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by manuelabeledo 2123 days ago
> I never thought I would be interested in sci-fi, but this book changed my mind. It deals with simulating conciousness and its implications.

That was exactly my feeling after finishing this novel. I went on to read Diaspora, another excellent book.

I think I was prejudiced against sci-fi because of how it is generally portrayed in movies and TV, with an emphasis in odd sounding words and fantastical themes. But Greg Egan makes a fair connection with the current world and expands it with such credibility, you can definitely see some things happening.
2 comments
bsanr2 2123 days ago
I've not read Diaspora (and do not intend to, as it trips several of my phobias), but from what I understand about it, it makes most contemporary spacefareing sci-fi look like depictions of 2001 that featured bodycon jumpsuits and flying cars. Its vision seems very far away and yet far more realistic (aside from the baking of most of meatspace humanity with a gamma ray burst just after full digitization becomes available, which reads with the same kind of authorial vindictiveness as I see in the OP article).
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manuelabeledo 2123 days ago
It also includes elements from Permutation City, where multiple "you" may choose what to do in that scenario. Some stay, others wander around the universe in space pods, etc. Everything is narrated with such a natural approach that I found myself not questioning the validity of the science.
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bsanr2 2123 days ago
That's what I mean. On the one hand: plausible. On the other: terrifying.

And just that, from a cosmological perspective, the chances of us being hit by a gamma ray burst after the kind of technological advancements described but before the capacity to evacuate or shield biological lifeforms arises is... slim. I figure it was introduced more as a plot device than anything else, the biggest deviation from potential veracity (and a "take that" at anyone questioning said potential veracity, which goes just beyond cheeky to slightly obnoxious).

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JdeBP 2123 days ago
Yes. Anyone reading this: Please do not take TV and film sci-fi to be representative of book sci-fi. This is indeed generally true, of more than just sci-fi.
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