The Engines of God

I've just finished Jack McDevitt's Engines of God... it's such a remarkable book (and the first installment of Priscilla Hutchins book series) and I was appalled from the beginning to the end, especially the finale. I came across a list of books similar to the Mass Effect series and was extremely interested in the work of McDevitt. It predates Mass Effect in so many years and it's quite intriguing.

A book that seemed to promise big ideas, left me completely cold and a little bored.

If one is dealing with the creation and destruction of civilisations, does one really need to know that two characters ordered meatballs in a restaurant?

Oh, tip for all budding civilisation builders - avoid right-angles! (Perhaps the meatballs were a clue?)

I enjoyed this first book in the Academy series. At first, the narrative of the planet archaeological exploration seemed a little slow, but as it continued and as the characters faced obstacles both personal and alien, my interest increased. I look forward to reading the next book in the series, Deepsix.