May Books 2) Spin
2) Spin, by Robert Charles Wilson
I've read two of Wilson's previous novels, Hugo nominees Blind Lake and The Chronoliths, and based on that experience probably wouldn't have bothered reading this if it had not also been nominated for the Hugo this year. And that would have been a mistake: much as I have enjoyed reading the other Hugo nominees, and much as I respect and like the other authors concerned, I think Spin is going at the top of my list. (Yes, I have bought a non-attending membership of LaCon IV.)
The Chronoliths had a fantastic story of Strange Alien Happenings in the near future on such a wide scale that the world is changed for ever; but lost out rather badly on the denouement. Blind Lake was a bit more modest on the Strange Alien Happenings front, concentrating a bit more on the social drama for the main characters, but essentially also failed in the delivery. Spin takes all the best aspects of the previous two, combines them with some very interesting political and philosophical commentary, and delivers a climax whose punch matches the expectations the rest of the story sets up.
The basic story is that one day, some time in the near future, humanity wakes up to find that the stars have disappeared, and that the earth is surrounded by a mysterious barrier. The mystery deepens when it becomes plain that time outside the barrier is passing 100 million times faster than time inside. But rather than rely on sensawunda to sell the story for him, Wilson concentrates on the implications of such a massive disruption for human society, telling it as the story of a family who are heavily implicated in the politics of the change.
Having just read Carl Yoke's book on Zelazny, I was struck also by the Christ-like career of Wilson's main character, Jason Lawton, perhaps a deliberate subtle contrast with the nutty Christian cultists with whom his sister Diane gets deeply involved. There is also a fascinating Martian character, who gives interesting responses to Wells, Bradbury and Heinlein's takes on his own planet.
A really good book. Haven't read Scalzi's Old Man's War yet - in fact I think that is the last piece of Hugo-nominated fiction for me to read this year - but I doubt it will change my mind: hope it wins.
I've read two of Wilson's previous novels, Hugo nominees Blind Lake and The Chronoliths, and based on that experience probably wouldn't have bothered reading this if it had not also been nominated for the Hugo this year. And that would have been a mistake: much as I have enjoyed reading the other Hugo nominees, and much as I respect and like the other authors concerned, I think Spin is going at the top of my list. (Yes, I have bought a non-attending membership of LaCon IV.)
The Chronoliths had a fantastic story of Strange Alien Happenings in the near future on such a wide scale that the world is changed for ever; but lost out rather badly on the denouement. Blind Lake was a bit more modest on the Strange Alien Happenings front, concentrating a bit more on the social drama for the main characters, but essentially also failed in the delivery. Spin takes all the best aspects of the previous two, combines them with some very interesting political and philosophical commentary, and delivers a climax whose punch matches the expectations the rest of the story sets up.
The basic story is that one day, some time in the near future, humanity wakes up to find that the stars have disappeared, and that the earth is surrounded by a mysterious barrier. The mystery deepens when it becomes plain that time outside the barrier is passing 100 million times faster than time inside. But rather than rely on sensawunda to sell the story for him, Wilson concentrates on the implications of such a massive disruption for human society, telling it as the story of a family who are heavily implicated in the politics of the change.
Having just read Carl Yoke's book on Zelazny, I was struck also by the Christ-like career of Wilson's main character, Jason Lawton, perhaps a deliberate subtle contrast with the nutty Christian cultists with whom his sister Diane gets deeply involved. There is also a fascinating Martian character, who gives interesting responses to Wells, Bradbury and Heinlein's takes on his own planet.
A really good book. Haven't read Scalzi's Old Man's War yet - in fact I think that is the last piece of Hugo-nominated fiction for me to read this year - but I doubt it will change my mind: hope it wins.