Calculating God

By: Robert J. Sawyer

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis, Robert J. Sawyer

Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

In this Hugo-nominated novel, an alien walks into a museum and asks if he can see a paleontologist. But the arachnid ET hasn't come aboard a rowboat with the Pope and Stephen Hawking (although His Holiness does request an audience later). Landing at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, the spacefarer, Hollus, asks to compare notes on mass extinctions with resident dino-scientist Thomas Jericho. A shocked Jericho finds that not only does life exist on other planets, but that every civilization in the galaxy has experienced extinction events at precisely the same time. Armed with that disconcerting information (and a little help from a grand unifying theory), the alien informs Jericho, almost dismissively, that the primary goal of modern science is to discover why God has behaved as he has and to determine his methods.

BONUS AUDIO: Author Robert J. Sawyer explains how the creationism vs. evolution debate informed the writing of Calculating God.

• 2009 Audie Award Winner, Science Fiction/Fantasy

©2000 by Robert J. Sawyer (P)2008 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Is Sawyer Canada's answer to Michael Crichton? Very possibly yes." ( Montreal Gazette)
"Jonathan Davis...is one of our very best narrators and this is a fine performance. I was rapt the entire time, and even near tears at one moment in the book." (sffaudio.com; named an SFFaudio Essential)
"Jonathan Davis portrays a thoughtful and quietly introspective Jericho....As the conversation with Hollus continues, Davis keeps a steady pace and reflects the intellectual engagement of both characters. He presents the alien's speech as lightly studied, a fitting style for a non-English speaker who coordinates his speech between two mouths." ( AudioFile)

7/10

this book was what i was expecting, the author's remarks at the beginning set expectations very well. I am atheist and don't belive in religion; but i could buy Sawyer's version of God

Sci-fi about The question of Gods existance

Good book for a science nerd like myself. I enjoyed the story, aliens arrive in Canada to study earth evolution. I recommend to atheists, believers of any faith (and interested in science) and agnostics. Also of course because it's a good and unusual sci-fi book.

Great SF

This story seems to generate a lot of controversy, due to the topic. That's to be expected. Those who have strong views on the theist-atheist and creation-evolution issues might want to avoid this one.

Contrary to what I have read in some reviews, the author makes no attempt to answer these questions, or even to sway the audience in one direction or the other. This is fiction, and darned good fiction at that! He explores the questions from an unexpected angle. No spoiler here. Read the publisher's description. In this story, an advanced alien believes in the scientifically undeniable existence of a Creator, while an earth scientist denies it. The book explores the type of discussions that they might have set against the background of the first alien visit to Earth. Sawyers uses blatantly fictional "scientific evidence" along with arguments that you might actually hear a scientific creationist use to support the theist alien's position. That seems to upset some reviewers, but again, it's fiction.

All of the controversy aside, I really enjoyed this book. If you can take it for what it is intended to be, it's well worth a listen/read. I will definitely check out more Robert Sawyer. Also, Jonathan Davis did a very competent job on the narration. I only give five stars for wow-level work, hence the four stars for both story and reading. Well done, guys.

DULL

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

No. Found the story boring

What could Robert J. Sawyer have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

I had a hard time with imagining a big insect alien story line.

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

The narrators voices were pleasant to listen to.

Did Calculating God inspire you to do anything?

No.

Any additional comments?

I couldn't get through the first hour of this book. It didn't grab me.

Surprisingly Awesome

The story approaches a common theme (is there a god?) from an uncommon and unconventional point of view. I was surprised at how much I was emotionally drawn into the book and how much I kept thinking of it and discussing it when I was not reading it. It has been one of the first books I recommend to anyone who asks me if I've ready anything good lately. While parts of it do stretch one's 'willful suspension of disbelief'... it call comes together and is worth a little stretching of the imagination.

Great listen

I've listened to it twice and been enthralled both times. Fascinating ideas put forth in a compelling story.

A review of Calculating God

What made the experience of listening to Calculating God the most enjoyable?

Imagine an almost instant shift in scientific paradigm leading to a belief that the existence of God is scientific fact. What would that mean for those who cling tightly to notions of science as purely secular? What would that mean for those who see theism and religion as matters of pure faith? These are questions posited and masterfully turned in the mind of author Robert J. Sawyer in the book “Calculating God” . The value in Sawyer’s work is not only in the content but in the way the author is able to create an uncomfortable overturning of convention that affects all sides of the evolution vs. intelligent design debate. Sawyer is able to do so in a way that is humane rather than chauvinistic and creates the possibility for understanding between those holding extreme positions along the continuum. Secondarily, by obviating the debate as to whether the universe and all life in it was created by a God or just the proper alignment of scientific phenomena, Sawyer is able to ask questions rooted in the point of view that both things are true; the universe and all life in it was created by the proper alignment of scientific phenomena orchestrated by an intelligent creator. Is our creator omniscient? Can we hold our creator responsible for the fulfillment of each of our wishes and desires? Can we hold our creator to blame for the multiple catastrophes that befall us individually and on tremendous scales? How do we relate do such a creator? Do we need to? If so, then where do our responsibilities lie? These are not new questions for humanity. However in asking them Sawyer creates a sensitive, thought provoking, and at times heart wrenching narrative that is powerfully unique within today’s popular culture and media.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The arachnoid alien that came to meet Dr. Jericho was so surprisingly humane a character. This was such a pleaseant surprise.

Which character – as performed by Jonathan Davis and Robert J. Sawyer – was your favorite?

Jericho made me reflect of what might have been going on in my mother's mind as she was dying of cancer.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me think many times of the loss of my mother to cancer and wonder how God's plan may have included it. Tears followed each time.

A great read!

The combination of Sawyer's skill with this most excellent reader's voice(s) made for a heady and compelling read. Truly gripping!

As thought provoking as the first time I read this

I delight in theological religious and scientific debate. This book does that in great depth and detail with wonderful Star Trek humor. An entertaining way for writers to get their (slightly outdated) science lessons.

It reverses the norm by having the aliens arrive in search of God while the human paleotologist plays devil's advocate. Sort of a modern Screwtape Letters in a way.

Not for action seekers.

**SPOILER ALERT***

Only book where the Greek God machine really does work in a satisfying plot conclusion.

thought provoking

Really neat plot idea. At lot of impressive science. very original, great story and characters. I'd give it 5 stars but my only complaints would be it's difficult to picture a lot of the scenes (it would be easier to read as a book, also considering a lot of the heavy material that really makes you think) and it was a little bit slow moving.