Probability Space (Probability Trilogy) [Mass Market Paperback]

Nancy Kress (Author)

Book Description

Series: Probability Trilogy | Publication Date: December 30, 2003

Nancy Kress cemented her reputation in SF with the publication of her multiple-award–winning novella, “Beggars in Spain,” which became the basis for her extremely successful Beggars Trilogy (comprising Beggars in Spain, Beggars and Choosers, and Beggars Ride).

And now she brings us Probability Space, the conclusion of the trilogy that began with Probability Moon and then Probability Sun, which is centered on the same world as Kress’s Nebula Award-winning novelette, “Flowers of Aulit Prison.” The Probability Trilogy has already been widely recognized as the next great work by this important SF writer.

In Probability Space, humanity’s war with the alien Fallers continues, and it is a war we are losing. Our implacable foes ignore all attempts at communication, and they take no prisoners. Our only hope lies with an unlikely coalition: Major Lyle Kaufman, retired warrior; Marbet Grant, the Sensitive who’s involved with Kaufman; Amanda, a very confused fourteen-year-old girl; and Magdalena, one of the biggest power brokers in all of human space.

As the action moves from Earth to Mars to the farthest reaches of known space, with civil unrest back home and alien war in deep space, four humans--armed with little more than an unproven theory--try to enter the Fallers’ home star system. It’s a desperate gamble, and the fate of the entire universe may hang in the balance.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

As Probability Space opens, the future looks grim, though humanity has spread across the stars. Humans have gained control of a moon-sized, immensely powerful super-weapon abandoned by a long-gone alien race--an artifact that should protect humanity from its implacable enemy, the Fallers, a ruthlessly xenophobic alien race. Unfortunately, the Fallers have found another of these abandoned super-weapons, and if both are discharged at the highest setting at the same time, then the very fabric of space-time will be shredded, destroying not only all life in the universe, but the universe itself. But for the Fallers, victory may be more important than survival. And a violent military coup has put an insanely ambitious general in command of human space....

A novel of literary hard SF, Probability Space concludes the trilogy that begins with Probability Moon and includes Probability Sun. Author Nancy Kress has received the Hugo Award, the Sturgeon Award, and three Nebula Awards. --Cynthia Ward --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

The action-filled final volume in Kress's Probability Trilogy (Probability Moon; Probability Sun) spectacularly resolves the human-Faller stalemate. The story's setting moves from Earth to Mars to the planet World, all of which lie within the nexus of wormholes that somehow link space together. Central to the security of humanity is an alien artifact that has the capacity to protect-or destroy-entire star systems. Two of these devices are known to exist: one is held by humans, the other by the alien and hostile Fallers, with whom humanity is at war. When a military coup knocks the current leader out of power and he's replaced by a fool, Pierce, three people realize that Pierce may seek to use the artifact to utterly annihilate the Fallers-and likely the fabric of space-time. Physicist Tom Capelo, who found the artifact, military man Lyle Kaufman and sensitive Marbet Grant concoct a wild plan to save the day, a plan that involves hijacking the artifact and making direct contact with the enigmatic alien race. Meanwhile, Tom's daughter, 14-year-old Amanda Capelo, finds herself on the run as she's chased by military personnel who believe she knows something about who kidnapped her father. Worse, the young Greek man who befriends her may not be trustworthy. Admirers of the author's shorter work may be put off by inconsistent characterization and some utterly improbable situations, but followers of the trilogy will find much to enjoy here.Hugo and Nebula awards for her short fiction.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Tor Science Fiction (December 30, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765345145
• ISBN-13: 978-0765345141
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,311,258 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars exciting climax to a strong series, September 14, 2002

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Probability Space (Probability Trilogy) (Hardcover)

The war between mankind and the Fallers goes unabated as humanity's enemy still ignores any transmissions from their opponents. If anything, the hostilities are turning worse at least for humans as it looks inevitable that the Fallers are going to win. An alien victory means the end of humanity because no one survives a battle let alone a war with the enigmatic Fallers.

The taste of defeat leads to an earthly coup with the new leader apparently willing to use a "not of this earth" doomsday machine (that the Fallers also possess) to annihilate the enemy. However, not everyone agrees with the wisdom of deploying a device not fully understood as to its ramifications and most likely will also rip the space-time continuum. Physicist Capelo, Major Kaufman, and sensitive Grant try a Hail Mary ploy to communicate with the Fallers before the galaxy as it is relatively known is ripped asunder forever.

The final novel in the "Probability" trilogy (see Probability Sun and Probability Moon) is an exciting climax to a strong series. The story line of Probability Space can stand alone yet brings closure that will please fans of the series and coax newcomers to seek out the previous books. Though the probability of some of the events occurring as written seems statistically unreliable, Nancy Kress furbishes a strong climax to a delightfully intelligent triad.

Harriet Klausner

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Tedious and poorly crafted, March 10, 2005

By 

David Hunter (Highland park, NJ, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Probability Space (Probability Trilogy) (Mass Market Paperback)

I was so enthralled with the previous two Probability books that I read each of them in a single sitting, which is very rare for me. I also really enjoyed "Crossfire". But this book I almost didn't finish at all. The characters in the previous two books were solidly drawn and acted with intelligent and interesting motivations. Here, they seem almost random. The plot is strung together from coincidences and blatant contrivances. Like reviewer Sparks, I too became convinced that the author had no idea what this book was supposed to be about. Furthermore, it seemed to me that key background information about the story was repeated almost verbatim every few chapters, making the author look like a student trying to hit a page count. This is a bad book and wholly unworthy of a writer of Kress's obvious talent.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not a satisfying finish to the trilogy, January 21, 2004

By 

David W Sparks (Huntsville, AL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Probability Space (Probability Trilogy) (Mass Market Paperback)

While I thoroughly enjoyed the previous two books in this trilogy, I feel that the third volume falls somewhat flat. Kress alternates between two main storylines (one following Amanda Capelo, and the other following Lyle Kaufman) both of which are at best reactionary and at worst aimless. The absurdity of the plot devices in the Amanda storyline are only outdone by the impossibility of the plot devices in the Kaufman storyline. Motivations for the characters are often unclear.

Halfway through the book, I was convinced that even the author had no idea where it was going. Somewhat late in the game (about page 200) the book does find its pacing and races to finish things off, but I found the conclusion unsatisfying.

I would only recommend this book to fans of the first two books who are obsessive compulsive completists. Casual fans would be better off reading Kress' short fiction.