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Cageworld #1
Search for the Sun
"World upon world had been added, each planetary orbit studded with new planets. Planet had been linked to planet until unimaginably vast concentric shells, spinning, stabilized, surrounded the sun. Each shell teemed with the countless billions of humanity. And always unceasingly the work went on..."
Out on Mars shell the question had arisen - was there really a central sun or was it just a myth out of the remotest time. To hunt for the sun meant to go through the intervining shells - an expedition that had never been attempted. But there were three who were ready to go: a master assassin, a master illisionist, and a mistress of the erotic arts.
To find the sun, to outwit Zeus the planet-sized computer that directed the continual expansion of the Solalr shells, this would be the greatest adventure of half a million years - and the first of several!
Out on Mars shell the question had arisen - was there really a central sun or was it just a myth out of the remotest time. To hunt for the sun meant to go through the intervining shells - an expedition that had never been attempted. But there were three who were ready to go: a master assassin, a master illisionist, and a mistress of the erotic arts.
To find the sun, to outwit Zeus the planet-sized computer that directed the continual expansion of the Solalr shells, this would be the greatest adventure of half a million years - and the first of several!
- GenresScience FictionFiction
158 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1983
4 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Colin Kapp
68 books7 followersColin Derek Ivor Kapp was a popular UK science fiction author, but one who never became a success in the USA. He was active, though not prolific, as an author in the 1960s through to the 1980s.
He is best known for his "Unorthodox Engineers" stories, which recount an eccentric group of engineers, who accomplish impossible feats of engineering against all odds.
Pen names: Colin Papp, Colin Capp.
He is best known for his "Unorthodox Engineers" stories, which recount an eccentric group of engineers, who accomplish impossible feats of engineering against all odds.
Pen names: Colin Papp, Colin Capp.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 9, 2026
A quick read, very sci-fi. Had the thought while reading: "I wonder if this is what Star Trek books are like? Or Star Wars books?" Anyway, I appreciated the short chapters, which tended to feel almost rapid-fire, coming in quick succession. I feel like I almost needed that after a fair few books in a row with longer (or no) chapters. A strange palate cleanser, but not really a world to which I want to return.
2.5 stars
2.5 stars
April 25, 2025
A pretty entertaining adventure into the unknown, where the solar system has been turned into a series of concentric Dyson spheres, and the tale of how humanity has flourished at the cost of losing their knowledge of the rest of the universe.
My interest for this book came from the Dyson spheres themselves, and how they could be used to write a nice sci-fi story. I'm glad to report that not only is this a fun and entertaining story, but the setting is uniquely its own, and explored with scientific rigor and fascinating sci-fi concepts. The reasoning for how and why the shells were created replacing the orbits of each planet in the solar system is well grounded, and what kind of human society has emerged from this. It includes calculations of ridiculous diameters and orbits, and even a unique gravitational technology that allows for entire planets to be embedded into the shells themselves, thus turning them into "cageworlds", and which allow our characters to travel through the shells. Not just that, but each of the planets hold a secret of their own, and as the voyage comes further into the system, the more exhilarating the discoveries and revelations become.
The setting itself is what drives the story, but it is helped with a cast of characters that cannot be called boring at all. A mutated assassin with incredible weapon skills, a genetically modified seductress with electric powers, an illusionist capable of creating planet-sized holograms, and more! It is thanks to them that this story becomes more than just a voyage across Big Dumb Objects. I would argue that a few characters end up underdeveloped because the focus is too much on two or even just one of these, which makes the overall cast feel a bit flat. If the story allowed each of the characters to shine it would have been better off, because again, they're not boring characters at all!
One issue you could find with the story is how compressed the storytelling is. A lot of happenings in the voyage are told as a summary devoid of much dialogue or detail, meaning the narrative often blazes through events, which explains its short length. However this may be a positive, since a lot happens in such a short book, and that is certainly better than if it plodded through for hundreds of pages telling the same story.
So its short length and huge scale end up being a big plus in my book. If you want to blast through a wild yet smart space sci-fi adventure in not much time, then I certainly recommend this book.
My interest for this book came from the Dyson spheres themselves, and how they could be used to write a nice sci-fi story. I'm glad to report that not only is this a fun and entertaining story, but the setting is uniquely its own, and explored with scientific rigor and fascinating sci-fi concepts. The reasoning for how and why the shells were created replacing the orbits of each planet in the solar system is well grounded, and what kind of human society has emerged from this. It includes calculations of ridiculous diameters and orbits, and even a unique gravitational technology that allows for entire planets to be embedded into the shells themselves, thus turning them into "cageworlds", and which allow our characters to travel through the shells. Not just that, but each of the planets hold a secret of their own, and as the voyage comes further into the system, the more exhilarating the discoveries and revelations become.
The setting itself is what drives the story, but it is helped with a cast of characters that cannot be called boring at all. A mutated assassin with incredible weapon skills, a genetically modified seductress with electric powers, an illusionist capable of creating planet-sized holograms, and more! It is thanks to them that this story becomes more than just a voyage across Big Dumb Objects. I would argue that a few characters end up underdeveloped because the focus is too much on two or even just one of these, which makes the overall cast feel a bit flat. If the story allowed each of the characters to shine it would have been better off, because again, they're not boring characters at all!
One issue you could find with the story is how compressed the storytelling is. A lot of happenings in the voyage are told as a summary devoid of much dialogue or detail, meaning the narrative often blazes through events, which explains its short length. However this may be a positive, since a lot happens in such a short book, and that is certainly better than if it plodded through for hundreds of pages telling the same story.
So its short length and huge scale end up being a big plus in my book. If you want to blast through a wild yet smart space sci-fi adventure in not much time, then I certainly recommend this book.
October 23, 2017
I read this series for the Big Dumb Object, and found myself far more entertained than I expected. The Cageworlds stuck into gaps within the Dyson shells are a great idea in their own right, and they also provide a new lost colony of humanity or weird project of Zeus's with every shell crossing in the series. Along with some free-floating objects in intershellar space, they add up to a constant stream of new ideas and adventures.
The characters are serviceable, and the series really only falls down on a few overarching plot holes that may or may not wear out your suspension of disbelief.
I have a more spoiler-filled review of the series in my blog.
The characters are serviceable, and the series really only falls down on a few overarching plot holes that may or may not wear out your suspension of disbelief.
I have a more spoiler-filled review of the series in my blog.
September 29, 2018
The concept is great. Search for a sun that has been forgotten by humanity. An AI that orchestrates it all. All the megastructures are well thought out. Plot twists are well timed, but predictable.
However, characters are one dimensional at best. Most of them seem to be there just because it is a team story, while one main character would have been fine.
The writing style reminds of the sparseness and limited description palette of the Scifi from the 1950s. Compared to contemporaries like Dune or anything by Gene Wolf it's underdeveloped. The world is never well defined, it lacks texture.
The concept is great though and is worth reading.
However, characters are one dimensional at best. Most of them seem to be there just because it is a team story, while one main character would have been fine.
The writing style reminds of the sparseness and limited description palette of the Scifi from the 1950s. Compared to contemporaries like Dune or anything by Gene Wolf it's underdeveloped. The world is never well defined, it lacks texture.
The concept is great though and is worth reading.
December 23, 2022
I enjoyed reading this book very much. If you enjoy reading Sci-fi about Megastructures. This book is for you. If you enjoy Iain Banks’ the culture series, I think you will enjoy this book. This book will take your imagination on a ride
I liked how the chapters were broken out in smaller chunks so that you can feel accomplished that you read a chapter within a couple of minutes. There also did not seem to be too much filler material in the story which I appreciated.
Only thing I did not like is that some of the adjectives in the book seemed forced. Other than that, it was a great story and look forward to reading more from this author.
I liked how the chapters were broken out in smaller chunks so that you can feel accomplished that you read a chapter within a couple of minutes. There also did not seem to be too much filler material in the story which I appreciated.
Only thing I did not like is that some of the adjectives in the book seemed forced. Other than that, it was a great story and look forward to reading more from this author.
September 14, 2010
An unlikely team is recruited to uncover the nature of man's existence and the computer that has been entrusted to care for all the vast multitudes of humanity.
This is one of my favorite Science fiction adventure exploration novels. I doubt the basic premise of it holds up well to true scientific principles, but it is still a great what if book.
I really like each of the members of the exploration team, Maq Ancor, the master assassin, Cherry, the circus illusionist, and Sine Anura, a beautiful and deadly hand to hand fighter.
This is one of my favorite Science fiction adventure exploration novels. I doubt the basic premise of it holds up well to true scientific principles, but it is still a great what if book.
I really like each of the members of the exploration team, Maq Ancor, the master assassin, Cherry, the circus illusionist, and Sine Anura, a beautiful and deadly hand to hand fighter.
December 2, 2014
1984 grade C+
Series book CW1
Series book CW1
July 29, 2012
A long long time since I read this. Was not Kapp's best.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews