The Gap Into Vision: Forbidden Knowledge (2010) - Plot & Excerpts
Author of *The Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant*, one of the most acclaimed fantasy series of all time, master storyteller Stephen R. Donaldson retums with the second book in his long-awaited new science fiction series--a story about dark passions, perilous alliances, and dubious heroism set in a stunningly imagined future. Beautiful, brilliant, and dangerous, Morn Hyland is an ex-police officer for the United Mining Companies--and the target of two ruthless, powerful men. One is the charismatic ore-pirate Nick Succorso, who sees Morn as booty wrested from his vicious rival, Angus Thermopyle. thermopyle once made the mistake of underestimating Morn and now he's about to pay the ultimate price. Both men think they can possess her, but Morn is no one's trophy--and no one's pawn. Meanwhile, withing the borders of Forbidden Space, wait the Amnioin, an alien race capable of horrific atrocities. The Amnion want something unspeakable from humanity--and they will go to unthinkable lengths to get it. In *Forbidden Knowledge*, Stephen R. Donaldson spins a galaxy-wide web of intrigue, deception, and betrayal that tightens with inexorable strength around characters and readers alike. ### Amazon.com Review *The Real Story* was just a preview to this action-packed tome... The Gap series steps on the accelerator with *Forbidden Knowledge*. Beautiful cop Morn Hyland, desperate and in pain aboard *Captain's Fancy*, controls her body and mind with her illegal zone implant, recreating herself as a superbeing worthy of holding Captain Nick Succorso's affections. Jealousy among the crew, threats of rape and ship self-destruction, prisoner torture, and government cyborg programs keep things moving along. Alien Amnioni seeking genetic domination over humankind enter the scene with new technologies such as mutagens and force-growing fetuses. Bite your fingernails while you live it all (vicariously!) through brilliant survivor Morn and villain-turned-conspirator Angus Thermopyle. ### From Publishers Weekly The second novel in the Gap Cycle (begun with The Real Story ) continues the story of Morn Hyland, security cop for the vast United Mining Companies, and her travails among space pirates. Having escaped the clutches of tormentor Angus Thermopyle, Morn sides with Angus's arch-competitor, Nick Succorso. Morn uses her "zone implant" (a device for regulating bodily sensations) to feign desire for Nick while trying to thwart his plans for her and recover from her trauma with Angus. Gradually she exerts influence over Nick, but incurs his growing distrust. Their battle of wills takes them to the forbidden Amnion, where they struggle to get what they need from the aliens without losing ground to each other. Donaldson combines detailed character analyses and some perverse plot twists with the stuff of standard space opera, and this unusual mixture raises the story far above the average. But the characters remain largely unsympathetic, the plot is bogged down by Morn's self-pity, and the constant refrains of cruelty, hatred, self-loathing and egocentricity are suffocating. Readers willhope Donaldson reveals his characters' good sides in subsequent volumes. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
So, you made it past Rape: The Novel. You are now ready to embark on one of the great science fiction epics of all time. Continuing Donaldson's science fiction adaptation of Wagner's Ring Cycle, we now begin to get to the meat of the matter. (No spoilers here.) In "Forbidden Knowledge," we meet and get to know the infamous Captain Nick Succorso. And we will fight to survive this gut-wrenching tale, along with Nick, and Morn. This book is flavored with an interesting characteristic that appears sporadically throughout the Donaldson experience. Every hundred pages or so, the reader is treated to three or four paragraphs of some of the most provocative modern philosophy I believe I've ever read. And I've read a bit. Also introduced here are the stakes. Here we begin to be introduced to what may (or may not?) really be going on. The stakes could not be higher, and the reader takes shallow comfort in the knowledge that the fate of humanity may literally be in the hands of the most conniving, most untrustworthy human beings imaginable. The good news: this book has what I consider the most mind-bending WTF moment I've ever seen in any novel. Bigger than the death of Eddard Stark, bigger than the Red Wedding, bigger even than the Mule Reveal in Asimov's Foundation Trilogy. This one is large, and speaking for myself, so unexpected that I actually had to put the book down and pace for a bit to collect my thoughts. I was reading in a TV control room and the very people who had recommended the book to me asked what had happened, I was so shaken. I told them, and they cackled with glee. It's a big one. Capital WTF. And it's not the last. Finally, for those not yet trolled, I will append my Dream Cast for the HBO series:Captain Angus Thermopyle ... Ron PerlmanMorn Hyland ... Olivia WildeDavies Hyland ... Liam HemsworthCaptain Nick Succorso ... Brad PittMikka Vasaczk ... Zoe SaldanaVector Shaheed ... J.K. SimmonsMilos Taverner ... Steve BuscemiThe Bill ... Christoph WaltzWarden Dios ... Tom SelleckMin Donner ... Sigourney WeaverHashi Lebwohl ... Ben KingsleyHolt Fasner ... Kevin SpaceyCaptain Sorus Chatelaine ... Sharon StoneCaptain Dolph Ubikwe ... Idris ElbaSpectacular.
What do You think about The Gap Into Vision: Forbidden Knowledge (2010)?
Forbidden Knowledge continues the story of Morn and her travels after she leaves Com-Mine station with Nick. At some point, we come to find the book is holding out on us. Most of the pages deal with Nick and Morn and the crew aboard the ship. Throughout, Morn is a target of abuse. Over and over. The reader is made to feel as confined as the crew. For a while, I thought the author might have a personal problem, and he probably does, but he is very good at composition, too. When you think you've had enough, when you've made up your mind to tell everyone how morally conscientious you are, how you won't tolerate the physical abuse in this story - that's when you're about to get left behind. If you read this far, stick with it and you'll see. Just a glimpse then, for relief. It comes out of the blue in one chapter and jolts the reader with the exciting possibilities to come. Take a look at the bulk of the next three volumes and get ready for the flood. The good news is, the suffering is over and the adventure begins.
—Bingo
Continuation of the Gap Series.Here we get the fallout of the first book. Angus is imprisoned, Morn has escaped thanks to Nick.But not really... I love how the relationships between the character's keep changing, like how morn (effectively) becomes the one manipulating Nick into doing what she wants, and Angus in turn becomes the helpless victim, etc.But the stakes are rising - this isn't just a personal story about a trio, but now there are greater powers who are trying to manipulate them - and we meet the aliens "Amnion" who are a wonderfully alien race that just doesn't understand humans.Honestly, there are no good guys in this book, only greater or lesser shades of grey.But i love it all the more for that :)
—Kenny
I'm only going to say this once for all 5 books: they are a stellar sci-fi series that any genre addict should read. They are not as great as the first trio of Covenant books, but they are a lot better than some of the recent sci-fi books churned out. That said, they are also more than a little disturbing, and, by the end, more than a little hard to believe. Even sci-fi character can't bend so far until they break, and the main villain of this "franchise" does such a personality 180 that as a reader you're left with 2 choices: put the books down or shrug and move on as best you're able.If you choose the latter, you are correct, because these are a nice series of stories and although intended, most likely, to be a bit darker than they turned out to be (Real Story, or #1, is like a plague of death whereas the other for are bad colds), they're still a romping good read with memorable characters. I've read through this set twice in my lifetime, and never say never because maybe in another 20 years I'll itch to pick them up again - and that's saying something.
—Philip Fracassi
