3.0 (1 rating)
The long earth
An unmissable milestone for fans of Sir Terry Pratchett: the first SF novel in over three decades in which the visionary inventor of Discworld has created a new universe of tantalizing possibilities—a series of parallel “Earths” with doorways leading to adventure, intrigue, excitement, and an escape into the furthest reaches of the imagination.
The Long Earth, written with award-winning novelist Stephen Baxter, author of Stone Spring, Ark, and Floodwill, captivate science fiction fans of all stripes, readers of Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, and Carl Hiaasen, and anyone who enjoyed the Terry Pratchett/Neil Gaiman collaboration Good Omens.
The Long Earth is an adventure of the highest order—and an unforgettable read.
The Long Earth, written with award-winning novelist Stephen Baxter, author of Stone Spring, Ark, and Floodwill, captivate science fiction fans of all stripes, readers of Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, and Carl Hiaasen, and anyone who enjoyed the Terry Pratchett/Neil Gaiman collaboration Good Omens.
The Long Earth is an adventure of the highest order—and an unforgettable read.
Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780062067753
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3.0
1 rating
Charlene M.
Apr 18, 2026
Both myself and my sister read this book and we both came to some similar conclusions. In truth, I'd give this book 3.5 stars, but there are no halves!
This book has some, well, not glaring issues, but some things which make it hard for me to truly like it and makes me think I probably won't read it or the sequel. The main problems for me were as such:
1. The characters left very little impact on me. Even the most interesting one-the Ai/Tibetan monk reborn Lobsang still didn't feel very solid to me and the rest of them left very little impact. Even the main character Joshua (who you don't see in the synospsis even though he's the main character) only drifts along. We mostly get a few character traits-loner, eccentric brave and thoughtful-because we are repeatedly bashed over the head by other characters saying he's these things, in one way or another. For his own actions, he simply seems to drift through these extraordinary events. The argument can be made that since he's been living this life all his life that he wouldn't be terribly excited, but that's problematic for us readers because it leaves us less than excited.
2. The book felt less like a story and more like a string of events. Which would be fine, except that none of these events seem to really matter. The 'trolls' and 'elves' were interesting, but didn't feel as though they lived up to their potential (Though the trolls seem to have more import later). The 'big bad' was less a big bad than an interesting phenomenon which we see built up for 300 pages only to be solved in one paragraph by Lobsang. The Void is an interesting comment or two and a thought experiment for us, but nothing happens. The village where everyone lives happily with the trolls, but has a sinister underlay (no one crippled, deranged or criminally minded ever comes in) seems to be a no-show in the next book (since the next book takes place 10 years later and a million Earths away). It was a lot like Joshua's experiences on the airship; we see plenty of flickers, but nothing concrete. Which, after a while, makes for frustrating reading because, at least I, was left unfulfilled by the end.
3. The ending felt as though it were forced in when the writers (or an editor) realized that very little action had happened and something needed to blow up. But even it loses all impact since everyone who would be harmed can simply leave and even the perpetrators are either hoisted on their own petard (literally) or are moved out anyway. I suppose there is the aftermath to consider, but we don't see it. And when we do, it will be from the lens of ten years after the fact.
Above all, this book felt as though the two authors had come up with a bucket list of cool ideas that singularly should have been explored in books, but the publisher got impatient and they were forced to mash them all together. In other words, perhaps the concepts explored here were simply too huge for one book and the authors should really have tightened their focus to either the exploring OR the cultural/political/economic ramifications OR the weird phenomena causing troll/elf migrations OR etc. Perhaps with some more tightening and the choosing of one idea instead of several jammed together, this would have made for a more fulfilling read.
It's a compelling idea, but like a soap bubble, ephemeral and too easily destroyed under weight. I liked it, but I don't think I'll read it again any time soon and I don't feel compelled to get the sequel.
This book has some, well, not glaring issues, but some things which make it hard for me to truly like it and makes me think I probably won't read it or the sequel. The main problems for me were as such:
1. The characters left very little impact on me. Even the most interesting one-the Ai/Tibetan monk reborn Lobsang still didn't feel very solid to me and the rest of them left very little impact. Even the main character Joshua (who you don't see in the synospsis even though he's the main character) only drifts along. We mostly get a few character traits-loner, eccentric brave and thoughtful-because we are repeatedly bashed over the head by other characters saying he's these things, in one way or another. For his own actions, he simply seems to drift through these extraordinary events. The argument can be made that since he's been living this life all his life that he wouldn't be terribly excited, but that's problematic for us readers because it leaves us less than excited.
2. The book felt less like a story and more like a string of events. Which would be fine, except that none of these events seem to really matter. The 'trolls' and 'elves' were interesting, but didn't feel as though they lived up to their potential (Though the trolls seem to have more import later). The 'big bad' was less a big bad than an interesting phenomenon which we see built up for 300 pages only to be solved in one paragraph by Lobsang. The Void is an interesting comment or two and a thought experiment for us, but nothing happens. The village where everyone lives happily with the trolls, but has a sinister underlay (no one crippled, deranged or criminally minded ever comes in) seems to be a no-show in the next book (since the next book takes place 10 years later and a million Earths away). It was a lot like Joshua's experiences on the airship; we see plenty of flickers, but nothing concrete. Which, after a while, makes for frustrating reading because, at least I, was left unfulfilled by the end.
3. The ending felt as though it were forced in when the writers (or an editor) realized that very little action had happened and something needed to blow up. But even it loses all impact since everyone who would be harmed can simply leave and even the perpetrators are either hoisted on their own petard (literally) or are moved out anyway. I suppose there is the aftermath to consider, but we don't see it. And when we do, it will be from the lens of ten years after the fact.
Above all, this book felt as though the two authors had come up with a bucket list of cool ideas that singularly should have been explored in books, but the publisher got impatient and they were forced to mash them all together. In other words, perhaps the concepts explored here were simply too huge for one book and the authors should really have tightened their focus to either the exploring OR the cultural/political/economic ramifications OR the weird phenomena causing troll/elf migrations OR etc. Perhaps with some more tightening and the choosing of one idea instead of several jammed together, this would have made for a more fulfilling read.
It's a compelling idea, but like a soap bubble, ephemeral and too easily destroyed under weight. I liked it, but I don't think I'll read it again any time soon and I don't feel compelled to get the sequel.