Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: The Golden Transcendence : Or, The Last of the Masquerade by John C. Wright ISBN: 0-7653-0756-1 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 15 November, 2003 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.67 (3 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A satisfying conclusion to a great series
Comment: I recently finished reading The Golden Transcendence by John C. Wright. A great novel that serious science fiction readers should pick up.
The Golden Transcendence is the third book in The Golden Age trilogy. The first two books were The Golden Age and The Phoenix Exultant.
The book are firmly in the space opera genre with a dash of Heinlein libertarianism tossed in for good measure. The story takes place in the far future when artificial intelligences (known as sophotechs) and humans live immortal lives in a libertarian society of near unlimited technology. The experience of real physical interaction is replaced in many cases by remote bodies, recorded experiences of others, and complete control of what a person perceives. Humanity has moved beyond the one body - one brain system and has adopted many different systems of thought and even physical form.
Mr. Wright puts forth a brilliant vision of technology and society in the far future where wealth is measured in seconds of computer time and physical labor is non-existent. In this future, there is are still wealthy and poor people but in a different way. In a good interview, Mr. Wright explains:
"There would still be rich and poor, even if the poorest of the poor were absurdly well off by our standards. No advancements can eliminate differences in the abilities of men, or the differences in how men value the abilities of their fellow man (which is what causes inequality of prices and hence of incomes). If only by comparison, there will be poverty, even in Arcadia. My characters Ironjoy, Oshenkyo, and the Afloats [...] are meant to represent this idea of future poverty; the Seven Peers represent wealth."
As an example as just one of the concepts presented, we can look at the idea of 'sensefilters'. Perception is no longer what organic senses directly tell the mind. The signals received by the body or remote bodies are processed to be acceptable to the person's particular preferences. If a person doesn't like to see advertising, their mind eliminates the advertising from their vision and fills in the scene with what would be there if the advertisement wasn't there. Consciously, the person isn't aware of this, only that they have requested not to see advertisements. Sensefiltering can be used to remove (or add) objects, people, and even ideas from an individual's perception. The plot devices are interesting stuff that Mr. Wright explores in just enough detail to keep you wanting more throughout the trilogy.
The protagonist, Phaethon, is the son of one of the most important people in the society (known as the Golden Oecumene). In the first two books, Phaethon struggles against first the realization that he is missing parts of his memory, his struggle against society, his fall into exile, and his return to strength.
The third book finds Phaethon poised to fight against the true enemy that has been revealed to him. Without spoiling too much, Phaethon is forced to fight for the very survival of his society (which tossed him out) or allow it to be destroyed.
The author, John C. Wright, obviously has a libertarian heart and embodies the attributes of individuality, resourcefulness, ingenuity and desire for progress in Phaethon, the hero. In the opening novel, we find a society content with things how they are, willing to simply stop progress to prevent anything from changing their utopia in any meaningful way. Phaethon is a man of action in opposition to the statist Golden Oecumene. The underlying theme is that without mankind's strive for exploration and new goals, it is doomed.
Overall, an excellent book and series for the science fiction reader looking for something more than blasters and evil six-legged aliens. Getting used to the terminology and concepts is slow at first but well worth the effort.
If you enjoy Iain Banks's Culture series, Peter Hamilton's Night's Dawn, or John Varley's Eight Worlds, you will enjoy the The Golden Transcendence and the entire Golden Age Trilogy.
The author, John C. Wright, is a retired attorney and is working on the upcoming novel, Orphans of Chaos.
Rating: 5
Summary: Wonders, insights, deep thought
Comment: Rarely does the thoughtful sci-fi connoisseur find such a treat as the Golden Transcendence (and its preceding volumes). The conjunction of sophisticated legal thinking, philosophical insights, and smart sociological speculation is probably unmatched anywhere in this genre. I do not hesitate to give J.C. Wright 9 points on my scale from 0 to 10 (for comparison, Vernor Vinge's Peace War/Marooned in Realtime get 9, The Lord of the Rings is 4 and the Bible is 1).
Highly recommended.
Rating: 4
Summary: strong cerebral futuristic tale
Comment: For all practical purposes humanity is immortal, but with the Millennium ending, the Transcendence begins. Anything sentient in the solar system whether the creature is biological, mechanical, technological, or hybrid briefly merges into one super mind. These end days will judge the merit of all species to determine who will survive the Transcendence.
Phaethon the Exile has regained control of the Phoenix Exultant, but he has no time to rejoice, as the Lords of the Silent Oecumene, beings of a dead star system, hunt him for they need his ship. The invader's plan to destroy any sentient being in the Inner System, but need to use the superpower of the Phoenix Exultant to achieve this objective. As Phaethon struggles to stop his deadly foe, he wonders if he wastes his time as he has doubts about his future. He ponders whether the Lords of the Silent Oecumene, if inside the Transcendence range, will be judged and why risk his life now when he may be condemned by the final verdict?
The final tale in the Golden Age trilogy is a cerebral story that leaves the audience pondering many, perhaps too many, concepts. The author rightfully believes his fans will intelligently consider philosophical issues such as the meaning of life, when is war the right answer to a conflict, what is truly humanity, and whether it is religious or science in origin how will you and your species stand up in a life or death judgment, etc. The exciting action grips readers, but readers will think about the messages that make this novel and series transcend most science fiction books attaining the golden status of powerhouse.
Harriet Klausner
 |
Title: The Phoenix Exultant: or, Dispossessed in Utopia by John C. Wright ISBN: 0765304325 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 16 May, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
 |
Title: The Golden Age by John C. Wright ISBN: 0812579844 Publisher: Tor Science Fiction Pub. Date: 14 April, 2003 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
 |
Title: The Phoenix Exultant : The Golden Age, Volume 2 by John C. Wright ISBN: 0765343541 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 19 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
 |
Title: Ilium by Dan Simmons ISBN: 0380978938 Publisher: Eos Pub. Date: 01 July, 2003 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
 |
Title: The Killing of Worlds : Book Two of Succession by Scott Westerfeld ISBN: 0765308509 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 01 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
