Vernor Vinge has won five Hugo Awards, two of them in the Zones of Thought series: A Fire Upon the Deep and A Deepness in the Sky. Known for his rigorous hard-science approach to his science fiction, he became an iconic figure among cybernetic scientists with the publication in 1981 of his novella "True Names," which is considered a seminal, visionary work of Internet fiction. His many books also include Marooned in Realtime, Rainbows End and The Peace War.
"A masterful novel, complex in style and plot, heavy with science
and social speculation . . . . Vinge is truly an original writer."
--NOVA Express on A Deepness in the Sky "Thoughtful space opera at
its best, this book delivers everything it promises in terms of
galactic scope, audacious concepts, and believable characters both
human and nonhuman." --The New York Times Book Review on Fire Upon
the Deep
"True science fiction and a delight." --Publishers Weekly on True
Names "No summary can do justice to the depth and conviction of
Vinge's ideas." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on A Fire Upon
the Deep
"A masterful novel, complex in style and plot, heavy with
science and social speculation . . . . Vinge is truly an original
writer." --NOVA Express on A Deepness in the Sky "Thoughtful
space opera at its best, this book delivers everything it promises
in terms of galactic scope, audacious concepts, and believable
characters both human and nonhuman." --The New York Times Book
Review on Fire Upon the Deep
"True science fiction and a
delight." --Publishers Weekly on True Names "No summary can
do justice to the depth and conviction of Vinge's ideas."
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on A Fire Upon the
Deep
Though probably best known for his Hugo Award-winning novels (A Fire Upon the Deep; A Deepness in the Sky), Vinge, a mathematician and computer scientist, began his writing career with short stories, most of which are gathered in this not quite definitive collection (where are cyberpunk precursor "True Names" and "Grimm's Story"?), along with one new entry, the pop culture-weighted "Fast Times at Fairmont High." Vinge's stories are prime hard SF and also rich with ideas, if often weak on character. Some are also quite dated now, such as the Cold War setting of "Bookworm, Run!" where the future rests on an escaped experimental subject, the first "person" enhanced by direct computer link. "The Accomplice" predicts computer animation the hard way, while "The Whirligig of Time" anticipates space-based missile defenses like SDI. Vinge frames many stories, such as "The Ungoverned" and "Conquest by Defeat," which consider future anarchies, with the idea of a technological singularity the belief that we can't accurately predict what life will be like after the creation of "intelligences greater than our own." Too short to be a story, "Win a Nobel Prize" is a humorous deal with the devil with a biotech twist. "The Barbarian Princess," with its sly pokes at some of the oldest tropes of speculative fiction writing (and editing!), maintains all the color and charm of its original publication. Vinge's comments surrounding each story provide entertaining counterpoint. This collection is a bonanza for hard SF fans, particularly those who prize challenging extrapolation. (Jan. 3) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
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