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 - Must-Have Reference Guide for Sci-fi WritersI would most definitely recommend this book for anyone interested in writing science fiction! I originally borrowed the book from my local library, and I was so impressed I decided to purchase it. It works as a reference guide to the process of world creation, designed specifically for science fiction, though some of its information can be used in fantasy as well. Rating: - readable, engaging, and techy in spotsI liked this as an addition to my reference library. It gives reasonably thorough overviews of some very complex physics and astronomy ideas, and equations for the detail-hungry to work out their own sci-fi details. For example, if you have a world with 1.2 the gravity of earth, what is the force at different altitudes? How rapidly would the atmosphere thin as you ascend? Also...what effects would a binary star have on your planet, and is it feasible? What does the material projected by a supernova do to other objects, and how far is far enough away? I was pleased there was no belaboring of character profiling - it is all about "place". And making a believeable place, as the title suggests. I am supplementing with visual aides in the form of the Standard Deviants series on Astronomy and Physics. Other writers may benefit from this combination of book and DVD. Rating: - Excellent "how-to" on basic astronomy, geology, planetologyI agree with the bulk of the reviewers here; this book is jam-packed with excellent technical background for designing believable planetary systems consistent with the physics of *this* universe. In deference to the reviewer who complained that there is nothing about creating the cultures of intelligent beings, yes, maybe a better title would have been "Planet Building." There is another book in this series, "Aliens and Alien Societies," by Stanley Schmidt, that is in fact *mentioned* in "World Building" as a resource for that aspect of science fiction world creation. (I have not seen the Schmidt book, but it appears to have garnered fewer accolades than this one amongst Amazon reviewers.) The section on alternative oceanic constituents for rocky planets (sulfur, or even iron-based compounds) was fabulous. Another obvious resource for hard SF writers on principles of planetology with respect to supporting complex life would be Brownlee and Ward's "Rare Earth." 2/15/07 update: I've just read Poul Anderson and Fred Pohl's appendices to the 1992 shared-world anthology "Murasaki," and can endorse them as an awesome "how-to" resource. The essays explain in reasonable detail how the authors created the twin-planet, red giant system around which the 6-story anthology was written, including calculating planet size, density, atmosphere and weather patterns, and the resulting effects on the ecosystems of their lifeforms. Plus, the other writers include some of the finest writing hard SF today (Bear, Benford, Brin, Kress). And there are numerous used copies available on Amazon for just a penny. Really. Rating: - Packed with informationI have been extremely pleased with this book. I bought it because I wanted to know how to invent a planet that would look plausible scientifically. I am a neophyte in the sciences field, and as such found this book really excellent. It is full pack of information clearly presented, to understand how planets are formed, and what are the requirements for life (this is not simply air and water, but, for example, on the long run also requires volcanism and plate tectonics!). In fact, had I read this book when I was in college, I would have wanted to study chemistry and physics at university (instead of hating it). Lastly, for those wanting to create alien worlds, the end of the book also presents some examples, without which all the info presented may be of few use to design some original exo-planet. Overall, an excellent book. Rating: - Concise, useful starting point.The biggest advantage to his book is that it concisely draws together the general facts about stars, planets, and atmospheres that one needs to design the physicality of worlds for hard-science fiction. Though not all encompassing or exhaustive of the subject, there's enough data to enable one to make choices for a world and then research those choices to the depth necessary to meet one's needs without having to become an expert in astrophysics and/or biochemistry.
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