Black Oceans: Difference between revisions

Czarne oceany
	Polish edition cover
Author	Jacek Dukaj
Original title	Czarne oceany
Translator	not translated
Cover artist	Tomasz Bagiński
Language	Polish
Genre	Science fiction
Publisher	Supernowa
Publication date	2001
Publication place	Poland
Media type	(Hardback & Paperback)
Pages	494
ISBN	83-7054-149-6
OCLC	63517009

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Czarne oceany (literally "Black Oceans") is a science fiction novel by Polish writer Jacek Dukaj, published in Poland by Supernowa in 2001. The novel fits in the hard science fiction genre, describing the late-21st century Earth facing technological singularity. The novel received the prime Polish award for sci-fi literature, Janusz A. Zajdel Award, for 2001.^[1]

Development

The novel was cut down at the publisher's request from over 1000 pages to fewer than 500. The first seven chapters as well as several extra chapters which were cut from the printed versions are published free on Dukaj's website.^[2]

Plot summary

The world

The year is around 2060. The United States is still a leading power, but European and Asian powers are trailing close behind it. Technology has advanced, with biotechnological implants allowing people control over computers via brain-computer interfaces. Full immersion virtual reality is common, as well as 'Orto Virtual Reality' - mixing virtual reality with our reality, in effect 'skinning' our reality in a form of augmented reality. Much of the elite is genetically engineered as well, with AIs being increasingly common. In many ways this is a dark, cyberpunk-kind of a world.

However, the conflicts of this future era rely more on economics and market forces than sophisticated military hardware. In this world the stock market is the new battleground for nations and megacorps.

Technological trends are far from only ones explored by Dukaj in his book. He portrays the futuristic bureaucracy, political power struggles behind private sector, government and the military, and changes in culture. Dukaj extrapolates from the current trend of increasing lawsuits and political correctness: in his world many people willingly live under constant mass surveillance of the New Etiquette (NEti), which registers all their actions so that they couldn't be falsely accused of some "personal offense crime".

The story

The main character, Nicholas Hunt, is an American politician and lobbyist, closely involved with some branches of secret military research including paranormal activities. He is not a hero: as Dukaj himself describes him, he is "a cynical, egoistic bureaucrat, whose main motivation for all of his decisions in his job is, it seems, covering his ass". Currently he has lost an internal power struggle and is assigned to oversee what seems like a dead-end, low-key project. Soon, however, his project starts to gain more importance, as scientists explore some promising theories from the borders of memetics and telepathy, including study of potential lifeforms that would use memes just as we use genes, and develop new sciences like psychomemetics.

Suddenly a strange cataclysm takes place, with millions of people worldwide going insane and many densely populated areas becoming a 'no-go' zone. Nicholas Hunt is not sure if this is an alien invasion, a result of military or corporate experiment, anew step in human evolution, or the result of the transformation into a post-technological singularity world.

Awards

The novel received the prime Polish award for science fiction literature, Janusz A. Zajdel Award, for 2001.^[1]

Analysis

The novel was discussed in the context of transhumanism^[3] and cyberpunk.^[4]

Reception

In 2001 in his review for Gazeta Wyborcza, Wojciech Orliński, praised the book for its vivid and realistic portrayal of the near future, although criticized the plot for being somewhat convoluted, and some dialogues for being too much of infodumps. He also noted that the book has gained a cult status years before its actual publication.^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b "Jacek Dukaj". Culture.pl. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
^ ^a ^b Orliński, Wojciech (2001-10-26). "Władza leży między". wyborcza.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2022-08-02.
^ Rupa, Katarzyna (2017-07-05). "Transhumanistyczne koncepcje człowieka w kulturze współczesnej (na wybranych przykładach)". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^ Kruszewski, Piotr. "Cyberprzestrzeń i atomizacja. Teoretycznoliterackie glosy na tle nowoczesnej science fiction". Na boku. Pisarze teoretykami literatury?... T. 4 (in Polish): 155–178.

External links

2003 Interview with Jacek Dukaj at Wotmania.com
Reviews: [1], [2]
(in Polish) Description of book on Jacek Dukaj's page
(in Polish) Reviews: [3], [4], [5], [6]
Detailed summary of Black Oceans in English
Passage from Black Oceans (English translation)
(in Polish) Chapters 1-7 Chapter 13

[:0-1] "Jacek Dukaj". Culture.pl. Retrieved 2022-08-03.

[:1-2] Orliński, Wojciech (2001-10-26). "Władza leży między". wyborcza.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2022-08-02.

[3] Rupa, Katarzyna (2017-07-05). "Transhumanistyczne koncepcje człowieka w kulturze współczesnej (na wybranych przykładach)". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

[4] Kruszewski, Piotr. "Cyberprzestrzeń i atomizacja. Teoretycznoliterackie glosy na tle nowoczesnej science fiction". Na boku. Pisarze teoretykami literatury?... T. 4 (in Polish): 155–178.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|2001 novel by Jacek Dukaj}}
-{{infobox Book | <!-- See [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Novels]] or [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Books]] -->
+{{Infobox book | <!-- See [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Novels]] or [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Books]] -->
-| name          = Black Oceans
+| name = Czarne oceany
 | title_orig    = Czarne oceany
 | translator    = not translated
-| image         = [[Image:Czarne oceany cover.gif|200px]]
+| image         = Czarne oceany cover.gif
+| image_size = 200px
-| image_caption = Polish edition cover
+| caption = Polish edition cover
 | author        = [[Jacek Dukaj]]
 | illustrator   =
@@ Line 11: / Line 13: @@
 | language      = [[Polish language|Polish]]
 | series        =
-| genre         = [[Science fiction novel]]
+| genre         = [[Science fiction]]
-| publisher     = [[SuperNOWA]]
+| publisher     = Supernowa
 | release_date  = 2001
 | english_release_date =
 | media_type    = ([[Hardcover|Hardback]] & [[Paperback]])
-| pages         = 494 pp
+| pages         = 494
-| isbn          = ISBN 83-7054-149-6
+| isbn          = 83-7054-149-6
+| oclc= 63517009
 | preceded_by   =
 | followed_by   =
 }}
-'''Black Oceans''' ({{lang-pl|Czarne oceany}}) is a [[novel]] written in [[2001]] by [[Jacek Dukaj]], [[Science fiction and fantasy in Poland|Polish science fiction]] writer and published in Poland by [[SuperNOWA]]. The novel fits in the [[hard science fiction]] genre, describing the late-[[21st century]] Earth facing [[technological singularity]]. The novel received the prime Polish award for sci-fi literature, [[Janusz A. Zajdel Award]], for 2001.
+'''''Czarne oceany''''' (literally ''"Black Oceans"'') is a [[science fiction]] novel by Polish writer [[Jacek Dukaj]], published in Poland by [[Supernowa]] in 2001. The novel fits in the [[hard science fiction]] genre, describing the late-21st century Earth facing [[technological singularity]]. The novel received the prime Polish award for sci-fi literature, [[Janusz A. Zajdel Award]], for 2001.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Jacek Dukaj |url=https://culture.pl/en/artist/jacek-dukaj |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=Culture.pl |language=en}}</ref>
+== Development ==
-{{spoiler}}
+The novel was cut down at the publisher's request from over 1000 pages to fewer than 500. The first seven chapters as well as several extra chapters which were cut from the printed versions are published free on Dukaj's website.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Orliński |first=Wojciech |date=2001-10-26 |title=Władza leży między |url=https://wyborcza.pl/7,75517,492967.html |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=wyborcza.pl |language=pl}}</ref>
-== The world ==
+==Plot summary==
-The year is around 2060. [[United States]] is still a leading power, but European and Asian powers are trailing close behind it. Technology has advanced, with [[biotechnological]] [[implant]]s allowing people control over computers via [[brain-computer interface]]s. Full immersion [[virtual reality]] is common, as well as 'Orto Virtual Reality' - mixing virtual reality with our reality, in effect '[[Skin (computing)|skinning]]' our reality. Much of the elite is [[genetic engineering|genetically engineered]] as well, with [[AI]]s being increasingly common. In many ways this is a dark, [[cyberpunk]]-kind of a world.
+=== The world ===
-However, the conflicts of this future era rely more on [[economics]] and market forces than sophisticated military hardware. In this world the [[stockmarket]] is the new battleground for nations and [[megacorp]]s.
+The year is around 2060. The [[United States]] is still a leading power, but European and Asian powers are trailing close behind it. Technology has advanced, with [[biotechnological]] [[human enhancement|implants]] allowing people control over computers via [[brain-computer interface]]s. Full immersion [[virtual reality]] is common, as well as 'Orto Virtual Reality' - mixing virtual reality with our reality, in effect '[[Skin (computing)|skinning]]' our reality in a form of [[augmented reality]]. Much of the elite is [[genetic engineering|genetically engineered]] as well, with [[AI]]s being increasingly common. In many ways this is a dark, [[cyberpunk]]-kind of a world.
+However, the conflicts of this future era rely more on [[economics]] and market forces than sophisticated military hardware. In this world the [[stock market]] is the new battleground for nations and [[megacorp]]s.
-Technological trends are far from only ones explored by Dukaj in his book. He portrays the futuristic [[bureaucracy]], political power struggles behind private sector, government and the military, and changes in culture. Among other things Dukaj extrapolates from the current trend of increasing [[lawsuits]] and [[political correctness]]: in his world many people willingly live under constant surveillance of the New Etiquette (NEti), which registers all their actions so that they couldn't be falsely accused of some "personal offense crime".
+Technological trends are far from only ones explored by Dukaj in his book. He portrays the futuristic [[bureaucracy]], political power struggles behind private sector, government and the military, and changes in culture. Dukaj extrapolates from the current trend of increasing [[lawsuits]] and [[political correctness]]: in his world many people willingly live under constant [[mass surveillance]] of the New Etiquette (NEti), which registers all their actions so that they couldn't be falsely accused of some "personal offense crime".
-==Plot summary==
-The main character, Nicholas Hunt, is an American politician and [[lobbyist]], closely involved with some branches of secret military research, including some into [[paranormal]] activities. He is not a [[hero]]: as Dukaj himself describes him, he is a "a cynical, egoistic bureaucrat, whose main motivation for all of his decisions in his job is, it seems, covering his ass". Currently he has lost an internal power struggle and is assigned to oversee what seems like a dead-end, low-key project. Soon, however, his project starts to gain more importance, as scientists explore some promising theories from the borders of [[memetics]] and [[telepathy]], including study of potential lifeforms that would use [[meme]]s just as we use [[gene]]s, and develop new sciences like ''psychomemetics''.
+=== The story ===
-Suddenly a strange cataclysm takes place, with millions of people worldwide going insane and many densely populated areas becoming a 'no-go' zone. Is this an alien invasion? A result of military or corporation experiment? A new step in human evolution? Or are we seeing the painful transformation into a post-[[technological singularity]] world? Nicholas Hunt is not sure, but he knows one thing: the [[rat race]] is going on, and he will do everything he needs to survive.
+The main character, Nicholas Hunt, is an American politician and [[lobbyist]], closely involved with some branches of secret military research including [[paranormal]] activities. He is not a [[hero]]: as Dukaj himself describes him, he is "a cynical, egoistic bureaucrat, whose main motivation for all of his decisions in his job is, it seems, covering his ass". Currently he has lost an internal power struggle and is assigned to oversee what seems like a dead-end, low-key project. Soon, however, his project starts to gain more importance, as scientists explore some promising theories from the borders of [[memetics]] and [[telepathy]], including study of potential lifeforms that would use [[meme]]s just as we use [[gene]]s, and develop new sciences like ''psychomemetics''.
+Suddenly a strange cataclysm takes place, with millions of people worldwide going insane and many densely populated areas becoming a 'no-go' zone. Nicholas Hunt is not sure if this is an alien invasion, a result of military or corporate experiment, anew step in human evolution, or the result of the transformation into a post-[[technological singularity]] world.
-== Trivia ==
-The novel was cut down from publisher's request from over 1000 pages to less than 500. The first seven chapters as well as several extra chapters which were cut from the printed versions are published free on Dukaj's official website.
-== Quotes ==
+== Awards ==
+The novel received the prime Polish award for science fiction literature, [[Janusz A. Zajdel Award]], for 2001.<ref name=":0" />
-* "Acceptance of an aesthetic of the evil is the first step to accepting the evil itself."
+== Analysis ==
+The novel was discussed in the context of [[transhumanism]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Rupa |first=Katarzyna |date=2017-07-05 |title=Transhumanistyczne koncepcje człowieka w kulturze współczesnej (na wybranych przykładach) |url=https://ruj.uj.edu.pl/xmlui/handle/item/222139}}</ref> and cyberpunk.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kruszewski |first=Piotr |date= |title=Cyberprzestrzeń i atomizacja. Teoretycznoliterackie glosy na tle nowoczesnej science fiction |url=https://www.ceeol.com/search/chapter-detail?id=649790 |journal=Na boku. Pisarze teoretykami literatury?... T. 4 |language=Polish |pages=155–178}}</ref>
+== Reception ==
+In 2001 in his review for ''[[Gazeta Wyborcza]]'', [[Wojciech Orliński]], praised the book for its vivid and realistic portrayal of the near future, although criticized the plot for being somewhat convoluted, and some dialogues for being too much of infodumps. He also noted that the book has gained a cult status years before its actual publication.<ref name=":1" />
 == References ==
+{{reflist}}
-* [http://www.wotmania.com/fantasymessageboardshowmessage.asp?MessageID=43241 2003 Interview with Jacek Dukaj at Wotmania.com]
-* Reviews: [http://www.instytutksiazki.pl/index.php?id=28&L=1&user_ksiazki_pi1%5BshowUid%5D=127&cHash=1e2fc48720], [http://www.culture.pl/en/culture/artykuly/dz_dukaj_czarne_oceany]
-* {{pl icon}} [http://dukaj.fantastyka.art.pl/bibliogr/CzarneOceany.html Description of the book on Jacek Dukaj's official page]
-* {{pl icon}} Reviews: [http://dukaj.fantastyka.art.pl/recenzje/CzarneOceany1WO.html], [http://dukaj.fantastyka.art.pl/recenzje/CzarneOceany2WG.html], [http://dukaj.fantastyka.art.pl/recenzje/CzarneOceany3MO.html], [http://dukaj.fantastyka.art.pl/recenzje/CzarneOceany4JAU.html]
 == External links ==
-* Excerpts: [http://www.instytutksiazki.pl/index.php?id=19&L=1&user_fragmenty_pi1%5BshowUid%5D=94&cHash=76a5eb4b29]
-* {{pl icon}} [http://dukaj.fantastyka.art.pl/utwory/CzarneOceany3.html Chapters 1-7]
+* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060526160005/http://www.wotmania.com/fantasymessageboardshowmessage.asp?MessageID=43241 2003 Interview with Jacek Dukaj at Wotmania.com]
-[[Category:2001 novels]]
+* Reviews: [http://www.instytutksiazki.pl/index.php?id=28&L=1&user_ksiazki_pi1%5BshowUid%5D=127&cHash=1e2fc48720], [https://web.archive.org/web/20070313153114/http://www.culture.pl/en/culture/artykuly/dz_dukaj_czarne_oceany]
+* {{in lang|pl}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20070117202100/http://dukaj.fantastyka.art.pl/bibliogr/CzarneOceany.html Description of book on Jacek Dukaj's page]
+* {{in lang|pl}} Reviews: [https://web.archive.org/web/20070505052803/http://dukaj.fantastyka.art.pl/recenzje/CzarneOceany1WO.html], [https://web.archive.org/web/20070505052757/http://dukaj.fantastyka.art.pl/recenzje/CzarneOceany2WG.html], [https://web.archive.org/web/20070505052740/http://dukaj.fantastyka.art.pl/recenzje/CzarneOceany3MO.html], [https://web.archive.org/web/20070505052516/http://dukaj.fantastyka.art.pl/recenzje/CzarneOceany4JAU.html]
+* [http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2012/02/10/black-oceans-czarne-oceany-by-jacek-dukaj/ Detailed summary of Black Oceans in English]
+* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090427193432/http://www.dukaj.pl/English/ReadingRoom/BlackOceans Passage from Black Oceans (English translation)]
+* {{in lang|pl}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20100921202757/http://dukaj.pl/czytelnia/beletrystyka/CzarneOceany Chapters 1-7] [https://web.archive.org/web/20100626091743/http://www.dukaj.pl/czytelnia/beletrystyka/CzarneOceany13 Chapter 13]
+{{Jacek Dukaj}}
 [[Category:Polish novels]]
-[[Category:Science fiction in Poland]]
+[[Category:2001 novels]]
-[[Category:Science fiction novels]]
+[[Category:Polish science fiction novels]]
-[[Category:Hard science fiction]]
+[[Category:2001 science fiction novels]]
+[[Category:21st-century Polish novels]]
-[[pl:Czarne oceany]]
+[[Category:Cyberpunk novels]]
+[[Category:Jacek Dukaj]]

v t e Works by Jacek Dukaj
Novels	Xavras Wyżryn (1997) Czarne oceany (2001) Extensa (2002) Other Songs (2003) Perfect Imperfection (2004) Ice (2007) Wroniec (2009) The Old Axolotl (2015)
Other	The Cathedral