Nemesis [Paperback]

This is NOT an action novel, nor will you encounter some mythical "Dark Force" of the universe guiding Nemisis against humanity. As fans of Asimov know, the Grand Master of Science Fiction does not dwell on the fantastic to create his stories. The real story here is a speculation into human nature. The book explores what migration patterns into the stars might be like, and expressly demonstrates the futility of powerful individuals to create homogenous, uptopian societies by hiding away from the rest of mankind. The science is good, but merely a backdrop.

The book is mostly dialouge, another Asimov standard. For those who like lazer fights in space, Nemisis is not a good book. The conversations are eloquent and deliberate, however, always advancing the plot and posing interesting ideas while developing the characters.

The only complaint I have with this book is the introduction. Asimov makes it very clear this book is NOT part of the Robot/Empire/Foundation universe... and yet the book makes MANY references to these series' ideas, proper names, and themes. If the hyperdrive invented in I, Robot was a precursor to the hyperassistance they use in Nemisis, I would put this book immediately prior to The Caves of Steel in the Asimov universe. It seems like Asimov wrote a book in a different universe, but was unable to leave the one he had already created.

But the real meat of this book is three-fold. First, it's about a planet in peril. The earth is going to be wiped out when the Sun's closest star approaches it, and no seems to belive the girl who knows. Second, this book is about the alien intelligence living on an inhospitable planet and it's desire to communicate with humans. And thirdly, this book is about the development of super-luminal (faster than light-speed) travel. Asimov explains the science of this like it's an actual phenomena that's really possible (which of course it is not as far as we know). I really enjoyed the science part of this novel. And I found the characters and their actions interesting too...

But the real kicker comes at the end of the book, when the man who's dreams of isolation and subsequent experimentation on a small group of humans are destroyed. To say much more would spoil it. But let's just say that the word Nemesis has several meanings, and the plot twist on the last page (as we realize what's REALLY going to happen in the years to come) is awesome. Perhaps the greatest ending plot twist I have ever seen (and a darn cool tie-in to the Foundation Series to boot).

If you love Asimov's sci-fi writing, definitely check this one out. Especially if you love the Foundation Trilogy. Highly recommended.