The first few chapters are impressively grounded in data, offering clear insights into how our modern world functions through the four pillars of civilization (steel, cement, plastics, and ammonia). Smil excels at breaking down complex systems into understandable components, backed by rigorous statistics and historical context.

However, the book takes a concerning turn when discussing future technologies, particularly renewables. For someone who builds his arguments on solid numerical evidence elsewhere, Smil's pessimism about modern renewable technologies feels uncharacteristically unsupported. One would expect the same rigorous statistical analysis that characterizes his historical observations to be applied to his future predictions.

A significant oversight is the book's lack of discussion on nuclear waste management, especially when analyzing energy transitions and their challenges. This omission feels particularly glaring given how central this issue is to global energy policy decisions.

Smil's assertion that fossil fuels are the only pathway out of poverty for developing nations also seems to ignore current evidence. While fossil fuels historically provided the initial boost for industrialization, countries like China are now aggressively expanding their renewable energy capacity alongside their development. Renewables offer something fossil fuels cannot: energy independence from geopolitical constraints. Unlike natural gas pipelines that can be blocked or oil supplies that can be sanctioned, no one can prevent the sun from shining or the wind from blowing.

The book is also marked by unnecessarily dismissive remarks about other prominent thinkers like Yuval Noah Harari (Homo Deus) and Ray Kurzweil (Ray Kurzweil). Rather than engaging substantively with their arguments about future technological developments and societal changes, Smil opts for snide comments that add little to the discourse. This approach feels out of place in what is otherwise a data-driven work and detracts from the book's academic credibility.

While the book provides valuable insights into our current industrial civilization's foundations, its skepticism toward technological innovation and energy transitions lacks the same level of substantiation that makes the early chapters so compelling.