Customer Reviews

Calculating God

5 star:		(53)
4 star:		(43)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

In my opinion, this is Robert J. Sawyer's masterpiece.

If you're looking for character-driven speculative fiction about God, aliens, mass extinctions and -- not least -- hope, then you've come to the right place.

The synopsis given above provides amble insight into the plot but I think that one thing should be made clear: Sawyer is NOT throwing a bone to the creationists.

What the author IS doing is expressing a sentiment that exists among many of us scientists today: the notion that God can be measured, studied and calculated by science. He weaves arguments about the potential for intelligent design of the universe into the narrative without bogging it down. The exchanges between the protagonist and the alien are funny and profound and touching.

Sawyer does something else very well. He depicts a scientist as a normal human being with normal human feelings and normal human flaws ... the kind of guy you'd like to sit down and drink a beer with ... this is a refreshing contrast to the myriad stereotype scientist characters that have been spoon-fed to us down through the years.

Please read CALCULATING GOD ... it will provoke thought and entertain.

I didn't know what to think of this book at first, and spent over a year before I actually picked it up to read it. It was surprisingly good. The ending kinda sucked (as with most of Sawyer's books) and, let's face it, the book is written for those who don't believe in God; but it was still an interesting read. I wouldn't have been able to think stuff like this up. BTW, the title is misleading. Nowhere does the book actual "calculate" God. Remember: this is a piece of fiction.

An alien space shuttle lands in front of the Royal Ontario Museum and a large, spider-like alien climbs out. It negotiates the stairs and the front door and walks unhurriedly up to the information desk. In articulate, unaccented English, the alien asks to speak with a paleontologist. The security guard on duty directs the alien to the office of Tom Jericho, paleontologist. And so it begins...

The alien, Hollus, is from the crew of a spaceship traveling to several worlds in search of answers. Why are some habitable worlds empty, seemingly abandoned by races that once lived there? Why have massive "extinction events" occurred simultaneously in the histories of Earth and the home planet of the visiting aliens? Hollus looks for part of the answer in Earth's fossil record.

As they work together, Hollus and Tom learn about each other. To Tom's astonishment, Hollus believes firmly in God, persuaded by the "argument from design" accepted by many Earth theologians. There must be a creator because the universe seems so carefully designed. Tom and Hollus debate this issue while they work. This part of the book presents a balanced review of creationist versus evolutionist thought. Hollus's creationism is a scientific position, leaving the debate untainted by our society's social baggage. Tom's atheism is well-argued, and flavored with personal observations and admissions. The author plays fair by not giving the aliens any argument-trumping new knowledge supporting their views.

As the story nears its conclusion, the nature of God becomes a more immediate and personal issue. I won't spoil the plot by saying more.

I enjoyed the book immensely, and recommend it to fellow science fiction fans. It covers old ground in a new way, yielding feelings of familiarity blended with the joys of discovery. Do read it.

That said, I note two flaws. First, it seems that Tom and Hollus never address the basic question of what kind of God they are discussing. There is a difference between an abstract initial creator of the universe and a personal God who hears day-to-day prayers. This is touched upon by the book, but not in the initial discussions between Tom and Hollus. Clearly the author is aware of this distinction--why are his characters largely unaware of it?

Second, it seems that the careful standards of reasoning followed early in the book are loosened, if not abandoned later on. Tom and Hollus both make incredible leaps of deduction about unfolding events--and of course turn out to be largely correct. At each point there are alternative explanations which are not considered. This is not unheard-of in science fiction, but here is a striking contrast to the earlier tone of the book. There are no examples which are not spoilers, so readers will have to judge this observation after reading.

One final comment. I find some of Tom's decisions personally questionable. They suggest that one can use the excuse of "searching for God" to justify simply indulging one's curiosity to the point of irresponsibility. This is not a flaw in the story, but one way in which the author has--I believe intentionally--provoked reflection from a reader. Nicely done.

About one or two years ago, I discovered the books by Robert Sawyer and by now I've concluded that all the platitudes about Sawyer are correct: he is the best SF writer alive, he wonderfully manages to combine hard science with believable characterization and he does get better with every book he writes.

In Calculating God, an alien arrives at a museum in Toronto and asks for a paleontologist. After an extremely funny start, the major part of the book consists of a lively discussion between the alien, who is gathering additional evidence to prove the existence of God, and Tom Jericho, a paleontologist who is diagnosed with cancer and starts to wonder about some very basic questions.

Sawyer manages to squeeze in fascinating discussions about cosmology, paleontology, biology and evolution (Sawyer seems to be equally at ease with all these subjects!), and at the same time uses the alien to present some interesting perspectives on such issues as morality and abortion. Calculating God is a truly intellectually satisfying and fascinating read. It kept me up for a couple of nights, I found myself laughing out loud and quoting funny dialogue to colleagues at work and recommended it to lots of people. On the last morning, with just a few pages to go, I quickly fed my daughter, left her to her mother, and proceeded to finish the book. I ended up still in my bathrobe when mother and daughter left home and needed to hurry to get to work at a reasonable time... So, it if safe to conclude that I enjoyed the book tremendously. While the story didn't convert me, it did really make me think (and still does...).

Having said all this, I'm a bit surprised at some of the criticism from previous readers on this site. For instance, I noticed the inconsistency about Jericho's thoughts about cilia, but I just interpreted them as different musings at different times and why should they be consistent? And what's wrong with the ending of the book? I absolutely loved it! It is admittedly on a very grand scale, but it fits the book and is definitely better than the mystic hoopla in 2001. And taking the trouble to write a review and say that it should be This Kiss instead of The Kiss... Naturally, I really couldn't understand the reader who couldn't get through the book. But, hey, different people, different tastes. I absolutely loved the dialogues, the jokes, the science, the various musings and the great eye for detail. Absolutely wonderful. The only thing that bugged me a (little) bit, was that at several places in the book Sawyer mentions that Hollywood has always had a very limited idea of what an alien should look like. That they are definitely more alien than the movies show. But at the same time, he made his alien into a very human character, making human jokes ("this side up", indeed!) and acting very much like a human. To me, that's a bit strange and contradictory and I feel that the alien should be more alien. Of course, I realize that that would complicate the conversations with Jericho considerably, but nevertheless....

Anyway, in my opinion Calculating God is an impressive achievement and from now on I'll buy every new book by Sawyer as soon as it appears!

The premise is interesting, but the narrative is poor, most of the characters are weakly drawn, and the dialog is forced. Overall, not a book I would recommend

Sawyer's work is among the most intellectually challenging in modern SF. His plots are strong and his characters are interesting, but what makes Sawyer's novels so fascinating is the way in which he blends current scientific thinking with speculative themes. In "Calculating God," this mix includes the debate between evolutionary theory and intelligent design, first encounters with alien species, and a plot by human fanatics.

The story centers on attempts by several alien species to find (literally) God. They have come to Earth to research mass extinctions, which seem to have taken place at the same time on all planets with intelligent life. The major characters are a terminally ill human paleontologist and his alien counterpart. The human, an exponent of modern evolutionary theory, finds himself increasingly intrigued by the alien's vision of intelligent design. As they discuss their different points of view, a friendship develops, and the human becomes a participant in the search.

Although "Calculating God" is talky at times, the action is there. Some reviewers have felt that the ending was lame, but for me, it was the best part of the book. Conceptually daring and (for this reader at least) totally unexpected, it elevated the novel out of the realm of an ordinary story about the existence of God into something totally different. A reader who's looking for some light space opera probably wouldn't like this book. But for someone looking for a more philosophical novel, it would make a very good read.

I love this book. The first page was weird, and I was thinking, "Oh, my god. This is going to be totally corny bad."

But it wasn't. It's great. The conversations on science are a little lightweight, but accurate. Just one proposition introduced for the sake of the plot, about extinction events coinciding.

As a non-religious guy, I found the arguments in the book really cool and fun. It's a great thing to find fiction that tweaks one's sacred cows. One of mine is the idea that there could not be a god. Sure, this god is way different, but it's a real argument. It's not the "void" of buddhism, nor the tao, nor is it the father-god in heaven. It's a discussion that will rock a guy back on his heels for a change, make him think.

Wonderful book, great story in the class of Jonathan Swift!

Tom Jericho was a paleontologist doing the best he could with the time he had left. He was a scientist who believed in evolution, loved his family and knew there was no such thing as God.
Then one day two alien races came to Earth, not only with the belief that God does exist, but they were using science to find out WHAT he was up to. In other words they said that science and evolution of life proved there was a God because all three planets had gone through the same changes, EVEN mass extinctions at the SAME times!
A funny, sometimes serious and sometimes sad look at the origins of life, the mixture of science and faith, and the true meaning of God. A must for any sci-fi fan (even if you don't believe in God)!

The best science fiction isn't necessarily about a whiz-bang future. Rather, it extrapolates recognizably from today's world and leaves you thinking about philosophy. If you want to think about the questions of life, the universe, and everything and want a better answer than "42", Sawyer is the author for you. His hard science is great without getting all technical and geeky and there is plenty of humor interspersed with the thought-provoking subject matter. I bought 3 more Sawyer books the day I finished this one.

I just finished reading this work, and I must say that it has been an experience worth repeating. I have been challenged, moved, and entertained by the story that Robert Sawyer has created.

As a Christian, the views on the creation vs. evolution debate have been challenging. I have to say they have influenced my thinking and strengthened my convictions.

As a father and a husband, I have wept bitter tears (as I do now, even just thinking about it) at the feelings the main character must have been dealing with as he came to terms with his wife & child.

As a fan of SF, I have found an author whose mastery of the craft makes him a valued addition to my library.

I'm a busy fellow - a father, a husband, and a manager and as a result, every moment that I take to read for me is a precious droplet of time which I cannot reclaim...there is nothing more criminal to me than to have those droplets stolen by shoddy writing.

Robert Sawyer - thank you.