David Brin is known for inserting current scientific knowledge of cosmos, biology, and evolutionary science both biological and non-biological (albeit at the edges of known science and speculation beyond, but always on scientific principles). The Uplift Storm Trilogyl exemplifies Brin's mastery of science and story to bring forth an intellectual appreciation of future and past. Brin has been my favorite science fiction author since he came on the scene decades ago. Indeed, in my mind he has replaced Isaac Asimov as the premier intellect in science and story. However, what is most truly amazing is Brin's ability to examine our very diverse, chaotic, and intolerant world today using the device of diverse speciation among the possible worlds, star systems, and cosmologic systems that may actually exist, have existed, or may exist in our future. It may be true that there is life--indeed ubiquitous life--elsewhere across the galaxies. What makes Brin's vision compelling is not what we may encounter in our futures should we ever make "contact", but is ability to dissect and examine the notions of gender, race, class, xenophobia, and the undeterministic nature of human beings and then turn his ideas into a prescient story about how we as humans must learn both to interact with each other and to recognize that life and its ongoing existence is completely unbound from myopic notions of social order. In one example, Brin creates a future Earth that has humans being but one of three sapient species (cetacean "neo" dolphins and "neo" chimpanzees/apes) who "uplifted" to become assimilated into a galactic culture of multitude species. With Infinity's Shore, Brin portrays a "renegade" culture of 6 (that become 8) different species of sapients all extremely different but that over thousands of years had become able to live together in a society while their individual home cultures continue at war and plunder with each other in their respective galaxies. And, this key element in the story is just the very tip of a cultural and galactic iceberg that encapsulates 8 different "orders" of life, 5 galaxies (that we begin to learn in the 3rd volume "Heavens Reach" originally comprised of 17 galaxies, but saying more would be spoiling the story), and literally millions of variegated sapient species that have existed, died, and become born or reborn across eons of a universe; a universe that is primarily marked by chaos resolved into order with no apparent direction. This second uplift trilogy speaks to me as an educator about the way we humans see each other, sometimes as wholly different species (which we at times euphemistically reconcile into "cultural diversity"), sometimesss "sapient" but always inherently different from each other. Brin reminds us how the order of life is not determined by who is on "top" today, but who will survive in a world/galaxy/cosmos where nothing is predetermined, but always real.I have only lightly skimmed the potential for readers to glean from David Brin's universe. I encourage all to read Infinity's Shore.I will give a more complete review once I have completed the final volume "Heaven's Reach".
Yes, I read this in a day. Something like 850 pages today - 200 from the previous book, and this one in its entirety.The entire fucking thing is a page turner. You know, how the last third of a book usually this? The whole goddam book was 100% last third. Totally made up for the unwieldy feeling I got from Brightness Reef. Which I just finished this morning. Oi.It goes without saying that I can't wait to read the next one. But I should probably go to sleep or something... Definitely not letting myself crack open book #3 tonight.There's still one character I hate, but that seems pretty intentional on the part of the author. I'm expecting some kid of turnaround in the last book. Of course, I wouldn't mind if they died....I am so happy to be back with the Streaker's crew - winnowed though they are! And with one guy I didn't even remember. No sight nor sound of certain missing crewmembers. It would be very strange to leave them as they are, so I expect them to pop up in the finale as well.One thing I'm still bummed about, that apparently isn't a loose end - just a sad point that no one has addressed - is the ending of the poor newly formed/baby traeki thing at the end of book 1. For some reason, that bummed me out more than some of the other depressing stuff. Maybe because it was kind of sort of a baby? Ish.Anyway.FOUR AND A HALF STARSProbably a rating based more on emotion than logic, I'll grant. But seriously. A 632 page fucking page turner. That on its own merits four. The extra half (at least as hard to earn as the first four) is just for general awesomeness.Oh, and the theme of the rest of the galactic races being somewhat stupid re: their reliance on the library and lack of innovation continues. There also continue to be hints of... something else. DUN DUN DUN.
What do You think about Infinity's Shore (1997)?
What a change, while “Brightness Reef” was a bit of slog Infinity’s Shore’s pacing was good, and the story was engaging. There was action that moved the plot forward and the various characters now seem to have parts to play that serve the story directly rather than mostly background world building.This is more in keeping with the truly good "Uplift War". All the mysteries of Jijo have not yet come to light and the crew of the Streaker are still in danger but things are getting really interesting.I am looking forward to starting “Heaven’s Reach” and finding out how the Uplift Storm Trilogy ends. The last time we really saw the crew of the Streaker was in “Startide Rising” and while I enjoyed that book I hope we get a bit more resolution on the fate the crew by the end of "Heaven’s Reach".
—Richard
A solid middle book to the trilogy. In fact, the ending almost felt like it could be the conclusion. If I had one real complaint, it's that there are a lot of similarities to The Uplift War, in that it is hidden people engaging in mostly low-tech resistance to the Galactics who have taken over the world. Minus the gorillas, however. (This is not a bad thing, though, since The Uplift War is my favorite book in the entire series).If I have any complaint, though, it's that the aliens don't really feel alien enough. Even the mulch spiders tasked with cleaning up remnants of Buyur technology on this fallow world that became a hiding place for various species seem just a little too human and relatable.But I do love this universe and wish that Mr Brin would revisit it someday.
—Lianne Burwell
Shit just got real!OK, so remember how Brin left off Brightness Reef on a cliffhanger? Jophur ship had just landed above the returned Rothen vessel, totally changing the balance of power on Jijo. Sara and the starfaring Stranger, whom we now know to be Emerson from the Streaker escaped the zealots and have fallen in with a group horse-riding human women and urs. Dwer and Rety are stuck on a mad robot. Oh, and Alvin and his comrades sunk to the bottom of the ocean, where they were rescued by me
—Ben Babcock
