Asimov's Timely Sci Fi

This novel by Asimov is very timely.

It is highly relevant with the current task of the global scientific community for a clean and efficient source of renewable energy in order to delay, if not to counter the adverse effects of Global Warming. We are in the age of looking for alternative source of energy that is abundant, free, and clean (a very Utopian ideal).


But just like what happened at the time of the book's writing (1970's) when the real politics between the two opposing sides for the global Nuclear Power Control resulted in economic sanctions and threats to territorial security for both parties, the story here about the breakthrough in the discovery of a rare Plutonium isotope is also surrounded heavily by politics on who must take the credit, and how they monopolize the information to quell criticism within the research community.

It will take some time (including two story lines going simultaneously and one final thread as a resolution) to finally see the physical proof of an imminent disaster if the Earth continues to pump energy from an unknown planet in a parallel universe.

Asimov won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards (1972 and 1973) for this book but this is not his best. If you are looking for sci fi action and adventure, this is not the right book for you. But it's a good book that takes a closer look on how researchers do their work in the scientific/academic community, and the amusing "humanity" of a very unique alien species. 

Rating: 3.5 suns out of 5

Genre: Science Fiction