Cosmonaut Keep a science fiction

Science fiction

Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...

 novel by Ken MacLeod

Ken MacLeod

Ken MacLeod , is a Scottish science fiction writer.MacLeod was born in Stornoway. He graduated from Glasgow University with a degree in zoology and has worked as a computer programmer and written a masters thesis on biomechanics....

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It is the first novel in the Engines of Light Trilogy

Engines of Light Trilogy

The Engines of Light Trilogy consists of three science fiction novels by Ken MacLeod:The name of the trilogy comes from a key technology which allows travel between the stars at the speed of light.-External links:*...

, a 2001 nominee for the Arthur C. Clarke Award, and a 2002 Hugo Award

Hugo Award

The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...

 Nominee for best novel.

In Cosmonaut Keep, MacLeod makes fleeting reference to a future programmers union called the "International Workers of the World Wide Web", or the Webblies, a reference to the Industrial Workers of the World

Industrial Workers of the World

The Industrial Workers of the World is an international union. At its peak in 1923, the organization claimed some 100,000 members in good standing, and could marshal the support of perhaps 300,000 workers. Its membership declined dramatically after a 1924 split brought on by internal conflict...

, who are nicknamed the Wobblies. The idea of the Webblies formed a central part of a later novel For the Win by Cory Doctorow

Cory Doctorow

Cory Efram Doctorow is a Canadian-British blogger, journalist, and science fiction author who serves as co-editor of the blog Boing Boing. He is an activist in favour of liberalising copyright laws and a proponent of the Creative Commons organization, using some of their licences for his books...

, where it is given much greater prominence. MacLeod is acknowledged by Doctorow as coining the terms.

Literary significance and reception

Publishers Weekly

Publishers Weekly

Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...

had mostly praise for the novel saying:

External links

• Cosmonaut Keep at Worlds Without End