Call number
Genres
Publication
New York: Tor, 1991.
Pages
viii; 408
Description
For two thousand years, the starshipAstronhas search the galaxy for alien life--without success. Now, just as the ship is falling apart, the only direction left to explore is across the Dark, a one-hundred-generation journey through empty space. The ship's captain--immortal, obessed--refuses to abandon the quest. He will cross the Dark, or destroy the ship trying. Only Sparrow, a young crewman uncertain of his own past, can stand against the captain, and against the lure and challenge of the dark beyond the stars....
Awards
Lambda Literary Award (Winner — 1991)
Gaylactic Spectrum Award (Nominee — Hall of Fame — 2000)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1991
Physical description
viii, 408 p.; 8.7 inches
ISBN
0312851669 / 9780312851668
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User reviews
LibraryThing member narwhaltortellini
This novel starts with the main character losing his memory due to an accident while exploring a planet. As Sparrow struggles to understand his place in the lives of the people around him and on the starship Astron (a generational ship traveling through the galaxy in search of life on other
The Dark Beyond the Stars starts off very promising. From the moment Sparrow begins interacting with his crew mates, it has you analyzing their behavior and grabbing for what clues, if any, they give in regards to Sparrows identity and relationship with them, and what they may be trying to hide. Supporting characters have realistic personalities and interesting dialog.
But this is a very, VERY character driven novel. At first I was quite happy with this, but after a while, I realized (again? I feel like I've done this before and just keep forgetting) that there's more than one way to be character driven, and it wasn't exactly the kind I like. This novel is about Sparrows struggle and Sparrows feelings and Sparrow's motivation. Other characters are there and he interacts with them, but the bottom line is always how things have affected Sparrow. The crew's psychology as a unit plays a semi-important role in the book, but the others as single characters are not meant to be deeply explored. Now, I don't require huge delving into multiple characters, but what let me down the most was that Sparrow's relationship with others isn't even a huge factor. He has various friendly, romantic, and sexual liaisons that are clearly important to him and affect his attitude, but the novel is one-character driven, not character-relationship driven.
That in and of itself might not be a flaw, but I do think its a semi-dangerous move (on top of the semi-dangerous move of making it so character driven) when there isn't huge amounts of plot or something else to provide a little more tension or momentum. Because while the mystery is intriguing in the beginning, as we find out a little more, it begins to stagnate a little, and even when new revelations are sometimes made I had difficulty reacting with more than vague interest as all it meant was that Sparrow knew a little more. Even when the revelation significantly affected how he saw a friend or other crew member, it wasn't horribly engaging since such things aren't horribly important in this novel, anyway.
Still, while it needs to find some way to make the reader care a little more about its mystery and developments, this is a pretty good read, if just for being a little more intelligent and, yes, character driven than most. Considering it's action-low, interaction-and-inner-musings-heavy style, frankly I'm surprised it turned out as solid as it did. I wouldn't jump to recommend it to anyone in general, but if someone was looking for something a little different and seemed to have the patience, it's worth considering.
(Oh, and a side note for those reading this for this for teh gay. Everyone on the ship is just default bisexual, it seems. But I can't remember any long-term gay relationships mentioned, and certainly none that were important. The most central gay-interest bit was a small section between Sparrow and another man, but it was not exactly a positive experience, and none of it is probably of much interest to a slash fan.)
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planets), he observes the sometimes suspicious behavior of his enemies and apparent friends, attitudes and reactions towards him sometimes incongruent with what little information Sparrow has been given about his past, and wonders at what is being hidden from him, and if his accident may not have been so accidental. Along with Sparrows personal struggles are the struggles of the Astron crew, always hoping to finally return to earth, dealing with an obsessive captain that may take them on a journey which the ship is incapable of surviving.The Dark Beyond the Stars starts off very promising. From the moment Sparrow begins interacting with his crew mates, it has you analyzing their behavior and grabbing for what clues, if any, they give in regards to Sparrows identity and relationship with them, and what they may be trying to hide. Supporting characters have realistic personalities and interesting dialog.
But this is a very, VERY character driven novel. At first I was quite happy with this, but after a while, I realized (again? I feel like I've done this before and just keep forgetting) that there's more than one way to be character driven, and it wasn't exactly the kind I like. This novel is about Sparrows struggle and Sparrows feelings and Sparrow's motivation. Other characters are there and he interacts with them, but the bottom line is always how things have affected Sparrow. The crew's psychology as a unit plays a semi-important role in the book, but the others as single characters are not meant to be deeply explored. Now, I don't require huge delving into multiple characters, but what let me down the most was that Sparrow's relationship with others isn't even a huge factor. He has various friendly, romantic, and sexual liaisons that are clearly important to him and affect his attitude, but the novel is one-character driven, not character-relationship driven.
That in and of itself might not be a flaw, but I do think its a semi-dangerous move (on top of the semi-dangerous move of making it so character driven) when there isn't huge amounts of plot or something else to provide a little more tension or momentum. Because while the mystery is intriguing in the beginning, as we find out a little more, it begins to stagnate a little, and even when new revelations are sometimes made I had difficulty reacting with more than vague interest as all it meant was that Sparrow knew a little more. Even when the revelation significantly affected how he saw a friend or other crew member, it wasn't horribly engaging since such things aren't horribly important in this novel, anyway.
Still, while it needs to find some way to make the reader care a little more about its mystery and developments, this is a pretty good read, if just for being a little more intelligent and, yes, character driven than most. Considering it's action-low, interaction-and-inner-musings-heavy style, frankly I'm surprised it turned out as solid as it did. I wouldn't jump to recommend it to anyone in general, but if someone was looking for something a little different and seemed to have the patience, it's worth considering.
(Oh, and a side note for those reading this for this for teh gay. Everyone on the ship is just default bisexual, it seems. But I can't remember any long-term gay relationships mentioned, and certainly none that were important. The most central gay-interest bit was a small section between Sparrow and another man, but it was not exactly a positive experience, and none of it is probably of much interest to a slash fan.)
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LibraryThing member drmaf
A fantastic read. The whole idea of mult-generational spaceflight has always grabbed me, and this is a doozy of a story. A massive ship launched many generation ago, now steadily breaking down, a crew who have no real idea what their purpose is, performing routine and to them seemingly meaningless
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actions repeatedly and seeking escape in sex, and a captain reminiscent of Ahab, driven, determined and who will stop at nothing to conceal his darkest secret. Opposed to him is the likeable Sparrow, who is unique among the ships' crew in apparently being as immortal as the captain. How Sparrow breaks the captain's iron grip, reveals the real secret of the Astron, and his own true identity is skilfully handled. The resolution between Kusaka and Sparrow is beautifully done, and the final few pages where Sparrow presides over succeeding generations, who remind him of former crewmen he knew, and then reaches Earth to find that while they were searching for aline life, but alien life has finally discovered them is wisttful, thought-provoking and absorbing. Love this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member bwiegand
New York: A Tor Book, a Tom Doherty Associates Book (c) 1991
LibraryThing member Cheryl_in_CC_NV
Lots of intrigue, mystery, which made it a little challenging for me. Def. thought-provoking. And fun hard sf, too. Well-done, and recommended.