About this title: Now in paperback--a truly visionary first novel from the most talked-about new voice in science fiction. In the 21st century, faster-than-light travel is perfected and the Eschaton, a superhuman artificial intelligence, is "born." Targeted print add.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Description: Very Good. Slight cover wear with minor scuffing to edges and creasing on spine. GoodwillnyBooks is committed to providing each customer with the highest standard of customer service. You may return new items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. read more
Description: Good. Former Library book. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Like New. Book in almost Brand New condition. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Binding: Mass-market paperback
Publisher: Ace Books
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780441011797ISBN:0441011799
Description: Fair. No dust jacket as issued. Ex-library. Library stickers and stamps-creases-rips/tears in cover- Mass market (rack) paperback. Glued binding. 352 p. Audience: General/trade. read more
Description: Acceptable. Book shows wear to cover edges and spine. Spine has creases. Corners bent/rounded. Cover may have folds or creases. Otherwise in good reading condition. read more
Description: Very Good. 0441011799 Mass Market Paperback, Condition: Very Good; this book is in very good condition with light curve to the spine / light reading creases to the covers. read more
Description: Very Good. 0441011799 Mass Market Paperback, Condition: Very Good; this book is in very good condition with light curve to the spine / light reading creases to the covers. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Ace
Date Published: 6/29/2004
ISBN-13:9780441011797ISBN:0441011799
Description: Very Good. 0441011799 May show signs of shelf wear. Choose EXPEDITED shipping, receive in 2-5 business days. Please email with questions. read more
Description: New. 0441011799 NEW: NEVR USED: MAY HAVE SOME SHELFWEAR: HAS PRICE STICKER AND OR REMAINDER MARK: SHIPS FAST: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE. read more
Binding: S Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Ace Books, E Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S.A.
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780441011797ISBN:0441011799
Description: As New. Appears to be new and unread, square and solid, sharp copy. You'll do the tube steak boogie from front door to back once you receive this book! ! ! read more
Binding: Mass-market paperback
Publisher: Ace Books
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780441011797ISBN:0441011799
Description: Fine. No dust jacket as issued. Mass market (rack) paperback. Glued binding. 352 p. Audience: General/trade. Book is in excellent condition. Cover and pages are clean, binding is tight. We ship daily, Satisfaction Guaranteed. read more
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Ace, New York
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780441011797ISBN:0441011799
Description: Mild crease on spine, interior is tight and clean. An excellent r eading copy. As cellphones rain from the sky on a low-tech colon y planet, the socio-political balance is thrown into disarray. C en turies ago, the Singularity occured on earth and an all-powerf ul AI called the Eschaton spread humanity across the galaxy. A g leef ul, geekful read, chock-full of interesting speculation, cul tural insight, and action! Recommended! .. read more
Edition: First Edition
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Ace Books/Berkley Publishing
Date Published: 2003-08-05
ISBN-13:9780441010721ISBN:0441010725
Description: Like New in Like New jacket. Practically brand new 1st printing with only a hint of edgewear to upper edges of the bright and shiny dustjacket, the interior clean crisp and tight. read more
Description: New. Brand New! Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
"6.0 stars. One of my All Time favorites novels. This is one of those novels (like Neil Gaiman and Neal Stephenson books) where I kept finding myself saying "WOW, how did he come up with such a cool concept." This is a great novel full of big, mind-blowing ideas and concepts. It is space opera for the 21st century. HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!
"Overall, I rate this a firm meh. Entertaining when nattering about space warfare and nanotech constructors, and points for a passing historical backstory of "what if the Singularity happens, and people aren't actually invited"? but then a one-two shot of a general lack of narrative velocity--instead it just has narrative skips--and characters by turn either cardboard or cartoonish. After this and Accelerando, I'm pretty sure I'm done with Stross."
"This book introduced the concept of singularity into S/F at large and set the tone for the new science fiction. Other writers who use concepts similar to Stross include Vernor Vinge, Iain Banks, and Karl Schroeder. But I read this book first and it holds a special place in my heart because of it. Stross uses this work to mock the Far Left, the Far Right, conventional military S/F, and the Perky Girl Heroine tropes. Among other things. He also examines the consequences of Singularity on the economic climate of a culture- his attention to economics is unusual among hard S/F writers. The book is quite dense- you have to think and pay attention. There's a good story in there, though, among all the concepts being thrown at you. In many Stross books I've got the sensation of being suddenly thrown onto a highway from a small 25mph road and working frantically to get up to speed. So maybe my praise for the book is as much for the author's attempt at incorporating so many ideas as anything. The characters are mostly throwaways, and the book does peter out with a whimper rather than a roar. It's a concept book, not a character book. Normally I'm all about character, so it says something that I like this book as much as I do. For me, this book was a watershed moment at which I saw where S/F was going to go, in a homage and gentle mockery of where it's been."
"I've enjoyed Charlie Stross's Lovecraftian stories he keeps online, and was keen to read a full novel. Decent: it kept me reading and I finished fairly quickly.
I liked most the ideas in the book. Cornucopia machines, grey goo weapons, fad-obsessed information-hungry virtual civilisations, libertarian treaty-based citizenship, communication via entangled qubits, a singularity artificial intelligence born when time-looping logic gates were built, and three different ways to travel faster than light. There is piles of technobabble, but all of it means something very specific and is consistent with current understandings of science. I wouldn't call it hard sci-fi though; while the ideas have a basis, it's set far enough in the future that no "how" needs explaining, and the science is not really a focus.
The story itself doesn't really go anywhere or accomplish anything grand - which is a bit of a crime here - it's an excuse to tour one small piece of the setting. There are four or five story threads with loads of potential that just meander and peter out.
The relationship of the Eschaton to the timeline and the conduct of the Festival are thought-provoking; they are "alien" yet have comprehensible motivations.
The socio-economic consequences are intriguing, but lightly described. The setting is a Russia-in-the-stars, undergoing a technologically stimulated revolution. Stross mixes socialist forms and Marxist rhetoric with post-technological capitalism to comic effect - a cyborg revolutionary declaims grandly that "the free market is under threat". It's cute and quaint, but doesn't go deep; I was unconvinced by the over-the-top oppressive and self-destructive ruling class.
I wanted to find out more about the patchwork contractual libertarian political structures on Earth, but that was not to be. The main characters spruik for a technologically facilitated laissez faire socio-political system, borrowing "information wants to be free" hacker slogans, but this theme is abortively pursued.
The characters tend toward caricature; without trying situations or a meaningful story, the colorful personalities amount to little. Additionally, this book has the most awful love-scene I have ever read; artificial, forced, and just unnatural.
I'll forgive the failings for the ideas; it's an easy, stimulating read."
We guarantee every item's condition, as described on Alibris. If you are not satisfied that an item is as described, return your purchase for a refund.
rating
