Hard Science » Cybermage

High octane military space opera set 300 years in the future that follows the star carrier CVS America and Lieutenant Gray, one of the pilots. Ian Douglas (a pseudonym for William H. Keith) is following a familiar pattern with his new Star Carrier series similar to his Star Marine series. This time Humanity is set against a galactic empire ruled by the elusive Sh’daar.

The first book in the epic saga of humankind’s war of transcendence

There is a milestone in the evolution of every sentient race, a Tech Singularity Event, when the species achieves transcendence through its technological advances. Now the creatures known as humans are near this momentous turning point.

But an armed threat is approaching from deepest space, determined to prevent humankind from crossing over that boundary—by total annihilation if necessary.

To the Sh’daar, the driving technologies of transcendent change are anathema and must be obliterated from the universe—along with those who would employ them. As their great warships destroy everything in their path en route to the Sol system, the human Confederation government falls into dangerous disarray. There is but one hope, and it rests with a rogue Navy Admiral, commander of the kilometer-long star carrier America, as he leads his courageous fighters deep into enemy space towards humankind’s greatest conflict—and quite possibly its last

The plot is similar to the Star Marine series. Humanity is set against a vast galaxy spanning empire this time with different kinds of alien in it. The war has been going on for some thirty years by the time this story begins. The star carrier CVS America and her task group attacks and evacuate a Marine contingent under siege by the Turusch, a race subservient to the Sh’daar from a planet thirty-seven light years from earth. The Marines have captured two Turusch soldiers and they are the task forces real objective, since no live Turusch have ever been captured before. Nice believable battle and really good introduction to the characters.

After their mission they return to earth and we get more than a glimpse into life of the twenty-fourth century. World building is good even if Ian’s usual stereotypes shine trough a bit. Politicians and Civilians are stupid and don’t know what to do.

The Turusch launch a surprise attack on earth that America and her crew has to repel.

Characterization in Earth Strike is even better than in Semper Human. Lt Gray has a complex and believable background in the Manhattan swamps, beside him you also gets to follow Rear Admiral Koenig point of view. The alien Turusch are also quite interesting and they have names like Tactician emphatic blossom at dawn. Their psychology is interesting with different minds the Mind Below , the Mind Above and the Mind Here. The Sh’daar reminds behind the scene so far, but I guess we will learn more about them later in the series.

Earth Strike is a solid uncomplicated military science fiction I would recommend to all readers of military SF. It is also an excellent book to start the with if you haven’t read anything by him before. Characterization and storytelling have never been better in any of his books, the lore part is still second to the first star marine trilogy.

The next book will be out 2011 and might cover a strike at the aliens forward base.

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1. Nanotechnology

Have you noticed that nanotechnology have replaced the atomic engine as the bread and butter technology of modern science fiction? In fiction we are talking of tiny machines that often are self replicating and can put atom on atom and build almost anything. Arthur C. Clarke might have been the first to describe nano machines in his short story The Next Tenants from 1956. It’s been portrayed as a threat to all life in different kind of grey goo scenarios, or as potentially biological threats like in Blood Music by Greg Bear where intelligent smaller beings ‘invade’. But the most common usage is as enhancers of technology like in shape shifting houses in a recently read book (can’t remember which one at the moment) or the smart metal in the Kris Longknife series by Mike Shepherd or flexible military crafts like in The Quiet War or Semper Human.

When it is not used for enhancing machines it is used to enhance humans, providing longevity, self repair, additional senses, communication, weapons. Here the examples are numerous Infoquake, Worldwired, Gravity Dreams, One Jump Ahead etc

There are also examples of large living swarms of nano machines that form equally wast intelligences but more about that when we talk about Singularities in a later part of this series.

There has also been numerous example of nanotechnology being used on television in shows like Star Trek where the Borgs used nano probes to assimilate and convert their victims like the lovely seven-of-nine, in Stargate SG-1 the Replicators is a self replicating menace that in the end defeats even the Asgards. There was also an episode in SG-1 were Colonel O’Neal was infected by a nanovirus that speed up his aging etc.

The question is how long nanotechnology is going to be science fiction? We already have nano material in every day appliances and clothing. Nanomaterials are being tested in an increasing range of treatments and drugs.

What do you think?

Index:

It’s not everyday that you find a book that make you this excited. This one did and I got to read it, I have absolute no impulse control when it comes to books. The author Hannu Rajaniemi was born in Ylivieska, Finland and as he says himself “survived the polar bears, the freezing cold and the Nokia recruiting agents long enough to graduate from the University of Oulu“. He lives in Edinburgh and is now working on his PhD thesis in string theory. ”His favourite method of writing involves starting at a blank A4 page until drops of blood form on his forehead” according to his member page on writers-bloc. His three book deal with Gollancz came after they read a 24 pages chapter of the book.

Spanton of Gollancz told sfscope.com “Yes, acquiring one book, let alone three, on the basis of a single chapter is a gamble; and not one I or any other editor is in the habit of making. But I’ve never been more sure of a hand than the one dealt to me by John and Hannu.”

“Hannu’s first chapter was entirely enticing; yes, it was brimful of energy, originality, and fascinating science but these were bonuses. What caught me and left me desperate for more was the masterful way he set up the characters, created relationships between them based on intrigue and need and suggested a rich past and a dangerous future for all concerned. I haven’t been this excited after reading just one chapter in a long, long time, and consequently I’m delighted to be able to welcome Hannu to Gollancz.“

Impressive.

from the product description – Jean le Flambeur is a post-human criminal, mind burglar, confidence artist and trickster. His origins are shrouded in mystery, but his exploits are known throughout the Heterarchy – from breaking into the vast Zeusbrains of the Inner System to steal their thoughts, to stealing rare Earth antiques from the aristocrats of the Moving Cities of Mars. Except that Jean made one mistake. Now he is condemned to play endless variations of a game-theoretic riddle in the vast virtual jail of the Axelrod Archons – the Dilemma Prison – against countless copies of himself. Jean’s routine of death, defection and cooperation is upset by the arrival of Mieli and her spidership, Perhonen. She offers him a chance to win back his freedom and the powers of his old self – in exchange for finishing the one heist he never quite managed . . . The Quantum Thief is a dazzling hard SF novel set in the solar system of the far future – a heist novel peopled by bizarre post-humans but powered by very human motives of betrayal, revenge and jealousy. It is a stunning debut.

Do Gollancz do snippets? I am not sure I can wait until September 16.

Article on Sfscope.com – New author Hannu Rajaniemi sells three books on the basis of 24 pages by Ian Randal Strock

It is available at amazon.co.uk

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