Justina Robson covers many interesting topics, but she isn't able to wrap everything up in a convincing way. The political revolution that starts in the middle of the book comes out of nowhere and didn't appeal to me and I was glad when I finally reached the end. The potential for a great sf novel is there, but unfortunately it's wasted. ( )

Justina Robson covers many interesting topics, but she isn't able to wrap everything up in a convincing way. The political revolution that starts in the middle of the book comes out of nowhere and didn't appeal to me and I was glad when I finally reached the end. The potential for a great sf novel is there, but unfortunately it's wasted. ( )

In this mash-up of space fiction, post-human identity conflict, and traumatic evolutionary leap forward, most of the action is seen through the eyes of the "Forged;" manufactured sentient beings who share DNA with Humanity, but who seldom have the oppertunity to escape the constraints of their programming and functional limitations. Enter Voyager Isold, a sentient exploration probe who, on the verge of death, discovers a piece of alien technology that will seemingly allow you to do anything, and which just happens to be in the vicinity of a habitable planet. What's a wannabe revolutionary to do but make contact with her comrades and throw the gauntlet of freedom in the face of those pesky Humans? The problem is that the new technology is not that simple, and it makes irreversible demands on the users. What those demands actually are, how the assorted characters come to understand the price demanded of real change, and how they make their peace with this situation (or don't) is the real point of this novel. I thought that the pay-off was worth it in the end, but many readers might not have a lot of patience what is basically an exercise in puzzle-solving, with a large dollop of self-loathing on the side from the characters, who really don't spend that much time interacting with each other. ( )

Evolving to not the Good Stuff.

Human society in the future has people with the usual sets of limbs, as well as cyborg hybrids that can live or travel in environments the average meatbody cannot.

The beginning finds one of these 'Forged' in trouble in space, literally running across an alien artifact that turns out to be a lot more than just a bit of space junk.

Lots of disruption and decisions to be made on what to do with such advanced alien technology, or perhaps what can you do to stop 'Stuff' being done to you.

Quite interesting, and I continue to enjoy Robson's style.

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2008/11... ( )

Evolving to not the Good Stuff.

Human society in the future has people with the usual sets of limbs, as well as cyborg hybrids that can live or travel in environments the average meatbody cannot.

The beginning finds one of these 'Forged' in trouble in space, literally running across an alien artifact that turns out to be a lot more than just a bit of space junk.

Lots of disruption and decisions to be made on what to do with such advanced alien technology, or perhaps what can you do to stop 'Stuff' being done to you.

Quite interesting, and I continue to enjoy Robson's style.

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2008/11... ( )