Legacy

I think this is one of Greg Bear's best books and one of the best SCI FI books ever. This book has a crafted literary quality that many others do not.

I purchased "Legacy" mainly because I had read Eon and Eternity...and was hoping for a book that would give me the good stuff that Bear is capable of and didn't fully deliver in Eternity. Be Warned though: Legacy abandons a great deal of the fascinating elements of EON. The thread linking these books is very thin - that was disappointing...but the quality of Legacy goes beyond either of the other two books.It reminded me a great deal of the grand adventure novels of an earlier age. Even a little taste of Charles Dickens in places, though you might have to look hard. You can allow yourself to get caught in the storytelling as long as you aren't too upset by the fact that this novel drops much of the fururistic science fiction in favour of a nostalgic seafaring epic with elements of the fantastic that are natural wonders rather than technological ones.Bear shows his craft well in this book, and I kept thinking "What a spectacular film this would make!" Each new twist had me smiling to myself in appreciation of the way that he had interested me in a world that I was initially dishearted to find after reading the other two related books in this series.Drop the expectations of another "EON" and you may find yourself loving this book more than the other two.A pleasant surprise to be sure. Though I still hope for another book in the series to continue the EON series and make up for "Eternity"'s weak spots.

Or at least the connection to Eon is superflous and not at all necessary for the telling of this story.I loved the book. This is very close to a story that I'd like to write myself, only from a different point of view, that of the Ecos.

Greg Bear fashions a unique world complete with utterly believable people. His character building is especially noteworthy. Admittedly, characterization in Legacy is not a backdrop for action. No, it is the other way around. But that is not to sell the action short. It just that it's, well, "biological" action, with the sweep of generations that such a theme requires. Legacy may be one of the finest pieces of English fiction ever written in this genre. It reminds me of some of the works of some of the "classic" authors in literature such as Poe and Stephen Crane. Time and subsequent great works (such as Slant) will reveal his value as a writer, regardless of contemporary assessments. I, for one, am an enthusiastic fan and welcome his efforts to raise the bar of quality in SF.

Bear has the ability to transport you to a world where humans are just minor and insignificant. Opening one of portals along the Way, the devaricates find themselves escaping percieved persecution from the Hexamon and landing on a planet where the jungles (silvas) span continents that create animal like plants to perform functions... A planet where the storms are alive, literally... One of Bears crowning achievments..