Incandescence, by Greg Egan, Gollancz, in all good Aussie bookstores since July 24, 2008
The title says it all. Greg Egan is the eponymous incandescent Aussie hard SF author, and his latest novel, Incandescence, is a tour-de-force of scientific extrapolation that delivers us into the far future and introduces us to concepts and ideas that uphold the tenet that complexity is ultimately driven by simplicity. Here is evolution on the edge, an electronic society on the edge, and astrophysics on the edge.
In light of the above, as a hard SF fan (and I mean "hard") I can't dredge up much in the way of negative criticism about Incandescence. I grokked it. Egan's extrapolations and attention to detail are admirable. I suspect, however, that for many readers Egan's almost didactic approach in parts of this novel may prove distancing, distracting, or — in some cases — boring. So be warned. Mathematics and Physics be here.
Despite that, I'm going to admire this novel some more, because I am a hard SF fan.
Imagine a civilisation threatened with extinction by two opposite forces: long periods of easy living inside a limited, safe, and enclosed area (which may not be a good thing for an intelligent mind), punctuated with bursts of looming, extinction-threatening dangers that require a knowledge of the outside universe and its intricate workings for survival. What kind of creature might survive and thrive? Roi is one such, and she lives inside "Splinter" a world that orbits a black hole that is about to tear apart and swallow a nearby star. From first principles, she and her fellow beings must "awaken", firstly to discover that they are in fact in danger, and secondly to discover ways to move their world and save themselves.
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the galaxy, civilisation has grown beyond the need for physical bodies, and one such being, Rakesh, is on the lookout for a challenge. He encounters a traveller, Lahl, from the galactic bulge — the territory of a mysterious, non-communicative civilisation called the Aloof. Lahl suggests that Rakesh might seek out an otherwise lost civilisation from a trace of its DNA that she found on a meteor inside the Aloof's territory.
Both strands of this story are, of course, linked, and chapter-by-chapter Egan brings the reader into the know. The reader is illuminated, by degrees, from first principles, along with the characters.
Finally, this is indeed an Incandescent (read brilliant) novel. If you like hard SF, don't miss the opportunity to buy, borrow, or steal Egan's words.
You can find out more about Greg Egan and his work at his website: <www.gregegan.net>
You may also want to read this review of Incandescence which includes an interview with Greg that illuminates some of the science behind the novel: <http://scalzi.com/whatever?p=1064>
Nuke