Macrolife: A Mobile Utopia

Shell houses in space. A book that manages to be ahead of its time and retro at the same time. Ian Watson's claims of how good it is in the intro may be overstating the case a bit, though, in this new version. It is interesting, though, but a lot of highly philosophical discussion which some people maybe find a tad dry. If some of that Wells or Stapledon stuff is not liked by you, you could probably skip this one, too, apart from the first section of three, all set in different eras. Basically, a family invents a substance that allows immense buildings due to its strength, but discovers it has subatomic explosive flaws that need working out. Later on, humans have expanded into space, and to the end of time. The latter section is rather annoying in that it has immense passages all in italics, an these are prefaced with :: type quotation marks to indicate one of the strange end of time intelligences is speaking, to start with. Very bloody annoying. A book that is worth a look, though, for considering a Utopian type vision in the tradition of those authors mentioned above, or even Clarke, who is also mentioned throughout. Should definitely appeal to those who like these gentlemen. There is a lengthy afterword by the author detailing how the book came to be, and his thought processes in coming up with it over a lengthy period of time. Length is also what you would call Watson's introduction. 3.5 out of 5

In 2021 the apparently recently discovered durable element bulerite becomes the prime material in construction on earth and in space. That is until bulerite proves unstable leading to biblical destruction; millions die along with the death of the planet. The only hope for survivors is in space as we finally killed earth with technological progress. Those who escape into other areas of the solar system begin building habitats inside hollow asteroids. By 3000 (earth calendar) the new mobile environments that serve as home to the exiled earthlings lead to radical changes in society and prove once and for all evolution rules; eventually those mobile space residence comes into contact with planet bound life as they revolve around the galaxy. Perhaps a billion years into the future humanity and its macrolife existence has turned into mini mobile utopias, but now confront the first pandemic threat since the death of earth, the death of the galaxy This is a reprint of a fabulous cerebral outer space thriller that seems even more relevant today than its 1979 release thanks to the recent debate between intelligent design vs. evolution and the administration attack on science; for instance a censuring of a NASA science report deletes reference to our sun dying in 5 billion years as being too depressing. The novel contains a new introduction and pictures, but the prime story line told in three ages over the eons remains the same and as puissant as ever. Each of the periods, 2021, 3000, and "The Dream of Time" provide a deep look at humanity where it was, where it is, and where it is going through the cycle of one family, the Bulero brood. George Zebrowski provides a thought provoking winner that remains pertinent today. Harriet Klausner