Pebble in the Sky: A Photo Guide to Everyday Words and Phrases in English Paperback – 8 August 2019

“Pebble in the Sky” is the first book by the great American sci-fi writer, Isaac Asimov. This very nice paperback edition is a 2009 reprint by Tom Doherty's sci-fi publications house in New York. We Indians are lucky that it is so readily available to buy thanks to Amazon India.This is also the third book of the Empire series of novels, in which Asimov builds the Galactic empire that plays a central role in his subsequent magnum opus the Foundation series.John Jenkins, the famous Asimov fan who runs the ”Jenkins’ Spoiler-Laden Guide to Isaac Asimov” web site, counts “Pebble in the Sky” as one of his favourite Asimov novels. That should tell you something. This is a story set on Earth tens of thousands of years in the future. Earth is heavily polluted by nuclear waste. It is occupied by a very small population. And it is hated by the rest of the Galaxy. On such an Earth travel our two protagonists—a man from 1940s Chicago who has been hurtled into the future by a freak nuclear accident, and an archaeologist from planet Baronn who comes to Earth to study its past. And our protagonists see that something bad is brewing in the minds of the people who run the planet. …This plot of this book is very complex but very enjoyable. Highly recommended!

Asimov's work itself is brilliant. The book was well packaged and delivered in excellent condition, the print is also good.

This review is about the copy of this book and not about the author or the story.The book clearly has an MRP on it as 499 while the seler has sold it for 700+. And for the price, the paper is bad and the quality of the print is bad. Do not buy from this seller.

Pebble in the Skyby Isaac AsimovGenre: Space opera, political intrigue, thriller, romanceAudience: Teenage and aboveRating: 2 stars out of 5ReviewThe setting is Planet Earth, millennia into the future, after nuclear war has rendered the whole planet radioactive, and humans have adapted to survive. One protagonist is an Earthman from the 1950s who, through a slip in time, enters Earth in this future time. Another protagonist is an archeologist from a different planet. A third protagonist is a scientist on radioactive Earth.The first half of the book is very good and is well worth reading. The ideas are creative and the plot develops into a highly promising narrative. The second half of the book flops into political intrigue and a lot of silly behavior, and somehow the galaxy is saved. Four stars for the first half, no stars for the second half, and so the book merits two stars, overall. Readers can read half the book and stop when turning pages is no longer entertaining.The romance goes from 0 to 100 in 2.6 seconds and is cringeworthy.This is the first book in the Galactic Empire series and can be read as a standalone novel. The second book, The Currents of Space, has no connection with this book, is much better, and can also be read as a standalone novel.

I have read this story many times over the years and never tire. A unique tale of time travel for a man in one step moves maybe millions of years into the future and thanks to a secret device learns to live in the future and avoid let’s say a galactic war. Worth a read and reminds me of another story this time by Arthur C Clarke The city and the stars which is another sci-fi classic tale.

Worth reading

I'm a big fan of Asimov and this book lives up to his high standard. Well worth the adventure.

Written by one of the Masters of Sci-Fi, this book, part of the Foundation Series, is excellent.

Secondo me gli appassionati di Sci-fi dovrebbero leggere se non tutte le opere di Asimov almeno quelle appartenenti ai "cicli" più importanti. Nel mio kindle ho la versione in lingua originale di tutte queste (Fondazione, Robot, Impero). Peccato che molti altri libri di Asimov non si trovino in versione ebook. Ma con la versione cartacea è anche peggio.