Eon by Greg Bear

This was September’s book group selection. We’ve read one Greg Bear previously – Slant, which received mixed reviews.

Per Goodreads.com: The 21st century was on the brink of nuclear confrontation when the 300 kilometer-long stone flashed out of nothingness and into Earth's orbit. NASA, NATO, and the UN sent explorers to the asteroid's surface and discovered marvels and mysteries to drive researchers mad. For the Stone was from space--but perhaps not our space; it came from the future--but perhaps not our future; and within the hollowed asteroid was Thistledown. The remains of a vanished civilization. A human-English, Russian and Chinese-speaking--civilization. Seven vast chambers containing forests, lakes, rivers, hanging cities and museums describing the Death; the catastrophic war that was about to occur; the horror and the long winter that would follow. But while scientists and politicians bickered about how to use the information to stop the Death, the Stone yielded a secret that made even Earth's survival pale into insignificance.

This book was published in 1985 and current events of the time were reflected in this: we were at the height of the Cold War with Russia and political tensions around the globe were significant. And I think that’s where my issues with the plot came into being. I was old enough at the time to be aware of the political climate, but not old enough to really care. So now, looking at this through the lens of history, I found the futuristic antagonism between the US and Russia almost unrealistic. Or, phrased this way: our enemies today are not going to be our enemies of tomorrow.

Setting that aside, I felt this was a fairly interesting book up till the Nuclear Holocaust on Earth. Here is this asteroid that has an unlimited inside – a seventh chamber that goes on seemingly to infinity. We have advanced cities and libraries full of accessible information. We have mystery, intrigue and good science. We have mostly interesting characters.

I don’t want to give away too much here, but I started to lose interest with the arrival of the future humans. It was as if the main characters underwent a personality change. Still, we all agreed – for different reasons – in book group that this is worth finishing.