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A Deepness in the Sky (Paperback)

by Vernor Vinge (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Paperback: 704 pages
  • Publisher: Gollancz; New Ed edition (13 April 2000)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1857988515
  • ISBN-13: 978-1857988512
  • Product Dimensions: 17.4 x 11.2 x 5.4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 307,587 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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    #11 in  Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > V > Vinge, Vernor

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

This hefty novel returns to the Universe of Vernor Vinge's 1973 Hugo win ner A Fire Upon the Deep--but 30,000 years earlier. It has the same sense of epic vastness despite happening mostly in one isolated solar system. Here there's a world of intelligent spider- creatures who traditionally hibernate through the "Deepest Darkness" of their strange variable sun's long "off" periods, when even the atmosphere freezes. Now science offers them an alternative. Meanwhile, attracted by spider radio transmissions, two human starfleets come exploring: merchants hoping for customers, and tyrants who want slaves. Their inevitable clash leaves only crippled remnants of both fleets, with power in the wrong hands, leading to a long wait in space until the spiders develop exploitable technology. Over the years Vinge builds compelling tension through multiple story lines and characters. In the sky, hopes of rebellion against tyranny continue despite soothing lies, brutal repression and a mental bondage that can convert people into literal tools. Down below, the engagingly sympathetic spiders have their own problems. In flashback, we see the grandiose ideals and ultimate betrayal of the merchant culture's founder, now among the human contingent and pretending to be a senile buffoon while plotting, plotting. Major revelations, ironies and payoffs follow. A powerful story in the grandest SF tradition. -- David Langford


Product Description

This is science fiction on the grandest of scales - a cast of thousands set across hundreds of years and in the farthest reaches of Human Space. A prequel to his earlier novel A Fire Upon the Deep, this new novel is epic in scope and a thoroughly riveting read. A Deepness In the Sky is the story of Pham Nuwen, a small cog in the interstellar trading fleet of the Queng Ho. Both they and the Emergents are orbiting Arachna, a dormant planet which will shortly wake up when it's On/Off star relights after decades of darkness. Both groups hope to exploit the coming age of technology and commerce on Arachna. But while the Queng Ho seek only to trade aggressively, the Emergents plans are far more sinister, amounting to little short of genocide . . .
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Customer Reviews

20 Reviews
5 star:
 (13)
4 star:
 (3)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
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1 star:
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Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (20 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!, 30 Oct 2007
By Susan W (Canada) - See all my reviews
I found this book impossible to put down. The development of the characters, the evil podmasters, Pham Nuwen, the Spider society - it was all fascinating. I've read many sci-fi books and this is one I highly recommend. Gotta say, the podmasters ethics seem strangely familiar - Reminds me of some of the politicians these days! Overall, if you like a real sweeping epic, this is the book for you.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping and absorbing, 31 Jan 2002
By A Customer
Unlike some of the other reviewers, I found this book almost impossible to put down - I certainly enjoyed it more than Across Realtime, and possibly more than A Fire Upon the Deep.

The storylines about the humans are all the more enthralling because these are characters you come to care about, and they're in a very sticky situation indeed. The way that the bad guys mess with their victims' minds and literally integrate them into their computer systems is chilling and memorable...

The spider-beings are another example of Vinge's greatness at inventing aliens. It's true that their society and actions are couched in human terms, but that made them all the more understandable without glossing over their alienness.

It did take a fair few pages to get me hooked, though. If you're looking for something that will grip you from page one, this might not be for you...

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Accomplished and absorbing., 27 Nov 2001
By A Customer
This is another example of Vernor Vinge's imaginative exploration of alternative alien psyche, while at the same time investigating the darkness of "human" interactions and exploitation on a grand scale. I found both plots gripping to the end.

Perhaps it was a mistake to market this as related to A Fire Upon the Deep in any way; there are only tenuous cross-references and a reader hoping to "learn more" from this prequel will be disappointed. Rather, the story should be treated as an excellent - and involving - yarn in its own right.

The spider-analog aliens do have particularly human emotions. I thought that was the point. In the course of reading this you will develop genuine empathy for creatures most would find otherwise physically repugnant.

The plot follows a complex path alternating between human and spider-analog themes and the competition of rival factions within each. The crescendo is the final coming-together. Personally I found the development and conclusion highly imaginative and very rewarding.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Space Opera at its Best
If you are a Sci-Fi fan or even new to the genre then I highly recommend this book. Vernor Vinge is an accomplished writer and able to bring the science to life with his... Read more
Published on 8 May 2006 by A. Gothorp

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic
This is book is every bit as brillant as A Fire Upon The Deep, don't let the moaners put you off. VV may not have written many books but when the quality is a good as this you can... Read more
Published on 3 Sep 2005 by Hilarity Unit

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
A superb book that i just couldn't put down. It is certainly the best of Vinges' work. An imaginative storyline, easy to read and with original 'aliens' - like the tines in A... Read more
Published on 10 Mar 2004 by daiwitherden

3.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as A fire upon the Deep - but still worthwhile!
The end is too long, plot seems to be stretched out a bit too much. But I love the Spider-world and everything in it. Readeable
Published on 20 Aug 2001

4.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic story
I haven't yet read 'Fire upon the Deep', so I can't compare this to it, but it is certainly up there with the best full-on space operas I have ever read, e.g. Read more
Published on 22 Jul 2001

1.0 out of 5 stars Crashing disappointment
Humph. After the pyrotechnic brilliance and multiple plot strands of 'A Fire Upon the Deep' I was left panting for this sequel, especially when I heard of its fascinating premise... Read more
Published on 17 May 2001

2.0 out of 5 stars disappointing
After reading "A Fire Upon the Deep" by the same author I must say that "A Deepness in the Sky" is extraordinarily disappointing. Read more
Published on 15 Mar 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars Just when you thought....
I approached this formidable tome with some trepidation.....would it be worth the commitment.... It was. Read more
Published on 15 Mar 2001 by Joseph B. Tay Teck

2.0 out of 5 stars A Deepness in my attention span
Ok. Coming from a very much SCI-FI readership background I picked up this book with every intention of enjoying it. Read more
Published on 7 Dec 2000 by R. B. Powell

5.0 out of 5 stars A sci-fi classic
This is one of those books that only comes along occasionally. It is monumental, fascinating in terms of the faceted-perspective narrative, and deeply challenging in its... Read more
Published on 12 Oct 2000 by grimlyfiendish

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