Remembering a sci-fi book
September 25, 2015 12:11 PM Subscribe
Trying to remember a hard sci-fi book about FTL travel.
The premise was something about how humans discovered FTL travel, and it takes them to the edge of something (galaxy maybe ? A mysterious object at the edge of space ? ) where there's something there (rift in space time?) .
The part that I remember most was evidence (or a discussion at the edge with greater power ?) of other alien civilizations that made it there before humans, with a joke about how some got there by worm holes, some by string theory, etc and that by hook or by crook, all those methods worked.
I would have read it maybe 2003ish, in paperback. I know that ain't much to go on, and not even sure I'd want to re-read it, but it's been on my mind for a while.
The premise was something about how humans discovered FTL travel, and it takes them to the edge of something (galaxy maybe ? A mysterious object at the edge of space ? ) where there's something there (rift in space time?) .
The part that I remember most was evidence (or a discussion at the edge with greater power ?) of other alien civilizations that made it there before humans, with a joke about how some got there by worm holes, some by string theory, etc and that by hook or by crook, all those methods worked.
I would have read it maybe 2003ish, in paperback. I know that ain't much to go on, and not even sure I'd want to re-read it, but it's been on my mind for a while.
Best answer: Light by M.John Harrison I think.
posted by thatwhichfalls at 12:28 PM on September 25, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by thatwhichfalls at 12:28 PM on September 25, 2015 [4 favorites]
Best answer: Seconding Light (2002). That sounds like the Kefahuchi Tract.
posted by miles per flower at 12:33 PM on September 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by miles per flower at 12:33 PM on September 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
I think I should add something about this book for anyone who hasn't read it but is tempted.
The writing is exquisite (Harrison is a brilliant prose stylist), the mix of quotidian 21st century happenings and a hard SF far future is wonderfully done.
However, for no very good reason that I could see, the main character is a serial killer, mostly of women, and I'm sick of reading this sort of stuff even if it's justified by the plot, which in this novel is certainly not the case. So, buyer beware I guess.
posted by thatwhichfalls at 2:02 PM on September 25, 2015
The writing is exquisite (Harrison is a brilliant prose stylist), the mix of quotidian 21st century happenings and a hard SF far future is wonderfully done.
However, for no very good reason that I could see, the main character is a serial killer, mostly of women, and I'm sick of reading this sort of stuff even if it's justified by the plot, which in this novel is certainly not the case. So, buyer beware I guess.
posted by thatwhichfalls at 2:02 PM on September 25, 2015
Mod note: Couple comments removed, fixed up a link.
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:07 PM on September 25, 2015
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:07 PM on September 25, 2015
Response by poster: The cover for Light looks familiar -- I'll have to hit the library and see if that's it.
(I'd swear I've read a bunch of McDevitt books as well, but that would be a question for another time.. )
posted by k5.user at 6:00 PM on September 25, 2015
(I'd swear I've read a bunch of McDevitt books as well, but that would be a question for another time.. )
posted by k5.user at 6:00 PM on September 25, 2015
It reminds me of the short story The Crystal Spheres by David Brin.
In it, there are shells around solar systems. And Earth has sent out probes trying to find open suns with cracked shells.
The bit that reminded me of your description:
In it, there are shells around solar systems. And Earth has sent out probes trying to find open suns with cracked shells.
The bit that reminded me of your description:
In my time there were four ways known to cheat Einstein, and two ways to flat-out fool him. On our journey Pelenor used all of them. Our route was circuitous, from wormhole to quantumpoint to collapsar. By the time we arrived, I wondered how the deepprobe had ever gotten so far, let alone back, with its news.posted by fings at 9:31 PM on September 25, 2015
It kinda reminds me of something in the Xeelee Sequence by Stephen Baxter — Ring.
posted by snap, crackle and pop at 9:37 PM on September 29, 2015
posted by snap, crackle and pop at 9:37 PM on September 29, 2015
Response by poster: OK, so I got Light off paperback swap and on re-read, yes that's the one. Thanks all.
posted by k5.user at 8:46 AM on February 9, 2016
posted by k5.user at 8:46 AM on February 9, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by solitary dancer at 12:18 PM on September 25, 2015