The Quiet War is over. The city states of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn have fallen to the Three Powers Alliance of Greater Brazil, the European Union and the Pacific Community. A century of enlightenment, rational utopianism and exploration of new ways of being human has fallen dark. Outers are herded into prison camps and forced to collaborate in the systematic plundering of their great archives of scientific and technical knowledge, while Earth's forces loot their cities, settlements and ships, and plan a final solution to the 'Outer problem'. But Earth's victory is fragile, and riven by vicious internal politics. While seeking out and trying to anatomise the strange gardens abandoned in place by Avernus, the Outers' greatest genius, the gene wizard Sri Hong-Owen is embroiled in the plots and counterplots of the family that employs her. The diplomat Loc Ifrahim soon discovers that profiting from victory isn't as easy as he thought. And in Greater Brazil, the Outers' democratic traditions have infected a population eager to escape the tyranny of the great families who rule them. After a conflict fought to contain the expansionist, posthuman ambitions of the Outers, the future is as uncertain as ever. Only one thing is clear. No one can escape the consequences of war - especially the victors.
Gardens of the Sun (Gollancz)
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Few writers conjure futures as convincingly as McAuley; his latest novel deftly combines bold characterization, a thorough understanding of political complexity, and excellent science. --Guardian
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Book Description
After the Quiet War between Earth and the Outers, it's time to pick up the pieces . . . but peace is not yet assured
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Paul McAuley is surely one of our best writers. This is intelligent, world creating, thrilling and optimistic space opera - without the naivety of much American SF. The world building goes on against a back drop of flawed humanity, full of politicking, jealousies and the small cruelties we all love to inflict on each other. So it is, so it will be. The context is biodiversity but this time its human biodiversity and the opportunity to build a post human experience as well as human one, a technological fueled optimism that resonates so much in 2009 . We can build and mitigate anthropogenic climate change. There are no hero's as such, just people muddling on doing there stuff not always well or even nicely .
It really must be read after the Quiet War though as i do not think it stands well alone
As an aspiring writer it makes insanely jealous . Nuff said
It really must be read after the Quiet War though as i do not think it stands well alone
As an aspiring writer it makes insanely jealous . Nuff said
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is the second of a pair. The first was The Quiet War. See its reviews for the background to this one.
After the Quiet War, many of the Outers are rounded up into prison camps. The ones that escape capture, the Free Outers, flee to Miranda, a moon of Uranus, to recover and rebuild. They are forced to flee again to Triton, a moon of Neptune, after Greater Brazil sends ships after them. Again they are moved on, this time by Ghosts, fellow Outers who follow a reclusive leader who in turn follows orders from a future version of himself, who is supposedly on an extra-Solar planet. Orbiting remote Nephele, the Free Outers, now wary of permanent habitats, build the "Gardens of the Sun", detached bubble habitats that are closed eco-systems drawing extra energy from the Sun.
The Gardens of the Sun are but one of many types of long-term closed habitats, ranging from the many scattered emergency self-regenerating survival cabins Outers need in case of suit or major habitat failure to the artistic creations of the Outer 'gene wizard' Avernus, who delights in creating hidden 'gardens', each one following a completely different design in its combinations of 'tweaked' living organisms, based on archetypal animal and plant patterns. A more utilitarian approach is taken by Sri Hong-Owen, who creates 'cut' humans for various purposes, not all pleasant. Both women come to very different ends which signal how their approaches differ.
The Outers draw their strength as a community of individuals working together. The three Earth blocs against them, united under the banner of the Three Powers Alliance, soon start squabbling over the spoils of war.... Read more ›
After the Quiet War, many of the Outers are rounded up into prison camps. The ones that escape capture, the Free Outers, flee to Miranda, a moon of Uranus, to recover and rebuild. They are forced to flee again to Triton, a moon of Neptune, after Greater Brazil sends ships after them. Again they are moved on, this time by Ghosts, fellow Outers who follow a reclusive leader who in turn follows orders from a future version of himself, who is supposedly on an extra-Solar planet. Orbiting remote Nephele, the Free Outers, now wary of permanent habitats, build the "Gardens of the Sun", detached bubble habitats that are closed eco-systems drawing extra energy from the Sun.
The Gardens of the Sun are but one of many types of long-term closed habitats, ranging from the many scattered emergency self-regenerating survival cabins Outers need in case of suit or major habitat failure to the artistic creations of the Outer 'gene wizard' Avernus, who delights in creating hidden 'gardens', each one following a completely different design in its combinations of 'tweaked' living organisms, based on archetypal animal and plant patterns. A more utilitarian approach is taken by Sri Hong-Owen, who creates 'cut' humans for various purposes, not all pleasant. Both women come to very different ends which signal how their approaches differ.
The Outers draw their strength as a community of individuals working together. The three Earth blocs against them, united under the banner of the Three Powers Alliance, soon start squabbling over the spoils of war.... Read more ›
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
What many people have yet to realise about Paul is that his writing it not only gripping but beautifully constructed from the characters he creates to the situations and worlds in which they inhabit. Each word is carefully chosen to fit the situation and whilst it can feel a tad spartan at times it's a novel that really will remain with you long after the final page it turned. In this, the sequel to The Quiet War, the reader is literally thrust into the struggles after the events in the previous novel unfurled and really won't be let go until the dawn breaks with you realising you've been up all night. A master of Hard Sci-Fi and an author who will be as revered as a number of predecessors in years to come, you really have to try him to see the quality. All in all, this is a great offering and one that left me clamouring for the next novel as I turned the final page. Dammit, its going to be a long wait.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By L. Richards
Format:Hardcover
This is the sequel to The Quiet War (Gollancz), which is among the best and most thought-provoking science fictions published in recent years. McAuley is a writer of awesome skill, and his books reflect this in their scope, elegance and humanity. This novel captures realism in its characters, bringing to life its fictional universe, and making both its science and its fiction perfectly believable.
McAuley is one of the best science fiction writers at work today. He deserves more attention than he receives, and Gardens of the Sun is one of his best books to date. (Another fine example of his work is Fairyland.) I will spill no beans, and reveal nothing of the plot. I will only add my name to the list of discriminating, hard-to-impress, hard-core science fiction fans who loved this book. This is a great science fiction author at his best, writing for people who love science fiction. Its mass-market paperback edition is coming out on the 26th of August. It's well worth a read.
McAuley is one of the best science fiction writers at work today. He deserves more attention than he receives, and Gardens of the Sun is one of his best books to date. (Another fine example of his work is Fairyland.) I will spill no beans, and reveal nothing of the plot. I will only add my name to the list of discriminating, hard-to-impress, hard-core science fiction fans who loved this book. This is a great science fiction author at his best, writing for people who love science fiction. Its mass-market paperback edition is coming out on the 26th of August. It's well worth a read.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The brilliant follow up and (I think) conclusion to the The Quiet War (Gollancz). And a true second part of the story at that, no boring padding, no irritating subplots and no silly cliff hangers just quality story telling. Every character is worthy of a book in their own right and each chapter is like reading a mini novel, that's how good this book is. It is a rich, exciting and ironically human tale of post human expansion in the solar system. The politics and interaction between all the different factions are fascinating and the author effortlessly combines achingly sad moments with beautiful optimism. Can't imagine how I will ever read a better book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
sequel to equally impressive The Quiet War
This book is the sequel to The Quiet War. Having thoroughly enjoyed that book I expected great things from this novel. And I wasn't disappointed. Read more
Published 17 months ago by David Briddock
4.0 out of 5 stars
A fitting finale
I read Gardens of the Sun after reading its companion volume and fore-runner The Quiet War. I would recommend this rather than trying to read either book as a stand-alone novel. Read more
Published on 2 Aug 2010 by Amit Mozoomdar
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good, but lacking the human touch
As a fully realised possible future scifi novel, so something grounded in real or at least possibly real science, Gardens is great - thought-provoking, conversation-starting stuff. Read more
Published on 8 July 2010 by R. Collins-white
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