On: Metal monolith found by helicopter crew in Utah de...

[beamatronic]

Like the Focused in the novel "A Deepness In The Sky" by Vernor Vinge.

[_1100 → beamatronic]

I can’t get into Deepness after reading Fire.

Too different and my expectations for the scale he set up are too big...

[duskwuff → _1100]

You'd be even more frustrated by Children of the Sky. Not only is it limited in scope (to Tines' World), but it leaves a bunch of plot threads unresolved, presumably for a sequel. :/

[generalizations → duskwuff]

I liked the other two, but I stopped reading Children for exactly the reason you described.

[johncalvinyoung → _1100]

I like all three of the novels in the series, but for dramatically different reasons and feelings.