Saturn's Race

Ever since William Gibson rose to fame by creating the sub-genre of Cyberpunk, he has had many imitators. With Saturn's Race, Niven and Barnes throw their hands into the cyberpunk arena. The result, as you might expect from such a time-honored team, is a new creation with a life all its own. Unfortunately I fear it will go over the heads of some readers, and may push emotional buttons for others.This book is structured like typical Gibson cyberpunk - technology has run amok, governments are being subsumed by evil corporations run by the privilged few that hold vast power over the masses and are challenged only by anonymous freedom fighters hidden amongst the information overload of the global data net. Niven/Barnes go out of their way to include some of the expected plot devices of cyberpunk, as if to say "Make no mistake, we are playing in Gibson's sandbox."At this point, the similarity ends. The novel does not read like Gibson. Gibson brought us constant action between black-and-white characters; the villains wear suits instead of black hats, but there are few surprises of character to distract us from the flying bullets and bizarre cyberscapes. Not that I'm knocking Gibson; I love his work and I think his techniques are exactly right for the type of novel he writes. But Niven and Barnes have always written their novels around complex questions. In this case they are asking the question "What if Gibson's future were to come true in the real world, with its human personalities and deep, convoluted history?" And that is a complex question indeed.No sooner do the authors set up a traditional Gibson cyber-world, than they begin to populate it with people that might be your co-workers or neighbors. Just like in a real-life office, some of the corporate "suits" are good and genuine people. Some altruist "freedom fighters" are capable of being petty and self-deluding. Some people fight for senseless causes and some unwittingly support monstrosity for no better reason than the limitations of their own worldview. Half the novel is tied up in uncertainty over who the good guys and bad guys are - much like real life, especially in an election year.Niven once noted, in the author's note to _Rainbow Mars_, that once he lays an idea on the table he likes to explore every aspect of it he can before he finishes the book. This approach becomes the greatest strength of _Saturn's Race_, but, I fear, will also limit its appeal.The "evil corporation vs. oppressed masses" paradigm is huge, encompassing many issues within modern society. There is no way the authors could have dealt with every issue in exhaustive detail, unless they wrote a door-stopper the size of War and Peace. Instead, they opt to confront many issues in brief references with little explanation. For example, an episode regarding a group of researchers in Antarctica consumes no more than a few paragraphs throughout the book, but serves to address some of the violent scenes from Gib

A very rational and well written novel. It is the year 2020 and biotechnology is well advanced, particularly on the artificial floating island Xanadu, one of several floating islands. This novel has intrigue, terrorism, and a love story mixed in, and the outcome keeps you guessing. It illustrates also that any technology can be used for both good and evil. SATURN'S RACE is a page turner if there ever was one, fast-paced action, a great story in a relatively short novel. This book would make an excellent movie, but Hollywood seems obsessed with monsters on Mars and other inane sillyness, but I digress. Anyway, this is excellent science fiction from Larry Niven, one of the masters, and Steven Barnes, another superb writer. Now, if I can only get that song by Olivia Newton John out of my mind!

This was an excellently paced read containing some nice tidbits of not-so-far-out tech. The story pulls you in somewhat gradually, then about half-way through, in the space of a page, you remember: "This is Larry Niven" - the thing grabs you and locks you down. Just so I don't slight Steven, this *team* has done it again - Larry alone, and Steven alone could not create this wonderful and engaging piece. It has the same blend of hard sci-fi, mystery and sensitivity to human interaction that earmarks a Larry Niven/Steven Barnes novel. In the gadget bag there's nanotech, augmented awareness, and computer conciousness. All excitingly attainable.If you are a Niven fan, or just out for a good read, you will not be dissapointed - even considering you will have to buy this book and the other new release "The Buring City".

In 2020, planet earth is run by international business cartels so an individual's options can be limited. Chaz Kato offers recent recipient of a Masters from UCLA, Lenore Myles a position at Xanadu, a man-made island fortress 800 miles to the west of her college. To entice her, Chaz provides her with his security codes that enable her to check into the island's amazing technology. However, Lenore learns of a conspiracy to sterilize the weak and pathetic masses. Afraid of everyone, especially her gracious host, Lenore flees paradise. The enigmatic Saturn realizes that Lenore has broken into the top secrets of Xanadu. He sets in motion a plan to eradicate the one person who expose the class cleansing plan with Chaz her only hope for survival, that is assuming he is not working for Saturn. The Niven-Barnes team may be the best collaboration of writers in the last decade or two. Everything this dynamic duo paints is classy, thrilling science fiction as few authors can write. The latest triumphant dynamo, SATURN'S RACE, is a combination of future technology, a major social issue, and a espionage-mystery thriller blended into a superb tale that will attain top three status on everyone's end of the year list.

If your a true fan of the SF genre, this book is a must read. Niven and Barnes in collaboration produce stories and characters that exceed their individual talents. The story is a mystery where the lead characters must discover the identity of a genocidal monster to save their lives, while running from the effects of the villeins plan. It is set in the near future. The authors paint a highly believable picture of the course of current technology and its effects on world order. This book compares very well with "Dreampark", another Niven, Barnes collaboration.