In both cases, we have two groups that are not necessarily enemies but have very different ideas of how to achieve their goals. When this is done, two more Hexamon habitats join the Stone in Earth orbit, at the time just after the Death. One is that they can create virtual replicas of themselves (known as "partials" or "ghosts") that contain functional parts of their full personality and are able to operate independently, on their behalf, and then reintegrate their experiences with their original later.

I might be mistaken of course, but as I have only so much time and an ever growing TBR, I’m glad to cut some corners and be judgemental based on a too small sample rate. I can think of no sensible way to review the book without spoiling it, and can only suggest that, if you also missed it, and have liked other Bear books, you give it a shot. The physicist, Patricia Vasquez, arrives at the Stone and receives clearance for all the information discovered by the existing science teams, including libraries that describe a nuclear holocaust—“the Death”—taking place in 2005.At the opening of the novel, in 2005, Judith Hoffmann, head of the commission that coordinates the exploration of the Stone, recruits a theoretical physicist. These were awesome and very-well written with good and perfect amount of descriptions, in comparison to Eon. But it isn't giving the Americans a technological edge, only offers confounding mysteries and a devestating vision of their future that they seem powerless to avoid.

With a bit better writing and editing, this might have fulfilled it's potential to be the masterpiece it was trying to be.And plus, when the scientists go and explore it, or the guy in House of Leaves rides off on his bike to investigate the vastness of the House, it's like when kids in stories find doors in trees or in the back of wardrobes and they get to explore a magical kingdom. ben congegnata anche la progressiva scoperta dell'asteroide e degli incredibili segreti che contiene. And not only that, it includes a version of the Singularity, a vast space battle across a vast number of realities, a closer-to-home apocalypse, and massive geo-political rivalries right here on Earth.

For the Stone was from space--but perhaps not our space; it came from the future-but perhaps not our future; and within the hollowed asteroid was Thistledown. But with so many different characters, it is hard to invest in any one in particular, especially when none of them emerge as the most palatable protagonist. She acts like a spoiled kid who occasionally goes into a trance-like stance and emerges with a breakthrough mathematical solution. But while scientists and politicians bickered about how to use the information to stop the Death, the Stone yielded a secret that made even Earth's survival pale into insignificance.The Clarke tradition is to take an Idea then build a story round it; this can lead to novels that really don't have a good story or even much of a story at all, for example, Niven's Ringworld. Everything starts as a mysterious asteroid enters Earth orbit, and an expedition sent by the west discovers that it was built by humans of the future and somehow sent back in time unintentionally. Along the Way, the city has been opening doorways to other alternate universes and creating a trading empire with other cultures, human and alien. But for my taste, I think the review still stands: characters that behave in a totally unbelievable manner and handwavium disguised as science.