Schild's Ladder by Greg Egan (Geoff's view)
01/03/2003 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
pub: Gollancz. 327 page paperback hardback. Price: £ 6.99 (UK). ISBN: 0-575-07391-8. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. check out website: www.orionbooks.co.uk
When I realised this book was likely to be heavy science orientated, it was kinda logical that I would end up being the one to review this book.
Indeed, this book is heavy in scientific discussion, often at odds with telling the story.
Using a technique very similar to Richard Morgan's body sleeves from his book 'Altered Carbon', individuals are brought to new bodies to start another colonised planet being over-run by some 'novo-vaccum' wiping them out.
Cass and Tchicaya discover the cause and an alien life-form that is equally baffled by them. Oddly enough, that pretty much sums up the overall plot.
The fine details depend more on the characters who find themselves in this predicament and putting things together. This book isn't really for those who want pure adventure.
You really need to know a bit about the science involved or you're going to be skipping bits or find it turgid.
It may probably need a second reading to get all the fine details. In many respects, I wish Egan had spent as much time with telling a story as disclosing his research.
An interesting but not a great read.
GF Willmetts |
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