Customer Reviews

Timelike Diplomacy: Singularity Sky and Iron Sunrise

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According to a posting by Stross in the Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine forum, this is an combined edition of the two books mentioned in the subject line.

That said, both books are excellent. _singularity Sky_, in particular, is one of the better science fiction novels of the past few years, combining hard science, Vinge-style speculation, and a strong prose style.

An AI shows up, and transplants most of humanity to other stars. Thanks to time dilation, the seeded planets develop into different fiefdoms: ones that seem to thumb their noses at "stateless Earth". Earth, in the wake of the AI event, develops a commercialized 900-member UN; to handle a Libertarian society equipped with "cornucopia machines" that make anything a person may want. But there are some inconsistencies...

* The protagonist is maybe 150 years old; but you're left with the impression she's old enough to have lived before the AI.
* Its unclear if the AI was developed on Earth, or is an alien one.
* The first half/book has an odd version of time-travel: use FTL tunneling to go 4000 years into the future; to bounce back to a few months before a past event?
* The second half/book suggests there's a second AI trying to kill off the first one. And its helped out by space Nazis.

I will give credit to the author for attempting to at least make "hard" sci-fi: but the plot points and events almost nullify the benefit of that effort.

This is a double publication - SINGULARITY SKY & IRON SUNRISE. The pairing is not accidental - the stories could be considered Singularity Part I & II. The name, TIMELIKE DIPLOMACY, is a perfect description of the themes of both novels - namely the machinations of humanity when faster-than-light travel is developed (thus time travel) and the super-intelligent Eschaton (the name given to the Singularity) must battle those who would return to the past and take steps to prevent its emergence. (A conundrum though - if someone had returned to the past and prevented the emergence of the Singularity how could it be worried about someone going to the past to prevent the emergence.... someone could go crazy thinking of all the causal possibilities).

We are introduced to Martin and Rachel, espionage operatives working for different bosses (Martin for the Eschaton, Rachel for the U.N.) and follow their travails in preventing the destruction of a civilization for attempting to violate the laws of causality. In the second book (IRON SKY) we are introduced to the teenager, Wednesday / Victoria and the newspaper writer, Frank and their fast-paced struggles both to escape those who would do them harm and learn who their pursuers are. Of course all four characters come together in the midst of a frantic action and the story has a good ending. I eagerly await yet another sequeal.

Stross has opened to the reader the world on nanotechnology, smart matter, genetic modification beyond our wildest dream. Indeed, the everyday actions appear to us almost as magic, much as the technological wonders of our civilization would appear magical to someone from the early 20th century. Yielding to readers's pleas, Stross has penned ACCELERANDO, the story of the emergence of the Singularity in the near future. (It does not feature the same characters.)