Science and SciFi Round-Up for the Ledger

Science steals the spotlight in these five offerings
by Elizabeth Willse, for the Star-Ledger 1/24/09

Death from the Skies: These Are the Ways the World Will End
Philip Plait
Viking Press, 336 pp., $25.95

Philip Plait writes like your favorite science teacher. An astronomer, he covers every potential threat — from giant asteroids that could shred the planet’s surface to solar flares that could destroy the power grid on a global scale. Bursts of gamma ray energy, black holes, galactic collisions, even the possibility of alien invasion, also get their consideration. While Plait draws on the conventions of vintage science fiction to give each galactic catastrophe a touch of drama, he also uses each chapter to explain basic principles of astronomy and physics. Chapters divided according to specific catastrophe invite browsing, but the scientific information he weaves throughout each builds as the book goes on. It’s not a tirade of apocalyptic terror. Plait provides reassurance through clear language laced with deft touches of humor. Most of these astronomical chills and thrills have only a remote chance of ending life as we know it.
– Elizabeth Willse

Fast Forward 2
Edited by Lou Anders
Pyr Books, 359 pp., $15

What can the future hold, when imagination and writing style are the only limits? Some of the biggest names in modern science fiction offer answers in this short story anthology. Lou Anders follows up 2007’s “Fast Forward 1: Future Fiction from the Cutting Edge” (Pyr) with this eclectic collection that blends science fiction into a dazzling array of possibilities. Jack McDevitt’s “Molly’s Kids,” and “An Eligible Boy” by Ian McDonald turn artificial intelligence into social commentary on where the future might lead us. Thrill-seeking fans of hard sci-fi will love the adrenaline-packed adventures in “Catherine Drewe,” by Paul Cornell, or Jeff Carlson’s “Long Eyes.”

Some stories are more accessible than others. Cory Doctorow’s collaboration with Benjamin Rosenbaum on “True Names” demands a patient reader, as it unfolds its spectacular strangeness slowly. On the whole, this anthology is eclectic enough that any reader will find an intriguing look forward.

– E.W.

Watermind
M.M. Buckner
Tor Books, 304 pp., $24.95

‘Watermind” is an enticing mix of science, romance and suspense, set in Louisiana swampland. Decades of water pollution and landfill runoff have steeped Louisiana’s water system in a seething broth of electromagnetic nanites, hormones and chemicals. MIT dropout CJ Reilly discovers a mysterious, milky pool while working on a chemical spill cleanup crew. She races against corporate scientists to understand the strange pool, which seems alive enough to rock to the beat of Cajun music and turn toxic in its own self-defense.

It’s frustrating to watch CJ and the corrupt corporate scientists fumble to understand the possibly sentient “watermind,” because the author tips her hand in the prologue. Buckner’s description of the nanites, chemical residues, magnetic energy and technological waste flowing into Devil’s Swamp makes it less mysterious to the reader than to the perplexed scientists. But that’s the only shortcoming in this excellent fusion of suspenseful fancy and creepy scientific possibility, humming with romance and Cajun rhythms.
– E.W.

Juggler of Worlds
Larry Niven and Edward M. Lerner
Tor Books, 349 pp., $24.99

This prequel to Hugo and Nebula award-winning author Larry Niven’s acclaimed “Ringworld” series also works as a standalone tale of suspense, conspiracy and alien intrigue.

Simon Ausfaller is paranoid. The secret agent has always been sure he’s at the center of a vast conspiracy. He doesn’t trust the government he works for, or his informants. He especially doesn’t trust the Puppeteers, an alien race who have begun a mysterious, coordinated exodus from their bases in Known Space. Simon may be drawing even closer to the center of a more widespread conspiracy than even he expected.

The aliens are deftly crafted, their elongated, somewhat equine bodies and mannerisms vividly described. Nessus, one of the few alien-point-of-view characters, is endearing in his nervous self-doubt. The human-focused plots are much more intense than the alien-dominated scenes. This book would be tremendous fun as a spy thriller, even without plots among the stars.

– E.W.

Rapture for the Geeks: When AI Outsmarts IQ
Richard Dooling
Harmony, 260 pp., $22

Wry, pithy and information-packed, this book explores the history of computers to date — and ponders the possibilities that will emerge when they become more intelligent than humans. Dooling underpins his arguments with examples and theories from both science and science fiction. Conversational prose aims to draw even the least tech-savvy reader into his discussion of technological possibility.

At the center of his theories is Moore’s law, which holds that computing power and speed double every two years, bringing computer chips closer to the point where they will outstrip the speed and capacity of the human brain. Dooling and others studying technology — like Ray Kurzweil — refer to this moment as “The Singularity” and can only speculate on its impact. Though Dooling’s offbeat humor shines through the text, less tech-savvy readers may get bogged down as the book becomes more theoretical. But those familiar with the field will enjoy both this survey and Dooling’s humor.

– E.W.