Iron Sunrise
Encyclopedia
Iron Sunrise is a 2004 hard science fiction
novel by author Charles Stross
, which follows the events in Singularity Sky
. The book was nominated for both the Hugo
and Locus Awards in 2005.
Singularity Sky depicts a future where human societies have been involuntarily taken from Earth and widely distributed across the Milky Way galaxy, seemingly at random, in the wake of a technological singularity
which has led to the onset of strong AI
, in the form of the Eschaton.
The events in both novels take place consecutively some time after the immediate aftermath of the singularity.
, however Rachel is quickly called upon to explain the administrative expenses she incurred during her previous assignment. Shortly thereafter she finds herself negotiating with a lunatic believing himself to be a reincarnation
of Idi Amin
and in possession of an armed nuclear device
which, in the black humor typical of the series, he has threatened to detonate after receiving an eviction notice from his apartment.
Meanwhile, a young and hopeful planetary civilization is murdered by the apparent use of a causality
violation device which causes their sun to explode without warning (the "iron sunrise" of the title), and their defense systems
to deploy automatically against the homeworld of the suspected perpetrators of the atrocity.
Rachel and Martin set off to investigate these events and prevent the assassination of the remaining members of the murdered civilization's leaders, who can abort the retaliation strike. In the background the Eschaton continues to play its own game.
Hard science fiction
Hard science fiction is a category of science fiction characterized by an emphasis on scientific or technical detail, or on scientific accuracy, or on both. The term was first used in print in 1957 by P. Schuyler Miller in a review of John W. Campbell, Jr.'s Islands of Space in Astounding Science...
novel by author Charles Stross
Charles Stross
Charles David George "Charlie" Stross is a British writer of science fiction, Lovecraftian horror and fantasy. He was born in Leeds.Stross specialises in hard science fiction and space opera...
, which follows the events in Singularity Sky
Singularity Sky
- External links :* at * * at Worlds Without End...
. The book was nominated for both the Hugo
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...
and Locus Awards in 2005.
Singularity Sky depicts a future where human societies have been involuntarily taken from Earth and widely distributed across the Milky Way galaxy, seemingly at random, in the wake of a technological singularity
Technological singularity
Technological singularity refers to the hypothetical future emergence of greater-than-human intelligence through technological means. Since the capabilities of such an intelligence would be difficult for an unaided human mind to comprehend, the occurrence of a technological singularity is seen as...
which has led to the onset of strong AI
Strong AI
Strong AI is artificial intelligence that matches or exceeds human intelligence — the intelligence of a machine that can successfully perform any intellectual task that a human being can. It is a primary goal of artificial intelligence research and an important topic for science fiction writers and...
, in the form of the Eschaton.
The events in both novels take place consecutively some time after the immediate aftermath of the singularity.
Plot summary
Martin Springfield and Rachel Mansour return to Earth to recuperate following the events of Singularity SkySingularity Sky
- External links :* at * * at Worlds Without End...
, however Rachel is quickly called upon to explain the administrative expenses she incurred during her previous assignment. Shortly thereafter she finds herself negotiating with a lunatic believing himself to be a reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
of Idi Amin
Idi Amin
Idi Amin Dada was a military leader and President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Amin joined the British colonial regiment, the King's African Rifles in 1946. Eventually he held the rank of Major General in the post-colonial Ugandan Army and became its Commander before seizing power in the military...
and in possession of an armed nuclear device
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
which, in the black humor typical of the series, he has threatened to detonate after receiving an eviction notice from his apartment.
Meanwhile, a young and hopeful planetary civilization is murdered by the apparent use of a causality
Causality (physics)
Causality is the relationship between causes and effects. It is considered to be fundamental to all natural science, especially physics. Causality is also a topic studied from the perspectives of philosophy and statistics....
violation device which causes their sun to explode without warning (the "iron sunrise" of the title), and their defense systems
Relativistic kill vehicle
A relativistic kill vehicle or relativistic bomb is a hypothetical weapon system sometimes found in science fiction. The details of such systems vary widely, but the key common feature is the use of a massive impactor traveling at a significant fraction of light speed to strike the target...
to deploy automatically against the homeworld of the suspected perpetrators of the atrocity.
Rachel and Martin set off to investigate these events and prevent the assassination of the remaining members of the murdered civilization's leaders, who can abort the retaliation strike. In the background the Eschaton continues to play its own game.
External links
- Iron Sunrise at Worlds Without End