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DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20110509T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20110509T220000
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URL:https://www.sciencefictionbookclub.org/events/16012518/
SUMMARY:A Fire Upon the Deep - Vernor Vinge
DESCRIPTION:Faster-than-light travel remains impossible near Earth\, deep i
 n the galaxy's Slow Zone--but physical laws relax in the surrounding Beyon
 d. Outside that again is the Transcend\, full of unpredictable\, godlike "
 Powers". When human meddling wakes an old Power\, the Blight\, this spread
 s like a wildfire mind virus that turns whole civilisations into its unthi
 nking tools. And the half-mythical Countermeasure\, if it exists\, is lost
  with two human children on primitive Tines World.\n\nSerious complication
 s follow. One paranoid alien alliance blames humanity for the Blight and l
 aunches a genocidal strike. Pham Nuwen\, the man who knows about Counterme
 asure\, escapes this ruin in the spacecraft Out of Band--heading for more 
 violence and treachery\, with 500 warships soon in hot pursuit. On his des
 tination world\, the fascinating Tines are intelligent only in combination
 : named "individuals" are small packs of the dog-like aliens. Primitive do
 esn't mean stupid\, and opposed Tine leaders wheedle the young castaways f
 or information about guns and radios. Low-tech war looms\, with elaboratel
 y nested betrayals and schemes to seize Out of Band if it ever arrives. Th
 e tension becomes extreme... while half the Beyond debates the issues on g
 alactic Usenet.\n\n\n\n\nA Fire upon the Deep is included in the collectio
 n Zones of Thought which also includes the Prequel novel A Deepness in the
  Sky. We will be reading this (totally self-contained) prequel sometime in
  the next few months.\n\n\n\nAwards A Fire on the Deep\n\n\n\nAnd was also
  nominated for best Novel at these awards\n\n\n\nJohn W. Campbell Memorial
  Award http://bits.wikimedia.org/skins-1.5/vector/images/external-link-ltr
 -icon.png (http://www.ku.edu/%7Esfcenter/campbell.htm)\nLocus Award http:/
 /bits.wikimedia.org/skins-1.5/vector/images/external-link-ltr-icon.png (ht
 tp://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/Locus.html)\n\nPraise for A Fire Upon Th
 e Deep\n\n"Fleeing a menace of galactic proportions\, a spaceship crashes 
 on an unfamiliar world\, leaving the survivors a pair of children to the n
 ot-so-tender mercies of a medieval\, lupine race. Responding to the crippl
 ed ship's distress signal\, a rescue mission races against time to retriev
 e the children and recover the weapon they need to prevent the universe fo
 rm being forever changed. Against a background depicting a space-time cont
 inuum stratified into 'zones of thought\,' the author has created a rarity
 —a unique blend of hard science\, high drama\, and superb storytelling."
 \n-Library Journal\n\n"A tale that burns with the brazen energy of the bes
 t space operas of the golden age. Vinge has created a galaxy for the reade
 rs of the 90s to believe in...immense\, ancient\, athrum with data webs\, 
 dotted with wonders."\n-John Clute\, Interzone\n\n"Vernor Vinge's best nov
 el yet."\nGreg Bear\, author of Moving Mars\n\n"Vast\, riveting\, far-futu
 re saga...The overall concept astonishes\; the aliens are developed with m
 emorable skill and insight\, the plot twists and turns with unputdownable 
 tension. A masterpiece of universe-building."\n-Kirkus Reviews\n\n"The fir
 st grand SF I've read in ages...Vinge is one of the best visionary writers
  of SF today."\n-David Brin\, author of Earth\n\n"Fiercely original...Comp
 elling ideas in the book include the problems and advantages of group mind
 \, galactic communications turbidity\, and the prospect of civilizations a
 spiring to godhood."\n-Steward Brand\, founder of the Whole Earth Catalog\
 n\nA New York Times Notable Book of the Year
LOCATION:Penderel's Oak\, 283-288 High Holborn\, London\, WC1V 7HP\, United
  Kingdom
GEO:51.517922;-0.115371
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 eo:51.517922,-0.115371
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