Calculating God

Robert J. Sawyer was unknown to me so I honestly had no expectations from Calculating God. In reality, I didn't even remember why it was on my reading list, though perhaps the sub-genre stated was first contact, one of my sub-preferences.

When I started reading I figured, well, this must be a prologue or something as the protagonist narrates to you in the same manner as the author’s usual acknowledgements preceding the first chapter. But it wasn't. I had not encountered a narration in a while, and RJS makes it entertaining, personal and amusing. After having gone through several dense hard SF books just prior, this light read was a welcomed respite.

The action is non-stop, not necessarily in physical terms but simply a page-turner to see how the story and the conversation develop between the alien and the main character. With a title like Calculating God, you would have presumed this book is about metaphysics, religion and science. Well, you are right, but presented in a simple and captivating form. Simultaneously, you learn about various concepts such as evolution, creation, dinosaurs, extinctions, DNA, universal constants, grand unified theory and others, and ultimately where God fits in this grand design. It is an excellent and fun read, fascinating and definitely educational. “How do you define God?” is the question asked repeatedly by the protagonist and you should not be disappointed as to how it is answered. Enjoy!