Loren

I was looking forward to this as a follow-up to The Martian, which was enjoyable and thought-provoking. However, this felt more like an overinflated, standard sci-fi plot alternating with chapters from a physics textbook. Not that I hate physics; it's just that I didn't care for so much hard science mixed in with what is, essentially, a fantasy. The last third, in particular, was a bit of a slog.

Some strong ideas here about interspecies communication and the nature of humanity, but recommended mostly for hardcore science nerds and Andy Weir completists. For the rest of us, there are better choices.