excellent. This is one of the three best science fiction books ever written, along with Dune and The Mote in God's Eye. The scope is enormous, spanning the galaxy. The science fiction is well-thought out, consistent and creative. Vinge manages to set up a situation with the uncertainties of identification and accuracy that pervade our current Internet in his far-off future. We can learn from this.
The aliens are different from humans, but with meaningful similarities. This applies both to his star-faring aliens and his primitive aliens. The primitive aliens, a race that somewhat resemble wolves, are an incredibly creative construction. Vinge does not shy away from allowing for big jumps in scientific capability, yet finds room for conflicts among the characters. Vinge also does not stay away from writing about catastrophes -- A Fire Upon the Deep is not a feel-good book. Despite all this, his characters are excellent. He finds ways to combine low tech adventure with high tech advances. The action is non-stop. This book is impossible to put down once started and a must-read. |
|
|
