A Deepness in the Sky - Hardcover

Vinge, Vernor

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0312856830 ISBN 13: 9780312856830

Publisher: Tor Books, 1999

Synopsis

A return to Arachna, the world of the award-winning A Fire Upon the Deep, journeys back in time thirty thousand years as the Qeng Ho battle the Emergents, and only Pham Numen has a chance to foil the horrendous Emergents' plan. 30,000 first printing.

About this title

Review

This hefty novel returns to the universe of Vernor Vinge's 1973 Hugo winner A Fire Upon the Deep--but 30,000 years earlier. It has the same sense of epic vastness despite happening mostly in one isolated solar system. Here there's a world of intelligent spider- creatures who traditionally hibernate through the "Deepest Darkness" of their strange variable sun's long "off" periods, when even the atmosphere freezes. Now science offers them an alternative. Meanwhile, attracted by spider radio transmissions, two human starfleets come exploring: merchants hoping for customers, and tyrants who want slaves. Their inevitable clash leaves only crippled remnants of both fleets, with power in the wrong hands, leading to a long wait in space until the spiders develop exploitable technology. Over the years Vinge builds compelling tension through multiple storylines and characters. In the sky, hopes of rebellion against tyranny continue despite soothing lies, brutal repression and a mental bondage that can convert people into literal tools. Down below, the engagingly sympathetic spiders have their own problems. In flashback, we see the grandiose ideals and ultimate betrayal of the merchant culture's founder, now among the human contingent and pretending to be a senile buffoon while plotting, plotting. Major revelations, ironies and payoffs follow. A powerful story in the grandest SF tradition. -- David Langford

Review

"Huge, intricate, and ingenious, with superbly realized aliens: a chilling spellbinding dramatization of the horrors of slavery and mind control."--"Kirkus Reviews "(pointer review)
"A feast of imagination. As always, Vinge satisfies with richly imagined worlds and a full-flavored story."--Greg Bear
"Wonderfully engaging!"--"Cleveland Plain Dealer"

Huge, intricate, and ingenious, with superbly realized aliens: a chilling spellbinding dramatization of the horrors of slavery and mind control. "Kirkus Reviews (pointer review)"

A feast of imagination. As always, Vinge satisfies with richly imagined worlds and a full-flavored story. "Greg Bear"

Wonderfully engaging! "Cleveland Plain Dealer""

"Huge, intricate, and ingenious, with superbly realized aliens: a chilling spellbinding dramatization of the horrors of slavery and mind control." --Kirkus Reviews (pointer review)

"A feast of imagination. As always, Vinge satisfies with richly imagined worlds and a full-flavored story." --Greg Bear

"Wonderfully engaging!" --Cleveland Plain Dealer

Edition details

• Publisher: Tor Books
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0312856830
• ISBN 13: 9780312856830
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 606