Sun of Suns
What is a sun? In Karl Schroeder's Sun of Suns the answer isn't always what you expect.
The great balloon that is called Virga is three thousand kilometers in diameter. It is filled with a mix of air, rocks, and water, all in free fall, and is home to many nations of people. People build their own fusion "suns" to warm their communities. Towns are built in the form of spinning wheels or cylinders to provide artificial gravity.
Despite the level of technology needed to build Virga, the people live a steampunk-level existence, where the common weapon is the sword and navies are made up of wooden ships, propelled by simple fanjets and small one-man jet bikes. Higher technology, such as radio and radar doesn't work within Virga due to jamming devices that were installed by the original builders. The reason for this is never explained.
The story is that of Hayden Griffin. He is a citizen of the nation of Aerie, which is under the yoke of the larger nation of Slipstream. He is orphaned when his parents are killed when the Slipstream navy attacks the new sun that is being built in secret by the Aerie resistance. The book is the story of his quest for revenge on the noble houses of Slipstream, and the liberation of Aerie.
This is very much an action story, with grand naval battles, heroic derring-do, and swordfighting. Hayden Griffin's and his quest are interesting, but the true star of this book is the world of Virga, and her inhabitants. I enjoyed it immensely. It's the best bit of world-building I've read since Jeff Duntemann's The Cunning Blood.
Sun of Suns is subtitled "Book One of Virga", so it appears Schroeder has more stories about Virga to tell. I'll be watching for more.
The great balloon that is called Virga is three thousand kilometers in diameter. It is filled with a mix of air, rocks, and water, all in free fall, and is home to many nations of people. People build their own fusion "suns" to warm their communities. Towns are built in the form of spinning wheels or cylinders to provide artificial gravity.
Despite the level of technology needed to build Virga, the people live a steampunk-level existence, where the common weapon is the sword and navies are made up of wooden ships, propelled by simple fanjets and small one-man jet bikes. Higher technology, such as radio and radar doesn't work within Virga due to jamming devices that were installed by the original builders. The reason for this is never explained.
The story is that of Hayden Griffin. He is a citizen of the nation of Aerie, which is under the yoke of the larger nation of Slipstream. He is orphaned when his parents are killed when the Slipstream navy attacks the new sun that is being built in secret by the Aerie resistance. The book is the story of his quest for revenge on the noble houses of Slipstream, and the liberation of Aerie.
This is very much an action story, with grand naval battles, heroic derring-do, and swordfighting. Hayden Griffin's and his quest are interesting, but the true star of this book is the world of Virga, and her inhabitants. I enjoyed it immensely. It's the best bit of world-building I've read since Jeff Duntemann's The Cunning Blood.
Sun of Suns is subtitled "Book One of Virga", so it appears Schroeder has more stories about Virga to tell. I'll be watching for more.