Hominids

The Neanderthal Parallax, Book 1

By: Robert J. Sawyer

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis, Robert J. Sawyer

Length: 11 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

Neanderthals have developed a radically different civilization on a parallel Earth. A Neanderthal physicist, Ponter Boddit, accidentally passes from his universe into a Canadian underground research facility. Fortunately, a team of human scientists, including expert paleo-anthropologist Mary Vaughan, promptly identifies and warmly receives Ponter. Solving the language problem and much else is a mini-computer, called a Companion, implanted in the brain of every Neanderthal. A computerized guardian spirit, however, doesn't eliminate cross-cultural confusion; permanent male-female sexuality, rape, and overpopulation are all alien to Ponter. Nor can it help his housemate and fellow scientist back in his world, Adikor Huld, when the authorities charge Adikor with his murder.

BONUS AUDIO: Author Robert J. Sawyer explains why Ponter Boddit is his favorite among all the characters he's created.

Hunt and gather: listen to more in the Neanderthal Parallax trilogy.

©2002 by Robert J. Sawyer (P)2008 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

• Hugo Award Winner, Best Novel, 2003

"Sawyer is a writer of boundless confidence and bold scientific extrapolation." (The New York Times)

An origin science fiction story with great cast.

New Science Fiction with a great narrator. I recommend these three books to all my readers.

This is getting tiresome

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Yes the never ending "Humans are bad" theme thats cropping up in every book of the type

Would you ever listen to anything by Robert J. Sawyer again?

No

What does Jonathan Davis and Robert J. Sawyer bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

No idea didn't read the book

Was Hominids worth the listening time?

Yes and no. It was a decent enough book at least the premiss was but the over played theme of "humans are bad" is just getting tiresome and depressing.

Any additional comments?

Very interesting world...

The idea of a parallel world to ours is not new, nor are stories about the discovery of neanderthal culture. What made this book good was the contrast between our human world and another.

I enjoyed this book!

What did you love best about Hominids?

I really liked the wide variety of characters and viewpoints. Canada was an interesting setting choice. I cared about the characters and I thought the science was neat too.

One of the best what if's of all time

The world created is not only believable, but also technically possible and in most cases desireable. Some areas are a little different (driverless cars!). A thoroughly enjoyable novel. The other two parts are equally engaging.
-AUDIBLE 20 REVIEW SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY

great book, interesting culture and story

I loved it! I have read this series before, and it remains engaging and thought-provoking.

Without Good and Evil

I'm very glad I listened to this Hominids Book 1 without regard to the numerous member reviews that clearly were blinded by their own hidebound perspectives.

The beauty of this book is that it shows us two entirely different civilizations each of which is in many ways blind to its own flaws and yet each of which has its own strengths and humanity.

It's clearly not by accident that the Neanderthals call themselves human and that the Homo Sapiens call themselves human and that as a whole each civilization is short sighted.

The flaws of the Neanderthals really are both potential and present flaws of our society, too. And the flaws of the Homosapiens are parallel flaws of our own.

It's a book without good or evil. Each society is both compassionate and prejudiced, and each side is worthy of existing and interacting with the other.

Finally, the main characters are for good reason benevolent and often wise. Thus individuals redeem their societies.

Some reviewers are caught up on one side or another, on one character or another, on trivia that misses the whole point. Be willing to accept the evil to appreciate the good.

Brilliant book - going straight to the next one!

I'm glad I chose to ignore some of the less good reviews this book got because I really really enjoyed it. It's a great story that shines a (not always flattering) light on our own society as well as exploring an interesting fictional world as well.

I've gotten so involved in this novel that I've listened (unusually for me) at all sorts of times outside of my normal commute and that I'm going straight on to book 2 as soon as my next credit becomes active!

Good Science Fiction

I am a fan of Robert J. Sawyer and this is another great read. This is Science Fiction in it's purest form. We are talking Neanderthals, parallel universes and a little physics thrown in. Character development not the best. Mainly it has neat stuff in it that leads to a lot of deep thought.

Good Concept with Major Flaws

This is my first Sawyer series I have listened to. First the concept is superb and Sawyer has done a great job of researching Neanderthals. It is clever and I will not spoil the set up here. So far so good.

However I do have a problem with what I can only call Sawyer's "preachifying" about the evils of capitalism and the Roman Catholic Church. Not to deny the problems with both- but the book, aside from the setup and plot, is pretty much a screed against both. Oh, I forgot it is also a screed against aggressive (homo-sapien) males. This stand in contrast to the benefits of government ownership of housing, lack of monetary exchange (in favor of your "contribution" a grand ruling counsel (reminiscent of the ideal of the Bolshevik Soviets)).

As I said I have no issue with Sawyer bashing the RC Church and capitalism. However painting the RC Church & Capitalism as the SOUL source of pollution, war, genocide, murder, poverty is disingenious at best and plain idiotic at worse. Question: who killed more people Stalin or All of the Popes combined? The Answer: Stalin by a MILE. Which country is absolutely the most polluted in the Western World : Russia (if you consider it Western) the Dream Socialistic State. The one that abolished (or tried to) private property, the one that promised everyone would be equal (of course some were more equal than others, the one that left entire areas uninhabitable (think Chernobyl or Magnikursk scene of mercury and heavy metal pollution.

Or if you don't like the example of the Soviet Union try the agrarian utopia (which in concept Sawyer would approve of give my reading of his novel): one that had no masters, no ownership, labor exchanging for labor, people's council's everything. That would of course be the Khmer Rouge who managed to murder at least a couple of million people in two years.

So perhaps Sawyer would answer "but I am talking about Neanderthals not homo sapiens". Really? I don't by it.