Subject: Prograde Reviews--Vernor Vinge:A Fire Upon The Deep

From: [email-masked] (Aaron V. Humphrey)
Date: 30 May 1994 21:42:53 GMT

Vernor Vinge: A Fire Upon The Deep

A Prograde Review by Aaron V. Humphrey

This book was one of last year's Hugo winners, and I can certainly see why.

It's just brimming with ideas--the whole notion of the galaxy being divided
into "Zones" in which different levels of technology are possible (although
similar to Jack L. Chalker's division of the Well World into hexes); the
Tines, an alien race where each being is a pack of doglike beings who use
sound to transmit thought from one to another; the Blight which threatens
the entire galaxy, or at least a sizeable portion of it...and, as widely
mentioned, the Net.

The Net in the book doesn't remind me _heavily_ of Usenet, as some have
been convinced; it does, certainly, share some characteristics of Nets in
general (the flame, with possible insults marked for those from different
contexts, was hilarious), but doesn't remind of Usenet specifically.

The one problem I had with the book was this:  The Blight is taking over
hugh chunks of space, and intends to take over the entire galaxy.  Most of
the action focuses on the Tine world, on which has crashed the ship with
the clue to the Blight's defeat.  In fact, it spends, IMHO, too much time
there.  The Tines are a fascinating race, sure, and their control over the
eventual fate of the marooned ship (and the two young human survivors) is
crucial to the fate of the rest of the galaxy.  But I found myself getting
bored with them, especially when the "rescue" ship kept getting more and
more delayed in their arrival.  As a result, most of the tension was
defused, replaced only by curiosity about how they _were_ going to defeat
the Blight.

All in all, a great read, though.  Highly recommended.  But then, it won
the Hugo, didn't it?

%A Vinge, Vernor
%T A Fire Upon The Deep
%I Tor
%C New York
%D April 1992
%G ISBN 0-312-85182-0
%P 391pp
%O Hardcover

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