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Burning Paradise Robert Charles Wilson Books

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Burning Paradise Robert Charles Wilson Books

Much of what passes for SF today are simple stories of horror, romance or war with a veneer of speculative fiction in the form of unexplainable powers or events. These tales can be enjoyed solely as entertainment, but few ask or explore issues beyond those linked to plot execution. In marked contrast, "Burning Paradise" examines fundamental questions of thought and consciousness. Wilson uses the tools of SF to probe the fascinating process wherein billions of individual neurons work in concert to create the self-aware organ called brain. Single neurons merely transmit bio electrical signals to other cells and have no consciousness. Working in aggregate however they possess both self-awareness and intelligence. Wilson uses a bizarre alien life form to explore the nature of a process that in many ways resembles magic.

Another philosophical concept explored in "Burning Paradise" is self-determination. The alien entity modifies human society by dampening the self-destructive bellicosity which seems to exist at the center of man's heart of darkness. Subtle manipulation of human aggressive behavior directly benefits the aliens and secondarily enhances world peace. Relative to the sad history of this planet, the "Earth" of "Burning Paradise" enjoys a very peaceful and productive 20th century. However, the price of peace is restricted freedom of choice, in particular the choice to kill and make war on other people. Humans in the novel face a dilemma in which recovery of freedom of choice requires destruction of a symbiotic relationship and a return to a warlike state of nations. "Right” and "wrong" in this circumstance are not clear-cut and the reader cannot help but wonder about the final decision.

Character development, which generally is not one of Wilson's strengths is excellent in this novel. Characters move plausibly toward actions and decisions. The people in the novel are believable. One area that strains credibility however are the fairly complex philosophical discussions of thought and consciousness that erupt from time to time. In the context of an excellent work of fiction the flaw is minor indeed.


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Burning Paradise Robert Charles Wilson Books Reviews

I don't think Robert Charles Wilson has ever written a bad novel. The characters are portrayed in depth, and the plots are both entertaining and relevant to the world we live in...and where, unfortunately, we may be heading.
Wilson at his best - believable and very scary. As alien invasions go, this was certainly a twist on the usual rampaging ray gun wielders. The characters are very believable and some are very sympathetic. There are a couple O Henry type events that startled even a veteran reader of science fiction.
Another enjoyable, well conceived romp through excellent world building. Well done. On to his next book we go. Read it and enjoy.
I've read nearly all the author's work and he is one of my favorites. I liked the concepts in this book and enjoyed the retro world of the radio-sphere and life on earth, but what is just a bit missing is the character development. Also the characters are a bit cheapened by too much casual sex (sorry) and too much use of the F word. Is all that necessary especially for such a good writer? Bottom line, I would recommend it.
Robert Charles Wilson is one of the most talented writers I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Every one of his books is packed with wonderful, perfectly worded little insights or scene highlights and Burning Paradise is no exception, but the overall story was not one of his best.

I could easily find a hundred little observational gems in this book to highlight, but the story itself just kind of plods along and the ending wasn't anything special.

I've read all his other books two or more times, but probably won't read Burning Paradise again.
I thought though this book read somewhat like a version of what are sometimes referred to as "Heinlein Juveniles", or what are more contemporaneously marketed as "YA Novels"; regardless of label, it is certainly science fiction, eminently readable, and I enjoyed it.

"Burning Paradise" does not deliver any heavy information dumps or depend on SCIENCE! to pad the frame of its story, but instead plays with a bit of alternate history in the process of exploring ideas about interactions between very different forms of life, and . This is the point of the book, which fails to deliver Michael Bay-like action sequences in purple prose. Persons demanding simple characterizations in simple scenarios doing simple things for simple reasons, in a book that may be simply looked at and subsequently discarded will be disappointed; this is not of the Dean Koontz/Steven King/David Baldacci "Thriller of the Month" specie of novel. Someone wanting to actually read this book and think about what they are reading will get much more from it. Of course, that is a driving force in science fiction, to think about and explore ideas, and in this context "Burning Paradise" is very willing to deliver.
Burning Paradise (Hardcover) by Robert Charles Wilson

I don't generally read stories about alternate history. But I'm glad I read this one! The story is so very compelling, and beautiful in it's simplicity, even as it grows ever more complex. The plot draws you in quickly, but there you are.
The characters are compelling, and really do drive the plots. There are plenty of twists and turns and characters that evolve and grow. There are surprises both wonderful and tragic. I especially enjoyed the settings, and the places, and those cultures. And actually, our wonderful, American 2014 culture held a lot of questions.
I think this book is especially poignant today.
Much of what passes for SF today are simple stories of horror, romance or war with a veneer of speculative fiction in the form of unexplainable powers or events. These tales can be enjoyed solely as entertainment, but few ask or explore issues beyond those linked to plot execution. In marked contrast, "Burning Paradise" examines fundamental questions of thought and consciousness. Wilson uses the tools of SF to probe the fascinating process wherein billions of individual neurons work in concert to create the self-aware organ called brain. Single neurons merely transmit bio electrical signals to other cells and have no consciousness. Working in aggregate however they possess both self-awareness and intelligence. Wilson uses a bizarre alien life form to explore the nature of a process that in many ways resembles magic.

Another philosophical concept explored in "Burning Paradise" is self-determination. The alien entity modifies human society by dampening the self-destructive bellicosity which seems to exist at the center of man's heart of darkness. Subtle manipulation of human aggressive behavior directly benefits the aliens and secondarily enhances world peace. Relative to the sad history of this planet, the "Earth" of "Burning Paradise" enjoys a very peaceful and productive 20th century. However, the price of peace is restricted freedom of choice, in particular the choice to kill and make war on other people. Humans in the novel face a dilemma in which recovery of freedom of choice requires destruction of a symbiotic relationship and a return to a warlike state of nations. "Right” and "wrong" in this circumstance are not clear-cut and the reader cannot help but wonder about the final decision.

Character development, which generally is not one of Wilson's strengths is excellent in this novel. Characters move plausibly toward actions and decisions. The people in the novel are believable. One area that strains credibility however are the fairly complex philosophical discussions of thought and consciousness that erupt from time to time. In the context of an excellent work of fiction the flaw is minor indeed.