Items related to The memory of whiteness : a scientific romance
Synopsis
An early novel from Science Fiction legend Kim Stanley Robinson, The Memory of Whiteness is now available for the first time in decades.
In 3229 AD, human civilization is scattered among the planets, moons, and asteroids of the solar system. Billions of lives depend on the technology derived from the breakthroughs of the greatest physicist of the age, Arthur Holywelkin. But in the last years of his life, Holywelkin devoted himself to building a strange, beautiful, and complex musical instrument that he called The Orchestra.
Johannes Wright has earned the honor of becoming the Ninth Master of Holywelkin's Orchestra. Follow him on his Grand Tour of the Solar System, as he journeys down the gravity well toward the sun, impelled by a destiny he can scarcely understand, and pursued by mysterious foes who will tell him anything except the reason for their enmity.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review
Though now best known for his massive 1990s Mars trilogy, Kim Stanley Robinson has been publishing fine, intelligent SF novels since 1984. The Memory of Whiteness (1985) describes a grand musical tour of the 33rd-century solar system, beginning on Pluto at the bleak outer edge, visiting various moons, asteroids and planets, and climaxing in the blinding light and heat of a futuristic power station orbiting close to the Sun's solar-flare zone. All these places are habitable thanks to technologies spawned by the Unified Field Theory of physicist Holywelkin, whose other gift to posterity was his mysterious Orchestra--a fantastic amalgam of over 150 instruments controllable by a single player. Past Orchestra Masters simply played classical music, but the new master is a visionary who thinks he sees Holywelkin's original purpose: to explore his revolutionary Ten Forms of Change equations through music, and reach a devastating insight about the universe. The interplay of music and mathematics (as in Douglas Hofstadter's Godel, Escher, Bach) is persuasive and resonant. Meanwhile, plots, deceptions, conspirators, cultists, and sabotage attempts dog the Grand Tour as it spirals inward through the system.... Gripping thriller elements alternate with elegant philosophical speculation and slightly cutesy asides to the "dear Reader". Strange and fascinating. --David Langford
Review
‘An elegance that manages to contain a what-happens-next vigour... It makes astonishing connections’
THE TIMES
‘A masterpiece’
ANALOGUE
‘A symphony of ideas’
GREG BEAR
‘Rich and compelling’
INTERZONE
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Other Popular Editions of the Same Title
Search results for The memory of whiteness : a scientific romance
Stock Image
The Memory of Whiteness
Published by
Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom, 1985
ISBN 10: 031293467X
ISBN 13: 9780312934675
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. First Ed. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Seller Inventory # 40537332-6
Quantity: 2 available
Stock Image
The Memory of Whiteness
Published by
Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom, 1985
ISBN 10: 031293467X
ISBN 13: 9780312934675
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Better World Books: West, Reno, NV, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. First Ed. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Seller Inventory # 40537332-6
Quantity: 1 available
Seller Image
The Memory of Whiteness: A Scientific Romance [Uncorrected Bound Proofs]
Published by
Tom Doherty Associates, New York, 1985
ISBN 10: 031293467X
ISBN 13: 9780312934675
Used
Paperback
First Edition
Seller: Classic Books and Ephemera, IOBA, Lansdowne, PA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. 351 p.; 22 cm. Light blue wrappers with blank spine. Uncorrected Bound Proofs. Front cover indicates that the book would be published as a hardcover in September 1985, distributed by St. Martin's Press. Kim Stanley Robinson is a prolific writer of science fiction, with most of his books having an ecological component, as well as exploring alternatives to capitalism. His works have been nominated for 29 awards, of which he was won the Hugo Award twice, the Nebula Award twice, a World Fantasy Award once, a John W. Campbell Memorial Award once, and the Locus Award six times. He was the guest of honor in 2010 at the 68th World Science Fiction Convention in Melbourne, Australia. Like his later Mars Trilogy, this book is set in a world in which humans have settled throughout the solar system. Unlike his other works, this has a strong emphasis on the role of the arts, in particular music, in human life. ISBN: 0-312-93467-X. In Very Good Condition: small scrape along top edge of front cover; some stain top and bottom cover edges; pages are clean and tight. Seller Inventory # 002963
Quantity: 1 available
Seller Image
The Memory of Whiteness [SIGNED]
Published by
Tor Books, Tom Doherty Associates, New York, NY, 1985
ISBN 10: 031293467X
ISBN 13: 9780312934675
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Space Age Books LLC, Conroe, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. "First printing, September 1985" on its copyright page. Signed, with no personalization or inscription, by author Kim Stanley Robinson on its title page. This book is in near fine condition, marred only by a light bump on the base of is spine. Its binding is tight and square, with no spine crease. Covers are unmarked and otherwise unworn, with bright silver titles on its spine. Pages are unmarked (other than the author's signature) and unworn. Not a remainder. Its dust jacket, now protected by a removable mylar cover, is in very good condition: whole, bright, and unmarked, but marred by a 1" closed tear in its front top edge, plus traces of wear on its flap folds. I will ship this book in a moisture proof zip-loc bag, padded in bubble wrap, inside a sturdy box to assure it reaches its new owner in the same condition as my description. Seller Inventory # 003147
Quantity: 1 available
Stock Image
The Memory of Whiteness: A Scientific Romance
Published by
T. Doherty Associates, 1985
ISBN 10: 031293467X
ISBN 13: 9780312934675
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Market Square, Kinsman, OH, U.S.A.
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Good. First Edition. First printing Sept. 1985. Very good book in a good jacket with curled margin. Seller Inventory # h02-2-53
Quantity: 1 available
Seller Image
The Memory Of Whiteness
Published by
Tor, 1985
ISBN 10: 031293467X
ISBN 13: 9780312934675
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Signed
Seller: Cross Genre Books, WEST LINN, OR, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. Joe Bergeron, dj art (illustrator). 1st Edition 1st Printing. The book has light foxing to the edges of the page block and a light previous damp stain to the bottom of the pages.The dust jacket has light wear and rubbing to the covers and is unclipped ($15.95). First Printing Stated. Signed by the author on the title page. Seller Inventory # 005033
Quantity: 1 available
Stock Image
The Memory of Whiteness : A Scientific Romance
Published by
Tom Doherty Associates, LLC, New York, NY, U.S.A., 1985
ISBN 10: 031293467X
ISBN 13: 9780312934675
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Signed
Seller: Memories Lost and Found, Avondale Estates, GA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: near fine. First edition. Signed by Robinson with personalized inscription. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. yk. Seller Inventory # 37202
Quantity: 1 available
Stock Image
The Memory of Whiteness: A Scientific Romance
Published by
TOR, New York, 1985
ISBN 10: 031293467X
ISBN 13: 9780312934675
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Michael J. Toth, Bookseller, ABAA, Springtown, PA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hard Cover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. First Edition. Author's third book; 351pp. Seller Inventory # 903958
Quantity: 1 available
Stock Image
The memory of whiteness: A scientific romance
Published by
T. Doherty Associates, 1985
ISBN 10: 031293467X
ISBN 13: 9780312934675
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: R. Fields Bookseller, Ann Arbor, MI, U.S.A.
Seller rating 3 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: As New. Dust Jacket Condition: As New. 1st Edition. Stated First Printing September 1985. Seller Inventory # ABE-1642540117369
Quantity: 1 available
Stock Image
The Memory Of Whiteness
Published by
Tor/Tim Doherty Associates, 1985
ISBN 10: 031293467X
ISBN 13: 9780312934675
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Affordably Rare, Westport, CT, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. inventive science fiction. Seller Inventory # 4252
Quantity: 1 available