4.5/5 StarsFunny how what I was hoping to find in Saénz de Urturi's "The Old Family" series, I actually discovered in this great book by one of the greats of science fiction, and more than 20 years earlier, since it was first published in 1989.Here we have our long-lived individuals, who are not immortal, since they cannot die from natural causes, but they can die from any other event or situation in which they are involved: injuries, accidents, poisons... nor can they transmit their "power" to ...

Honestly, they could have pruned about 90% of the knotty bits, and it would've been a more modern novel (and with less of a soporific effect, I have to be frank), BUT I loved the beginning, I absolutely adored the ending, and I was CAPTIVATED by Poul Anderson's storytelling. If all his work is like this, I can jump right in and start reading because, unfortunately, I don't have a million years ahead of me. What vivid images, what meticulously crafted scenes, and what a pleasure it is to read som...

There are *two* books here—and while neither is inherently bad, they're stitched together poorly and have little to do with each other, leaving both feeling sadly incomplete. One lacks an ending, the other has too much beginning. In the first half, we follow a few immortals navigating human history, blending in, struggling, thriving, always hiding, eventually finding each other. In the second half, intrepid explorers venture into space, where few dare to go. The fact that the immortals and expl...

This science fiction novel comes from Poul Anderson, one of the Golden Age authors, and was published in 1989. It was nominated for a whole host of awards, including the Hugo Award for Best Novel (1990), Nebula Award for Best Novel (1989), Prometheus Hall of Fame Award for Best SF Novel (1990), Locus Award for Best SF Novel (1990), and the SF Chronicle Award for Best SF Novel (1990). It won none of them, losing the Hugo and Locus awards to *Hyperion* and the Nebula to *The Healer's War*. I read ...

Poul Anderson's later novel, *The Boat of a Million Years*, featuring immortal individuals from across the globe born throughout history, serves as a fantastic platform for the author to showcase various historical periods and speculate about the distant future. I've occasionally found his writing a bit challenging to follow, but in this instance, that wasn't the case (although some sections might have been a little verbose). If you're looking for thought-provoking science fiction and historical...

Oh my great googamunga, what the hell have I been reading all these years, slogging through crap only to finally stumble upon THIS MAGNUM OPUS OF SF? I'm frankly as embarrassed as I can possibly be. I am STUNNED by how smoothly this enormous work slid down my throat, amazing me with so much delightfully interesting history told so damn well that I had to check a few times to be sure I was reading an actual SF novel, and not a brilliant historical novel told through an old motif of immortals mak...

This is an interesting exploration of immortality, posing the question: would living forever be a gift or a burden? I appreciated Poul Anderson's approach to the subject, and the characters were certainly compelling. However, as another reader mentioned, the narrative becomes somewhat didactic as it progresses into the late 20th century. Also, it became clear that Anderson's political views differ significantly from my own. Despite that, the historical segments of "The Boat of a Million Years"...

Review 01/22/14 of *The Boat of a Million Years* by Poul AndersonFinally finished 1/21/14. 2 stars – might be more accurate as a 0 to 1-star rating.Strengths:The author understands historical turning points where one culture overtakes and replaces another, usually due to war or control. In some cases, this results from environmental or economic factors like drought, new trade routes, or disruptive products that create new markets. He makes you think about how societies rise and fall.Anderson set...

Poul Anderson's The Boat of a Million Years is a vehicle through which the author explores anthropological, historical, sociological, theological, and philosophical questions through the immortal eyes of a group of ageless but not impervious characters. This is a brilliantly broad adventure through time and culture, well-researched and fascinating. I can't help but compare The Boat of a Million Years to Heinlein’s *Methuselah's Children* and especially *Time Enough for Love*, with its theme of ...

It's been a long time since I first turned these pages of Poul Anderson's *The Boat of a Million Years*. There's very little written by Poul Anderson that I haven't enjoyed. I'm relying on my memory here, but I recall this story focusing more on the characters involved than on classic, hard science fiction concepts. As a voracious reader across genres, I don't mind when an author incorporates influences from outside the genre to enhance a story. Anderson's work was incredibly diverse; his books...