Kiln People

David Brin's 2002 novel Kiln People distinguished itself by coming in second place for every major science-fiction award. You're probably already familiar with the plot and setting from the other reviews so let's get to the actual reviewing. Kiln People is fast-paced and tightly-plotted. The writing is gripping, suspenseful, and never drags, despite the book's five hundred seventy page length. Morris' narrative voice is pleasant and down to Earth. Mr. Brin uses the technique of "exposition by indirection," where the reader is led to deduce information about the setting by allusions the characters make. This helps avoid bogging the novel down in description. The characters are likeable and interesting. From Pal, a paraplegic maverick, to enigmatic Universal Kilns tycoon Aenas Kaolin, to the flamboyant crime lord Beta, to Morris' tough soldier girlfriend Clara, all the characters have distinct and memorable personalities. It is never difficult to tell characters apart or remember who they are. One minor quibble is that occasionally a character's personality becomes so extreme that it is difficult to believe that a real person would act that way. But for the most part Mr. Brin's characterization is excellent. Part of the fun of books like this is the setting itself. The extrapolations Mr. Brin makes are fascinating; they cover everything from popular culture to religion, and really make the reader think about how technology alters the way people think and act. One phrase frequently used when discussing science-fiction is "sense of wonder." It is a hard term to define, it usually refers to a situation where a new idea astounds the reader and expands their mind and way of thinking. Kiln People has plenty of this; it is full of ideas that thrill the reader, from the changes in society brought on by ditto-technology to the transcendent notion of scientifically proving the existence of the soul. It fills the reader with wonder at how technology can radically change the human condition. Mr. Brin is not a particularly preachy writer, but occasionally he subtly uses this book as a soapbox for some of his views. Mr. Brin frequently advocates use of surveillance technology to guard against tyranny and has written a non-fiction book, The Transparent Society on the subject. The Big Deregulation frequently alluded to demonstrates some of Mr. Brin's other political views, support of free markets, a strong dislike of paternalistic government, and freedom of individual to conduct their personal lives as they wish. Mr. Brin also demonstrates his dislike of superstitious mysticism throughout the novel, which advocates rational inquiry and the scientific method, and argues that science is better suited for investigating spiritual issues than religion. These portions of the book may offend readers who are socially rightist or economically leftist. However, Mr. Brin never lectures at the expense of his work and the messages are never too intrusiv

At the World SF Society convention in Philadelphia last year, Brin read the first chapter of "Kiln People." I immediately knew that I would have to read it as soon as I could. And it was definitely worth the wait (and, BTW--it's 470 pages or so, not 336).Brin's basic premise is that most people in society now have a way to mass-produce temporary "golems"--clay copies of themselves--that can function independently of their creators, and then fall apart after 24 hours; if they choose, the creators can download the golems' memories into their own brains. [So, for example, you could go to college, work a job, and go on vacation at the same time.]Rather than explain the plot of the book (which is explained above), let me simply say that Brin did an amazing job with fleshing out the world in which "Kiln People" takes place. It is fairly clear that it's a world where golem technology has been accepted; just seeing his ideas of how humans would adapt to such a world makes the book worth reading. And, thankfully, he keeps the tone fairly light: there are just enough puns and jokes to keep a smile on your face, but not enough that the book verges on parody.And while I have to admit that the ending does border, as some other reviewers have pointed out, on deus ex machina (as it does in "Earth"), it seemed like he laid the foundation for it over the course of the novel, so it doesn't come as a shock.IMO, this is the best Brin book I've read (I haven't reached the Uplift trilogy yet, though), and I would highly recommend it to anyone, even people who don't normally read SF.

Kiln People is what SF is all about. It's hard to describe in a few words, but it's a quasi-existential transparency-pushing SF noir crime thriller with a quantum Buddhist (my interpretation) take on the question of the human soul (quantum theology? transquantum theology?). Sounds like gibberish the way I've written it, but this is a great page-turner that will make you think hard about the cliched separations our culutre erects between issues of science and faith. David Brin doesn't like being told there's a field of knowledge inaccessible to scientific inquiry, and in addition to being a terrific SF thriller, Kiln People reads like a systematic proof of why science should never back off just because some theologians try to draw a line in the sand. The book also riffs on themes of social transparency raised in his book The Transparent Society. Read Kiln People, but read that next.

Very few science-fiction authors can make the leap to writing actual literature. David Brin, the Hugo- and Nebula-award-winning author of Startide Rising, The Postman, and Earth is one of those writers. One of the three "Killer B"s of American sci-fi, Brin has returned with one of his most compelling and best-written books, Kiln People.A chimera of detective novel, utopic speculation, dystopic fear, and dark humor, Kiln People is set in a near-future where golems, or inexpensive clones of people, are commonplace for those who can afford them. Golems, or "dittos," do all the things that you can't in a day: one might go to the gym and work out, another will go to the library and do research, while a third meets with your mother-in-law. At the end of the day, the golem's memories are transferred back to the original person. The action follows Albert Morris, a private detective who is investigating the murder of research scientist. The story begins to fold in on itself as the lines blur between reality, fantasy, and cloned reality. The climax and conclusion is classic Brin, and is as shocking as it is poignant.Like all great sci-fi writers, Brin weaves a story of utmost importance as we approach a new century concerned about the notions of privacy and the ethics of cloning. But he never hits us over the head with morality, and leaves us to form our own conclusions about the content presented here. Add to that Brin's infinitely readable prose, and Kiln People becomes as accessible as it is important, which is a refreshing change of pace from a genre dominated either by juvenile, pseudo-gothic scribblings or stuff that's so far over most reader's heads that it belongs in a textbook.Kiln People is an excellent, delightful read, and will appeal to fans of Brin's work as well as those interested in the current debates over cloning and privacy - and those of us who just like a good, if slightly unconventional, detective story. Brin is an author who can continually be counted on for great writing and outstanding subject matter, and he continues to weave dazzling tales here. For good reading in the new year, you can do a lot worse than to pick up a copy of Kiln People - this science fiction isn't just for the nerds anymore.

David Brin has always been an author I can count on. First with his "Uplift" series, then with the novel "Earth" (and man, what a book that was). I started to wonder about him when he wrote some Star Trek comic book fiction and a series of books for kids about time travel. But it looks like he was cooking up something good in the interim. "Kiln People" (in my humble opinion) is by far his best.To me, Brin is always best when he remains grounded. Like someone said about his novel "Earth", extrapolating 1000 years into the future is easy. You have no reference point and who knows what scientific breakthroughs will take place over the next millenium. Extrapolating 50 to 100 or so years into the future, a future you may conceivably live in....that's hard to do. Hard to make fantastic and believable at the same time. He succeeded admirably in "Earth". "Kiln People" takes place a couple of centuries from now. Society is a vastly different place, but the people in it are very familiar. The major difference? A technology which allows the user to create short-lived duplicates of oneself. These duplicates, called "dittos", made of clay, with a one-day life span, are infused with the personality and memories of it's archetype. The duplicates are assigned a variety of tasks, depending on it's original. Going to work for the day. Fighting prearranged wars that decide national issues. Sleuthing for missing persons. And once the ditto has reached the end of it's useful lifespan, it's memories can be reinfused with the original user. The main character, Albert, becomes embroiled with a case involving a possible advance in Kiln technology, something that could completely change the way Dittos are made, and their prospective longevity. Giving away any more would do you a possible disservice. I was struck by the ease with which Brin switched perspectives from one Ditto to the other, all originally from the same user. How their thoughts after initially waking into this world were all the same, and how they grew into their own personalities by the end of their life span. Each time a ditto expired...well, you're a little saddened by it, and a bit surprised by how haphazardly they are treated by both their users and by other "real people". That thought is the major "meat" of this novel. Anyway, I enjoyed "Kiln People". Another book that shall remain on my shelf for years to come.