Ken MacLeod, Learning the World (**** [out of 5])
Mankind has been expanding through the galaxy for 15,000 years. We appear to be alone and we've lost track of just how far we've come. There are thousands of human stars and quadrillions of human beings. A generation ship (there is no FTL) setting out from the edge of the expansion finds something utterly new at their destination star: indigenous aliens.
Problem is, they can't go home again, they can't easily go on, and they cannot reasonably stay. Meanwhile, the aliens aren't as dumb as they look.
Both a morality play and a study in hubris, and a new treatment on Heinlein's generation ship concept -- a debt that Ken acknowledges in a most satisfying way.
Having grown up on Heinlein, I can't wait to read it...add a trip to the library to this week's to-do list...
Posted by: Makrothumeo at August 14, 2005 02:43 PMIt should be noted that this book will not be published in the US until November. It is out in England, however.
Posted by: Kevin Murphy at August 15, 2005 07:43 AM