Blue Mars | Ringworld Throne | Archangel

Blue Mars

Mars finally has its independence, but can its people fulfill their vision of a new society?

• Blue Mars
• By Kim Stanley Robinson
• Bantam Spectra
• $22.95/$29.95 Canada
• Hardcover, July 1996

Special Note: Don't miss our interview with Kim Stanley Robinson in this issue.

ollowing a successful revolution, Mars has finally gained independence from Earth in Blue Mars, the final volume of Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy. But longstanding internal divisions are threatening the planet, and a major battle ensues between the radical Red faction attempting to destroy the Mars space elevator -- and further sever ties with Earth -- and a group of Greens trying to stop them. (The Reds want to preserve Mars in its original state, while the Greens favor terraforming.)

In the battle's aftermath, Sax Russell, a leading scientist of the terraforming effort, tries to smooth tensions by removing the soletta -- a collection of orbital mirrors -- from Mars orbit. Even though the loss of the soletta may cause an ice age on Mars, Russell feels it's a necessary tradeoff to recognize the efforts of Ann Clayborne -- the original Red -- who tried to prevent the battle.

This incident spurs the various rival political factions to agree on a joint meeting to create a Mars constitution. At the same time they send a delegation to Earth, which is in the midst of a natural disaster. Volcanoes in Antarctica have erupted, melting part of Earth's southern ice cap and raising ocean levels seven meters. Earth was already severely overpopulated and polluted, and this new environmental crisis has turned billions of people into refugees. Part of what Earth wants from Mars is a guaranteed level of immigration, a demand that sets off new conflicts for the citizens of the red planet.

Though there are many other subplots, Blue Mars focuses much of its attention on the emerging Martian political scene and its relationship with Earth, on Sax's sudden obsession with finding a way to please his old adversary, Ann, and on the aging of the First Hundred settlers as adverse long-term effects emerge from the longevity treatments developed in Red Mars. Robinson is as meticulous with his details as ever, whether he's describing the mechanisms of memory, the political and economic theories behind the new Martian constitution, or his characters' internal emotional and mental struggles.

In Blue Mars it becomes clear that Robinson is writing about humanity's next great cultural leap as much as he is writing about the colonization of Mars. Earth, dominated politically and economically by corrupt metanational corporations, is declining toward a dark age. The Martians, invigorated by both necessity and opportunity, have quickly become the intellectual and technological center of humanity. It's an age with many parallels to the Renaissance as scientific discoveries abound in the new social climate, and Robinson convincingly transforms both political and economic structures. By the end, the synergies enable not just the colonization of the rest of the solar system, but also the first expeditions to the stars.

Blue Mars concludes a truly remarkable intellectual achievement. Robinson has set a new standard for realism and complexity in the exploration of the future that likely very few will try to match.

One of the things I like most about Blue Mars, and indeed, the rest of the trilogy, is that Robinson never settles for easy answers -- the solutions to every problem come from hard work and compromise, and they in turn create new problems. Just as it would really happen. -- Clint

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Ringworld Throne

Take a trip back into the future of Known Space

• Ringworld Throne
• By Larry Niven
• Del Rey/Ballantine
• $23.00/$32.00 Canada
• Hardcover, June 1996

ingworld Throne is the third book in Larry Niven's popular Ringworld series, which in turn is part of his larger Known Space universe. It takes place 11 years after the events in Ringworld Engineers and continues the adventures of Louis Wu and his motley crew. When Throne opens, Louis and Chmeee are still trapped on the Ringworld after having saved it from disaster. Despite their success, Louis is burdened by the fact that millions of people died as an indirect result of their actions. While Chmeee is about to embark on a new adventure, Louis just wants to live out the rest of his natural life and maybe find a way to atone for those deaths. His plans are disrupted when the Puppeteer Hindmost contacts him for the first time in a decade.

According to Hindmost, things are critically out of kilter on Ringworld's surface. The population of vampires has expanded and this formerly non-sentient menace is now attacking in large numbers and with apparent intelligence. Louis's old friend, Valavirgillin, is battling the vampires and, in fact, the first part of the book concentrates on Valavirgillin and her "fearless vampire slayers." However, the vampires are not nearly as worrisome to Louis as the signs that Protectors may be fiddling around with the machinery that keeps Ringworld operating. What the Protectors are doing and what that means for the Ringworld may draw Louis into the action and maybe worse -- into acting like a god.

As a sequel, Ringworld Throne delivers on some of the things fans may hope to see, but it fails in other areas. Ringworld is always a fascinating place, and this time readers get to see it through the eyes of some of its more unusual inhabitants -- including the elusive Vampires and Ghouls. Unfortunately, the emphasis on these new viewpoint characters leaves old friends Louis Wu, Hindmost and particularly Chmeee on the periphery of the action for much of the book.

Also, while Niven uses the new viewpoints to expand his reader's understanding of Ringworlder customs (such as the ever-popular rishathra), there aren't many new discoveries on the grand scale of the first two books. Readers do get to visit some new locales, but the story is mostly a case of covering familiar ground with a finer-toothed comb. It's interesting for its own sake but lacks the sheer magnitude that was so impressive in the earlier novels. The writing is fine, though, and the adventure is entertaining.

Hardcore Ringworld fans will enjoy being back in the milieu but may miss the sense of grandeur. Readers who haven't been to Ringworld before should definitely read the other books first, both to fill in gaps -- virtually nothing about past events is explained -- and to get a real sense of what made the Ringworld series great.

The creation of the Known Space universe is one of the most incredible feats of humungous-scale extrapolation any science fiction writer has ever pulled off and it has influenced much of how science fiction perceives the future. Definitely worth going back and pulling out the old books for a re-read.-- LRC

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Archangel

And so it came to pass...or will it?

• Archangel
• By Sharon Shinn
• Ace Books
• $13.95/$19.95 Canada
• Trade Paperback, May 1996

rchangel is set on the planet Samaria, which has been colonized by people known as the Harmonics. As their name might imply, the Harmonics have attempted to carve out a society in which all people live together in harmony. This isn't easy considering Samaria embraces a broad and diverse land, with many climates and peoples.

The mortals of the planet are themselves composed of many cultures and beliefs. Then there are the angels (complete with wings) who watch over the mortals, and the Mystics who guard forbidden knowledge. Above them all hangs the armed space cruiser Jehovah, which sits in Samarian orbit and watches. All who live on the planet fear Jehovah; if peace is not sustained, the ship will unleash its fierce arsenal. But as long as the people respect one another and act with integrity, their land remains fertile and they are safe. However, the peace on Samaria is threatened by a new age of corruption that has begun creeping in. There are certain angels who are not as pure as they should be...

It is against this backdrop that a new Archangel is to be crowned. The angel Gabriel is chosen for the honor, and the oracles further decree that he must wed a mortal woman, an Edori named Rachel. Rachel is expected to greet this news with enthusiasm, and Gabriel is stunned when she refuses to accept her ordained destiny.

And so Sharon Shinn sets up a beautifully written and unique book. In the world of science fiction, it's extremely difficult to find an idea that hasn't already been done, but Shinn has succeeded. The book has decidedly religious overtones, with strong elements of Old Testament influences transplanted into an intriguing blend of technology and old-fashioned beliefs. It's hard to imagine the Old Testament being grafted onto technological action, but Shinn pulls it off, and what's more, she pulls it off without seeming contrived.

Against this setting, Shinn plays out the continuing drama of Gabriel, a haughty angel, and Rachel, a mortal woman. The two are ordained by Jehovah to come together in the holy institution of marriage and sing in the great ceremony of the Gloria on the Plains of Sharon. It's a special and honored tradition, one that only occurs every generation or so.

However, Rachel's stubbornness at accepting her role as Gabriel's wife threatens to bring down the whole tradition, and the wrath of Jehovah. Meanwhile, corruption is quickly unraveling the planet of Samaria, making it more and more likely that Jehovah will strike.

These tensions underscore a wonderfully crafted book that goes beyond the usual hard technology bites of most mainstream science fiction to weave a tale that is enthralling and absorbing. It's an unusual book, but an excellent one.

I like books that are not the old tried-and-true variety, so Sharon Shinn's book was a very satisfying treat for me. It left me with a warm feeling, wishing that the book didn't have to end.-- Steve

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