When this book was published, Charles Stross was science fictionâs most recent sensation. After years of relative anonymity, heâd been shortlisted for SF awards for his novels (both SF and fantasy) and novellas. Iron Sunrise, which garnered the best novel nomination for the 2005 Hugo Awards, is a follow-up to Singularity Sky, which was shortlisted for the 2004 Hugo for best novel.[return][return]Like its predecessor, Iron Sunrise is 21st century space opera. For those unfamiliar with the term, space opera is SF writ large, i.e., conflict on an interstellar or intergalactic scale. A subgenre that dates back to the earliest days of SF, more recent purveyors have managed to shed the pulp image with which such stories were saddled. Stross does so with heavy doses of cyberpunk, 24th century James Bond, hard SF â and even a little detective story.[return][return]There is a common back story to both books. The Eschaton is an artificial intelligence that borders on godlike. While expressly disavowing any deity-like status, the AI exists in humanity's future and imposes harsh measures on anyone who seeks to use technology to violate causality and, hence, threaten the AIâs existence. To hinder the possibility, in the 21st century the Eschaton relocates most of humanity from Earth to far-distant planets, leaving only the essentials for humans to carve out a new society and existence. Thanks to wrinkles in the space-time continuum, each light year in distance also meant going back a year in time. Thus, some three centuries later, mankind has blossomed throughout the universe, bringing with it inventions such as faster-than-light travel, something which can directly threaten causality.[return][return]While most of this unfolded in Singularity Sky, knowledge of that story is not a prerequisite to Iron Sunrise. Moreover, despite the grand scale of the back story, it truly is a back story. The Eschaton and the relocation of humanity is a foundation of this story. Yet it never becomes the forefront or focus of the tale.[return][return]What is in the forefront here are the human characters, all brought into play by an almost quintessential space opera moment. Someone or something exploded the sun around which the planet Moscow orbited, annihilating it and its 200 million inhabitants. In a leading role in this opera is Wednesday, a 24th century adolescent cyberpunk who lives on a space station some 3.6 light years from Moscow's sun. In the process of evacuating the station, she unknowingly discovers the secret to the destruction. Also in starring roles are husband and wife Martin and Rachel, both also prominent in Singularity Sky. Rachel works for the UN and is "Black Chamber" agent charged with, among other things, trying to prevent causality violations. She is asked to investigate whoâs been assassinating the remaining members of Moscowâs diplomatic corps, individuals who hold the key to a potential long-term retaliatory strike automatically launched upon Moscow's destruction. Then thereâs Frank, a "warblogger" for the London Times looking into the destruction of Moscow and the political forces at play. Finally, there is a cadre of the ReMastered, humans whose ideology centers around destroying the Eschaton and replacing it with "the unborn god."[return][return]Although initially spread across several planets and systems, Stross ultimately brings all these characters together on a faster-than-light space liner that serves as a focal point of and staging ground for the ultimate resolution of the tale. That is, perhaps, the most glaring weakness of Iron Sunrise. While the whole story is based on a reader accepting the Eschaton and the exploding sun, for some reason it is a bit tough to believe the key characters from several different planets in a story unfolding across light years find themselves together on the SF equivalent of a cruise ship. Similarly, the penultimate denouement is reminiscent of a murder mystery where all the players are brought together in the dining room as the detective announces his resolution of the mystery. Here, one of the bad guys brings everybody together and ties up a variety of loose ends in one scene. Both approaches feel like a quick way out after Stross spent so much time setting the stage and shaping the characters.[return][return]Finally, some might complain because the close of the book leaves the doors wide open for another sequel with Rachel and Martin. Stross does not, however, leave any loose ends in this story itself. More important, he has not come close to fully exploring the Eschaton or the universe it has created for humanity. His willingness and ability to explore such paths have brought him where he is today.[return][return]Originally posted at http://prairieprogressive.com/2005/06...
‘Charles Stross’s visionary debut novel, Singularity Sky, was hailed as ‘a carnival of ideas’. Now he confirms his reputation as a writer at the very cutting edge of science fiction with his stunning follow-up novel, Iron Sunrise.When the planet of New Moscow was brutally destroyed, its few survivors launched a counter-attack against the most likely culprit: the neighbouring system of trade rival, new Dresden. But New Dresden wasn’t responsible and, as the deadly missiles approach their target, Rachel Mansour, agent for the interests of Old earth, is assigned to find out who was.The one person who does know is a disaffected teenager who calls herself Wednesday Shadowmist. But Wednesday has no idea where she might be hiding this significant information. Time is limited and if Rachel can’t resolve this mystery it will mean the annihilation of an entire world...’Blurb from the 2007 Orbit paperback editionContinuing the adventures of UN Black Chamber agent Rachel Mansour, Stross takes us into rather darker realms, albeit laced with a good dash of post-modern humour.When an advanced weapon causes New Moscow’s sun to go nova (the ‘Iron Sunrise’ of the title) the blame falls on their trade rivals and stellar neighbours, New Dresden. One of the evacuees from New Moscow is Wednesday Shadowmist, a strange girl who has had an invisible friend since childhood called Herman. Herman, as previous readers will know, is a subprogramme of the godlike singularity the Eschaton and Herman is worried that the Eschaton is unaware of the development of such weapons. In Old Newfie, a new Moscow space station, Wednesday finds some documents which Herman deems very important.Meanwhile, Rachel and her husband Martin (another friend of Herman’s) are sent to the area to investigate since someone is killing off new Moscow ambassadors to stop them cancelling a clutch of missiles which are heading through interstellar space toward New Dresden.It soon becomes clear that a new power is rising in the network of human worlds. The ReMastered are a civilisation of what could be possibly described as Nazi Mormons.They are highly augmented, very strong, seemingly devoid of compassion and are committed to recording everyone’s ‘soul’ (i.e. a digital copy of their consciousness) in order to upload them into the ‘Unborn God’ which is a posited ‘humanised’ rival to the Eschaton.It’s a solid piece of work, full of ideas, but one has to say that lately the styles of certain writers seem to be merging into each other. It reads very like Asher, and if Alastair Reynolds didn’t have such a distinctively rich gothic edge, I’m sure he’d fit into the same template.
What do You think about Iron Sunrise (2005)?
It's Stross in hard SF mode this time. If you read one of his books in this vein, I'm afraid it's not Sunrise - the singularity gone wild tale of Accelerando is much better. Instead, what we've got here is just okay. I'm torn between saluting him for his believable adult relationships (I mean, c'mon, this is SF) and berating him for a) failing to make me care about the tragedy at the centre of the book, b) having Nazis in Sppaaaacce as the main villains of the piece and c) one somewhat exploitative and unnecessary scene with his female lead.
—Tim
The Singularity happens, immanentizes as a sapient Eschaton, and is more or less beneficent. Deals with overpopulation more mercifully than it might have, thought with a huge disregard for people who were separated by a city from their friends and family on that fateful day. But it more or less set up communities to succeed and it still takes an interest. A little quirky in how it expresses that interest, and a little blind to the potential danger of planets of self engineered ubermenches, but coincidences seem to work in its favor. A LOT of coincidences. Also features scary clowns. Not Stross at the heights of his powers, but a good bus book.
—Laura
I just finished both of Charles Stross' Eschaton related books, "Singularity Sky" and "Iron Sunrise". Both were really fun, and somewhat dense (as in geeky science info-dumping dense, especially in the former) reads. It sparked enough interest in me to pursue other books about singularity events and post singularity life (Vernor Vinge, Ken MacLeod, others...help?) which I found very engaging, unique and imaginative in Stross's hands. On top of that...they both had a cool "spy vs. spy" thing happening with lots of ultra-bad gadgets and human enhancements, plus, in both books the lead protagonists were women which tapped into my (or whatever remains of, being 54 and all) high school fantasies. If you can get though all the dense, high-tech sci/speak...and there are pages of it...underneath there was some pretty engaging story telling going on. (I eventually got to the point where I just surrendered to the words on the printed page and went with the flow, not really having a clue as to what the hell he was talking about...but it all sounded very cool. Fortunately, when Stross NEEDED you to know something that was germaine to the story, it came across loud and clear. "Iron Sunrise" was definitely the stronger of the two novels, with "Singularity Sky" almost acting as a set up to describe the worlds, events and major players of the arc. They both are considered stand along books, but I would recommend reading them in order.
—Michael Eisenberg
