Limit, a big fat Science Fiction Eco thriller

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It has been staring at me for months, Limit from Frank Schätzing this fat bodied eco thriller. A gift. So thick I had to bring myself to starting it, knowing I could not get let go until I had finished it.

Abundance is the word that comes too mind. Almost too much for me.

The first half is a slow starter and introduces the reader to (semi) science. I was waiting for the action. The second half is a thriller.

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An English space company Orley has build a space station attached to earth. Invite billionaires of earth to invest. The Chinese and the US want to join. China and US are in a sort of cold war. They do no seem to have a balancing economic dependency any more, like there is today, where is it gone?

Funny references: a Fernando Botero figure? Had to look that up.

The Truman show. Not named but a reality show of people that do not know they are actually in a reality show.

A sketch of Russia after Putin and Medvedev.

The future fantasies of Erich von Däniken.

A scene from Tomorrow Never Dies. Spectre. And a media concern that wants to dominate the world’s media very much like the Carver Media Group Network (CMGN).

A sketch of future living on planets, very much like the ideas of Peter Diamandis? Mankind live in space ships, mine planets for raw materials but do not live on these planets.

David Bowie performs Space Oddity for the guests in the space station. Age 78.

Partially a detective. A Chinese dissident girl is on the run for the Chinese government. Being chased by her father’s detective and another  unknown entity has hired a hunter. She is Internet specialist, a hacker. Lives in Shanghai.

An unclear relation to the space story.

In the story some interesting forward looking views on what life on earth will look like in 2025. Cities are massive and rural areas empty. Some parts of cities are forgotten and have become worlds in themselves. Virtual reality has become mainstream to a point where people get addicted to living in cyber worlds.

Interspersed with thrillerlike pursuits and shootings. Limbs are lost.

Second Life has developed into a parallel universe. Artificial intelligence is developing it further. Singularity there, at last.

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A post-oil era where electricity is now dominant, generated by helium 3 excavated on the moon, name made accessible by the new space station.

Political views of post oil situation.

A race on the moon. I recently watched The Martian and reminded me of this book. Human trying to make a living in space.

In the end the bad guys are the oil industry. The Prize comes to mind.

I am supersaturated. My stomach feels like I have eaten a 3 pound steak. I must lie down.

12 tomorrows from 2014

I ordered Twelve Tomorrows. I never really liked science fiction (excTwelve Tomorrows 2014eptions like The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – not even sure even that would qualify for science fiction). But I wanted re-evaluate my taste.

The twelve futures in summary:

  1. Instead of getting electronic detention, limiting the freedom of movement, persistent criminals are blinded. as a replacement for their natural eyesight they get electronic glasses through which they can only observe a pre-filtered reality. In this augmented reality, criminals are tagged, or branded, and everyone can see these brands as a warning sign.
  2. Biological modification of humans, first under “acupuncture anesthesia”, then in next generations through DNA modification.
  3. Cybercrime 22h century. Electronically (remotely) scanning a person’s digital identity information to get access to a bank account.
  4. Genetically manipulated life forms start leading their own life and thus become a threat to human life.
  5. Modification of human behavior through electronics implants in the human brain, also allowing remote control over a person.
  6. Human life has moved into space, to other planet amongst which Mars and the Moon. Technology like human hibernation made possible.  (A bit of 2001 A Space Odyssee, hmm).
  7. The internet of stuff, a second internet smart devices, unregulated and avoiding dictatorial suppression (already exists).
  8. Cyborg man is synthesized with his intelligent leg and can survive his body. His personality is transferred to another computer by the soul of the leg.
  9. Man cures from a hyperactive damaged brain, chemical drugs (SMOOTH  TM) is surpassed by a nanotechnology that can enter the body through the skin when wearing a medical t-shirt.
  10. Talented, intelligent young girl in Afghan invents a new kind of semiconductor in a repressive Afghan society.
  11. Internet surveillance in hyperconnected world. Secret services can follow everything you see, through your eyes, extract experiences and take over control. Everybody is under this kind of surveillance.
  12. Gene modification aimed at producing fossil gas, turns out to thrive also in the human body. But not for long, people start exploding

I found it difficult to get through the stories. Most of them sketch a dark, unpleasant future. I am trying to understand why that is. Is it because we generally tend to expect the worst of the future? Or is it maybe simply because of the dramatic needs for a story or book. Also, the science factor was not very original, and the writing not very good.

If you like Science Fiction advanced, find the very latest on MIT’s twelve tomorrows web site.

I decided to not touch Science Fiction for some time.
While I got Frank Schatzing’s Limit as a present. More on that later. That’s a 1000+ pages book.