Friday 27 May 2011

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: World Wide Web 3: Wonder - Robert J Sawyer

Release Date: 19/05/11

SYNOPSIS:

The Internet has become sentient. The world's governments are terrified, it seems the evolution of a new intelligence might have left mankind behind. It is up to one blind girl, a maths genius, to convince mankind that this new digital life is not its enemy. Perfect for fans of Charles Stross and Vernor Vinge this is a rich imagining of a future that may be just around the corner.


REVIEW:

Whilst to some Robert J Sawyer burst onto the scene with Flash Forward, he’s has been a pretty close kept secret by readers of Science Fiction as an author of not only incite but one with a unique twist and flavour on the possible future that he sees. This is perhaps no more prevalent than in his World Wide Web series, of which this is the third concluding part.

What unfurls within is a story of hope, a tale of discovery and perhaps best of all a novel of character growth and development. Add to this Roberts pretty unique and identifyable writing style, great prose and a pacey use of story arc that made this not only satisfying but a tale that was hard to put down. All in, this title was not only a wonderful conclusion to this series but one that readers deserved as all too often many end up with the apocalyptic ending which not only depresses but really doesn’t allow the reader to gain anything from it and when you add a clever look at how we’re developing technologically which really brings to mind a reworking of a statement utilised by Dr Ian Malcom in Jurassic Park which would be “God creates technology, God destroys technology. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates technology...”

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