Tau Zero
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Product Description
Book Description
'The ultimate hard science fiction novel' James Blish
Product Description
Fifty men and women set out in the twenty-third century from Earth aboard an interstellar craft to travel to a planet some thirty light-years away. The ship will approach the speed of light and so (as Einstein predicted) subjective time on board will slow and so the journey of several decades will be of much shorter duration for the crew. But the ship's deceleration system is irreparably damaged when it hits a cloud of interstellar dust and acceleration continues toward light speed, tau zero. Soon the ship is speeding through galaxies and eons are passing on board the ship in the blink of an eye . . .
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First Sentence
Look - there - rising over the Hand of God. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Look - there - rising over the Hand of God. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
33 of 35 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The book moves quite slowly, and the only flaw is that it could be quite a bit longer.
Now then, I have to say this, with as much care as I can. This is THE only ScFi book I have ever read where it is certain, quite certain, that everything could actually happen. This is quite a remarkable claim, and I have to be very cautious! Perhaps some of the real terror in the book is becasue of this extreme realism. The ship could be built. The navigational difficulties would indeed be related to the spacial distortions of the star field. And the red shift and blue shifts are just like that... What we know about relativity points to the bizarre flight of the ship really holding up.
Poul makes a real attempt to convey the awful separation and exile of the inhabitants. To lose not only the earth... but anything which could remotely be called human, or even his descendants... This is the basis for the worst sort of nightmare for many of us. The claustrophobic nature of the ship and the equalling unsatisfactory nature of the relationships... And yet, there is an ending which satisfies in some sense.
This is novel in which there is a overwhelming, quite overbearing sense of grandeur. You will probably read certain sections quite frequently - I have literally worn out previous editions. But beware, you will feel a strong empathy for these lost souls, and my goodness, it would be nice to make sure that you don't sleep alone, Pascal was right when he spoke of the terror of the great spaces.
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
'Tau Zero' achieves a very difficult task. This is a 'Hard' sci-fi book that bases a story upon what could be some confusing scientific ideas. Time dilation and relativity are the key ideas that propel the story. Were they presented in a way that was superfluous to the story, or incomprehensible to the reader, the book would flounder. Instead, it soars.
The crux of the plot is simple. A 'generation ship' a vessel full of families that will take several generations to reach it's destination, is sent to establish a colony on a distant planet. During the journey, there's an accident, and the ship is left unable to reduce it's speed. As the vessel accelerates, the time outside the ship speeds by faster and faster, meaning that days, months and eventually years pass in what the helpless crew would perceive as meer seconds. Unable to stop or get off the ship, the protagonists hurtle towards the edge of the universe, and the end of time itself.
Tau Zero is a success because it balances characterisation, scientific concepts, and a compelling plot perfectly. The story is more than a show-case for clever intellectualism and the drama as the crew resolve a problem only to face something much greater is superbly written. Anderson expertly portrays the fear, hope, despair, ingenuity and even tedium experienced by the heroes on their eon-spanning journey as the story heads towards an amazing, but credible ending.
If there's anything bad to say about the book, it's the rather tepid scene-setting at the start. But once the ship is underway and the plot properly kicks in, it's an utterly thrilling, white-knuckle ride that's as smart as it is entertaining.
I read it one sitting during a night-shift at work, and, ironicaly, didn't realise where the time had gone. A superb story.
The crux of the plot is simple. A 'generation ship' a vessel full of families that will take several generations to reach it's destination, is sent to establish a colony on a distant planet. During the journey, there's an accident, and the ship is left unable to reduce it's speed. As the vessel accelerates, the time outside the ship speeds by faster and faster, meaning that days, months and eventually years pass in what the helpless crew would perceive as meer seconds. Unable to stop or get off the ship, the protagonists hurtle towards the edge of the universe, and the end of time itself.
Tau Zero is a success because it balances characterisation, scientific concepts, and a compelling plot perfectly. The story is more than a show-case for clever intellectualism and the drama as the crew resolve a problem only to face something much greater is superbly written. Anderson expertly portrays the fear, hope, despair, ingenuity and even tedium experienced by the heroes on their eon-spanning journey as the story heads towards an amazing, but credible ending.
If there's anything bad to say about the book, it's the rather tepid scene-setting at the start. But once the ship is underway and the plot properly kicks in, it's an utterly thrilling, white-knuckle ride that's as smart as it is entertaining.
I read it one sitting during a night-shift at work, and, ironicaly, didn't realise where the time had gone. A superb story.
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As the blurb on the front cover suggests this really is hard sci-fi at its finest.
The novel opens with a rendevous between a man who turns out to be the mission security officer and a woman who is to be second in charge on the ship. What they arrange is a relationship of convenience for onboard and after - they take a deposit before.
Their mission is to colonize a like Earth planet in another solar system. On board are 25 men and 25 women who will have to pair off on or before arrival in order to populate the new planet. The mission would take lifetimes if not for the ability to travel at almost the speed of light. Relatavistic effect means that time will move slower on the ship the faster they go whilst time outside will seem to accelerate. Simple.
Not so simple. There is a malfuction after a collision which means that they can not slow down while they are within the galaxy - so they must leave it and in doing so travel so far into the future that they will have left everything they know behind. Then the crew start to break down and relationships become strained, especially when the two mentioned protagonists seperate because of an infidelity.
The action is good and the tense atmosphere on board is thrilling. How far from home must they travel? How far into the future must they go? How will they cope? What we have here is a story of a love that spans and transends space, time, infidelity, the universe and creation itself.
The novel opens with a rendevous between a man who turns out to be the mission security officer and a woman who is to be second in charge on the ship. What they arrange is a relationship of convenience for onboard and after - they take a deposit before.
Their mission is to colonize a like Earth planet in another solar system. On board are 25 men and 25 women who will have to pair off on or before arrival in order to populate the new planet. The mission would take lifetimes if not for the ability to travel at almost the speed of light. Relatavistic effect means that time will move slower on the ship the faster they go whilst time outside will seem to accelerate. Simple.
Not so simple. There is a malfuction after a collision which means that they can not slow down while they are within the galaxy - so they must leave it and in doing so travel so far into the future that they will have left everything they know behind. Then the crew start to break down and relationships become strained, especially when the two mentioned protagonists seperate because of an infidelity.
The action is good and the tense atmosphere on board is thrilling. How far from home must they travel? How far into the future must they go? How will they cope? What we have here is a story of a love that spans and transends space, time, infidelity, the universe and creation itself.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
But a speck in the distance...
This book explores the twin paradox and the related psychological and philosophical questions a faster than light journey raises:
- What would you do knowing you will... Read more
- What would you do knowing you will... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Matthew Gwynne
A scifi masterpiece that you won't want to forget
My mission to get to know some of the masters of science fiction continues and although it's barely begun I consider myself very fortunate to have read Poul Anderson's Tao Zero. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Kate
Great book but...
..don't buy this particular incarnation. The book looked as if it had been produced on a 30-year old inkjet printer which was on it's last legs using ink that was even older. Read more
Published 13 months ago by I. D. Bell
A good read but that's about it...
I enjoyed reading the book but would not recommend it as the best sci-fi book on the market. The characters lack depth and on the whole, the plot is a bit far-fetched.
Published 18 months ago by Mr. David Queva
There is an equation.
What happens when your spaceship reaches the speed of light and you can't slow down? This book is excellently-written, and conveys the claustrophobia and terror of the characters... Read more
Published 19 months ago by HeecheeRendezvous
Good old-fashioned space adventure
Poul Anderson uses the real scientific concept of time dilation at high speeds to create an interesting human conflict. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Humphrey
Excellent
This book is really a brilliant read. From the very start it draws you into the world in which the characters live, from moments of joy to the deepest depths of despair. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Mr. Smeaton
Fasten Your Seat-Belts!
A spaceship in search of a new home planet is damaged and unable to slow down.
Poul Anderson's story is an interesting premise and the characters' attempt at... Read more
Poul Anderson's story is an interesting premise and the characters' attempt at... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Mr. John Frank Herbert
Good science, poor fiction
Tau Zero may be back in print as a sci-fi masterwork, but it remains a piece of pulp fiction reliant for success on its concept. Read more
Published 22 months ago by reader 451
Nothing very special.
I bought this book on the back of some of the great reviews it has been given by amazon. Having now finished the book I wonder why the good reviews. Read more
Published on 2 Nov 2009 by Ike
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