Accelerando - Posthumans, AIs and sentient corporations

[[deleted user]]

The Timeline cleared up for me as I got into the second section of the book and could more easily see that the story started somewhere in the the mid to late 2010's and ran through the 2090's and then skipped ahead to a period where time was essentially meaningless.

In that time, Humans with external memory and addons were replaced by humans with implants and direct connection to the entire cyber universe being built. Software and hardware became sentient as did many things we tend to consider to be tools like corporations, currency, etc.

But, was is all happening too fast? I think part of the speed was intentional to better feed the futureshock that becomes such an important part of the theme. And, while OTL may need a few more years to give birth to a young Manfred Macx, once the ball starts rolling, it's not necessarily impossible to imagine a world 80 years from now so completely alien to us today as to trigger that sort of futureshock.

My Android phone in my pocket is incredibly advanced technology to 1991 me - let alone to my grandparents back in 1931. When I'm a spry 120yo in 2086, will I be able to comprehend the world I live in?

[Eric]

So... I'm just over 40% through this and Amber, Queen of the Ring Imperium, has just been served another lawsuit from her mother while in transit to meet up with the expected aliens 3 light years away.

I feel like a whole lot of time has passed, but nothing's really happened. Yes, technology has done amazing things but I'm not feeling the plotline here. Other than the Spy vs. Spy games between Pamela (and some levels of proxy) and Manfred (and some levels of proxy.)

Does this gel any time soon? I'm tempted to put it aside at this point.