Genius. I'm writing this review with somewhat of a "Planiverse kicks Flatland's butt" juvenile treatment. But, most people think of a 2d world as the top down world as in the most famous book "Flatland" which is much more famous, but far less realistic. A discussion on Quora came up about the possibility of life in 2D, with maybe the 3rd dimension being time, and while there were many interesting ideas presented by PhD's and asked, I was absolutely stunned that no one mentioned "The Planiverse. This version of a 2D world is so logically coherent, people thought it was -discovered-, and a work of non-fiction. Perhaps it will be discovered someday. In Flatland , ( even a short film came out of it, i was disgusted after seeing some parts of it). There was a square , which could talk , and move, although it had no legs or visible means by which to propel itself. The only thing good about it was that inside his "head" was a printed circuit-like thing on which no wires could cross, they had to form intricate maze-like traces, and I guess this was supposed to be his brain. Yes, there are many practical uses for thinking and limiting a design in 2D dimensions even though we have three, even as a mental exercise or just for fun. I have been so obsessed, i went about trying to make a 2d World computer simulation in real time and I eventually did so, with the help of the Angry birds engine, and some Indonesian programmers I hired. With a decent 2D physics engine we designed our own biped and taught it to walk and run, using only muscles and bones for power. To show the realism , of course he need to walk on ropes , floating boats, and other reactive surfaces, or, edges. I was on the bottom side of the planet, immersed in an alien environment, and i worked on it for 7 years, and still do. All my exhilarating physical experiences, i wanted to express in 2 dimensions, because i could never do those physical interactions between nature and a being, justice in 3d. Walking, running, seeing, thinking , fighting, controlling airships, using swords and firearms, quadrupeds, fish, explosions, waves, even surfing on 2d waves and on air, ( which in 2d is much more powerful since it cannot go around you , it you are standing it must all flow over you. Simply raising an arm in a head wind will make it much more difficult to walk. Thinking of this world or observing it in its entirely from a dimension that the 2d creatures cannot fathom, gives you a God-like perspective, while at the same time a humble awareness of the beyond as it applies to us, this 4th dimension. Buy the book, read it. Google the game, ( its not hard to find) it not nearly finished, but its playable, and this a universe. I wish there were hundreds of people working on it with me. But Dewdney sourced many of his designs from graduate students and put together a meaningful and dramatic story, with a subtext of Sufism, around a setting which is enough of a reason initself to own it, just to read the technology, biology and cosmology, sections.
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Andrew Gardiner
... lent this not long after it was released and loved it. Spent far too many years fruitlessly trying ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 21, 2016Amazon Customer
This is a very good book for mathsy people
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 25, 2017