The Cassini Division: A Fall Revolution Novel (Paperback)

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• This item: The Cassini Division: A Fall Revolution Novel by Ken MacLeod

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• The Stone Canal: A Fall Revolution Novel by Ken MacLeod

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• The Sky Road: A Fall Revolution Novel by Ken MacLeod

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The Stone Canal: A Fall Revolution Novel by Ken MacLeod 4.4 out of 5 stars (11)  £5.99

The Sky Road: A Fall Revolution Novel by Ken MacLeod 4.6 out of 5 stars (7)  £5.99

The Star Fraction: A Fall Revolution Novel by Ken MacLeod 3.8 out of 5 stars (23)  £5.99

Engine City (Engines of Light) by Ken MacLeod 3.8 out of 5 stars (8)  £5.49

Learning the World: A Novel of First Contact by Ken MacLeod 4.0 out of 5 stars (16)  £5.49

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Amazon.co.uk Review
With his third novel, Ken MacLeod elaborates further on the future timeline of his first two, The Star Fraction (1995) and The Stone Canal (1996). Most relevant is book two, which established a colony on the remote world New Mars via a spatial wormhole created by superhumans--transcendent machine-hosted intelligences called the "fast-folk". The original fast-folk crashed from too much contemplation of their metaphorical navels, but their descendants on Jupiter still harass Earth with virus transmissions that have killed off computers and the Internet. Enter black heroine Ellen May Ngwethu of the Cassini Division, an elite space-going force created to defend against the fast- folk. Her wild doings in the 24th century's anarcho-socialist utopia make for fun reading-- everyone will covet her smart-matter clothing that can become a spacesuit, combat outfit, evening gown or satellite dish at will. But Ellen's and the Division's political philosophy is brutally tough, with alarming plans to use a planet-wrecking doomsday weapon against "enemies" who may not in fact be hostile. In a climax of slam-bang space battle, MacLeod crashes the ongoing ethical debate into a brick wall and leaves you gasping. Witty, skilful, provocative, and just a trifle too glibly resolved. --David Langford --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
'This man's going to be a major writer' IAIN M. BANKS 'Prose sleek and fast as the technology it describes ... Watch this man go global' PETER F. HAMILTON 'An excellent novel: intelligent, witty and politically challenging' NEW SCIENTIST 'The wit and thrust are like a needle shower ... a joyous tale' MAIL ON SUNDAY

Third novel, but first to reach these shores, from Scotland resident MacLeod. In the 24th century, Ellen May Ngwethu's Cassini Division patrols space around Jupiter, preventing excursions by the Jovians. In past centuries, you see, post-humans who transformed themselves with nanotechnology went crazy and almost destroyed human technical civilization with computer viruses, diseases, and mind-controlling memes. The surviving post-humans took up residence inside Jupiter, while the new, socialist-anarchist Solar Union developed virus-proof, non-electronic nanotechnological Babbage computers. Others, slaves of the post-humans, escaped the conflict through a wormhole to New Mars. Here, first-person narrator Ellen profoundly distrusts the Jovians and also suspects that the capitalist-anarchist New Martians possess downloaded copies of post-humans who, if woken, could pose the same threat as the Jovians (they live a thousand times as fast as humans and so have progressed unimaginably far). Ellen needs to control the wormhole, which was created by the post-humans from physics described by I. K. Malley. She grabs Malley from his tiny enclave on Earth, but he refuses to help her wipe the Jovians out without first attempting to communicate with them. The beautiful, ethereal Jovians respond through a consensus construct, providing information and reassurances. Ellen isn't convinced, though, and proceeds with her plans to bombard Jupiter with comets before taking her ship though the wormhole to New Mars. The New Martians are contemptuously confident that they can handle the Jovians, and they propose to go back through the wormhole to trade with them! So, if the comets strike and Ellen is wrong, an entire advanced civilization will die. But if the comets are diverted, and she's right, the Jovians will destroy humanity and enslave the survivors. Deliciously ironic, brilliantly imagined, MacLeod's witty and intelligent yarn packs a tremendous wallop. More, please! (Kirkus Reviews)

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10 Reviews 5 star:  (5) 4 star:  (3) 3 star:  (2) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.3 out of 5 stars (10 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   11 of 11 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Clever, witty, and very enjoyable, 3 Mar 2001 By  Steven Fouch "fouch26" (London, England) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)       This is a very fast moving novel indeed - in fact that is my only serious criticism - at times it almost feels rushed, and as a consequence some characters never fully develop, and certain plot elements jar. Also, some of the events and characters probably would make full sense only if you have already read MacLeod's earlier two novels, 'The Star Fraction' & 'The Stone Canal' (especially the latter). Certainly, there are subtleties that allude to both earlier novels that give a different take on the whole story. That to one side, this is refreshingly clever, insightful, and witty SF. The technologies may have been seen before in other guises by numerous contemporary SF writers (nanotechnology, Artificial Intelligence gone rouge, difference engines, arcologes, etc., etc.). What MacLeod excels at however is an ability to create a credible, alien worldveiw. This story is essentially about a clash of anarchist world views, one socialist, but also deeply nihilistic and pessimistic about the human condition, the other highly capitalistic, individualistic, and almost naïvely optimistic. Against this is the potential threat of possibly hostile, possibly benign Artificial Intelligences which may or may not represent the next step in human evolution. It is a measure of his success that the human societies are credible, and their conflicts understandable. In Ellen May Ngwethu he also gives us a central character whose world view is very different to our own, and which is at times morally repugnant to our modern liberal western sensibilities. Her society the Solar Union in its egalitarianism and communitarianism may be superficially reminiscent of the Odonianism of Ursula le Guin's 'The Dispossessed', Iain M. Bank's 'Culture' or Peter F. Hamilton's Edinists, but its basis is very alien to the original blessing naiveté of most socialist utopias. Above all else, the book has a sparkling, self referential wit. The chapter headings, for example are all titles of classic SF Utopian, Dystopian and disaster novels over the last century (even giving a sideways wink to his old pal Iain Banks in the process). Jokes at the expense of Arthur C Clarke are not too infrequent (never a bad thing in my book), and there is an almost camp sensibility to some of the action and dialogue (especially in the early chapters set on Earth). A very clever book that keep you guessing to the end, throwing enough curve balls to keep you on your toes, and with enough action, adventure and character to make for a very enjoyable read. But do read his other novels first if you can! Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   3 of 4 people found the following review helpful: 3.0 out of 5 stars Fast paced future fiction, 11 Jan 2000 By A Customer Ken MacLeod write this book almost as if it had been written in collabaration between Iain M Banks and Karl Marx. This is not a particularly long book but it covers a lot of background including the history leading up to the time and the politics and technology of the time. This makes it very fast paced. If you skip a page, you'll probably miss a major plot event. The heroin/narrator of the book constantly gives her opinions. This is very much an integral part of the story. Whilst you may be rooting for this character, you will also find some of her views disagreable. A good book but not a great book. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   3 of 5 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Nano-tech success, 2 May 2000 By A Customer Fast paced, action packed book full of enjoyment. I managed to finish this book in 6 days, which is quite an achievement. I liked it all, from the ruins of London, to Ngwethu's Ship, The Terrible Beauty. The ideas surrounding this book are inciteful. I can't wait for a sequel (from either Ellen or the Solar unions point of view). Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 10 customer reviews...		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars Spaceships...sentient ship suit The Cassini Divison is beyond doubt a sci-fi lover's dream. Spaceships. Alien races who need nuking. Read more Published 27 days ago by Jessica 3.0 out of 5 stars Humdrum conundrums Having read a review or two of this book, I was expecting the story to be full of new ideas, decent science and the political dialogue to be refreshing. Read more Published 17 months ago by A. Cook 4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Enjoyable, and indeed fast moving. A review of your basic Sci-Fi thing at the moment: AI, GE, VR. The story is told in the first person, which is unusual, I think, for a sci-fi of... Read more Published on 8 Sep 2001 by sing_to_me_hal@email.com 4.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining, gripping and imaginative read. A great plot done justice by the superb development of characters and gradual uncovering of secret agendas. Read more Published on 16 Jul 1999 5.0 out of 5 stars Real SF not fantasy. Well written. Great technology. MacLeod writes hard SF that is strong on technolgy, has well developed characters and story line, is witty and beautifully written. Read more Published on 8 Jun 1999 5.0 out of 5 stars Strong stuff Ken MacLeod is, among other things, writing about a future in which science fiction -- SF as art form, as political discourse, and as dream -- has actually existed in the world... Read more Published on 25 Feb 1999 5.0 out of 5 stars an exhilarating read - good sci-fi re-invented. This is the latest of three set in a future where the main cultural/political divide amongst humans is between libertarian socialists - anarchists really - and... Read more Published on 22 Feb 1999 Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 10 customer reviews...

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