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Phases of Gravity
 
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Phases of Gravity (Paperback)

by Dan Simmons (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
RRP: £13.95
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Phases of Gravity + Drood + The Terror
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  • This item: Phases of Gravity by Dan Simmons

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  • Drood by Dan Simmons

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Product details

  • Paperback: 232 pages
  • Publisher: E-Rights/E-Reads Ltd (27 April 2004)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0759254419
  • ISBN-13: 978-0759254411
  • Product Dimensions: 21.4 x 14 x 1.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 437,063 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #38 in  Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > S > Simmons, Dan

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Product Description

Synopsis

Richard Baedecker thinks his greatest challenge was walking on the moon, but then he meets a mysterious woman who shows him his past. Join Baedecker as he comes to grips with the son and wife he lost in his passion for space exploration, his forgotten childhood and the loss he experienced during the death-flight of the Challenger. The most difficult exploration of his life is not the cold, rocky crevices of the moon, but the warm interior of his heart. Brilliant and beautifully written, PHASES OF GRAVITY is a masterpiece about love and loss that transports readers far beyond the confines of space and time.

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Customer Reviews

4 Reviews
5 star:
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4 star:
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3 star:    (0)
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Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Making Your Mark, 14 Feb 2006
By Patrick Shepherd "hyperpat" (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   
In many ways, this is a very depressing book, as it shows just how badly the dream of space exploration has been lost, corrupted, mismanaged, and shoved under the carpet, out of sight of all too many people. At the same time, by investigating just what is important in life, it is uplifting and insightful.

The story tracks former astronaut Richard Baedecker, who is plagued by feelings of not doing anything meaningful in his post-NASA job, a divorce and an estranged son. The son has taken up with an Indian guru, seeking something he is not getting from his famous father, while Richard cannot seem to find a way to re-connect with his son, but does manage to connect with his son's semi-girlfriend. That connection leads him on a search for what is meaningful for him, from recollections of the items he left on the moon as a permanent mark on that world, to finding the magic of high places. His final actions of this book show that he has found, at least for him, some answers to the meaning of life, answers that will resonate with most readers.

This story is told very stylistically, with clean descriptions, very quiet actions, and with quick flashes backward and forward in time - potentially a confusing method of telling a story, but Simmons brings this off nicely. Richard's character is nicely portrayed, building on his recollections of his past exploits and his current interactions with those around him to show a fully realized man, one who has many doubts, fears, and sometimes moments of happiness. The characters around him, while not shown in as great a depth, are more than adequately developed, especially Dave, his former NASA crewmate. Perhaps the best item about this book is that all the characters and themes are developed by showing, not telling or pontificating.

The dream of space flight is here, still dazzling, but it is shown in today's light, not center-focus, almost just a background to Richard's story. And as such, I found some of this heavy going, for regardless of how realistic this portrayal is, for me that dream has not died, and if I can help it, it never will. Perhaps this book can help galvanize people into once more putting real effort into making this dream a true, commonplace, and daily reality.

--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Phases of Gravity, 24 Aug 2002
This review is from: Phases of Gravity (Paperback)
Phases of Gravity tell the story of Richard Baedecker, a retired fighter pilot and astronaut. The story takes him to India and various North American locations as he searches for his "Places of Power"-a quest to find meaning in his life.

The book is well written and characterised, and is never less than interesting. One tiny criticism is that it's not quite as clever as it thinks it is, the reader is left wanting to know more, but in a slightly disatisfied way. That being said, it's certainly worthy of investing a day or so in it, as I'd rather have read it than not.England

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Quest for the meaning of life and love, 3 Jan 2000
This review is from: Phases of Gravity (Paperback)
A former astronaut who walked on the moon, middleaged travels to India to visit his estranged son who lives in a guru's commune. This kicks off a spiritual journey during which he discovers more about himself than he ever hoped to learn.

I might be slightly biased to Dan Simmons' work but this is surely one of his finest books. Whilst it defies classification , no horror or scifi here, it is an intriguing tale of self discovery and more importantly the discovery that man is not Atlas , the titan who carries the whole world on his shoulders.

This book had a profound impact on my life and if I could take 5 books to a deserted island this would be one of them. Superb!

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5.0 out of 5 stars A very moving journey
I like this author and he is well known for being successful in crossing genres, be it horror, sf, or crime, but this is something completely different. Read more
Published 9 months ago by herdy1

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