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The Continuing Time #2
The Long Run: A Tale of the Continuing Time
Book by Moran, Daniel Keys
350 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1989
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
September 14, 2023
“The Crystal Wind is the Storm, and the Storm is Data, and the Data is Life.”
If you are a fan of 80s cyberpunk, this series is pretty much a must. While Moran utilized a rather unconventional narrative format in Emerald Eyes, in The Long Run he switched to a rather linear format, chronicling the trials and tribulations of Trent 'the Uncatchable'. Trent was one of the surviving 'genies' (genetically modified human) from Emerald Eyes, although he lacked the 'gift' (e.g., telepathy and possibly much more). The last installment witnessed the nuking of the genie compound, killing all of them but Trent, Denice and David. Trent, aged 11, was two years older than the twins (Denice and David).
The Long Run picks up 7 or so years after the events of the last installment. Trent has always been what would be called today a hacker, although Moran developed an entire language to depict the 'data stream' that would become today's internet. His 'image' (Johnny, Johnny) is essentially an A.I. program that he interfaces with to travel the data stream via various devices. Trent, along with some pals, has become a 'booster', e.g., a thief, but not an ordinary one.
Before the genie compound was nuked, the genies unleashed themselves, and used their mind power to either kill or drive insane about half of the population of New York State. This led to the 'troubles', and it took two years before the UN Peace Keeping Force (PKF) were able to stabilize the area. Now, the UN compound is in Mid-Town Manhattan, and Manhattan itself is patrolled by the PKF; the larger metro region outside Manhattan is now known as the 'fringe' and the haven for gangs, cults and such. Trent and his pals, after several years, managed to establish themselves in the 'patrolled areas'-- much safer-- and once again embark on their life of crime. Yes, they have 'day jobs', but the real action is in the boost.
Trent managed to find Denice, and they quickly become lovers, but David is still lost and presumed dead. The PKF, especially one Mohamoud Vance, an elite PKF (e.g., a cyborg) has never given up tracking the surviving genies; he is the one who ordered the nuke that blew most of them away. Now it seems that Trent has brought the attention of Vance, who seemed to mastermind a sting operation to catch Trent, but one which fails. I will stop with the plotting here, as this is as much an adventure story as it is cyberpunk.
The Long Run reminded me of Harrison's The Stainless Steel Rat given all the exploits and such Trent manages here in the face of impossible odds. Moran's day job was in IT, and surprisingly enough, the tech does not feel dated at all (what a futurist!). Lots of fantastic characters, bold adventures, and awesome worldbuilding. I really liked Emerald Eyes and if anything, I liked this even more. 4.5 stars, rounding up!!
If you are a fan of 80s cyberpunk, this series is pretty much a must. While Moran utilized a rather unconventional narrative format in Emerald Eyes, in The Long Run he switched to a rather linear format, chronicling the trials and tribulations of Trent 'the Uncatchable'. Trent was one of the surviving 'genies' (genetically modified human) from Emerald Eyes, although he lacked the 'gift' (e.g., telepathy and possibly much more). The last installment witnessed the nuking of the genie compound, killing all of them but Trent, Denice and David. Trent, aged 11, was two years older than the twins (Denice and David).
The Long Run picks up 7 or so years after the events of the last installment. Trent has always been what would be called today a hacker, although Moran developed an entire language to depict the 'data stream' that would become today's internet. His 'image' (Johnny, Johnny) is essentially an A.I. program that he interfaces with to travel the data stream via various devices. Trent, along with some pals, has become a 'booster', e.g., a thief, but not an ordinary one.
Before the genie compound was nuked, the genies unleashed themselves, and used their mind power to either kill or drive insane about half of the population of New York State. This led to the 'troubles', and it took two years before the UN Peace Keeping Force (PKF) were able to stabilize the area. Now, the UN compound is in Mid-Town Manhattan, and Manhattan itself is patrolled by the PKF; the larger metro region outside Manhattan is now known as the 'fringe' and the haven for gangs, cults and such. Trent and his pals, after several years, managed to establish themselves in the 'patrolled areas'-- much safer-- and once again embark on their life of crime. Yes, they have 'day jobs', but the real action is in the boost.
Trent managed to find Denice, and they quickly become lovers, but David is still lost and presumed dead. The PKF, especially one Mohamoud Vance, an elite PKF (e.g., a cyborg) has never given up tracking the surviving genies; he is the one who ordered the nuke that blew most of them away. Now it seems that Trent has brought the attention of Vance, who seemed to mastermind a sting operation to catch Trent, but one which fails. I will stop with the plotting here, as this is as much an adventure story as it is cyberpunk.
The Long Run reminded me of Harrison's The Stainless Steel Rat given all the exploits and such Trent manages here in the face of impossible odds. Moran's day job was in IT, and surprisingly enough, the tech does not feel dated at all (what a futurist!). Lots of fantastic characters, bold adventures, and awesome worldbuilding. I really liked Emerald Eyes and if anything, I liked this even more. 4.5 stars, rounding up!!
June 12, 2013
Even on well panned riverbeds, one can still find gold. And this is just what I found, via the Goodreads discussion groups, a golden book from the 80s. The Long Run is the 2nd book of the Continuing Time series by Daniel Keys Moran. It's primarily the story of Trent Castanaveras, 2nd generation genetically engineered human, who unlike Carl of the 1st book (Emerald Eyes, an amazing book in its own right) is not a telepath but instead is physically enhanced. Trent is a thief and a (cyber-)Player who is moved to payback the atrocities of the world-dominating military, the Peacekeeper Force, in particular, of the cyborg Vance Mohammed. The book covers the pursuit of Trent by Vance from subjugated earth to the Lagrangian stations and onto the moon. That pursuit in and of itself is engaging, although there are instances of fortunate coincidences to help Trent along. What is memorable is the inventive use of the back story and its science fictional elements that avoid the sensation of "plucking things out of thin air" that can be found in similar chase stories. Along the way, Moran presents a view of both the physical and cyber worlds of his future that is amazingly contemporary and, except for one aspect noted below, does not feel dated at all.
Moran's prose has a schizo tendency to jump about in short bursts, particularly during action sequences, from one point of view or point in time to another. This may be a jarring style that takes time to get used to. Since I made through the first book, I was used to this by this second book. In fact, I think Moran is more linear in his approach here. Anyway, I view this technique as supplemntal to the "coolness" factor of the story-telling reminiscent of Neal Asher's Gridlinked or William Gibson's Sprawl series.
Trent is an interesting character. The comparison to Case of Neuromancer comes up immediately because of the cyber skills, but ultimately Case is a victim of circumstances outside his control while Trent makes his own destiny. Another comparison is with Wade of Ready Player One, this time with the game Player dimension, and I think, with their relative youthfulness. Both reluctantly find themselves "King of the Hill" and give the powers-that-be a kick in the b. Trent survives the reading process better because of his intransigent nature that seems to say, "you thought you knew me, but you actually don't" weeks after the final page.
For all the imaginative extrapolation of Moran's world-building, especially in relation to the development of the worldwide net and cyber culture, he did miss out on Moore's Law. While the book considers 700 TB of memory as a pinnacle of technical achievement, other authors have projected singularity based on the progressing speeds of digital computation. But this minor issue does not detract from the overall quality of the book. Take this as just a wise-ass comment from a lowly reviewer. Regardless, Moran has made a fan out of me, and I am adding him to my list of must-read authors.
I am looking forward to reading the next two books in the series. For fans of the books mentioned above, this one is highly recommended.
Read
August 11, 2016A friend of mine recommended this book to me and told me there's no need to read #1 or #3 of the trilogy because it stands on its own and it's the best of the trilogy. It does stand on its own. And it's a great book. I love Trent - no, I want to be Trent. Trent the Thief, Trent the Uncatchable. He's funny and sarcastic and brilliant and has morals and this is a great book. It's very sci-fi however, I'm not a huge sci-fi book fan and I really enjoyed this book.
January 20, 2011
So, point of honesty: this was my favorite book when I was 14. And it was 1990. And the internet was still shuffling towards "a good idea."
It's not the best prose in the world. It's not the tightest story ever written. It's not the best cyber-punk heist novel of all time.
But it's damn good, and it tries hard, and it still kicks ass more than twenty years later.
I've had three paperback copies. I know Moran had some really high quality hard-back versions printed, but I wasn't in time to pick one of those up. So dog-eared and aging paperbacks were all I had until I got the ebook a few months ago.
I've re-read the whole series, and this one still stands out.
The book is just a romp. It's a heist and a chase scene and a set-up, and it's all of those at the same time running flat out non-stop no-holds-bared from New York to the Moon.
You might not love it, I really don't know what other combination of eclectic passions would lead someone to love this book...but for me it's damn near perfect even decades after I first read it.
It's not the best prose in the world. It's not the tightest story ever written. It's not the best cyber-punk heist novel of all time.
But it's damn good, and it tries hard, and it still kicks ass more than twenty years later.
I've had three paperback copies. I know Moran had some really high quality hard-back versions printed, but I wasn't in time to pick one of those up. So dog-eared and aging paperbacks were all I had until I got the ebook a few months ago.
I've re-read the whole series, and this one still stands out.
The book is just a romp. It's a heist and a chase scene and a set-up, and it's all of those at the same time running flat out non-stop no-holds-bared from New York to the Moon.
You might not love it, I really don't know what other combination of eclectic passions would lead someone to love this book...but for me it's damn near perfect even decades after I first read it.
Currently reading
May 26, 2023This one showed up in usually-reliable (for me) reviewer Russ Allebery's list of his highest-rated SF/F books. Here's his review, https://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/reviews/...
And an excerpt: He rates it as 9/10.
" I think my favorite part of the book is the self-assured, calm, occasionally sardonic attitude of the lead character, a memorable hero who I greatly enjoyed spending time with. He manages to come up with all of those quips that one wishes one could think of in the heat of the moment. Having a lead character who doesn't believe in killing is a nice touch and adds a tiny bit of philosophy to the story — not a lot, as this isn't a particularly philosophical book, but enough to add more depth to his character.
Obviously a lot of thought has gone into the world, and I loved the blending of the story with quotes from various religious writings, analyses, and songs, sometimes dated far after the events of the story. Not only does this add to the ambiance, but it gives the story a certain mythic feel and depth that's quite engrossing. "
I bought a copy. Coming up soon!
Well. After 2 days, I'm at p. 50 (mmpb). Not bad for late-80s vintage SF, but not exactly gripping. I think I'll switch to the Tanith Lee that just came in at the library, & let this one sit a bit.
And an excerpt: He rates it as 9/10.
" I think my favorite part of the book is the self-assured, calm, occasionally sardonic attitude of the lead character, a memorable hero who I greatly enjoyed spending time with. He manages to come up with all of those quips that one wishes one could think of in the heat of the moment. Having a lead character who doesn't believe in killing is a nice touch and adds a tiny bit of philosophy to the story — not a lot, as this isn't a particularly philosophical book, but enough to add more depth to his character.
Obviously a lot of thought has gone into the world, and I loved the blending of the story with quotes from various religious writings, analyses, and songs, sometimes dated far after the events of the story. Not only does this add to the ambiance, but it gives the story a certain mythic feel and depth that's quite engrossing. "
I bought a copy. Coming up soon!
Well. After 2 days, I'm at p. 50 (mmpb). Not bad for late-80s vintage SF, but not exactly gripping. I think I'll switch to the Tanith Lee that just came in at the library, & let this one sit a bit.
July 28, 2010
My absolute favorite book ever. I have read this at least a dozen times since I bought it in high school. That reminds me . . . it's been a while.
February 2, 2011
Daniel Keys Moran deserves more attention from sci-fi fans. My copies of his books are dog-eared and beat up, and this one is missing the cover, but I treasure them still. Moran has created an interesting sci-fi universe peopled with interesting characters. I encourage readers to check out his A Tale of the Continuing Time novels as well as his standalone work.
July 27, 2023
awesome classic
October 22, 2021
Recommendation: This is a fantastic cyberpunk novel that has aged more gracefully than most of its contemporaries.
Review: Trent Castanaveras in a genetically engineered clone. A minor character from the first book in the series (Emerald Eyes), Trent is one of only four "genies" to survive those events to this book. Stranded and orphaned when he was eleven, not knowing that anyone else he knew survived, Trent has spent the last seven years scrambling in a post-apocalyptic no man's land, surviving on his considerable wits and skills. The process of keeping alive through the brutality and escaping into the Patrol Sectors (areas of Occupied America that are actually policed by the United Nations government - "the Unification") has impressed upon him a couple of rules that govern all aspects of how he lives his life: "Killing is wrong," and "You can run away from any problem." He has become a Player - a person who dances in the web, hacking his own software tools and commandeering computing resources on the fly. He uses these skills to great effect in a world that has become dominated by and dependent upon network computing, both providing security to companies as well as stealing information and/or boosting assets from the wealthy. As the book begins, he's doing well for himself as well as for the gang of misfits that he helped escape the Fringe with him. But a mysterious stranger tips him off to a sting operation on the same day that he runs into one of the other Castanaveras survivors, which sets back in motion the long series of events that started with the Time Wars (as referenced in each of the books in the series).
Critique: I've read The Long Run (and Daniel Keys Moran's several other books) many times over the years, first discovering them when I was the same age as Trent (the protagonist) in this novel: I picked up the book on a whim, attracted by the cover art, which is a striking image of a scene from the book: Trent, fleeing the Peaceforcers in a Chandler Metalsmith Mark II hovercar. The car is purple for some reason, and Trent has dark hair, which has always bothered me: why do books get published with cover illustrations that don't depict the characters correctly? It's a minor gripe that bothers me primarily because it's one of the few sour notes in an otherwise excellent novel.
Let me get the rest of the bad stuff out of the way: as with a lot of science fiction novels, the sexuality in The Long Run is a little creepy. It's not as bad as Frankowski's "Cross-Time Engineer" series, but it's in the same ballpark. Like almost all of the Castanaveras genies, Trent is a clone of Carl. Carl married a different clone, Jany, and together they got pregnant and the twins Denice and David Castanaveras were born naturally two years after Trent was born artificially. So the relationships are weird; being clones, everybody is as close to genetically identical as they could manage. Trent is thus either an uncle or a brother to Denice, and yet they're lovers. Is that better, worse, or just as bad as the fact that when they hook up, Trent is eighteen and Denice is a 16-year-old minor? Trent is a horn dog, though: over the course of the novel he also sleeps with at least two other women (Callia and the surgeon). Thankfully Moran doesn't go into any lurid details; in fact he glosses over this so deftly that you might be able to read the book and not really think about it.
While it is far and away the most prescient book from the 80s about how the network has come to dominate our lives, The Long Run still ends up seeming a bit dated in some respects. The chief form of this is in little technology details. The Long Run was published in 1989, when Moran was 26. Elsewhere, he has written about how he first wrote the story when he was 18, which would have been 1981. He then went on to write his other novels (the excellent The Armageddon Blues and the first installment of the Continuing Time series, Emerald Eyes) as a warm-up/proof-of-concept; getting him ready to write The Long Run in a way that would do it justice. So he was creating his concept of the web - the Crystal Wind - in the mid-80s, extrapolating from what was available then. He predicts a lot of stuff that didn't exist then but is so commonplace now it's hard to remember a time without them: the ubiquity of computing, driverless cars, handheld computers (smart phones), fiber optic networking, online news, digital music, remote study/online education, even the very concept that everyone would rely on online sources for their information. It's kind of amazing how much he gets right, particularly when you compare his writing to any other near-future SF from the same time period: other writers tend to be howlingly off the mark with their versions of "future" computing technology. But within all that creativity there are still limitations. The primary form of networking back then was through terminal programs accessing remote systems; the most common form of this was bulletin board systems. So even though what he's describing could easily be thought of as "web sites," he calls them "boards" consistently. HTML was barely in use in 1989 (certainly not in any sort of globally-networked way), let alone the graphical internet that we enjoy today: Netscape's Mosaic browser wasn't to come out for another 5 years.
There's a terrible Keanu Reeves film called "Johnny Mnemonic," which is itself an adaptation of another cyberpunk story from 1981. In that film, there is a point where Keanu boasts that his head contains "ten gigabytes of storage," which had my friends and I howling with derisive laughter in the theater. We laughed because even when that film came out in 1995, 10GB was pretty attainable, and seemed far too modest a volume of memory to classify as even near future science fiction. A good trajectory to imagine for SF authors: what is an impressive amount of memory will at least increase another power of 1024 every decade. So in 1980, 1 kilobyte (1024 bytes) was an extravagant amount of random access memory (RAM). Ten years later, in 1990, 1 megabyte (MB) RAM was impressive. In 2000, 1 gigabyte (GB). In 2010, 1 terabyte (TB). In 2020, 1 petabyte (PB) of RAM is impressive. By 2030, 1 exabyte (EB) will be impressive, in 2040 1 zettabyte (ZB), and in 2050, 1 yottabyte (YB). Computer scientists have not yet agreed on a name for the 1024^9 or 1024^10 amounts of RAM, as that amount is theoretical at this point. Daniel Keys Moran could have been the one to name these amounts, because The Long Run takes place in 2069, when an impressive amount of RAM will be that 1024^10 number. He certainly couldn't have done worse than the names that have been proposed, as they are pretty ridiculous. But he didn't. When he wrote this novel, "terabyte" was the largest unit of memory that had been named, so in coming up for the names for those large numbers, he'd also have had to come up with names for 1PB on up. So we read about him stealing a paltry amount of RAM in the book (125 TB). This isn't as ridiculous or as jarring as "Johnny Mnemonic," but it's fundamentally the same problem...and it does get more jarring every ten years.
There's a relatively minor annoyance that The Long Run has in common with many other science fiction books. No, for once it's not the imagined wonders of zero-gravity sex. This time, it's the idea that the shadows on the moon are completely black, and that the dark side of the moon is really dark. It's an idea that crops up again and again in science fiction, and it's totally false. Shadows on the moon look sharp and black. They are sharp because there is effectively no atmospheric diffusion of light to soften the edges of a shadow. But the shadows are only black by contrast to the areas that are illuminated by sunlight. Just as there is no atmosphere to diffuse light, there is no air, no water vapor, no fog, and no cloud cover to dim the light of a billion stars which shine down ceaselessly on all surfaces of the moon. The shadows on the moon (including the dark side) are lit brighter than the brightest starry night on Earth. Any sighted person in a suit would be able to see and easily navigate anywhere in shadow on the moon. Could you still hide in shadows on the moon? Sure, as long as you were hiding from people who were in the sunlit areas: to them, shadows would seem to be pits of darkness. But if you were in the shadows looking at other people in the shadows - for instance, if you were on the "dark side" of the moon - you'd be able to see them and they'd be able to see you just fine.
But those are the exceptions that keep The Long Run from seeming too perfect; otherwise, the book is a wonderful ride. Moran has built an engaging world that leans towards realism rather than fantasy; the spaceships use realistic physics, and, unlike the majority of cyberpunk authors, Moran based his computing sequences on his actual career experience with programming and software development. So there is a detailed verisimilitude to the setting of the Continuing Time. Trent is a charismatic trickster character (Trent even references the classic Bugs Bunny cartoon "Rabbit Seasoning" in the text), and the narrative follows him as he largely improvises a brilliant heist. It's one awesome sequence after another, with the stakes getting ever higher and higher, strung in a beautiful progression like a string of Christmas lights. This is the story that Moran came up with early, and the refinement of working and reworking it for eight years really shows.
The book is funny, it's exciting, and it's filled with a punk attitude that almost certainly informed later works - most obviously Stephenson's Snow Crash. The characters are all cool archetypes with lots of attitude, rather than detailed people with nuanced, loaded dialogue with lots of subtext. The Long Run is cyberpunk at its most essential: it is about people using computers and cybernetics (that's the "cyber") to subvert an oppressive authority (and that's the "punk"). It's all the more endearing because the character of Trent is unusual in the genre for being committed to not killing anyone. There's plenty of violence in the story, but it's nearly always the authorities causing damage and mayhem in the attempt to avoid looking stupid or silly. Trent is a trickster, as I said, not a vengeful warrior. So the main delight is in seeing how he outwits his opponents, who are stronger, bigger, faster, and more powerful than he is.
Review: Trent Castanaveras in a genetically engineered clone. A minor character from the first book in the series (Emerald Eyes), Trent is one of only four "genies" to survive those events to this book. Stranded and orphaned when he was eleven, not knowing that anyone else he knew survived, Trent has spent the last seven years scrambling in a post-apocalyptic no man's land, surviving on his considerable wits and skills. The process of keeping alive through the brutality and escaping into the Patrol Sectors (areas of Occupied America that are actually policed by the United Nations government - "the Unification") has impressed upon him a couple of rules that govern all aspects of how he lives his life: "Killing is wrong," and "You can run away from any problem." He has become a Player - a person who dances in the web, hacking his own software tools and commandeering computing resources on the fly. He uses these skills to great effect in a world that has become dominated by and dependent upon network computing, both providing security to companies as well as stealing information and/or boosting assets from the wealthy. As the book begins, he's doing well for himself as well as for the gang of misfits that he helped escape the Fringe with him. But a mysterious stranger tips him off to a sting operation on the same day that he runs into one of the other Castanaveras survivors, which sets back in motion the long series of events that started with the Time Wars (as referenced in each of the books in the series).
Critique: I've read The Long Run (and Daniel Keys Moran's several other books) many times over the years, first discovering them when I was the same age as Trent (the protagonist) in this novel: I picked up the book on a whim, attracted by the cover art, which is a striking image of a scene from the book: Trent, fleeing the Peaceforcers in a Chandler Metalsmith Mark II hovercar. The car is purple for some reason, and Trent has dark hair, which has always bothered me: why do books get published with cover illustrations that don't depict the characters correctly? It's a minor gripe that bothers me primarily because it's one of the few sour notes in an otherwise excellent novel.
Let me get the rest of the bad stuff out of the way: as with a lot of science fiction novels, the sexuality in The Long Run is a little creepy. It's not as bad as Frankowski's "Cross-Time Engineer" series, but it's in the same ballpark. Like almost all of the Castanaveras genies, Trent is a clone of Carl. Carl married a different clone, Jany, and together they got pregnant and the twins Denice and David Castanaveras were born naturally two years after Trent was born artificially. So the relationships are weird; being clones, everybody is as close to genetically identical as they could manage. Trent is thus either an uncle or a brother to Denice, and yet they're lovers. Is that better, worse, or just as bad as the fact that when they hook up, Trent is eighteen and Denice is a 16-year-old minor? Trent is a horn dog, though: over the course of the novel he also sleeps with at least two other women (Callia and the surgeon). Thankfully Moran doesn't go into any lurid details; in fact he glosses over this so deftly that you might be able to read the book and not really think about it.
While it is far and away the most prescient book from the 80s about how the network has come to dominate our lives, The Long Run still ends up seeming a bit dated in some respects. The chief form of this is in little technology details. The Long Run was published in 1989, when Moran was 26. Elsewhere, he has written about how he first wrote the story when he was 18, which would have been 1981. He then went on to write his other novels (the excellent The Armageddon Blues and the first installment of the Continuing Time series, Emerald Eyes) as a warm-up/proof-of-concept; getting him ready to write The Long Run in a way that would do it justice. So he was creating his concept of the web - the Crystal Wind - in the mid-80s, extrapolating from what was available then. He predicts a lot of stuff that didn't exist then but is so commonplace now it's hard to remember a time without them: the ubiquity of computing, driverless cars, handheld computers (smart phones), fiber optic networking, online news, digital music, remote study/online education, even the very concept that everyone would rely on online sources for their information. It's kind of amazing how much he gets right, particularly when you compare his writing to any other near-future SF from the same time period: other writers tend to be howlingly off the mark with their versions of "future" computing technology. But within all that creativity there are still limitations. The primary form of networking back then was through terminal programs accessing remote systems; the most common form of this was bulletin board systems. So even though what he's describing could easily be thought of as "web sites," he calls them "boards" consistently. HTML was barely in use in 1989 (certainly not in any sort of globally-networked way), let alone the graphical internet that we enjoy today: Netscape's Mosaic browser wasn't to come out for another 5 years.
There's a terrible Keanu Reeves film called "Johnny Mnemonic," which is itself an adaptation of another cyberpunk story from 1981. In that film, there is a point where Keanu boasts that his head contains "ten gigabytes of storage," which had my friends and I howling with derisive laughter in the theater. We laughed because even when that film came out in 1995, 10GB was pretty attainable, and seemed far too modest a volume of memory to classify as even near future science fiction. A good trajectory to imagine for SF authors: what is an impressive amount of memory will at least increase another power of 1024 every decade. So in 1980, 1 kilobyte (1024 bytes) was an extravagant amount of random access memory (RAM). Ten years later, in 1990, 1 megabyte (MB) RAM was impressive. In 2000, 1 gigabyte (GB). In 2010, 1 terabyte (TB). In 2020, 1 petabyte (PB) of RAM is impressive. By 2030, 1 exabyte (EB) will be impressive, in 2040 1 zettabyte (ZB), and in 2050, 1 yottabyte (YB). Computer scientists have not yet agreed on a name for the 1024^9 or 1024^10 amounts of RAM, as that amount is theoretical at this point. Daniel Keys Moran could have been the one to name these amounts, because The Long Run takes place in 2069, when an impressive amount of RAM will be that 1024^10 number. He certainly couldn't have done worse than the names that have been proposed, as they are pretty ridiculous. But he didn't. When he wrote this novel, "terabyte" was the largest unit of memory that had been named, so in coming up for the names for those large numbers, he'd also have had to come up with names for 1PB on up. So we read about him stealing a paltry amount of RAM in the book (125 TB). This isn't as ridiculous or as jarring as "Johnny Mnemonic," but it's fundamentally the same problem...and it does get more jarring every ten years.
There's a relatively minor annoyance that The Long Run has in common with many other science fiction books. No, for once it's not the imagined wonders of zero-gravity sex. This time, it's the idea that the shadows on the moon are completely black, and that the dark side of the moon is really dark. It's an idea that crops up again and again in science fiction, and it's totally false. Shadows on the moon look sharp and black. They are sharp because there is effectively no atmospheric diffusion of light to soften the edges of a shadow. But the shadows are only black by contrast to the areas that are illuminated by sunlight. Just as there is no atmosphere to diffuse light, there is no air, no water vapor, no fog, and no cloud cover to dim the light of a billion stars which shine down ceaselessly on all surfaces of the moon. The shadows on the moon (including the dark side) are lit brighter than the brightest starry night on Earth. Any sighted person in a suit would be able to see and easily navigate anywhere in shadow on the moon. Could you still hide in shadows on the moon? Sure, as long as you were hiding from people who were in the sunlit areas: to them, shadows would seem to be pits of darkness. But if you were in the shadows looking at other people in the shadows - for instance, if you were on the "dark side" of the moon - you'd be able to see them and they'd be able to see you just fine.
But those are the exceptions that keep The Long Run from seeming too perfect; otherwise, the book is a wonderful ride. Moran has built an engaging world that leans towards realism rather than fantasy; the spaceships use realistic physics, and, unlike the majority of cyberpunk authors, Moran based his computing sequences on his actual career experience with programming and software development. So there is a detailed verisimilitude to the setting of the Continuing Time. Trent is a charismatic trickster character (Trent even references the classic Bugs Bunny cartoon "Rabbit Seasoning" in the text), and the narrative follows him as he largely improvises a brilliant heist. It's one awesome sequence after another, with the stakes getting ever higher and higher, strung in a beautiful progression like a string of Christmas lights. This is the story that Moran came up with early, and the refinement of working and reworking it for eight years really shows.
The book is funny, it's exciting, and it's filled with a punk attitude that almost certainly informed later works - most obviously Stephenson's Snow Crash. The characters are all cool archetypes with lots of attitude, rather than detailed people with nuanced, loaded dialogue with lots of subtext. The Long Run is cyberpunk at its most essential: it is about people using computers and cybernetics (that's the "cyber") to subvert an oppressive authority (and that's the "punk"). It's all the more endearing because the character of Trent is unusual in the genre for being committed to not killing anyone. There's plenty of violence in the story, but it's nearly always the authorities causing damage and mayhem in the attempt to avoid looking stupid or silly. Trent is a trickster, as I said, not a vengeful warrior. So the main delight is in seeing how he outwits his opponents, who are stronger, bigger, faster, and more powerful than he is.
January 9, 2019
Stunning. A virtuoso performance. Mindblowing action. Great characters.
If you haven't found a good book to read, pick this one up.
A little background first. Trent, the main character, is a webplayer and a thief. He is also a genetic mutant. The United Nations is controlled by the Peacekeepers who are headquartered in France. The Leadership of the Peacekeepers, the Peacekeeper Elite are cyborgs.
In a previous novel the Peacekeepers dropped a nuclear bomb on New York City to destroy an enclave of telepaths because they threatened the Peacekeeper's rule. Most of Trent's family, who were there were killed, but Trent was not there because even though he was a genetic mutant, he was not a telepath.
Now several years later, using his talent as a webplayer and his gifts as a thief, he and his crew have escaped out of the wild areas to approach actual society, but the Peacekeeper's have not forgotten that he is out there and they still seek him.
They pick him up in a set up and lock him away in jail, but when his friends break him out, Trent has no choice but to run away.
This book follows Trent's run from the Peacekeeper Elite that seek him from New York City, to a starship in space to the Moon and beyond.
This is one of my all time favorite books.
If you haven't found a good book to read, pick this one up.
A little background first. Trent, the main character, is a webplayer and a thief. He is also a genetic mutant. The United Nations is controlled by the Peacekeepers who are headquartered in France. The Leadership of the Peacekeepers, the Peacekeeper Elite are cyborgs.
In a previous novel the Peacekeepers dropped a nuclear bomb on New York City to destroy an enclave of telepaths because they threatened the Peacekeeper's rule. Most of Trent's family, who were there were killed, but Trent was not there because even though he was a genetic mutant, he was not a telepath.
Now several years later, using his talent as a webplayer and his gifts as a thief, he and his crew have escaped out of the wild areas to approach actual society, but the Peacekeeper's have not forgotten that he is out there and they still seek him.
They pick him up in a set up and lock him away in jail, but when his friends break him out, Trent has no choice but to run away.
This book follows Trent's run from the Peacekeeper Elite that seek him from New York City, to a starship in space to the Moon and beyond.
This is one of my all time favorite books.
September 25, 2012
Big Peter Abe with a surprising recommendation - forgotten Sci Fi from the late 80s, that reads with a contemporary feel - Brought me back to Red Mars with hints of the Bourne Identity.
July 2, 2014
3.5 stars. I picked this up because of a secondhand recommendation and didn't learn anything about it before starting. Two paragraphs in, I knew it was one of those books from the 80s where the UN invades and nukes the US (it was always the USSR or UN) and some people have psychic powers. The main character is handsome, witty, athletic, total nerd wish-fulfillment. And while he has one true love, he won't hesitate to bang his way out of a situation. I wasn't wrong about any of those, but the book was better written than I expected. Not literature, but not bad either. By the end, I was happily surprised at how well Moran had subverted my dime store expectations - with a great take on hacking and AI and some unexpected social commentary.
June 9, 2011
Big fan of Daniel Keys Moran. Story goes that he wrote 33 volumes of a sci-if epic when he was in high school. Not sure how true it is but I dig his style - future world (2060's) after a UN war to unify all countries, goes back and forth between "cyber-punk" themes of hackers and AI's running amok, cyborgs built in zero-gravity orbiting space stations, a solar system wide human culture, genetically engineered telepath protagonists (which were spawned by time-travelling humans from the future involved in their own internecine warfare). I dig it much - no holds barred sci-fi.
February 10, 2011
"The Crystal Wind is the Storm, and the Storm is Data, and the Data is Life."
The whole book is basically one giant chase scene, from downtown New York City to orbit, to the Moon. All the while our hero, Trent The Thief (mind the capitals) is busy running from the Peace Keeping Force, and determined to steal things. Great scenes and quotes abound.
The whole book is basically one giant chase scene, from downtown New York City to orbit, to the Moon. All the while our hero, Trent The Thief (mind the capitals) is busy running from the Peace Keeping Force, and determined to steal things. Great scenes and quotes abound.
June 6, 2019
Awesome sequel. Loved reading about Trent the Uncatchable, can't wait for the next.
April 11, 2023
My single favourite book. I have bought multiple copies of the paperback, and have loaned them out without receiving them back. No issues there, any book loaned should be assumed given, and this book is a great gift.
I cannot read this book slowly. Any time I pick it up, and that's at least annually, I read it cover to cover in one sitting. Pace build slowly over first few chapters, and then, well, Trent starts running :-)
Many of my favourite quotes come from this book, as well as a great personal philosophy/religion.
What do you mean you haven't read it yet? Go. Run!
My Mum bought me this book for Christmas while I was a teenager. Went to my favourite bookshop and asked the storekeeper what I liked reading (I spent a LOT of time in that bookshop :-)) The other two books she bought that trip were Larry Niven/Ringworld (which I already had) and Iain M Banks/Player of Games. Both great books and all three get re-read frequently, but Long Run is by far the most exciting of the three.
I cannot read this book slowly. Any time I pick it up, and that's at least annually, I read it cover to cover in one sitting. Pace build slowly over first few chapters, and then, well, Trent starts running :-)
Many of my favourite quotes come from this book, as well as a great personal philosophy/religion.
What do you mean you haven't read it yet? Go. Run!
My Mum bought me this book for Christmas while I was a teenager. Went to my favourite bookshop and asked the storekeeper what I liked reading (I spent a LOT of time in that bookshop :-)) The other two books she bought that trip were Larry Niven/Ringworld (which I already had) and Iain M Banks/Player of Games. Both great books and all three get re-read frequently, but Long Run is by far the most exciting of the three.
April 8, 2023
In anticipation of reading his newest book (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...) I decided to start at the beginning first with Emerald Eyes and now The Long Run. As other reviews noted, there is a lot going on in these books and I’m interested to see where it all goes. It holds up well for SF books written before the Internet existed for most people. Recommend.
December 10, 2023
Many have described this book and sung its praises.
They are all pretty much spot on.
* this novel, characters and story have aged well
* it bares repeat reading
* you may find yourself thinking faster after reading sections of this book, eg on the train on the way to work. Something I experienced… freaky. Like this book makes you smarter for reading it.
They are all pretty much spot on.
* this novel, characters and story have aged well
* it bares repeat reading
* you may find yourself thinking faster after reading sections of this book, eg on the train on the way to work. Something I experienced… freaky. Like this book makes you smarter for reading it.
December 7, 2020
The second book in the continuing time series is a fast paced, fun read, focusing on the exploits of Trent the Thief - his escape from Earth, and subsequent revenge on the UN peacekeepers, a group that acts more like the SS than police.
June 17, 2017
Creative, smart
I liked this book, it made me smile - but, are all women such a soft touch? Of course, read book 1 in the series first.
I liked this book, it made me smile - but, are all women such a soft touch? Of course, read book 1 in the series first.
April 24, 2019
fun. light.
April 24, 2023
I’ll definitely need to reread this one.
November 24, 2024
While some of the future-tech seems a bit dated, it's still a great story of one man's fight against the authorities.
March 25, 2025
You can't say this isn't a smart book, but it's really proud of itself and repeats the few ideas it has over and over again leaving a rather unsatisfying feeling.
March 18, 2024
I was gifted this book for Christmas.
Unlike the last book gifted to me (Velocity by Dean Koontz, a non-sci-fi book), this book wasn't too bad. In fact, this book is five stars compared to that book... and this is coming from someone who doesn't care for (spacefaring) sci-fi. If you like sci-fi, and in particular like cyber-punk or electropunk, then this may be a good book for you!
For my actual enjoyment, I'd rate this two stars, but again... sci-fi is (generally) not my jam. This story has a lot of elements of classic sci-fi, though, so it's probably a four-star book if that's your genre.
Overall, I'd describe this as a summer read for sci-fi fans who just want to read an adventure book. A book to bring to the pool, oddly enough (though perhaps the squirt-guns as weapons really makes me think that...). Despite being on the run from the Peace-Keeping Force, the main character in this story (Trent) is never really worried, and the reader gets to follow him all the way through space while being immersed in an alternative future. While the plot is sort of big (as in it should have a lot of tension), I never really felt tense or nervous for Trent in the second half of the book. It was just a fun romp through space. The writing, characters, description, and plot were... good. I really do think sci-fi fans will like this one. While none of those things really stood out as special to me while reading, I think the author did a fantastic job telling the story he wanted to tell, and especially for his ideal audience. As someone who shies away from sci-fi featuring outer space, the one thing that stood out most to me was the author's worldbuilding, which felt far above average. I felt like the world made sense (though it took me a while to get grounded in the first chapters with all the terms, factions, sci-fi concepts, etc.), and the world felt fleshed out with its multiple factions and inter-planetary relationships among them. I think this had to have been the author's biggest strength in this book. The love for his world showed through, and that was really awesome! The book did feel more like a tribute to the rich history of this world he's created, which really hits right for some people. If you're one of them and also enjoy a bit of light-hearted humor, this might be for you!
Unlike the last book gifted to me (Velocity by Dean Koontz, a non-sci-fi book), this book wasn't too bad. In fact, this book is five stars compared to that book... and this is coming from someone who doesn't care for (spacefaring) sci-fi. If you like sci-fi, and in particular like cyber-punk or electropunk, then this may be a good book for you!
For my actual enjoyment, I'd rate this two stars, but again... sci-fi is (generally) not my jam. This story has a lot of elements of classic sci-fi, though, so it's probably a four-star book if that's your genre.
Overall, I'd describe this as a summer read for sci-fi fans who just want to read an adventure book. A book to bring to the pool, oddly enough (though perhaps the squirt-guns as weapons really makes me think that...). Despite being on the run from the Peace-Keeping Force, the main character in this story (Trent) is never really worried, and the reader gets to follow him all the way through space while being immersed in an alternative future. While the plot is sort of big (as in it should have a lot of tension), I never really felt tense or nervous for Trent in the second half of the book. It was just a fun romp through space. The writing, characters, description, and plot were... good. I really do think sci-fi fans will like this one. While none of those things really stood out as special to me while reading, I think the author did a fantastic job telling the story he wanted to tell, and especially for his ideal audience. As someone who shies away from sci-fi featuring outer space, the one thing that stood out most to me was the author's worldbuilding, which felt far above average. I felt like the world made sense (though it took me a while to get grounded in the first chapters with all the terms, factions, sci-fi concepts, etc.), and the world felt fleshed out with its multiple factions and inter-planetary relationships among them. I think this had to have been the author's biggest strength in this book. The love for his world showed through, and that was really awesome! The book did feel more like a tribute to the rich history of this world he's created, which really hits right for some people. If you're one of them and also enjoy a bit of light-hearted humor, this might be for you!
March 20, 2013
My rating is based upon having read this book for the first time (on or about) the year 1989. I remember eagerly turning pages as Trent escaped one hair-raising action sequence before entering another. This book was for me like crack is to a crack addict. I am tempted, oh so tempted, to read it again.
UPDATE:
Having just completed a re-read, I find that my previously high regard for this book has diminished over the last 20 odd years. I no longer consider this book to be one of my "all time favorites". The "Long run is still a good book, IMO, but no longer a "GREAT" book. The book is unchanged since my first reading, so the reason for my re-evaluation is a change in the reader...yours truly. I am a different person than I was in 1989. A lot of books have been read since 1989. The "Long Run" has suffered in comparison. IMO, in the year of 2013, the "Long Run" deserves 3 stars.
SPOILER ALERT******
For certain types of adventure literature to be enjoyable (for me), the contests between protagonist(s) and antagonist(s) need to provide a certain amount of tension. The bad guy needs to come close to killing/defeating the good guy. There needs to be a real question concerning the outcome. If your protagonist is freakishly smart and the antagonists are bureaucratic simpletons, there will not be any doubt as to the outcome. No doubt, no tension.
Trent the Uncatchable is this story's protagonist and resident super genius. The PKF (Peace Keeping Force) are the story's simpleton antagonists. Time and time again, Trent effortlessly eludes or evades or outthinks these petty bureaucrats who are collectively the baddest of the bad in our Solar System.
Yawn…after a while, I stopped buying the BS that Trent was in any danger of getting caught or killed. Once that happened, I lost interest and finishing the book began to feel like a chore. It is a shame really, because I had such fond memories..
END SPOILER*******
How in the world did I ever consider this book to be among my “all time favorites”? Maybe I am too jaded to enjoy a story of this type any longer?
UPDATE:
Having just completed a re-read, I find that my previously high regard for this book has diminished over the last 20 odd years. I no longer consider this book to be one of my "all time favorites". The "Long run is still a good book, IMO, but no longer a "GREAT" book. The book is unchanged since my first reading, so the reason for my re-evaluation is a change in the reader...yours truly. I am a different person than I was in 1989. A lot of books have been read since 1989. The "Long Run" has suffered in comparison. IMO, in the year of 2013, the "Long Run" deserves 3 stars.
SPOILER ALERT******
For certain types of adventure literature to be enjoyable (for me), the contests between protagonist(s) and antagonist(s) need to provide a certain amount of tension. The bad guy needs to come close to killing/defeating the good guy. There needs to be a real question concerning the outcome. If your protagonist is freakishly smart and the antagonists are bureaucratic simpletons, there will not be any doubt as to the outcome. No doubt, no tension.
Trent the Uncatchable is this story's protagonist and resident super genius. The PKF (Peace Keeping Force) are the story's simpleton antagonists. Time and time again, Trent effortlessly eludes or evades or outthinks these petty bureaucrats who are collectively the baddest of the bad in our Solar System.
Yawn…after a while, I stopped buying the BS that Trent was in any danger of getting caught or killed. Once that happened, I lost interest and finishing the book began to feel like a chore. It is a shame really, because I had such fond memories..
END SPOILER*******
How in the world did I ever consider this book to be among my “all time favorites”? Maybe I am too jaded to enjoy a story of this type any longer?
April 8, 2014
I'm pleased to discover Moran however belatedly. I just read Emerald Eyes, The Long Run and the Last Dancer in that order. The Long Run is the tightest and most satisfying of the three. Comments have been made about it as a heist story and and a long chase--yes that's the form of the book but that's not why it's good. There are lots of tightly written genre novels with similar forms and often I don't like them enough to finish or forget them after I do.
The Long Run is good because Moran can write plot, character and idea all at once! There's satisfaction to be had in following the shape of his plot. Trent is an interesting (if slightly inhuman) protagonist that's easy to invest in. And Moran does a very interesting thing with ideas--he keeps the reader unsettled about where he and the characters stand on a lot of issues. The world he creates seems very black and white sometimes, but it always shifts to grey.
This is more evident if more of the Continuing Time series is read. Emerald Eyes and especially Last Dancer are less balanced--Moran doesn't always handle the character shifts well--I didn't invest in other characters as much as Trent and unless the series is going to be continued for a long time (and I hope it is), there was way too much detailed back story that was ultimately left hanging.
The Long Run is good because Moran can write plot, character and idea all at once! There's satisfaction to be had in following the shape of his plot. Trent is an interesting (if slightly inhuman) protagonist that's easy to invest in. And Moran does a very interesting thing with ideas--he keeps the reader unsettled about where he and the characters stand on a lot of issues. The world he creates seems very black and white sometimes, but it always shifts to grey.
This is more evident if more of the Continuing Time series is read. Emerald Eyes and especially Last Dancer are less balanced--Moran doesn't always handle the character shifts well--I didn't invest in other characters as much as Trent and unless the series is going to be continued for a long time (and I hope it is), there was way too much detailed back story that was ultimately left hanging.
February 13, 2012
The 2nd book in Moran's Continuing Times series (of which four have now been written), this one chronicles the adventures of Trent Castanaveras.
Genengineered by a geneticist, Trent should have been a telepath like the rest of his extended family. However, lacking the three genes of telepaths, he instead goes on to become one of the planet's best Players (hacker) in the InfoNet (21st century Internet) and premiere thieves years after his telepathic cousins are slaughtered by a world government terrified of their power (this all takes place in the first novel, Emerald Eyes).
He is apprehended by the UN PeaceKeeping Force and charged with crimes against humanity. His escape from a high security prison with one of the last surviving telepaths and fellow thieves is an epic chase, culminating in a run to the lunar colonies on the Moon. Along the way, he makes more than his fair share of friends and enemies.
The characters are interesting, the humour sarcastic and biting, and the words practically drop from the page. I've read the book probably twenty times and still read it once a year for the pure adventure of it. Everyone I've loaned my copy to has loved the book. Frankly, I'm surprised that this cyberpunk novel has been overlooked for so long.
Genengineered by a geneticist, Trent should have been a telepath like the rest of his extended family. However, lacking the three genes of telepaths, he instead goes on to become one of the planet's best Players (hacker) in the InfoNet (21st century Internet) and premiere thieves years after his telepathic cousins are slaughtered by a world government terrified of their power (this all takes place in the first novel, Emerald Eyes).
He is apprehended by the UN PeaceKeeping Force and charged with crimes against humanity. His escape from a high security prison with one of the last surviving telepaths and fellow thieves is an epic chase, culminating in a run to the lunar colonies on the Moon. Along the way, he makes more than his fair share of friends and enemies.
The characters are interesting, the humour sarcastic and biting, and the words practically drop from the page. I've read the book probably twenty times and still read it once a year for the pure adventure of it. Everyone I've loaned my copy to has loved the book. Frankly, I'm surprised that this cyberpunk novel has been overlooked for so long.
March 16, 2025
6/10
I thought this was the same Daniel Keys who did the staggeringly readable Flowers for Algernon (Masterworks series).
I wonder if the publisher did a Kate Mosse, to copy the name and get it slipped on bookshelves next to the good stuff, to make you think it was actually somthing or someone else.
Either way this was above average fare, coming across as a Neuromancer lite with fun references to Heinlein, Vance and other contemporaries, and I enjoyed yet another trip to the moon.
The book fell to bits while reading as it was part of a box of musty '80s sci fi scooped up from a Maryport charity shop.
I thought this was the same Daniel Keys who did the staggeringly readable Flowers for Algernon (Masterworks series).
I wonder if the publisher did a Kate Mosse, to copy the name and get it slipped on bookshelves next to the good stuff, to make you think it was actually somthing or someone else.
Either way this was above average fare, coming across as a Neuromancer lite with fun references to Heinlein, Vance and other contemporaries, and I enjoyed yet another trip to the moon.
The book fell to bits while reading as it was part of a box of musty '80s sci fi scooped up from a Maryport charity shop.
January 31, 2010
Picked this off the "to be read" pile as it was the highest rated of my unread books on Goodreads (over 4.7 average rating!). I've read both The Last Dancer and Emerald Eyes so had some curiosity about the legendary Trent.
On the whole it’s a reasonable action adventure come "heist" tale.
The prose style, choice of view point and pseudo-historic epigrams conspire to sap a fair bit of the tension about how the job is going to go that a "heist" yarn could have. (The fact that I’ve read the books out of order probably didn't help either).
On the whole it’s a reasonable action adventure come "heist" tale.
The prose style, choice of view point and pseudo-historic epigrams conspire to sap a fair bit of the tension about how the job is going to go that a "heist" yarn could have. (The fact that I’ve read the books out of order probably didn't help either).
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