motivation?
Ultimately political as well as scientific in its outlook, in places psychoanalytic and even Lacanian (!) in its treatment of human character, moving from Rome to Florence to human colonies on the moons of Jupiter, this is a delicious voyage into history and speculation. We walk in a seventeenth-century Italy so real we can smell it, and fly between the Galilean moons with a giant woman therapist.
The themes are grand and thought-provoking, the characterization impeccable, the pathos palpable.
A nice mix of science fiction, science and history
There are 3 things that I really enjoy reading: science fiction, science and history. Kim Stanley Robinson's latest novel, Galileo's Dream is a terrific fusion of all three. It took me a longer than usual time to read this book, which I started in late December. But despite the interruptions, I kept coming back to the book because it intrigued me. It is a fascinating, fictionalized look at Galileo's life, and his struggle with the Catholic Church, a struggle which in some ways parallels the struggle taking place in the future with a newly discovered intelligence on the moons of Jupiter.
The novel has something for everyone: time travel, historical fiction, space ships, far future societies, first contact, high technology. But the main thrust of it centers around Galileo's life in Italy, his friends and family, and his evolution as the "first scientist". Interestingly, the copyright page on the Kindle edition calls the book a "work of historical fiction". Indeed, but both past and future history must be included in that broad categorization.
This is not the fun type of time-travel novel as say, Jack McDevitt's Time Travelers Never Die or Joe Haldeman's The Accidental Time Machine. It is a thoughtful, philosophical novel that uses time travel in much the same manner as H.G. Wells in The Time Machine--to reflect on the past and explore the possible places we are going.
It's an enjoyable read for anyone who likes science fiction, and the history of science. 3-1/2 stars.
The novel has something for everyone: time travel, historical fiction, space ships, far future societies, first contact, high technology. But the main thrust of it centers around Galileo's life in Italy, his friends and family, and his evolution as the "first scientist". Interestingly, the copyright page on the Kindle edition calls the book a "work of historical fiction". Indeed, but both past and future history must be included in that broad categorization.
This is not the fun type of time-travel novel as say, Jack McDevitt's Time Travelers Never Die or Joe Haldeman's The Accidental Time Machine. It is a thoughtful, philosophical novel that uses time travel in much the same manner as H.G. Wells in The Time Machine--to reflect on the past and explore the possible places we are going.
It's an enjoyable read for anyone who likes science fiction, and the history of science. 3-1/2 stars.
While I generally love Robinson's work, this book was a disappointment. With "Galileo's Dream", he has tried his hand at mixing history with science-fiction, possibly influenced by "Anathem" by Neal Stephenson (a much superior story and winner of various awards) but Robinson cannot pull it off. The character of Galileo comes across as very flat, and does not seem to be of his time - Galileo acts like a contemporary Texan. One of Robinson's writing strengths is his sense of place, which came to the fore in his excellent "Mars" trilogy, but this skill fails him in this book. The story is sent in renaissance Italy and in the future among the Moons of Jupiter, and we get hardly any sense about what these places are like. Galileo visits Jupiter's moons, and we barely know we are there - we just get a vague sense of empty corridors, and plains of ice. The plot of the book is hard to follow; the characters all behave oddly, and the author provides little explanation or motivation to make sense of their strange behaviour, until late in the book, by which time the reader has lost interest. I hardly ever fail to finish a book, especially by a good author, which Robinson is, but with this book I could not bother getting to the end.
Kim Stanley Robinson is certainly one of the best science fiction writers of today; but this book is an exception. It is always interesting to speculate on the future and what could be changed by events altered in the past. The age of inventions that would rapidly change the world into the Renaissance and the modern age is certainly exciting and Robinson's research shows in his writing and descriptions of Galileo and his life.
There are moments in this book that are wonderful; like the extraordinary capturing of what it must have been like to look through the first telescopes - to see something from afar close up. The genius of Galileo is well captured.
However the travel between Galileo's time and the worlds of Jupiter become muddled and befuddled. The descriptions for Galileo's unearthly travels are perplexing. The political intrigues are not well explained - yes there is the desire to have Galileo's scientific/mathematical mind set instead of a more spiritual one, but it always seems something is left out of the explanations and imagery.
Maybe the worlds are too different; but this has not happened in other books of Robinson's. Also at over 500 pages, the story just seems tired and drawn out at points. The purpose and motivation of the characters just seems to lack Kim Stanley Robinson's usual talent and focus.
There are moments in this book that are wonderful; like the extraordinary capturing of what it must have been like to look through the first telescopes - to see something from afar close up. The genius of Galileo is well captured.
However the travel between Galileo's time and the worlds of Jupiter become muddled and befuddled. The descriptions for Galileo's unearthly travels are perplexing. The political intrigues are not well explained - yes there is the desire to have Galileo's scientific/mathematical mind set instead of a more spiritual one, but it always seems something is left out of the explanations and imagery.
Maybe the worlds are too different; but this has not happened in other books of Robinson's. Also at over 500 pages, the story just seems tired and drawn out at points. The purpose and motivation of the characters just seems to lack Kim Stanley Robinson's usual talent and focus.
thought provoking alternate history science fiction
To the colonists on the moons of Jupiter, Galileo is the prophet who led humanity on the first great leap into space with his telescope. He is a God in the future, but in his own Renaissance time in Italy, he faces condemnation by the Church for heretic acts.
As he faces trial that could lead to his burning, a man calling himself Ganymede claims to have come from the far future to consult with him and encourage him in 1609 Padua. Ganymede knows his side in a future debate over mankind wants to bring Galileo forward in time in order to save the man and change history; others also want to influence history perhaps by insuring Galileo burns at the stake rather than go under house arrest.
This is a thought provoking alternate history science fiction that is not an easy read, but worth the time for those who relish a cerebral thriller. Galileo makes the story line with a mix of diverse emotions like a need to advance science but a fear of what he is doing. With an underlying message that humanity must stay alert to keep those who claim divine communication to thwart advances by burning scientific research on a media inferno. Fans will appreciate Kim Stanley Robinson's deep tale that connects renaissance Italy with man in space.
Harriet Klausner
As he faces trial that could lead to his burning, a man calling himself Ganymede claims to have come from the far future to consult with him and encourage him in 1609 Padua. Ganymede knows his side in a future debate over mankind wants to bring Galileo forward in time in order to save the man and change history; others also want to influence history perhaps by insuring Galileo burns at the stake rather than go under house arrest.
This is a thought provoking alternate history science fiction that is not an easy read, but worth the time for those who relish a cerebral thriller. Galileo makes the story line with a mix of diverse emotions like a need to advance science but a fear of what he is doing. With an underlying message that humanity must stay alert to keep those who claim divine communication to thwart advances by burning scientific research on a media inferno. Fans will appreciate Kim Stanley Robinson's deep tale that connects renaissance Italy with man in space.
Harriet Klausner
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Kim Stanley Robinson is one of those quiet masters. Known predominantly for his Mars series, Robinson has a dedicated fan base who marvels at his vision and his storytelling. When you bring up the genre of science fiction, other names instantly gravitate toward the fore of the discussion: Asimov, Bear, Ringo, Niven, Weber. This is not to suggest that Robinson is a lesser novelist. In fact, where his Science in the Capital series on a global warming disaster of a worldwide level may have been a step back in terms of his storytelling strength, his newest book, GALILEO'S DREAM, is a surefire winner.
In GALILEO'S DREAM, we find ourselves embroiled in the scientific community and the life of Galileo Galilei in 1609. Science is expanding, and philosophers and mathematicians seek to make bold discoveries all within the shadow of the Church --- which seeks to make certain that no discoveries are too bold.
With some help from a mysterious stranger, Galileo creates a spyglass that he then expands into a telescope, which he uses to map the surface of the moon. Intrigued by the power of his own creation, he turns its sight on Jupiter. There, he discovers four moons, which he eventually determines revolve around the main planet body. His star is on the rise.
What he does not remember, however, are his late-night visitations to the moons he has recently discovered. Manipulated by the stranger who aided him in the invention of the device, Galileo is an unwitting pawn in a battle on the Jovian moons in the year 3020. One group seeks to use his mind to convince the others not to explore the oceans on the moon of Europa. In the midst of this debate, Galileo learns that he is a "martyr to science," immolated in his own time for his heresy by the Inquisition. Does it have to be this way, or can his future be changed and his life spared without unmaking the future? And must science and religion be at odds with one another?
Robinson has done some outstanding work with GALILEO'S DREAM. The scientist/philosopher/mathematician truly springs to life on the page, and reading of his discoveries as if in real time is remarkable. The majority of the novel is clearly deeply researched and impressive historical fiction to a large degree. About a third of the book deals with the more fantastic: time travel. Yet this is no mere time travel convention that has become so cliché in science fiction. In this instance, time and time travel are a major cog, and the philosophy of time and its makeup is debated by Galileo and Hera, one of the Jovian leaders who seeks to protect him in his own time.
GALILEO'S DREAM is a shining example of the level of quality to be found in science fiction, an exemplary achievement that brings 17th century Italy flaring to life in beautiful fashion while instilling a bit of the fanciful and the prospect of what could lie ahead in the distant future. Robinson has penned a book that is deserving of attention and admiration.
--- Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard