A Deepness in the Sky: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox Book | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Novels or Wikipedia:WikiProject_Books --> |
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In 1999 [[Vernor Vinge]] published his [[science fiction]] [[novel]], ''[[A Deepness in the Sky]]'', a loose [[prequel]] (set 30,000 years earlier) to his novel ''[[A Fire Upon the Deep]]'' (1992). Nominated for the 1999 [[Nebula Award for Best Novel]], the book [http://dpsinfo.com/awardweb/hugos/00s.html#2000 won] the 2000 [[Hugo Award for Best Novel]] and the 2000 [[Prometheus Award]] for best [[Libertarian science fiction | libertarian science fiction]] novel, making it one of the [http://book.awardannals.com/genre/scifi/topbooks most honored science fiction novels] in recent history. The first [[Tor Books|Tor]] mass-market paperback edition comprises 775 pages. |
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| name = A Deepness in the Sky |
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| author = [[Vernor Vinge]] |
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| country = [[United States of America]] |
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| genre = [[Science-fiction]] |
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| publisher = [[Tor Books]] |
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| release_date = February 1999 |
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| media_type = Print ([[Hardback]], [[Paperback]]) |
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| pages = 606 ([[Hardback]]), 775 ([[Paperback]]) |
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| isbn = ISBN 0312856830 ([[Hardback]] 1st edition) |
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| followed_by = [[A Fire Upon the Deep]] |
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}} |
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''''A Deepness in the Sky'''' is a [[science fiction]] [[novel]] by [[Vernor Vinge]]. Public in 1999 the novel is a loose [[prequel]] (set 30,000 years earlier) to his earlier novel ''[[A Fire Upon the Deep]]'' (1992). |
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==Plot introduction== |
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The book deals with the discovery of an intelligent [[Extraterrestrial life | alien]] species on a planet orbiting the bizarre, appropriately named On/Off star, which spends 215 of every 250 years almost completely dormant, releasing almost no energy. During this period, the planet freezes and its fauna goes into [[hibernation]]. |
The book deals with the discovery of an intelligent [[Extraterrestrial life | alien]] species on a planet orbiting the bizarre, appropriately named On/Off star, which spends 215 of every 250 years almost completely dormant, releasing almost no energy. During this period, the planet freezes and its fauna goes into [[hibernation]]. |
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The planet's inhabitants, named "Spiders" by the humans for their resemblance to [[arachnid]]s, have reached a stage of [[technological development]] very similar to that of Earth's humans in the early [[20th century]]. Two human expeditions set out to trade/exploit the situation: the Qeng Ho [[trader]]s (pronounced ''[Cheng Ho]'', presumably named after [[Zheng He]]); and the Emergents, an [[autocratic]] culture that literally enslaves selected human minds. |
The planet's inhabitants, named "Spiders" by the humans for their resemblance to [[arachnid]]s, have reached a stage of [[technological development]] very similar to that of Earth's humans in the early [[20th century]]. Two human expeditions set out to trade/exploit the situation: the Qeng Ho [[trader]]s (pronounced ''[Cheng Ho]'', presumably named after [[Zheng He]]); and the Emergents, an [[autocratic]] culture that literally enslaves selected human minds. |
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==Plot summary== |
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After suffering decimation due to a disease they call "mindrot", the Emergents have learned to engineer the disease and to use it to their advantage as a form of [[mind control]]. They use it as a weapon against the unwitting Qeng Ho expedition, infecting them during a meeting with a time-delayed variant of the disease. As both groups of humans approach the On/Off star, a surprise attack by the Emergents, timed to coincide with the mindrot symptoms, leaves both fleets crippled. They have perforce to work together and wait for the Spider civilization to achieve a greater technological maturity in order to help them refurbish their ships. |
After suffering decimation due to a disease they call "mindrot", the Emergents have learned to engineer the disease and to use it to their advantage as a form of [[mind control]]. They use it as a weapon against the unwitting Qeng Ho expedition, infecting them during a meeting with a time-delayed variant of the disease. As both groups of humans approach the On/Off star, a surprise attack by the Emergents, timed to coincide with the mindrot symptoms, leaves both fleets crippled. They have perforce to work together and wait for the Spider civilization to achieve a greater technological maturity in order to help them refurbish their ships. |
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With this work Vinge introduces [[localizer]]s to his set of science-fiction concepts. Localizers comprise tiny devices which can contain a simple processor, sensors, and short-range communications. Vinge explores how intelligent control can use [[mesh network]]ing of these devices in ways quite different from those of traditional computer networks. (See also: [[smartdust]].) |
With this work Vinge introduces [[localizer]]s to his set of science-fiction concepts. Localizers comprise tiny devices which can contain a simple processor, sensors, and short-range communications. Vinge explores how intelligent control can use [[mesh network]]ing of these devices in ways quite different from those of traditional computer networks. (See also: [[smartdust]].) |
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==Awards and nominations== |
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* [[Nebula Award]] Nominated for [[Nebula Award for Best Novel | Best Novel]] 1999 |
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* [[Hugo Award]] Winner of [[Hugo Award for Best Novel | Best Novel]] 2000 |
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* [[Prometheus Award]] Winner of best [[Libertarian science fiction | libertarian science fiction]] 2000 |
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These awards make ''A Deepness in the Sky'' one of the [http://book.awardannals.com/genre/scifi/topbooks most honored science fiction novels] in recent history. |
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== External link == |
== External link == |
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Revision as of 00:32, 3 September 2006
| Author | Vernor Vinge |
|---|---|
| Genre | Science-fiction |
| Publisher | Tor Books |
Publication date | February 1999 |
| Publication place | United States of America |
| Media type | Print (Hardback, Paperback) |
| Pages | 606 (Hardback), 775 (Paperback) |
| ISBN | [[Special:BookSources/ISBN+0312856830+%28%5B%5BHardback%5D%5D+1st+edition%29 |ISBN 0312856830 (Hardback 1st edition)]] Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character |
| Followed by | A Fire Upon the Deep |
'A Deepness in the Sky' is a science fiction novel by Vernor Vinge. Public in 1999 the novel is a loose prequel (set 30,000 years earlier) to his earlier novel A Fire Upon the Deep (1992).
Plot introduction
The book deals with the discovery of an intelligent alien species on a planet orbiting the bizarre, appropriately named On/Off star, which spends 215 of every 250 years almost completely dormant, releasing almost no energy. During this period, the planet freezes and its fauna goes into hibernation.
The planet's inhabitants, named "Spiders" by the humans for their resemblance to arachnids, have reached a stage of technological development very similar to that of Earth's humans in the early 20th century. Two human expeditions set out to trade/exploit the situation: the Qeng Ho traders (pronounced [Cheng Ho], presumably named after Zheng He); and the Emergents, an autocratic culture that literally enslaves selected human minds.
Plot summary
Template:Spoiler After suffering decimation due to a disease they call "mindrot", the Emergents have learned to engineer the disease and to use it to their advantage as a form of mind control. They use it as a weapon against the unwitting Qeng Ho expedition, infecting them during a meeting with a time-delayed variant of the disease. As both groups of humans approach the On/Off star, a surprise attack by the Emergents, timed to coincide with the mindrot symptoms, leaves both fleets crippled. They have perforce to work together and wait for the Spider civilization to achieve a greater technological maturity in order to help them refurbish their ships.
Emergent culture uses mindrot primarily in the form of a variant which technicians can manipulate in order to release neurotoxins to specific parts of the brain. An active MRI-type device triggers changes through dia- and paramagnetic biological molecules. By manipulating the brain in this way, Emergent managers induce a state they call Focus, in which Focused persons become completely obsessed with a single idea or speciality, essentially turning them into brilliant appliances. Many Qeng Ho become Focused against their will, and the Emergents retain the rest of the population under mass surveillance. The Qeng Ho trading culture gradually starts to dilute this totalitarian régime, however, as the Emergents discover certain benefits of tolerated and restricted free trade; and the two human cultures merge to some extent over many years of forced co-operation.
The book discusses some of the problems of trying to maintain an interstellar trading culture without access to superluminal travel or to superluminal communication. Time-measurement details provide an interesting concept in the book: the Qeng Ho measure time primarily in terms of seconds, since the notion of days, months, and years has no usefulness between various star systems. The timekeeping system, based on the Unix epoch, uses terms such as kiloseconds and megaseconds.
Only one concrete connection links A Deepness in the Sky with A Fire Upon the Deep: the character of Pham Nuwen, the "Programmer-at-Arms", who appears in both books. Hints occur about the "zones of thought" mentioned in the earlier book; the story takes place in the Slow Zone, though Vinge does not explain the connections, and the characters in the story remain unaware of the zones' existence. The sun's inexplicably strange behavior, the unusual planetary system (with only a solitary planet and several asteroid-sized diamonds), and the discovery of "cavorite mines" on the planet appear as possible leftovers from the passage of the system through the center of the galaxy. Vinge's characters speculate that the Spiders descend from an ancient star-faring civilization, and that the antigravity material and other strange artifacts have connections with that civilization.
At the end of the book, Pham announces his plans to free all of the Focused in the entire Emergent civilization, and, if surviving that, to embark on a journey to the center of the galaxy to find the source of these strange artifacts (A Fire Upon the Deep reveals that he died during this journey, and that one of the god-like Powers re-assembled his body parts and memories to use as a puppet).
With this work Vinge introduces localizers to his set of science-fiction concepts. Localizers comprise tiny devices which can contain a simple processor, sensors, and short-range communications. Vinge explores how intelligent control can use mesh networking of these devices in ways quite different from those of traditional computer networks. (See also: smartdust.)
Awards and nominations
- Nebula Award Nominated for Best Novel 1999
- Hugo Award Winner of Best Novel 2000
- Prometheus Award Winner of best libertarian science fiction 2000
These awards make A Deepness in the Sky one of the most honored science fiction novels in recent history.
External link
- A Deepness in the Sky title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database