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The Golden Transcendence
from the spam-filtering-ideas dept.
The books are firmly in the space opera genre with a dash of Heinlein libertarianism tossed in for good measure. The story takes place in the far future when artificial intelligences (known as sophotechs) and humans live immortal lives in a libertarian society of near unlimited technology. The experience of real physical interaction is replaced in many cases by remote bodies, recorded experiences of others, and complete control of what a person perceives. Humanity has moved beyond the one body - one brain system and has adopted many different systems of thought and even physical form
Mr. Wright puts forth a brilliant vision of technology and society in the far future where wealth is measured in seconds of computer time and physical labor is non-existent. In this future, there is are still wealthy and poor people but in a different way. In a good interview, Mr. Wright explains:
There would still be rich and poor, even if the poorest of the poor were absurdly well off by our standards. No advancements can eliminate differences in the abilities of men, or the differences in how men value the abilities of their fellow man (which is what causes inequality of prices and hence of incomes). If only by comparison, there will be poverty, even in Arcadia. My characters Ironjoy, Oshenkyo, and the Afloats [...] are meant to represent this idea of future poverty; the Seven Peers represent wealth.
As an example as just one of the concepts presented, we can look at the idea of 'sensefilters.' Perception is no longer what organic senses directly tell the mind. The signals received by the body or remote bodies are processed to be acceptable to the person's particular preferences. If a person doesn't like to see advertising, their mind eliminates the advertising from their vision and fills in the scene with what would be there if the advertisement wasn't there. Consciously, the person isn't aware of this, only that they have requested not to see advertisements. Sensefiltering can be used to remove (or add) objects, people, and even ideas from an individual's perception. The plot devices are interesting stuff that Mr. Wright explores in just enough detail to keep you wanting more throughout the trilogy.
The protagonist, Phaethon, is the son of one of the most important people in the society (known as the Golden Oecumene). In the first two books, Phaethon struggles against first the realization that he is missing parts of his memory, his struggle against society, his fall into exile, and his return to strength.
The third book finds Phaethon poised to fight against the true enemy that has been revealed to him. Without spoiling too much, Phaethon is forced to fight for the very survival of his society (which tossed him out) or allow it to be destroyed.
The author, John C. Wright, obviously has a libertarian heart and embodies the attributes of individuality, resourcefulness, ingenuity and desire for progress in Phaethon, the hero. In the opening novel, we find a society content with things how they are, willing to simply stop progress to prevent anything from changing their utopia in any meaningful way. Phaethon is a man of action in opposition to the statist Golden Oecumene. The underlying theme is that without mankind's strive for exploration and new goals, it is doomed.
Overall, an excellent book and series for the science fiction reader looking for something more than blasters and evil six-legged aliens. Getting used to the terminology and concepts is slow at first but well worth the effort.
Final note: If you enjoy Iain Banks's Culture series, Peter Hamilton's Night's Dawn, or John Varley's Eight Worlds, you will enjoy the The Golden Transcendence and the entire Golden Age Trilogy.
You can purchase The Golden Transcendence from bn.com. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews -- to see your own review here, read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page.
Anti-spam? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Anti-spam? (Score:5, Insightful)
I think this has the potential to take things WAY to far.
One could argue that if one has one's 'filters' set to high, one can end up screening out anything NEW. New experiences are what keeps the mind growing. So - I have visions of hordes of drones soaked in a safe, porn-tinted perceptual cocoon.
Not saying that the idea doesn't have merit, but I think it can be abused.
I'd say... go for a 5% 'totally random material' bypass
Parent
Re:Anti-spam? (Score:3, Funny)
Well, considering most content seems to be created like This [homestarrunner.com], it's no wonder we need content filters.
Re:Anti-spam? (Score:4, Interesting)
this means you're still paying for the bandwidth taken to download advertising, the people you don't like to meet will still be there, probably slapping and kicking you invisibly.
filtering ads on TV will show you what would be there if the ads wasn't there - ie nothing.
Parent
Re:Anti-spam? (Score:2, Interesting)
hmm... now, I don't know what to do about 'invisible assailants' (that make me chuckle, btw) or paying for bandwidth by ads that I don't ever see, but finding a replacement for things that are blocked out shouldn't be a problem: I'll use the time/perceptual space to view my collection of por... classical art - much like I have on my screen-saver, or wallpaper.
Heck - I can even see a new art form growing up around that. Subscribe to 'Ad-ventures', the new series of 15-second serial story vinettes, shown
Re:Anti-spam? (Score:3, Informative)
In the latter case, for the person involved, both the 'visual' and 'physical' are filterable. It is only for 'persons' with meat bodies that one could be slapped and kicked invisibly. One of the taboos in the Golden Oecumene is acting contrary to the sense-filtered worldview of others.
Science Fiction? (Score:5, Funny)
I love how some trilogies have at least 4 parts.
single book please.. (Score:5, Insightful)
I know that the authors have investigated serious time in creating their world, but I'm not proposing never using the world again.. just give the particular character and plot a rest. Outside of the franchises (Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, Star Trek) that pump out more than I want to keep track of, I don't see much.
The last good one I read: Tigana
The last bad one I read: Wheel of Time Series (OMG-will it EVER end?)
Re:single book please.. (Score:4, Interesting)
I have a rule that I don't start reading a series of books until it's done. I want to know that there is an ending. But, sadly, I did get sucked into the Harry Potter series, now I live in terror that JKR will get hit by a bus before she finishes. Or worse, what must be tempting in her position, she takes the money and runs away from the pressure of it all.
--
In London? Need a Physics Tutor? [colingregorypalmer.net]
American Weblog in London [colingregorypalmer.net]
Parent
Re:single book please.. (Score:2)
The last bad one I read: Wheel of Time Series (OMG-will it EVER end?)
That's a perfect example. The Lord of the Rings, six books contained in three novels, is less than 1000 pages altogether. The latest WOT novel (the tenth, I think) is 1000 pages by itself... 1000 grinding, monotonous pages. And it sounds like we have to suffer through at least two more.
Modern authors need to re-read their Strunk & White.
Re:single book please.. (Score:3, Insightful)
Um.... no you don't.
Re:single book please.. (Score:2)
I still watch Enterprise, too, hoping against hope that there might be a diamond in the rough.
I should read my own sig more often, I guess.
Re:single book please.. (Score:5, Funny)
Well, you got me there. I'm still watching Enterprise also, hoping one day for this:
A hologram wavers into place in Archer's cabin.
Archer: Daniels, it that you?
Al: Sam, it's me. Sorry it took so long. Ziggy finally figured out why you are wasting your acting talents on this terrible show. You are supposed to rescue the only decent actor on the show, John Billingsley, from destroying his career.
Parent
Re:single book please.. (Score:3, Interesting)
I believe it was Twain who said that as a starting point, an author should take every occurrence of the word "very" and change it to "damn" - since the editors of the day would promptly remove it, thereby improving the overall quality of the writer's work.
Strict Strunk & White makes for fairly flavorless text - but a good story can still fight its way through.
Re:single book please.. (Score:5, Interesting)
But you may be in luck. I recall hearing rumors that the three books will be combined into one volume in the near future.
As to the Wheel of Time, there is no comparison to be made between Wright's series and that monstrosity. For one thing, The Golden Age is complete now. You can go and read the whole thing from end to end right now should you choose. For another, Wright wisely decided to finish his series before penning prequels!
Parent
Re:single book please.. (Score:3, Informative)
Now I don't mind reading long series if t
Re:single book please.. (Score:3, Insightful)
Translation: You want to read a novel that's contained within one book. A LOT of novelists (especially in the franchises) forget that LOTR was three books because it was so long--not because three volumes really helps the story. (Though, again, a lot of the second-tier
Re:MOD PARENT DOWN! Stole my comment!! (Score:4, Informative)
Parent
Re:MOD PARENT DOWN! Stole my comment!! (Score:2, Informative)
1. Go to the anti-slash.org [anti-slash.org] web site.
2. In the upper-right corner, click on "tools."
3. Click the link to "Use the Database Tool."
4. Type your user name in the Author field.
5. Look for your plagiarized comment in the search results (the site also provides you with a link to the original story).
You can also go directly to the database tool (without having to click on the links I described) by going to http://www.anti-slash.org/tools/db/ [anti-slash.org].
Slightly OT; sci fi in general (Score:5, Interesting)
I've never liked science fiction but all my friends do. Most of the books I've read seem to just be about the technology, races and languages the author has imagined rather than using those as a medium for telling a compelling story; the tail wags the dog.
I like Ray Bradbury, but all my sci-fi-fan friends say that's not "real" science fiction. So can anybody think of a "real" science fiction author that isn't
I'd like to get in to sci fi because it seems like an interesting genre in principle, but I can't seem to find any authors other than Bradbury who care about writing a good book or story. Any ideas?
Re:Slightly OT; sci fi in general (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Slightly OT; sci fi in general (Score:4, Interesting)
I think that sci-fi novels are the male equivalent of romance novels. They even have the same style cheesy covers.
--
In London? Need a Physics Tutor? [colingregorypalmer.net]
American Weblog in London [colingregorypalmer.net]
Parent
Re:Slightly OT; sci fi in general (Score:2, Informative)
Dune
2001
The Man Who Folded Himself
The Demolished Man
A Deepness in the Sky
Ubik (and/or) Valis
Tales of Known Space / The Smoke Ring / Ringworld
Hyperion novels (4 of them?)
Ender's Game
uhh that's it for now...
wait a minute. is this a troll?
No, I've read those (Score:2)
Most of them are exactly what I'm complaining about, especially Dune *shudder*. If I wanted to switch almost entirely to a made-up language halfway through a book I would have read Tolkien. I guess 2001 was OK, and so was Canticle for Liebowitz. I just don't like how many books end up being about the technology itself rather than about the people around the technology.
I managed to sit through the first Hyperion without too much retching, but after that it just became another book full of gadgets and lofty
Re:Slightly OT; sci fi in general (Score:5, Interesting)
That said, the Peter Hamilton and George R.R. Martin books mentioned above are good, and you might also want to look into David Brin's work.
Parent
Re:Slightly OT; sci fi in general (Score:2, Informative)
Or try Orson Scott Card's 'Ender's Game' and the companion 'Shadow' series (Ender's shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon and Shadow Puppets) All of Card's books tend to focus more on his characters and storyline than on science. He's also written a lot of fantasy, so you might want to check that out. You can read the first chapter of some (all?) of his books on his web [hatrack.com]
Re:Slightly OT; sci fi in general (Score:2)
You're last bullet point was against "statements", if not for that I would recommend Ursula LeGuin, but she does get political at times. Octavia Butler is also good, but I confess I haven't read much of her work.
Some Spider Robinson is very good, avoid his recent stuff since he seems to have crawled up his own ass ("buy my new book! it features everything you liked about the last
Re:Slightly OT; sci fi in general (Score:2)
Frank Herbert: His Dune and Jesus Incident series are both very well written. Some of his earlier work isn't as polished, but those two series are great. (They do make some political statements, but the writting is good.)
Kim Stanley Robinson: The Red/Green/Blue Mars series, Icehenge, Antarctica (set just a bit in the future on Earth
Re:Slightly OT; sci fi in general (Score:2)
Huxley meets Heinlein meets Neo (Score:5, Funny)
or something like that....
Re:Huxley meets Heinlein meets Neo (Score:2)
What happened to standalone books? (Score:4, Interesting)
Notable example was the Erikson fantasy series (Malazan book of the fallen) which had a great 1st, good 2nd, ok 3rd and IMHO bad 4th (House of Chains IIRC) book. Notable exception to the rule is Martin's series that's still going strong (dying to read A Feast for Crows)
For people looking for some good standalone sci-fi books look no further than John Varley, one of my favorite authors.
Comfort Food Re:What happened to standalone books? (Score:5, Insightful)
Sprawling SF or F series fill a need that many people feel. They want a comfortable place to escape to. Fictional comfort food.
These are steady sellers, and some publishers favor them. Dedicated readers will keep buying them, out of a sense of loyalty or completeness, and forgive the occasional "dud."
Different strokes for different folks.
Parent
Re:What happened to standalone books? (Score:3, Insightful)
I raved about this bloke and the series to everyone who would listen. And then his third book in the series came out. What a waste of money!!
The whole series is leading up to a massive climax which jsut never comes, the entire storyline is wrapped up in the epilogue after the end of the third book, which jsut seemed to be a secondary arc th
Re:What happened to standalone books? (Score:2)
Not true, I really enjoyed Time, thought Space was excellent, and hated Origin. The first two explored the question "Are we alone?" and explained why either answer was really, really, bad. The third was a bunch of monkeys beating on each other pointlessly. What is it with the English and sadism anyway? (Iain Banks is even worse)
Roots of Poverty (Score:2, Interesting)
The Libertarian myth that people will arrive at their appropriate station in life due to their own merits always amuses me. It becomes positively hilarious when you actually talk to them and realize they live in Lake Wobegon: where all the children are above average.
Regardless of ability, poverty will result simply as a result of random chance. As long as there is an independent probability of a negative result there will be winners and losers, regardless of ability. In a large enough population there
Re:Roots of Poverty (Score:2)
Re:Roots of Poverty (Score:2)
Re:Roots of Poverty (Score:2)
Re:Roots of Poverty (Score:2, Insightful)
All else being equal (which is the environment portrayed in most Sci-Fi novels) people do go as far as their desires and talents will take them. Janitors are cheap because nearly everyone can be a competent janitor. Network architects are not cheap because their skills are rare. Sup
Re:Roots of Poverty (Score:3, Informative)
So then you prefer the Liberal myth that one can only achieve success by suckling at the taxpayer teat?
No, I prefer the myth that I am the chosen one; specially favored among all creation.
An irrelevant and unrealistic example. That implies that the investors have no other investments besides the risky one to choose from.
For all the posters who take analogies too literally, a little research would probably have clued you in that I was referring to recent results in economics and finance which indicate
I set my Sensefilter to filter Mr. Wrights writing (Score:2)
I have set my Sensefilter to remove any further discussion of Mr. Wright's books, which don't sound interesting at all.
Hey, what happened to that Slashdot thread I was reading? Oh well, what was I doing?
I loved the series. (Score:2, Interesting)
I think it is a little misleading to call it Space Opera, because only the setting is such.
No other Space opera even begins to touch on some of the issues addressed within.
These include (but not limited too) what is truth, thought and humanity; ethics both of culture and individual; societal responsibility and individual responsibilities as well as human right vs societal rights; the nature of consciousne
Some thoughts on Poverty and this Book (Score:3, Interesting)
With that out of the way, as one of the other posters has shown there are a number of factors that lead to poverty in the current world. There is no reason to believe in the kind of future that this trilogy describes that any of those factors would still apply. In fact I've been very disappointed that the author seems to allow people to "edit out" advertising but doesn't seem to consider that you can "edit out" knowing about people better or worse off than you. IOW, in that society why would I care to know I wasn't rich?
With all that, I'd have to give these titles more of a mixed review. I think that the author has spent a fair bit of time coming up with some cool ideas. However, as with much of the genre, the characters seem dedicated to giving an excuse for the author to expound on the ideas than to actually giving us well-rounded characters who might make us learn or feel something new about the human condition.
Just my .02 worth.
serious literature (Score:3, Funny)
if you want to find out about humans, society and such, serious literature is the way to go.
Ending theme propaganda? (Score:2, Insightful)
I don't know, maybe its just me but with other scifi entertainment(star trek tv and games, knights of the old republic,etc) having propaganda mixed in I
Fantastic Series! (Score:3, Interesting)
The hero of this story, a cyberneticly advanced individual named Patheon - many of the citizens of Wright's world use mythological and historical titles - who, in the first book, discovers that there are great portions of his memory - and life! - missing. Creatures from other planets visit, and often challenge, Patheon, tempting him with wealth, threatening him with violence and mind-rape, and informing him of hidden political struggles.
It is very difficult to say much more about the story without giving away some fundamentals of the story, but it's safe to highlight some of the issues touched on in the series:
Mortality
Free Will
What makes something 'alive'
Space-colonization
Love
The venerable "Captain Kirk" problem - are you still yourself after you teleported? In this story, it was more along the lines of "Who are you after you have been ressurrected?"
The sereis is a fantastic read, and I reccomend it to anyone who enjoys hard science fiction. While I would not consider this work _hard_ Sci Fi, it goes a bit past medium-soft. It's good stuff!
Re:whoooosh (Score:3, Funny)
"Abilities" at the scale of nations would have to include things like geography, natural resources, and so on. Why not?
Re:whoooosh (Score:4, Informative)
Dystopian near-future Science Fiction written by a Scottish ex-Trotskyite programmer with degrees in Zoology and Biomechanics.
MacLeod is an astonishing writting talent and I think you will enjoy the political aspect of his books.
Parent
Re:Cool (Score:2, Funny)