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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Larry says: Save the planet- kill an environmentalist., 26 Oct 1998
By A Customer
Ever said that you're a science fiction fan, and been called a geek? Ever wanted to be able to save the world? Read Fallen Angels. But don't take it too seriously. Fallen Angels is a rather scizophrenic book- it seems unsure as to what it wants to be. On the one hand, it's a fast-moving romp through an interesting future world- a world where an extreme radical Green party has gained power in America, and, in effect, banned science. In this future world, scientists, and science fiction fans have much the same status as Communists did in 1950's America. However, the authors (noted opponents of Green politics) go absolutely overboard on the politicaL side of the book, meaning that every good character spouts Nivenist Politik, and every bad character is a stupid, blinkered Green Nazi. This total polarisation of character makes the book hard to take seriously- a political discussion is boring when one party is shown to be so obviously right (in the authors view, anyway). In fact, considering the authors fine scientific background, the science in the book is perilously dodgy- Biomass fuel is not produced through burning farm produce, and I think you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who'd think it's a good idea to pump CO2, and CFCs into the atmosphere "in case there's an ice-age". In case you're wondering why I gave this book three stars after the hammering I've just given it, I did actually quite enjoy it. Despite the heavy didactism, the book is funny, fast-moving, and had engaging central characters. It at least makes you think about what you're reading, which is more than I can say about most books I've read. Overall- recommended. But don't let it change your life.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A future taken to its ridiculous extreme, 17 Aug 2003
Fallen Angels is set in a future where the devastating (and unexpected) results of the greenhouse effect have caused some bizarre opinions and laws to come about. Despite some VERY geeky in-jokes (some of which only convention-going Niven fans will get) the story is fast and entertaining, as the sci-fi geeks try to hide two wanted astronauts from the authorities.It quite convincingly lampoons the difference between political and scientific "fact" concerning the greenhouse effect and global warming, and I'd reccommend it for that alone.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A decent mainstream sci-fi story, 13 Feb 2009
In the near future, the green movement has become very popular in America and science and technology are only tolerated when necessary. Various government agencies 're-educate' technophiles and science fiction is banned. There are a small number of people living in space stations and a gradually decreasing underground movement of sci-fi fans who try to keep knowledge alive.
On a mission to harvest vital nitrogen from the Earth's atmosphere, two of the inhabitants of the space stations are shot down and crash on a glacier that now covers most of Canada and the northern US. It is left to the small group of sci-fi fans to rescue the 'angels' of the book's title and to return them to orbit.
This book is full of geeky in-jokes and references to science fiction, but stands well as a story in its own right.
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