I'll have to admit to that. I read it... oh... 20 years ago at least, and I still remember it. It wasn't a particularly well-written story, IMHO, but I found the central idea to be striking.
I agree. The background plot is terrible, but it puts pieces together to an unsolved geology puzzle. I scraped my pennies together and bought two copies — one hardback in excellent condition to keep and one paperback to share with friends who would not buy their own copy. I think it’s time to re-read it.