6 ms·

There is never a bad time to plug Egan on HN. Diaspora is one of his novels around just this topic. If you decide to read it, strap in, you're going for a mind

There is never a bad time to plug Egan on HN. Diaspora is one of his novels around just this topic. If you decide to read it, strap in, you're going for a mind bending ride. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/156785.Diaspora https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/156785.Diaspora

arethuza 6y ago
If I remember correctly part of the book is set in a universe with 6 spatial dimensions - and that's possibly one of the relatively straightforward parts.... A great book.
czbond 6y ago
Thank you for the mention, it looks worth reading. I'm not into SciFi - but the concept seems a relative given outcome of the future of humanity.
anbende 6y ago
I love this book. It opens with a beautiful description of the creation of an artificial mind. Worth reading for that alone.
netcraft 6y ago
Another recommendation for this book - I am pretty sure its my favorite fiction novel and I have read it many times. So many interesting and thought provoking parts.
- sosuke 6y ago
  I feel that rereading a book is the height of praise. So you've hooked me I'm going to pick up Diaspora. Returning the favor I've reread "A Fire Upon the Deep" a few times now. Vernor Vinge scifi author who taught comp sci and mathematics at university.
  - RobertoG 6y ago
    I like Vinge very much, but Egan is really in another level. I have read Diaspora three times and I can't decide if I like it more than my favorite other book by him: Permutation City.
strig 6y ago
The first chapter is available to read on Egan's website: https://www.gregegan.net/DIASPORA/01/Orphanogenesis.html https://www.gregegan.net/DIASPORA/01/Orphanogenesis.html
- gorgoiler 6y ago
  The first chapter is utterly uninspiring. I almost put the novel down due to the cheesiness of the cyberspaceness of it. Well thank goodness I didn’t. This novel was eye opening as a treatise on small and large scale mortality. One of the most thought provoking pieces of science fiction out there.
dnautics 6y ago
That's a pretty fantastic book; I'd put in as just above stranger in a strange land in terms of mind-opening experiences for me, personally.
doctoboggan 6y ago
Ill chime in and say that Egan is my favorite author alive right now. He is absolutely producing the best hard sci-fi there is and I have consumed everything he has written that I can get my hands on. I would also suggest reading Permutation City and the Clockwork Rocket trilogy by him.
- sgillen 6y ago
  Reading permutation city right now. Egdan is a master at what he does, just don’t except strong characters, that’s not what he’s about!
ptrincr 6y ago
I've not read Diaspora, but I have read Schild's Ladder. I found it difficult to follow in parts ( the science explanations ) but some of the themes it touches on are absolutely fascinating. Fans of hard science fiction novels will enjoy.

arethuza 6y ago

If I remember correctly part of the book is set in a universe with 6 spatial dimensions - and that's possibly one of the relatively straightforward parts.... A great book.

czbond 6y ago

Thank you for the mention, it looks worth reading. I'm not into SciFi - but the concept seems a relative given outcome of the future of humanity.

anbende 6y ago

I love this book. It opens with a beautiful description of the creation of an artificial mind. Worth reading for that alone.

netcraft 6y ago

Another recommendation for this book - I am pretty sure its my favorite fiction novel and I have read it many times. So many interesting and thought provoking parts.

sosuke 6y ago
I feel that rereading a book is the height of praise. So you've hooked me I'm going to pick up Diaspora. Returning the favor I've reread "A Fire Upon the Deep" a few times now. Vernor Vinge scifi author who taught comp sci and mathematics at university.
- RobertoG 6y ago
  I like Vinge very much, but Egan is really in another level. I have read Diaspora three times and I can't decide if I like it more than my favorite other book by him: Permutation City.

strig 6y ago

The first chapter is available to read on Egan's website: https://www.gregegan.net/DIASPORA/01/Orphanogenesis.html https://www.gregegan.net/DIASPORA/01/Orphanogenesis.html

gorgoiler 6y ago
The first chapter is utterly uninspiring. I almost put the novel down due to the cheesiness of the cyberspaceness of it. Well thank goodness I didn’t. This novel was eye opening as a treatise on small and large scale mortality. One of the most thought provoking pieces of science fiction out there.

dnautics 6y ago

That's a pretty fantastic book; I'd put in as just above stranger in a strange land in terms of mind-opening experiences for me, personally.

doctoboggan 6y ago

Ill chime in and say that Egan is my favorite author alive right now. He is absolutely producing the best hard sci-fi there is and I have consumed everything he has written that I can get my hands on. I would also suggest reading Permutation City and the Clockwork Rocket trilogy by him.

sgillen 6y ago
Reading permutation city right now. Egdan is a master at what he does, just don’t except strong characters, that’s not what he’s about!

ptrincr 6y ago

I've not read Diaspora, but I have read Schild's Ladder. I found it difficult to follow in parts ( the science explanations ) but some of the themes it touches on are absolutely fascinating. Fans of hard science fiction novels will enjoy.