31 replies to this topic

[DangerousDave]

If you haven't checked out the Sparkcast, I really suggest people do. Bear sounds like a grandpa, but he seems keenly aware of what he's doing and it sounds like 343i is giving him the space he needs. On one hand I feel like I should pick up his earlier work to read before this one, but I'm a busy guy and who am I kidding? I'm gonna get the book when it comes out anyhow.

[UltimateDogg]

If you haven't checked out the Sparkcast, I really suggest people do. Bear sounds like a grandpa, but he seems keenly aware of what he's doing and it sounds like 343i is giving him the space he needs. On one hand I feel like I should pick up his earlier work to read before this one, but I'm a busy guy and who am I kidding? I'm gonna get the book when it comes out anyhow.

i was very impressed with the sparkcast, and it only made me more excited for the awesomeness of the new book

[Postmortem]

Anybody read his books? If so, can you make a recommendation as to what would be good to read to get a 'crash course' in Greg Bear before Cryptum hits shelves? Preferably without getting sucked into another series, but eh... beggars can't be choosers.

[Slightly Live]

Anybody read his books? If so, can you make a recommendation as to what would be good to read to get a 'crash course' in Greg Bear before Cryptum hits shelves? Preferably without getting sucked into another series, but eh... beggars can't be choosers.

Read Eon.

[Postmortem]

New finalized cover jacket up, with a summary of the plot. Precursors, Forerunner society, and some odd naming conventions. But yeah, seriously excited for this book. I've already preordered mine.

[UltimateDogg]

New finalized cover jacket up, with a summary of the plot. Precursors, Forerunner society, and some odd naming conventions. But yeah, seriously excited for this book. I've already preordered mine.

not all the odd a naming convention since the engineers (who were made by the forerunners) have pretty long odd names themselves

also do want this book!

[Postmortem]

not all the odd a naming convention since the engineers (who were made by the forerunners) have pretty long odd names themselves

Interesting point, never thought about that. Good call!

[Postmortem]

Begin crazy amount of spoiler discussion? I just finished the book today. Lots to talk about.

[Postmortem]

Spoiler

"If what the Old Ones created is loose..." <-- Referring to the Flood, clearly. But is Old Ones referencing the Precursors, or something else?

Finally got a new copy of H2, and I noticed the description of Relic reads as something like: "Covenant scriptures indicate that this structure is a memorial to Forerunners fallen in battle against the Flood." Given the shape of the structure, and the reliability of Forerunner-Covenant translations, what if that is a

Spoiler

Cryptum

? WTF is up with the

Spoiler

sphinxes

? I like the idea... but I'm seriously having a hard time picturing a

Spoiler

sphinx

conforming to Forerunner design. Also, at one point it says that Bornstellar sees ships made of adamantium? That threw me off. Isn't adamantium Marvel's creation and therefore their legal property? I mean, that's the metal that Wolverine's bones and claws are made of, right? My mind is struggling with the whole idea of there being

Spoiler

humans in space already

, while there's cavemen walking around on Earth. Also, if

Spoiler

humans were a huge part of the galactic society

, why did the Librarian freak at how special Earth and humanity was when she discovered it (according to Iris)?

Spoiler

"slipspace, denial of locale, shunspace, trick geodetics, natal void, the photon-only realm called the Glow."

Enough said? Foreshadowing seems to be hinting at some sort of connection between

Spoiler

the Flood and the Precursors

. What I'm wondering is...

Spoiler

is the Gravemind the last Precursor? Become one with the Flood... in order to preserve its memories or something, knowing that it's the last of its kind?

When Bornstellar accesses the

Spoiler

Domain

, a

Spoiler

voice

comes up,

Spoiler

saying "Those who are ignorant of history are doomed to repeat it."

After which, Bornstellar

Spoiler

says: "I thought I recognized whomever or whatever had deposited this message, but could not place the memory. It was not the Didact, that was certain. It might not have even been a Forerunner."

To those who do know their history, this is clearly

Spoiler

a quote from Winston Churchill.

So

Spoiler

the Domain is not rooted in Forerunner culture, and also not even rooted in the present time?

Confusing... I'm interested to see how this is going to play into future additions to the series... Not really enough information yet for any solid questions... but I REALLY want to know more about the

Spoiler

Precursors

after that horrible cliffhanger!

Edited by Postmortem, 16 January 2011 - 10:04 AM.

[Astromancer]

I'll have to pick up a copy of this soon. From what I've read in the wiki, I'm not too thrilled at what Bear has done to the Halo backstory...I caught a lot of crap on Bungie.net and Halo Waypoint for expressing my distaste. However, I can't really say I dislike something based solely on a summary.

[SharpeWolfe]

Don't go judging books based on wiki summaries, admitting that is enough to earn a stern frown at the very least.

[Astromancer]

Don't go judging books based on wiki summaries, admitting that is enough to earn a stern frown at the very least.

I know...I've frowned at myself for it. I'll pick up a copy and read it ASAP.