Voice of the Planet

by Michael Tobias

A cryptic message via computer from "Gaia" leads university professor William Hope Planter to a monastery high in the Himalayas and an impossible encounter with the spirit of the living earth.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553283677
• ISBN13: 9780553283679
• Release Date: July 1990
• Publisher: Spectra Books
• Length: 10 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 4.3" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

After years of searching I finally found it.

First I have to apologize, I have not read the book. But I will, AND, I did see the mini-series: Voice of the Planet. I was disturbed by two opinions written about this story. I've never written a review before. But I enjoyed this story so much that I must at least write something positive about it for the record. In the mini series, William Shatner played the only roll, of the ecologist drawn to the Monestary. My husband and I were completely taken in with the excitement of this story. Sure it's science fiction, but we felt there was a big message behind the story. I'm sorry some of the other readers did not like it. The mini series aired in 1991 and through the years we had forgotten the title, but always remembered Shatner played the single role. Tonight we saw Shatner being interviewed on TV and so I thought I'd research this story, I'd forgotten the name and the year we viewed the mini series. But I was able to research the story on Shatner's website, and one thing led to another. All I can say to future readers of this story is, give it a chance. I'm gong to read the book myself now. Perhaps the written word doesn't get the point across as well as the movie did. Anyway we loved the story and it made a terrific impression on us.

More than entertainment

I came across "Voice of the Planet" sometime in the mid nineties, a few years after it came out. I have re-read it several times since and am in the middle of reading it again right now. Never have I picked up a novel that went so deep under my skin and evoked such a range of emotions. This is a book that you either love or you don't. It is a science fiction/fantasy novel and a lot of it is bizarre and out-there. If you like bizarre and out-there, you will appreciate this book. But this novel is much more than entertainment. Lessons in geology, chemistry, biology, ecology and natural history are cleverly wrapped up in a story of adventure, fun and human drama. The science is informative but not deep enough to be intimidating. It helps to be somewhat familiar with the basic principles of the Gaia Hypothesis, also called Earth-System Science. But basically the book is easy to read and understand by anybody. Unfortunately I missed the TV miniseries and I've been waiting for over ten years for it to be repeated.

Not a bathroom read!

I stumbled on this book in a second hand store and so enjoyed it; glad it is listed so cheaply here so my friends can have it as a gift! Like many others, I'm looking for a copy of the TBS 10 hour (Fall of 1990) series in which the two primary characters are played by William Shatner and Faye Dunaway...

Thoughtful and absorbing exploration of a new scientific paradigm

First, I should explain that I hold a masters degree in geology and Earth science, so in a sense, this book was written FOR me. However, I don't think that an advanced degree is a requirement to enjoy this book, any more than a degree in meteorology would be required to enjoy the movie "The Day After Tomorrow". The book is based on the idea that our planet is a living organism with a soul, rather than a ball of rock which happens to have things living on it. This idea is an extension of "The Gaia Hypothesis" which may turn out to be the 20th century's most important contribution to understanding who we are and our place in the Universe, just as Darwin's work was the most important work of the 19th century. The story revolves around a scientist who receives some messages which lead him to a monestary in Tibet, where he learns he is actually speaking with the soul of the planet. Without repeating what other reviewers have written, I'll just say that I enjoyed this book immensely, and read it at every opportunity until I was finished, and would very much like to see the TBS miniseries. Do you enjoy shows on PBS which deal with science, such as Nova? Did you enjoy the book or the movie "Contact", by Carl Sagan? Do you consider yourself environmentally conscious? Tastes vary, obviously, but if you answered "Yes" to any of these questions, then you are probably a good candidate to enjoy this book.

Perhaps the greatest book ever written

Or, at least the most important. It is difficult to over-embellish when the future of the world and its occupants are at stake. I could not stop reading this book. Also, the humor is fantastic!