Review:

Before buying and reading this book, I wasn’t aware it was the authors own favorite science fiction novel of the 440+ he has written, but having read it, I can understand why. Split into three distinct parts, this book captures everything I look for in a science fiction story, and is a brilliant execution as well. Having finished it only a few days ago, this book is certainly among my favorites of all time, and one I will continue to think about as I compare it with other stories.

The book does what I believe all science fiction should, it introduces a plausible yet currently impossible technology or concept, and examines how that concept would impact the people living in that world. This book is also a very interesting a thought out parallel universes story, not something I’ve read before, but I’m not sure how it could be done better.

"Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain"

The impossible technology this time concerns matter being transported between parallel universes that have different laws of nature. There is ours, and the para-universe, where the matter transporting is initiated. It is discovered that as a part of this transportation, we can harness great amounts of energy, virtually infinite. There’s a problem, though, and it wouldn’t be good science fiction if there wasn’t a problem. That’s writing 101 folks, people love conflict, and the matter transporting threatening to destroy our galaxy by accidentally turning our sun into a quasar is a pretty big problem. Except, no one wants to believe that’s a risk. It hasn’t happened yet, and look at the utopia we have!

The story begins with this discovery, as one scientist, Dr. Frederick Hallam, takes the credit, calling it the Electron Pump, and another scientist, perhaps jealous, tries to explain its risks, to few willing ears. While the discovery and implementation of the Electron Pump is interesting, its not what makes this novel great. What truly sets this novel apart from other science fiction I’ve read is how well thought out the para-universe and its inhabitants are.

I’m not interested in just recapping it, the plot synopsis on wikipedia is pretty good, but that’s also a poor substitute to just reading the novel. The novel goes into just enough detail to the parallel universes’ inhabitants, who are referred to as para-men, and how their relationships actually work. Each family of these para-men involves three adults, a Rational, an Emotional, and a Parental. The middle of the story focuses on a particular family and their relationship to the Electron Pump on the para-universes end, and the conflict between the family members is excellent. Despite being sentient blobs, the story manages to construct legitimate drama between the family members as they conflict with their own goals versus the goals of their larger community. The community is also very well constructed, and just alien enough that you’re always mindful that they’re different, but just ambiguous enough that your imagination still has plenty to chew on and fill in yourself.

Finally, I love a good story about living on the moon. The third of the books three sections follows Ben Denison, one of Dr. Hallam’s critics, as he pursues science away from Dr. Hallam’s influence, on the Lunar Colony, where the Lunar citizens are trying to differentiate themselves from Earth culture. This is another fantastic analysis of a fictional society, with topics of immigration and taboo being very well executed. While some aspects, like the Lunarite’s being openly nudist, feel manufactured, the way Earth tourists fell about the moon feels realistic. “Don’t you miss the blue sky and the green grass?” “Why should we? We’ve always lived here, and we can see pictures anyway.” Life on the Moon, the differences and similarities, is explored and feels pretty realistic, what they eat, what they do for fun, how they’re relationships work. Like the Lunarite’s naked bodies, its all fleshed out.

I don’t have much else to say about this part other than its good and you should read it.

Parts of the novel get a bit too into the science which did go over my head, much discussion in the nuclear laws that control our star. Funny enough, I’m not the biggest fan of straight up science lectures in my novels, which is how some parts feel, albeit delivered in still interesting scenes. I like how far out concepts can influence still human stories, which is what this story does well.

Recommendation:

I would honestly recommend this story for any fan of fiction with at least a mild tolerance to what can feel like techno-babble (I’m pretty sure someone said positronic somewhere). Some people love that though, and considering Asimov is himself a scientist, I imagine it must be well researched.

I would consider this a must read to anyone interested in science OR the science fiction genre. It’s just good fiction, plain and simple.

Book finished 6/29/2026. Review written 6/30.

---

Today I’m listening to the assorted works of Hallmark ‘87, a true master of atmospheric vaporwave. A T R I U M, is my favorite, a great tribute to a fantastic architect, John Portman. I’ll never forget the first time I entered the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, and just looking up. The album cover is a little dramatic, the space itself is much warmer, but the awe is very real.