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The Golden Transcendence
The books are firmly in the space opera genre with a dash of Heinlein libertarianism tossed in for good measure. The story takes place in the far future when artificial intelligences (known as sophotechs) and humans live immortal lives in a libertarian society of near unlimited technology. The experience of real physical interaction is replaced in many cases by remote bodies, recorded experiences of others, and complete control of what a person perceives. Humanity has moved beyond the one body - one brain system and has adopted many different systems of thought and even physical form
Mr. Wright puts forth a brilliant vision of technology and society in the far future where wealth is measured in seconds of computer time and physical labor is non-existent. In this future, there is are still wealthy and poor people but in a different way. In a good interview, Mr. Wright explains:
There would still be rich and poor, even if the poorest of the poor were absurdly well off by our standards. No advancements can eliminate differences in the abilities of men, or the differences in how men value the abilities of their fellow man (which is what causes inequality of prices and hence of incomes). If only by comparison, there will be poverty, even in Arcadia. My characters Ironjoy, Oshenkyo, and the Afloats [...] are meant to represent this idea of future poverty; the Seven Peers represent wealth.
As an example as just one of the concepts presented, we can look at the idea of 'sensefilters.' Perception is no longer what organic senses directly tell the mind. The signals received by the body or remote bodies are processed to be acceptable to the person's particular preferences. If a person doesn't like to see advertising, their mind eliminates the advertising from their vision and fills in the scene with what would be there if the advertisement wasn't there. Consciously, the person isn't aware of this, only that they have requested not to see advertisements. Sensefiltering can be used to remove (or add) objects, people, and even ideas from an individual's perception. The plot devices are interesting stuff that Mr. Wright explores in just enough detail to keep you wanting more throughout the trilogy.
The protagonist, Phaethon, is the son of one of the most important people in the society (known as the Golden Oecumene). In the first two books, Phaethon struggles against first the realization that he is missing parts of his memory, his struggle against society, his fall into exile, and his return to strength.
The third book finds Phaethon poised to fight against the true enemy that has been revealed to him. Without spoiling too much, Phaethon is forced to fight for the very survival of his society (which tossed him out) or allow it to be destroyed.
The author, John C. Wright, obviously has a libertarian heart and embodies the attributes of individuality, resourcefulness, ingenuity and desire for progress in Phaethon, the hero. In the opening novel, we find a society content with things how they are, willing to simply stop progress to prevent anything from changing their utopia in any meaningful way. Phaethon is a man of action in opposition to the statist Golden Oecumene. The underlying theme is that without mankind's strive for exploration and new goals, it is doomed.
Overall, an excellent book and series for the science fiction reader looking for something more than blasters and evil six-legged aliens. Getting used to the terminology and concepts is slow at first but well worth the effort.
Final note: If you enjoy Iain Banks's Culture series, Peter Hamilton's Night's Dawn, or John Varley's Eight Worlds, you will enjoy the The Golden Transcendence and the entire Golden Age Trilogy.You can purchase The Golden Transcendence from bn.com. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews -- to see your own review here, read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page.
As an example as just one of the concepts presented, we can look at the idea of 'sensefilters.' Perception is no longer what organic senses directly tell the mind. The signals received by the body or remote bodies are processed to be acceptable to the person's particular preferences. If a person doesn't like to see advertising, their mind eliminates the advertising from their vision and fills in the scene with what would be there if the advertisement wasn't there. Consciously, the person isn't aware of this, only that they have requested not to see advertisements. Sensefiltering can be used to remove (or add) objects, people, and even ideas from an individual's perception. The plot devices are interesting stuff that Mr. Wright explores in just enough detail to keep you wanting more throughout the trilogy (see other review).
I've never liked science fiction but all my friends do. Most of the books I've read seem to just be about the technology, races and languages the author has imagined rather than using those as a medium for telling a compelling story; the tail wags the dog.
I like Ray Bradbury, but all my sci-fi-fan friends say that's not "real" science fiction. So can anybody think of a "real" science fiction author that isn't
I'd like to get in to sci fi because it seems like an interesting genre in principle, but I can't seem to find any authors other than Bradbury who care about writing a good book or story. Any ideas?
All's true that is mistrusted
nowadays it seems most writers embark on these loooooong series (that usually start blowing by the 3rd book), I know it's easier to just continue regurgitating the same stuff, but come on, show some originality!
Notable example was the Erikson fantasy series (Malazan book of the fallen) which had a great 1st, good 2nd, ok 3rd and IMHO bad 4th (House of Chains IIRC) book. Notable exception to the rule is Martin's series that's still going strong (dying to read A Feast for Crows)
For people looking for some good standalone sci-fi books look no further than John Varley, one of my favorite authors.
-- the cake is a lie
I just don't have time to read 3 in a row and I don't have patience to wait for them to keep coming out.
I have a rule that I don't start reading a series of books until it's done. I want to know that there is an ending. But, sadly, I did get sucked into the Harry Potter series, now I live in terror that JKR will get hit by a bus before she finishes. Or worse, what must be tempting in her position, she takes the money and runs away from the pressure of it all.
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In London? Need a Physics Tutor?
American Weblog in London
The Libertarian myth that people will arrive at their appropriate station in life due to their own merits always amuses me. It becomes positively hilarious when you actually talk to them and realize they live in Lake Wobegon: where all the children are above average.
Regardless of ability, poverty will result simply as a result of random chance. As long as there is an independent probability of a negative result there will be winners and losers, regardless of ability. In a large enough population there will be people who lose most of the time, through no fault of their own. They will be relatively poor then, but it has nothing to do with their personal ability.
As a quick example, two investors mine some resource that's only available near fault lines. An earthquake comes, one investor's mine collapses and they are destitute. With the market all to themselves now the other is even wealthier than they would have been if the earthquake hadn't hit. They of course will write, or more precisely have someone ghost write, an autobiography lauding them as a business genius.
As I recall, the Golden Age was written as one book. It was the publisher's will that it be split into three novels, perhaps in part because this was Wright's first book, and in part because it's incredibly dense reading.
But you may be in luck. I recall hearing rumors that the three books will be combined into one volume in the near future.
As to the Wheel of Time, there is no comparison to be made between Wright's series and that monstrosity. For one thing, The Golden Age is complete now. You can go and read the whole thing from end to end right now should you choose. For another, Wright wisely decided to finish his series before penning prequels!
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I was turned onto it by a local bookseller who is friends with the author and had read advance copies.
I think it is a little misleading to call it Space Opera, because only the setting is such.
No other Space opera even begins to touch on some of the issues addressed within.
These include (but not limited too) what is truth, thought and humanity; ethics both of culture and individual; societal responsibility and individual responsibilities as well as human right vs societal rights; the nature of consciousness and how does perception affect it; the morel, societal and humanistic consequences of altering the human template; and whether tis nobler to quietly into that good night or rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Mind you I also want to beat Mr. Wright soundly. Some of the concepts that he mentions IN PASSING ONLY almost deserve an individual exploration of a book of their own. I stopped counting at about twenty in the first book alone. It seemed like every single page he mentioned a concept and I though "Wow that'd make a great book..." and then he'd move on.
Anywho, my $.02
*A)bort, R)etry, I)nfluence with large hammer.*
Modern authors need to re-read their Strunk & White.
I believe it was Twain who said that as a starting point, an author should take every occurrence of the word "very" and change it to "damn" - since the editors of the day would promptly remove it, thereby improving the overall quality of the writer's work.
Strict Strunk & White makes for fairly flavorless text - but a good story can still fight its way through.
I love vegetarians - some of my favorite foods are vegetarians.
With that out of the way, as one of the other posters has shown there are a number of factors that lead to poverty in the current world. There is no reason to believe in the kind of future that this trilogy describes that any of those factors would still apply. In fact I've been very disappointed that the author seems to allow people to "edit out" advertising but doesn't seem to consider that you can "edit out" knowing about people better or worse off than you. IOW, in that society why would I care to know I wasn't rich?
With all that, I'd have to give these titles more of a mixed review. I think that the author has spent a fair bit of time coming up with some cool ideas. However, as with much of the genre, the characters seem dedicated to giving an excuse for the author to expound on the ideas than to actually giving us well-rounded characters who might make us learn or feel something new about the human condition.
Just my .02 worth.
I just got to the end of "The Golden Transcendence" and what a marvelous journey this trilogy has been. Hints of influence by authors like Gene Wolfe and David Zindell resound through the series, and a distinct flavor of Wright's background in law shines through in very well-composed ways.
The hero of this story, a cyberneticly advanced individual named Patheon - many of the citizens of Wright's world use mythological and historical titles - who, in the first book, discovers that there are great portions of his memory - and life! - missing. Creatures from other planets visit, and often challenge, Patheon, tempting him with wealth, threatening him with violence and mind-rape, and informing him of hidden political struggles.
It is very difficult to say much more about the story without giving away some fundamentals of the story, but it's safe to highlight some of the issues touched on in the series:
Mortality
Free Will
What makes something 'alive'
Space-colonization
Love
The venerable "Captain Kirk" problem - are you still yourself after you teleported? In this story, it was more along the lines of "Who are you after you have been ressurrected?"
The sereis is a fantastic read, and I reccomend it to anyone who enjoys hard science fiction. While I would not consider this work _hard_ Sci Fi, it goes a bit past medium-soft. It's good stuff!
Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains.
Sensefilters sounds suspiciously similar to what Prof. Steve Mann in MIT has been proposing. See http://wearcam.org/
There are 10 kinds of people in the world - those that know binary, and those that don't.