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Title: Too much science, not enough fiction
Review: All put this was an excellent book. It was well-written, and had many, many very interesting and intriguing ideas. Unfortunately, it was all bogged down with so much high-profile science and sometimes tedious flight scenes.Don't get me wrong: no author I've ever read has made science fiction more convincing, or technically correct, or has presented a truly foreign planet (or moon, in this case) as well as Hal Clement does in this book.But if you're looking for an interesting *story*, look elsewhere. As a scientific exploration of xenobiology, chemistry, methane-based-atmosphere-aerodynamics, and planetography, Half Life has no competitor. Unfortunately, underneath all this science (for which you almost need a degree in chemistry to have the hopes of grasping), there just isn't a real story lurking.
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