Limit of Vision [Paperback]

Linda Nagata (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 14, 2002

A beautiful young scientist lies dead in a top-secret laboratory, a victim of an illegal experiment with the forbidden nanotechnology known as "LoVs"- intelligent organisms that live at the limits of human vision. In Vietnam's Mekong Delta, a daring journalist probes mysterious cult rumored to have awesome powers. As factions across the globe race to control this strange creation, in orbit high above Earth, an awesome new stage in evolution is about to begin....

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With this compelling biotech thriller, Nagata, who was trained as a zoologist, shifts from the far future of her trilogy--The Bohr Maker, Deception Well and Vast--to a scientific revolution even now a-brewing: nanotechnology, the creation of microscopic organisms that can penetrate the inner workings of complex beings like man, curing illnesses, correcting genetic flaws, even, as here, evolving its hosts into utterly different forms of life. Virgil Copeland, sole survivor of three idealistic young biologists who willingly became hosts for "LOVs," an experimental type of intelligent, emotion-enhancing nanoorganism, causes the escape of a colony of other, constantly mutating LOVs into the torrid Mekong Delta of a brutally overpopulated Vietnam. There a strange cult of throwaway Asian children joins Virgil and Eurasian journalist Ela Suvanatat to preserve the LOVs from Daniel Simkin, the nefarious director of the International Biotechnology Commission, who pretends to protect Earth from the LOVs while ruthlessly pursuing them for the wealth and power they could bring him. Nagata enlivens this extended chase through the steamy murk of Mekong swamps and the monsoons of the southeast Pacific with fascinating biotech hardware and gadgetry as well as clever extrapolations into nanotech potential. She constantly reinforces her theme that "the only way out is forward" at the risk of making her characters occasionally preachy and two-dimensional, but that's a small price to pay for an idea-provoking narrative that is genuinely innovative in conception.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

The death of a young researcher exposes a conspiracy involving an illegal experimentation in sentient nanotech lifeforms, forcing co-conspirator Virgil Copeland to flee for his life. His encounter with a reporter investigating a youth cult in the Mekong Delta offers him a chance to preserve his discovery while avoiding the ruthless powers that wish to control the next phase in evolution. Nagata (Vast) blends hard science with cutting-edge technology in a fast-paced technothriller that is recommended for most sf collections.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Tor Science Fiction; 1st edition (July 14, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765342111
• ISBN-13: 978-0765342119
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,339,929 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Linda Nagata grew up in a rented beach house on the north shore of Oahu. She graduated from the University of Hawaii with a degree in zoology and worked for a time at Haleakala National Park on the island of Maui. She has been a writer, a mom, a programmer of database-driven websites, and lately a publisher and book designer. She is the author of eight novels including The Bohr Maker, winner of the Locus Award for best first novel, and the novella "Goddesses," the first online publication to receive a Nebula award. She lives with her husband in their long-time home on the island of Maui. Find Linda on the web at MythicIsland.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Different from Nagata's earlier work, but a great read, November 14, 2002

By 

Kim Unertl "kimz0519" (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Limit of Vision (Paperback)

I've read all of Linda Nagata's previous books. As a group, all of her previous books were enjoyable and reasonably well written. The characters were well described and the plots were interesting. The only complaint that I had was that the books really weren't that accessible because of the level of technical detail. While I enjoyed her "hard science" approach in her earlier books, I think it also kept her from getting a wider audience. From that perspective, I think that _Limit of Vision_ is an excellent attempt to broaden her audience while still remaining true to her original "hard science" roots. In addition, I think that with each book, Nagata's ability to create a thought provoking and challenging story has increased.

_Limit of Vision_ is set in the near future. A trio of scientists has been working on a project for a corporation basically exploring the feasibility of using organisms named LOVs (since they exist at the limit of human vision) for any practical purposes. Unfortunately, the scientists are hampered because all biotechnology is strictly regulated b/c of a horrible sounding accident caused by biotech gone awry. So, their LOV experiment actually lives on a space station in orbit around Earth. Before the LOVs were taken to the space station, the scientists stole some of them and implanted them on their foreheads.

This book is about the unexpected and unpredictable consequences of that action. Some of the questions that were raised in the book include: what defines consciousness? At what point does an organism stop being "animal" and start being something else? If an organism has consciousness, then do we have the right to just destroy it? And if we don't destroy it, does it pose a threat to the very things that define us as humans?

It's not a perfect book. It does leave some loose ends. It might even be missing some details throughout the book. But, that said, I absolutely had a GREAT time reading this book. It read almost like a thriller rather than some dry biotech story. In my mind, it encompassed many of the things that make sci-fi fun to read - a fast moving plot, lots of technology well used, a real concern about what might happen in the future. With a little stretching, I could absolutely see the vision Nagata created in _Limit of Vision_ as being a realistic possibility of what our future might look like. I was also really impressed by the strides that Nagata has made in creating realistic characters.

I also want to stress that Nagata is not some "new SF author" attempting to re-write Bear's _Blood Music_. First of all, she's been around for quite a while. She has several other books out there that are really well written, although in a much different style than _Limit of Vision_. Second, Nagata has written about nanotechnology in basically ALL of her earlier books. She's not attempting to re-write _Blood Music_, she's continuing in exploring a subject that she's been talking about for quite a while. In my opinion, even if you just look at the quality of the WRITING, _Limit of Vision_ is a far superior novel.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great ideas, but it needed more, January 9, 2002

By 

"jburton75" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Limit of Vision (Hardcover)

I give mucho applause to Linda Nagata for her efforts in writing a book with so alien a plot. As an avid sci-fi and history reader, I'm always interested in moments of discovery and the unforeseen consequences.

The author takes us on a very interesting ride through this story of computer/living matter confluence, and performs many aspects of plot-building and character creation very admirably. I have to say that I was truly intrigued with most of the book.

The problem I have with this book is that it sounds like the author is trying to sound like a scientist without the benefit of being a scientist. A story this intriguing and mind-bending needed a lot of scientific extrapolation, and well-done extrapolation would have added a tremendous amount to the plot. I'm sure it sounds like I'm being picky, but this is very important for me as a reader. I don't want to have to fill in many, many details of the plot using my own belief system.

Another problem was the ending. Very shaky and ill-conceived. I think Linda Nagata was trying to establish a creative and dramatic climax, for which I applaud her, but there were so many issues in the book that were left unresolved. I had no true feeling of conclusion when I finished the book. I don't think Linda Nagata did either.

Great ideas, but it needed more focus, better scientific extrapolation, and more questions answered.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nagata's best book yet -- 4.5 stars, June 16, 2001

By 

Peter D. Tillman (Taos, NM USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Limit of Vision (Hardcover)

____________________________________________
I thought Limit of Vision was Nagata's best book yet -- she's gaining full knowledge & control of the novelist's toolkit. And I admire her essential sweetness of vision: that probems have solutions, & that most people, given half a chance, will act decently and kindly.

Except the bad guys, of course...

Hghly recommended.

Oh, and her website is well-worth a visit:
http://www.maui.net/~nagata

Happy reading--
Pete Tillman