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Progetto Diaspora
Il Progetto Diaspora è l'impresa piú ambiziosa della storia dell'umanità, e al tempo stesso la piú controversa. Un'immensa astronave, grande come una città, condurrà diecimila persone, uomini e donne, oltre il sistema solare, verso una nuova vita. Ma chi verrà scelto tra i miliardi di abitanti della Terra, e come verranno selezionati? Qualcuno si oppone al progetto, un personaggio enigmatico che si fa chiamare Geremia e che ha scelto di contrastare l'esplorazione dello spazio per difendere l'universo dalla distruzione e dallo sfruttamento ecologico che ha rovinato il nostro pianeta. E' in gioco il ruolo dell'umanità nell'ordine naturale della esistenza, e la vita stessa nel cosmo.
496 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
212 people want to read
About the author
Michael P. Kube-McDowell
51 books58 followersMichael Paul Kube-McDowell's earliest science fiction stories began appearing in magazines such as Amazing, Asimov's, and Analog in 1979. His 1985 debut novel Emprise, the first volume of the Trigon Disunity future history, was nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award. The Quiet Pools, published as a Bantam hardcover in 1990, was a Hugo Award nominee.
In addition to his solo novels, Kube-McDowell has collaborated with Sir Arthur C. Clarke (The Trigger) and Isaac Asimov (for the YA series Robot City. He also wrote the popular Black Fleet Crisis trilogy for the Star Wars Expanded Universe; all three volumes were New York Times bestsellers.
A former middle school science teacher, Kube-McDowell has written about science and technology for a variety of periodicals, on topics ranging from gnotobiology to ultralights to spaceflight. He covered the launch of STS-4 for The South Bend Tribune.
Kube-McDowell has attended more than 80 SF fan conventions, and met his wife Gwen (then an artist) in a con huckster room. They both were later members of the Pegasus Award-winning electric filk ensemble The Black Book Band, which performed at cons in the Midwest in the 1990s and released the live album First Contact (Dodeka Records).
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 23, 2018
Storyline: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Writing Style: 3/5
World: 4/5
I think near future science fiction is hard to pull off. You've got to anticipate both gradual and radical changes and make most of them seem taken-for-granted by the citizens of tomorrow all while retaining believability and entertaining the reader stuck in today. The Quiet Pools is an unqualified success in those regards. This was one of the books where its strengths were also its weaknesses. Kube-McDowell jumped around not only with character perspectives but with his thematic focus. At times it was technological, showcasing the gadgetry that would change our lives and open up new possibilities. At other times it was sociological, showing how society changed or revolted against new ideas and options. There were some long sections on psychology, a main character working through his struggles, trying to understand himself and his place in the world. The repeated return to a cop and robber duel kept pushed this in the police procedural/action adventure direction, spicing up the story when momentum was waning. And finally there was that speculative element that puts it into the category of a good book rather than simply an acceptably average one. The shifts between these foci were abrupt, giving the reader cause to doubt Kube-McDowell's overall vision. These shifts had another advantage in offering some good surprises, however. There were questions and problems under discussion all along that the reader is unaware of until the focus changes, and Kube-McDowell builds the future in a dynamic fashion this way. A lot of what was here ended up being for world building rather than for plotting, so it wasn't as powerful or resolved of a tale as I had hoped in the middle. Still, it was an enjoyable read, and I look forward to trying something else from the author.
Characters: 3/5
Writing Style: 3/5
World: 4/5
I think near future science fiction is hard to pull off. You've got to anticipate both gradual and radical changes and make most of them seem taken-for-granted by the citizens of tomorrow all while retaining believability and entertaining the reader stuck in today. The Quiet Pools is an unqualified success in those regards. This was one of the books where its strengths were also its weaknesses. Kube-McDowell jumped around not only with character perspectives but with his thematic focus. At times it was technological, showcasing the gadgetry that would change our lives and open up new possibilities. At other times it was sociological, showing how society changed or revolted against new ideas and options. There were some long sections on psychology, a main character working through his struggles, trying to understand himself and his place in the world. The repeated return to a cop and robber duel kept pushed this in the police procedural/action adventure direction, spicing up the story when momentum was waning. And finally there was that speculative element that puts it into the category of a good book rather than simply an acceptably average one. The shifts between these foci were abrupt, giving the reader cause to doubt Kube-McDowell's overall vision. These shifts had another advantage in offering some good surprises, however. There were questions and problems under discussion all along that the reader is unaware of until the focus changes, and Kube-McDowell builds the future in a dynamic fashion this way. A lot of what was here ended up being for world building rather than for plotting, so it wasn't as powerful or resolved of a tale as I had hoped in the middle. Still, it was an enjoyable read, and I look forward to trying something else from the author.
July 23, 2020
The Quiet Pools was nominated for a Hugo back in 1990 and I can see why. In the tradition of sociological science fiction ala Le Guin, TQP examines the social dynamics occurring during the launch of a second generation ship from Earth. Set around 2100, society has progressed through many changes. The first generation ship was launched in 2086 with great celebration; the second-- 'ten thousand for Tau Ceti'-- faces growing social protest, led by the 'homeworlders' who want the resources utilized to benefit Earth.
The lead, Chris, works at the company in charge of the generation ships as an archivist, compiling the greatest trove of knowledge ever assembled so they can take it to the stars. He is in a triad contract, with two women; such marriage contracts are now common, and can have several people in one family. His marriage is failing and he is spending time with a relationship technician to try and solve the problems. Kube-McDowell spends a fair amount of time explaining why this new social dynamic emerged and the consequences, again, in the tradition of Le Guin.
What is interesting about TQP is not the idea of a generation ship, but the focus on society leading up to the launch. What type of person would volunteer for such a mission? Is there some genetic predisposition behind the millions who volunteered? It reminded me of all the people willing to go to Mars today. What makes them tick? What seems like a subplot quickly emerges-- the age old nature versus nurture debate-- becomes the driving feature. Each chapter is headed by a different DNA sequence (GAU, etc.), and the rationale becomes apparent later on. Will the departure of the generation ships strip society of its best and brightest, leaving Earth stagnating? Over all, an ambitious book, with lots of philosophical meanderings on what makes us human and tick. Are certain people predisposed via their genes to certain behaviors? This was written when the human genome project was getting underway and it reflects the debates then (and now to some degree). 3.5 stars.
The lead, Chris, works at the company in charge of the generation ships as an archivist, compiling the greatest trove of knowledge ever assembled so they can take it to the stars. He is in a triad contract, with two women; such marriage contracts are now common, and can have several people in one family. His marriage is failing and he is spending time with a relationship technician to try and solve the problems. Kube-McDowell spends a fair amount of time explaining why this new social dynamic emerged and the consequences, again, in the tradition of Le Guin.
What is interesting about TQP is not the idea of a generation ship, but the focus on society leading up to the launch. What type of person would volunteer for such a mission? Is there some genetic predisposition behind the millions who volunteered? It reminded me of all the people willing to go to Mars today. What makes them tick? What seems like a subplot quickly emerges-- the age old nature versus nurture debate-- becomes the driving feature. Each chapter is headed by a different DNA sequence (GAU, etc.), and the rationale becomes apparent later on. Will the departure of the generation ships strip society of its best and brightest, leaving Earth stagnating? Over all, an ambitious book, with lots of philosophical meanderings on what makes us human and tick. Are certain people predisposed via their genes to certain behaviors? This was written when the human genome project was getting underway and it reflects the debates then (and now to some degree). 3.5 stars.
July 20, 2017
Scroll down for the English version.
Sorprendentemente bello
Mi sono imbattuta in questo libro in un mercatino dell’usato. La copertina oggettivamente brutta, che ricorda quella di un manuale, mi stava quasi scoraggiando dall’acquisto, ma convinta dal prezzo irrisorio ho deciso di prenderlo. Nell’iniziare la lettura sono rimasta subito piacevolmente sorpresa dalla scena d’apertura caratterizzata da una certa azione, che ha vinto le mie ultime remore dovute ai numerosi errori del testo (tutte le “i” e le “u” sono accentate al contrario - cosa quasi incredibile, trattandosi di un libro della Fanucci, per quanto sia da edicola - e i refusi, le virgole che separano soggetto e verbo e altri errori si sprecano).
Nonostante il libro originale sia stato pubblicato nel 1990, il futuro in esso raccontato continua a essere abbastanza plausibile, sebbene si noti qualche anacronismo. Ma non sono poi così tanti.
La storia porta avanti in parallelo le vicende di alcuni personaggi, che poi finiscono per intrecciarsi in maniera inattesa. Ho subito legato col personaggio di Christopher, che per la notevole presenza in scena, e per il fatto che viene mostrata una sua approfondita introspezione psicologa, ha un ruolo molto simile a quello di protagonista.
La trama tratta dell’imminente lancio di una nave interstellare, la Memphis, con diecimila futuri coloni di un nuovo mondo, del metodo con cui vengono selezionati e del tentativo di boicottare questa missione da parte di un movimento contrario a essa, poiché i suoi sostenitori ritengono che si debba migliorare la situazione sulla Terra prima di andare in cerca di altri mondi e che, nello specifico, privare il nostro pianeta di alcune delle sue menti più brillanti sia sbagliato. La loro convinzione sfocia nel fanatismo fino al compimento atti di violenza, all’omicidio e porta persino al terrorismo.
Il modo in cui gli appartenenti a questi movimenti ragionano (si fa per dire) fa davvero paura. Ignoranza, follia e crudeltà li contraddistingue e pone delle riflessioni che possono essere tranquillamente applicate a certe uscite aggressive fatte al giorno d’oggi sui social network, quando si parla di colonizzazione di Marte o in generale di esplorazione spaziale. C’è da sentirsi sollevati del fatto che siano solo parole e che non ci sia nessuno, come il Jeremiah di questo romanzo, capace di fomentare tali persone, proprio perché non saprebbero andare oltre l’esibizione della propria ignoranza e lo sfogo delle proprie frustrazioni sul web.
Eppure nella lettura delle terribili azioni svolte dai seguaci di Jeremiah in questo romanzo, per quanto si trattasse di finzione, ho provato lo stesso disgusto velato di timore che certi commenti di questo tipo letti su Facebook riescono sempre più spesso a suscitare.
In tale contesto già di per sé interessante, si inseriscono una serie di personaggi estremamente controversi, come pure lo è per certi versi il tipo di società futura mostrata nel romanzo. Tra essi, per esempio, l’esistenza di matrimoni con più di due persone, spesso addirittura aperti, mi ha fatto storcere il naso, poiché nel modo in cui viene mostrato riduce il concetto stesso di matrimonio all’avere qualcuno per cui si prova attrazione fisica a disposizione nella stessa casa. L’argomento sembrava messo lì per evidenziare alcuni problemi personali di un personaggio, senza però godere di una propria credibilità. E alla fine sono stata contenta del modo in cui quel particolare aspetto si è risolto nella storia di quel personaggio (e devo dire che ciò ha contribuito al gradimento generale del libro).
Comunque, non voglio entrare nel dettaglio, poiché credo che meno si sappia sulla trama di questo libro più si abbia la possibilità di venirne positivamente sorpresi. Dico solo che si tratta di un romanzo complesso, ma talmente ben strutturato da non rendere necessaria una lunghezza eccessiva. Ciò probabilmente dipende dal fatto che la storia originale era quella di un vecchio racconto inedito dell’autore, che poi quest’ultimo ha ampliato, impedendo che esplodesse in mille direzioni, come invece capita quando si parte da un’idea non abbastanza definita. Ne è venuta fuori un’opera che unisce alla sintesi uno sviluppo soddisfacente dei filoni narrativi, impreziositi qua e là da colpi di scena e accelerazioni dell’azione del tutto imprevedibili.
Se amate la fantascienza hard in cui, però, non si trascuri l’introspezione dei personaggi, poiché svolge un ruolo fondamentale nella trama a pari merito con uno dei cosiddetti “grandi temi”, e doveste mai incappare in questo testo, non lasciatevelo sfuggire.
Surprisingly outstanding
I came across this book in a jumble sale. The objectively ugly cover (in the Italian edition), which reminds me of a manual, was almost discouraging me from buying it, but convinced by the price, I decided to pick it up. When I started reading it, I was immediately pleasantly surprised by the opening scene featuring some action, which won my last hesitation due to the many typos.
Although the original book was published in 1990, the future in it is still fairly plausible, although some anachronism can be noticed. However, it isn’t much.
The story goes parallel with the events regarding some characters, which then end up joining in an unexpected way. I immediately felt a bond with Christopher’s character, which, because of the remarkable presence in the scenes, and the fact that his deep psychological introspection is shown, has a role very similar to a protagonist.
The plot deals with the imminent launch of an interstellar ship, Memphis, with ten thousand future colonists of a new world, the method by which they are selected, and the attempt to boycott this mission by a movement contrary to it, whose supporters believe that we need to improve the situation on Earth before going to other worlds and that, in particular, depriving our planet of some of its brighter minds is wrong. Their conviction comes into fanaticism with acts of violence, murder, and even terrorism.
The way in which those who are in this movement reason (if this can be call reasoning) is really scary. Ignorance, insanity, and cruelty characterise them and suggest a reflection that can be easily applied to certain aggressive outbreaks made today on social networks, when it comes to the colonisation of Mars or in general to space exploration. You feel relieved that they are just words and that there is no one like Jeremiah (of this novel) capable of fomenting such people, just because they wouldn’t be able to go beyond the show of their ignorance and the outburst of their frustrations on the web.
Yet reading the terrible actions of Jeremiah’s followers in this novel, even if it is fiction, made me feel the same disgust mixed with fear that such comments on Facebook are more and more often able to arise in me.
In this context, which is already interesting in itself, a number of extremely controversial characters are inserted, as is the kind of future society shown in the novel in some ways. Among that, for example, the existence of marriages with more than two people, often even open ones, made me grimace, because the way it is shown reduces the very concept of marriage to having someone to whom you are physically attracted available in the same house. The topic seemed to be put there to highlight some personal problems of a character, without however having an own credibility. In addition, in the end, I was happy with the way that particular aspect resolved in the story of that character (and I must say that this has contributed to the overall liking of the book).
However, I don’t want to go into detail, because I think that the less you know about the plot of this book, the more you have the chance to be positively surprised. I just say it’s a complex novel, but so well structured that it does need to be too long. This probably depends on the fact that the original plot comes from an unpublished old short story by the same author, which he expanded, preventing it to explode in a thousand directions, as it happens when you start from an idea not quite defined. What came out is a work that combines the synthesis with a satisfactory development of the narrative strands, embellished here and there by totally unpredictable twists and accelerations of the action.
If you love that kind of hard science fiction in which the characters’ introspection is not overlooked, as it plays a crucial role in the story equal with the one of the so-called “big themes”, and you run into this text, don’t let it escape.
Sorprendentemente bello
Mi sono imbattuta in questo libro in un mercatino dell’usato. La copertina oggettivamente brutta, che ricorda quella di un manuale, mi stava quasi scoraggiando dall’acquisto, ma convinta dal prezzo irrisorio ho deciso di prenderlo. Nell’iniziare la lettura sono rimasta subito piacevolmente sorpresa dalla scena d’apertura caratterizzata da una certa azione, che ha vinto le mie ultime remore dovute ai numerosi errori del testo (tutte le “i” e le “u” sono accentate al contrario - cosa quasi incredibile, trattandosi di un libro della Fanucci, per quanto sia da edicola - e i refusi, le virgole che separano soggetto e verbo e altri errori si sprecano).
Nonostante il libro originale sia stato pubblicato nel 1990, il futuro in esso raccontato continua a essere abbastanza plausibile, sebbene si noti qualche anacronismo. Ma non sono poi così tanti.
La storia porta avanti in parallelo le vicende di alcuni personaggi, che poi finiscono per intrecciarsi in maniera inattesa. Ho subito legato col personaggio di Christopher, che per la notevole presenza in scena, e per il fatto che viene mostrata una sua approfondita introspezione psicologa, ha un ruolo molto simile a quello di protagonista.
La trama tratta dell’imminente lancio di una nave interstellare, la Memphis, con diecimila futuri coloni di un nuovo mondo, del metodo con cui vengono selezionati e del tentativo di boicottare questa missione da parte di un movimento contrario a essa, poiché i suoi sostenitori ritengono che si debba migliorare la situazione sulla Terra prima di andare in cerca di altri mondi e che, nello specifico, privare il nostro pianeta di alcune delle sue menti più brillanti sia sbagliato. La loro convinzione sfocia nel fanatismo fino al compimento atti di violenza, all’omicidio e porta persino al terrorismo.
Il modo in cui gli appartenenti a questi movimenti ragionano (si fa per dire) fa davvero paura. Ignoranza, follia e crudeltà li contraddistingue e pone delle riflessioni che possono essere tranquillamente applicate a certe uscite aggressive fatte al giorno d’oggi sui social network, quando si parla di colonizzazione di Marte o in generale di esplorazione spaziale. C’è da sentirsi sollevati del fatto che siano solo parole e che non ci sia nessuno, come il Jeremiah di questo romanzo, capace di fomentare tali persone, proprio perché non saprebbero andare oltre l’esibizione della propria ignoranza e lo sfogo delle proprie frustrazioni sul web.
Eppure nella lettura delle terribili azioni svolte dai seguaci di Jeremiah in questo romanzo, per quanto si trattasse di finzione, ho provato lo stesso disgusto velato di timore che certi commenti di questo tipo letti su Facebook riescono sempre più spesso a suscitare.
In tale contesto già di per sé interessante, si inseriscono una serie di personaggi estremamente controversi, come pure lo è per certi versi il tipo di società futura mostrata nel romanzo. Tra essi, per esempio, l’esistenza di matrimoni con più di due persone, spesso addirittura aperti, mi ha fatto storcere il naso, poiché nel modo in cui viene mostrato riduce il concetto stesso di matrimonio all’avere qualcuno per cui si prova attrazione fisica a disposizione nella stessa casa. L’argomento sembrava messo lì per evidenziare alcuni problemi personali di un personaggio, senza però godere di una propria credibilità. E alla fine sono stata contenta del modo in cui quel particolare aspetto si è risolto nella storia di quel personaggio (e devo dire che ciò ha contribuito al gradimento generale del libro).
Comunque, non voglio entrare nel dettaglio, poiché credo che meno si sappia sulla trama di questo libro più si abbia la possibilità di venirne positivamente sorpresi. Dico solo che si tratta di un romanzo complesso, ma talmente ben strutturato da non rendere necessaria una lunghezza eccessiva. Ciò probabilmente dipende dal fatto che la storia originale era quella di un vecchio racconto inedito dell’autore, che poi quest’ultimo ha ampliato, impedendo che esplodesse in mille direzioni, come invece capita quando si parte da un’idea non abbastanza definita. Ne è venuta fuori un’opera che unisce alla sintesi uno sviluppo soddisfacente dei filoni narrativi, impreziositi qua e là da colpi di scena e accelerazioni dell’azione del tutto imprevedibili.
Se amate la fantascienza hard in cui, però, non si trascuri l’introspezione dei personaggi, poiché svolge un ruolo fondamentale nella trama a pari merito con uno dei cosiddetti “grandi temi”, e doveste mai incappare in questo testo, non lasciatevelo sfuggire.
Surprisingly outstanding
I came across this book in a jumble sale. The objectively ugly cover (in the Italian edition), which reminds me of a manual, was almost discouraging me from buying it, but convinced by the price, I decided to pick it up. When I started reading it, I was immediately pleasantly surprised by the opening scene featuring some action, which won my last hesitation due to the many typos.
Although the original book was published in 1990, the future in it is still fairly plausible, although some anachronism can be noticed. However, it isn’t much.
The story goes parallel with the events regarding some characters, which then end up joining in an unexpected way. I immediately felt a bond with Christopher’s character, which, because of the remarkable presence in the scenes, and the fact that his deep psychological introspection is shown, has a role very similar to a protagonist.
The plot deals with the imminent launch of an interstellar ship, Memphis, with ten thousand future colonists of a new world, the method by which they are selected, and the attempt to boycott this mission by a movement contrary to it, whose supporters believe that we need to improve the situation on Earth before going to other worlds and that, in particular, depriving our planet of some of its brighter minds is wrong. Their conviction comes into fanaticism with acts of violence, murder, and even terrorism.
The way in which those who are in this movement reason (if this can be call reasoning) is really scary. Ignorance, insanity, and cruelty characterise them and suggest a reflection that can be easily applied to certain aggressive outbreaks made today on social networks, when it comes to the colonisation of Mars or in general to space exploration. You feel relieved that they are just words and that there is no one like Jeremiah (of this novel) capable of fomenting such people, just because they wouldn’t be able to go beyond the show of their ignorance and the outburst of their frustrations on the web.
Yet reading the terrible actions of Jeremiah’s followers in this novel, even if it is fiction, made me feel the same disgust mixed with fear that such comments on Facebook are more and more often able to arise in me.
In this context, which is already interesting in itself, a number of extremely controversial characters are inserted, as is the kind of future society shown in the novel in some ways. Among that, for example, the existence of marriages with more than two people, often even open ones, made me grimace, because the way it is shown reduces the very concept of marriage to having someone to whom you are physically attracted available in the same house. The topic seemed to be put there to highlight some personal problems of a character, without however having an own credibility. In addition, in the end, I was happy with the way that particular aspect resolved in the story of that character (and I must say that this has contributed to the overall liking of the book).
However, I don’t want to go into detail, because I think that the less you know about the plot of this book, the more you have the chance to be positively surprised. I just say it’s a complex novel, but so well structured that it does need to be too long. This probably depends on the fact that the original plot comes from an unpublished old short story by the same author, which he expanded, preventing it to explode in a thousand directions, as it happens when you start from an idea not quite defined. What came out is a work that combines the synthesis with a satisfactory development of the narrative strands, embellished here and there by totally unpredictable twists and accelerations of the action.
If you love that kind of hard science fiction in which the characters’ introspection is not overlooked, as it plays a crucial role in the story equal with the one of the so-called “big themes”, and you run into this text, don’t let it escape.
June 14, 2020
Nel complesso ho trovato buone alcune idee e riflessioni. Ad esempio quella per cui se le 10mila menti migliori abbandonassero il pianeta per colonizzare il cosmo con la prima astronave, la Menfi, e fossero seguite da altre 4 astronavi simili, sul pianeta Terra la civiltà umana si fermerebbe o addirittura potrebbe andare in recessione sociale e culturale.
Allo stesso modo condivido tutta la parte sul fanatismo, religioso e non, che va fermato in tutti i modi secondo me.
Il protagonista non è un tipo particolarmente simpatico e troppo spazio è lasciato alla sua psicologia e alle sue frustrazioni.
Diciamo che non è un romanzo che rileggerò, anche perché alcuni passaggi sono proprio noiosi.
2 stelle.
Allo stesso modo condivido tutta la parte sul fanatismo, religioso e non, che va fermato in tutti i modi secondo me.
Il protagonista non è un tipo particolarmente simpatico e troppo spazio è lasciato alla sua psicologia e alle sue frustrazioni.
Diciamo che non è un romanzo che rileggerò, anche perché alcuni passaggi sono proprio noiosi.
2 stelle.
November 24, 2017
[review written and first published in 1990]:
Michael Kube-McDowell has written a book about the ultimate predicament and opportunity of the human species. In view of the scarcity of serious books on this theme, Kube-McDowell's work would be important whatever the style and craft of its writing. But the book is a pleasure to read. I should also mention that it is a science fiction novel.
The theme of The Quiet Pools is the relationship of human beings, our planet Earth, and the universe that beckons beyond - more particularly, why this universe beckons to some of us but not to others - why, indeed, even bare consideration of this beckoning arouses immediate feelings in some of us about the necessity of our destiny in the greater cosmos, and equally powerful urges in others to protect our home planet from diversions of energy and focus on the stars.
Anyone who has been party to this debate for any length of time knows that it is beyond settlement by appeals to economic dividends, military advantage, or even scientific progress expected to result from human involvement in space. This is why the many books and studies that attempt to evaluate the meaning of humans in space from these quantifiable perspectives are unsatisfying. Shortly after the Challenger disaster in 1986, I participated in a small, high-level seminar at M.I.T. on how to keep the public enthusiastic about the space program. Scientists, bankers, and political scientists presented an impressive array of reasons; my own paper, wrapping up the session, was a discussion of missed technological opportunities in history, and how these failures to climb a ladder at hand often led to the slow dissolution of the civilization below.[1] A reporter from The New York Times, generally friendly to our cause, remarked that these presentations had been logically convincing but emotionally unmoving. She was right. What can we tell the guy in the street to make him really want to spend his tax dollars on space, she asked. Tell him that until we go beyond our planet, we'll never really have a chance of knowing who we are and what we're doing here, I answered. She laughed - that answer sounded right to her, but she doubted it would have much impact on those who were already against the space program. She was right again.
Kube-McDowell offers an hypothesis for this schism in the human community, for the differences between those who aspire to and those who scoff at space, regardless of the evidence they present. [review continues here]: https://paullevinson.blogspot.com/201...
Michael Kube-McDowell has written a book about the ultimate predicament and opportunity of the human species. In view of the scarcity of serious books on this theme, Kube-McDowell's work would be important whatever the style and craft of its writing. But the book is a pleasure to read. I should also mention that it is a science fiction novel.
The theme of The Quiet Pools is the relationship of human beings, our planet Earth, and the universe that beckons beyond - more particularly, why this universe beckons to some of us but not to others - why, indeed, even bare consideration of this beckoning arouses immediate feelings in some of us about the necessity of our destiny in the greater cosmos, and equally powerful urges in others to protect our home planet from diversions of energy and focus on the stars.
Anyone who has been party to this debate for any length of time knows that it is beyond settlement by appeals to economic dividends, military advantage, or even scientific progress expected to result from human involvement in space. This is why the many books and studies that attempt to evaluate the meaning of humans in space from these quantifiable perspectives are unsatisfying. Shortly after the Challenger disaster in 1986, I participated in a small, high-level seminar at M.I.T. on how to keep the public enthusiastic about the space program. Scientists, bankers, and political scientists presented an impressive array of reasons; my own paper, wrapping up the session, was a discussion of missed technological opportunities in history, and how these failures to climb a ladder at hand often led to the slow dissolution of the civilization below.[1] A reporter from The New York Times, generally friendly to our cause, remarked that these presentations had been logically convincing but emotionally unmoving. She was right. What can we tell the guy in the street to make him really want to spend his tax dollars on space, she asked. Tell him that until we go beyond our planet, we'll never really have a chance of knowing who we are and what we're doing here, I answered. She laughed - that answer sounded right to her, but she doubted it would have much impact on those who were already against the space program. She was right again.
Kube-McDowell offers an hypothesis for this schism in the human community, for the differences between those who aspire to and those who scoff at space, regardless of the evidence they present. [review continues here]: https://paullevinson.blogspot.com/201...
September 25, 2013
The question dealing with human capital expense vs exploration is a worthy theme. I think Michael P. K-M tells a good story while presenting various aspects of this theme, too. A couple critical opinions keep me from rating "The Quiet Pools" higher. I found myself going back to previously read passages to connect some parts of the story. That is annoying, especially when I cannot make the connection that I thought should be there. Also a negative for me was that I found it hard to connect with the main character, Christopher. Christopher goes through a growing transformation, which is good. However, to get there he goes through psychological therapy, which I almost always dislike in a story. His emotional epiphany happens late in the book and the transformation is rather sudden. To me, several parts of the story seem rather "sudden", which detract from story telling. The bottom line for me is that I was interested in Christopher and the author's ultimate resolution of the theme. I was less interested in some of the tangential aspects of the story.
October 25, 2015
This is the third time reading this one and I'm still a fan. It's a really down-to-earth view of how large-scale, relativistic interstellar colonization would affect those soon to be left behind on earth. I really enjoyed the way the future was described as background, without detracting from the plight of the people involved. It's interesting how close the author got some of the technology & socioeconomic issues close to something we almost have now. I highly recommend this one to anybody looking for a good picture of what the world might look like in 70 - 80 years.
April 28, 2016
I'd give this a 3.5/4. I picked this up free from the gym's book swap, and was pleasantly surprised. I did realize like 50 pages in that I needed to check when it was written - 1990 - which really made it fun to think about this author writing from a perspective of where the world was at then and basing his future world-building on that. Enjoyable sci-fi read for sure.
January 12, 2013
What a mess. It's an engaging tale, but wordy. Well written mostly until there are sections that are full of the author's philosophy. It's NOT a sci fi book. Rather, it's a psychodrama set in one implausible future. I've read worse books...
July 15, 2016
This is one of my favourite science-fiction novels. It's suspenseful, which is a rare enough adjective to use when describing sci fi. The characters are full of life.
July 30, 2024
The idea is grand: a huge generational starship is prepared to leave Earth orbit carrying thousands of human volunteers to a potential new home circling the star Tau Ceti. But the focus is entirely earthbound as the ship's imminent departure causes political, psychological, and ideological fractures on a homeworld already teeming with billions of unhappy people. The technology is merely brushed upon so it's not standard science fiction. There are luddite terrorists at work yet it is not exactly a thriller. The leader of the anti-starship (anti-progress?) mob is an enigma yet it's not a mystery. There is sex and relationship issues yet it is not a romance. Even the characters, as meticulously drawn as they are, eventually emerge as so many archetypes: the dreamer, the angry young man, the dutiful cop, the charismatic prophet... So why did I find it so engrossing? Kube-McDowell has written something of a multi-player epic which sweeps you along with a narrative that always engages and rarely lags...even the protagonist's incessant whining (of the "my father never loved me, waaah!" variety) ends up being the springboard for some valuable insights. And for that final piece of the puzzle the author uses a bit of genetic sleight-of-hand which suddenly gives the entire story a very different perspective. Reads like a TV mini-series and I mean that as a compliment.
May 18, 2020
Kube-McDowell, Michael P. The Quiet Pools. Ace, 1990.
There are three dramatic possibilities in any generation starship story. You can focus on problems getting launched, or on problems on the way, or on problems when you get there. The Quiet Pools, nominated for a Hugo, is in the first group. Most stories about launching are starship are focused on the people who want to go. Heinlein’s Methuselah’s Children is a good example. The Quiet Pools is unusual in that it focuses on the opposition. Having said that, it is hard to say more without creating spoilers I would rather avoid. The central symbol of the novel is in the title, but it takes a long time for Kube-McDowell to tells us about it. Technology is underplayed—though there is a very believable scene with an AI—in favor of psychology and genetics. In that way, without the longevity wish fulfillment, it is the heir to Methuselah’s Children. It is better written than Emprise, an earlier Kube-McDowell novel, though I could do with several fewer banal sex scenes and scenes of Freudian angst. However, the scientific argument the story finely presents is worth the wait.
There are three dramatic possibilities in any generation starship story. You can focus on problems getting launched, or on problems on the way, or on problems when you get there. The Quiet Pools, nominated for a Hugo, is in the first group. Most stories about launching are starship are focused on the people who want to go. Heinlein’s Methuselah’s Children is a good example. The Quiet Pools is unusual in that it focuses on the opposition. Having said that, it is hard to say more without creating spoilers I would rather avoid. The central symbol of the novel is in the title, but it takes a long time for Kube-McDowell to tells us about it. Technology is underplayed—though there is a very believable scene with an AI—in favor of psychology and genetics. In that way, without the longevity wish fulfillment, it is the heir to Methuselah’s Children. It is better written than Emprise, an earlier Kube-McDowell novel, though I could do with several fewer banal sex scenes and scenes of Freudian angst. However, the scientific argument the story finely presents is worth the wait.
December 25, 2021
The was a tendency for the author to geek out some with weapons and spaceship talk. The people story is pretty darn good, though.
July 15, 2023
Too many words too little narrative. Very difficult to read, if youre not familier with US acronyms and slang. Storyline boring. Didn’t finish the book…
July 7, 2020
La terre s'épuise et l'on a donc planifié et commencé un essaimage, très partiel, vers d'autres planètes à bord de vaisseaux spatiaux gigantesques : Le projet Diaspora. Le premier vaisseau Ur est déjà parti et l'on prépare le départ prochain du vaisseau Memphis avec 10 000 pionniers, et 3 autres vaisseaux sont prévus. Mais, sur terre, la colère gronde; plusieurs sont d'avis que la terre ne peut se passer de toutes ces ressources et, en plus, de ses meilleurs représentants, sélectionnés génétiquement et avec des compétences recherchées.
Pour moi, le roman insiste trop sur sur l'aspect policier, la recherche du responsable de l'opposition, souvent violente, au projet, et sur les problèmes personnels de certains membres du projet et pas assez sur les aspects scientifiques du projet. Trop souvent, j'ai eu l'impression que le projet scientifique principal servait surtout d'arrière plan à une intrique policière et à des problèmes psychologiques. En contrepartie, les aspects courants de la vie à cette époque future sont assez bien décrits : intelligence artificielle, bibliothèques d'informations, etc.
Quand je lis de la science-fiction, j'aime que l'on me stimule avec des idées novatrices basées sur une science plausible, ce roman m'a laissé sur ma faim de ce côté, même si j'ai apprécié sa lecture.
Un point qui m'a agacé sur le quatrième de couverture, on parle de partir vers d'autres galaxies, ce qui n'est pas du tout le contexte du roman, où on parle de systèmes solaires proches.
Il faudrait vraiment que l'on fasse plus attention à la différence entre un système solaire (souvent une étoile et ses planètes, plus de 200 milliards dans notre galaxie, à une distance d'environ 5 à 100 000 années lumières) et une galaxie (Amas gigantesque d'étoiles à plus d'un million d'années lumière de notre galaxie: La Voie Lactée.
Une lecture appréciée, mais je m'attendais à plus.
Pour moi, le roman insiste trop sur sur l'aspect policier, la recherche du responsable de l'opposition, souvent violente, au projet, et sur les problèmes personnels de certains membres du projet et pas assez sur les aspects scientifiques du projet. Trop souvent, j'ai eu l'impression que le projet scientifique principal servait surtout d'arrière plan à une intrique policière et à des problèmes psychologiques. En contrepartie, les aspects courants de la vie à cette époque future sont assez bien décrits : intelligence artificielle, bibliothèques d'informations, etc.
Quand je lis de la science-fiction, j'aime que l'on me stimule avec des idées novatrices basées sur une science plausible, ce roman m'a laissé sur ma faim de ce côté, même si j'ai apprécié sa lecture.
Un point qui m'a agacé sur le quatrième de couverture, on parle de partir vers d'autres galaxies, ce qui n'est pas du tout le contexte du roman, où on parle de systèmes solaires proches.
Il faudrait vraiment que l'on fasse plus attention à la différence entre un système solaire (souvent une étoile et ses planètes, plus de 200 milliards dans notre galaxie, à une distance d'environ 5 à 100 000 années lumières) et une galaxie (Amas gigantesque d'étoiles à plus d'un million d'années lumière de notre galaxie: La Voie Lactée.
Une lecture appréciée, mais je m'attendais à plus.
May 20, 2024
(4 Stars)
A space ark attempts to prepare to leave Earth, but an organization tries to stop it. A boy learns about his father and tries to come to peace with himself.
This book was well-written and interesting. The points of view chosen threw me for a while, as we sometimes experience secondary characters as though they are the protagonists, but the true protagonist becomes clear after a while. The genetics pieces were used a tiny bit strangely, as they don't seem that important to me even after the resolution. I found the psychological parts more enjoyable than most similar interactions. There are real-world implications of some of the science fiction presented, and it felt thought-through.
Just a solid enjoyable read.
A space ark attempts to prepare to leave Earth, but an organization tries to stop it. A boy learns about his father and tries to come to peace with himself.
This book was well-written and interesting. The points of view chosen threw me for a while, as we sometimes experience secondary characters as though they are the protagonists, but the true protagonist becomes clear after a while. The genetics pieces were used a tiny bit strangely, as they don't seem that important to me even after the resolution. I found the psychological parts more enjoyable than most similar interactions. There are real-world implications of some of the science fiction presented, and it felt thought-through.
Just a solid enjoyable read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2015
Insightful tale of the conflict between those who want “to boldly go","” and those who would rather take care of the world we already have. The story is too big for the book: many threads are left only partly realized. I want more!
September 12, 2016
The book is good but the lengthy psychological digressions that the author tossed indiscriminately around almost ruined the book for me
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