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Proteus #2
Proteus Unbound
NOVEL.
261 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
5 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
About the author
Charles Sheffield
216 books171 followersCharles A. Sheffield (June 25, 1935 – November 2, 2002), was an English-born mathematician, physicist and science fiction author. He had been a President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and of the American Astronomical Society.
His novel The Web Between the Worlds, featuring the construction of a space elevator, was published almost simultaneously with Arthur C. Clarke's novel about that very same subject, The Fountains of Paradise, a coincidence that amused them both.
For some years he was the chief scientist of Earth Satellite Corporation, a company analysing remote sensing satellite data. This resulted in many technical papers and two popular non-fiction books, Earthwatch and Man on Earth, both collections of false colour and enhanced images of Earth from space.
He won the Nebula and Hugo awards for his novelette "Georgia on My Mind" and the 1992 John W. Campbell Memorial Award for his novel Brother to Dragons.
Sheffield was Toastmaster at BucConeer, the 1998 World Science Fiction Convention in Baltimore.
He had been writing a column for the Baen Books web site; his last column concerned the discovery of the brain tumour that led to his death.
He was married to writer Nancy Kress.
His novel The Web Between the Worlds, featuring the construction of a space elevator, was published almost simultaneously with Arthur C. Clarke's novel about that very same subject, The Fountains of Paradise, a coincidence that amused them both.
For some years he was the chief scientist of Earth Satellite Corporation, a company analysing remote sensing satellite data. This resulted in many technical papers and two popular non-fiction books, Earthwatch and Man on Earth, both collections of false colour and enhanced images of Earth from space.
He won the Nebula and Hugo awards for his novelette "Georgia on My Mind" and the 1992 John W. Campbell Memorial Award for his novel Brother to Dragons.
Sheffield was Toastmaster at BucConeer, the 1998 World Science Fiction Convention in Baltimore.
He had been writing a column for the Baen Books web site; his last column concerned the discovery of the brain tumour that led to his death.
He was married to writer Nancy Kress.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 31, 2021
This is the second book in Sheffield's Proteus series, but I don't think it necessary to have read Sight of Proteus in order to appreciate this one. It's a pretty good outer space adventure with some interesting speculations on post-human development, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the first one. Wolf has become an unreliable narrator with a dancing man in his head, which I thought detracted from the flow of the story... it was enough to try to keep up with the science when things were on an even keel. It's a thought-provoking book, but not one of Sheffield's best narratives.
July 12, 2018
Maybe I spoke too soon about Sheffield and sequels.
This is not a bad book per se, but I think keeping "Proteus" as the trilogy connection when the second book is NOT about form-changing at all (well, not in the way that the first book was) was very misleading. I'm not sure about my feelings about Bey Wolf and women, but I do believe that young Sheffield was not particularly good at writing them. I wish Sheffield would have taken more time to explore the Outer System and all its peculiarities, since that was by far the most fascinating part. Also, .
I'm quite curious and quite scared now that I'm starting book three, but we'll see.
This is not a bad book per se, but I think keeping "Proteus" as the trilogy connection when the second book is NOT about form-changing at all (well, not in the way that the first book was) was very misleading. I'm not sure about my feelings about Bey Wolf and women, but I do believe that young Sheffield was not particularly good at writing them. I wish Sheffield would have taken more time to explore the Outer System and all its peculiarities, since that was by far the most fascinating part. Also, .
I'm quite curious and quite scared now that I'm starting book three, but we'll see.
March 19, 2019
The second book in the Proteus trilogy features the form changing machines malfunctioning. The whole system has become dependent upon the machines that mold humans into all sorts of shapes. The Outer System prefers elongated upper bodies with stubby legs as they live in near weightless conditions, the Inner Ring people live closer in around the gas giants and asteroid belt and they are also different, while those that live on Earth maintain normal human shape.
With the form change machines acting erratically people are dying and afraid to use them. A perfect scenario for some one to start a civil war between the three races of mankind.
Charles Sheffield was a scientist and this is hard science fiction, if that is your cup of tea, then you should enjoy this.
With the form change machines acting erratically people are dying and afraid to use them. A perfect scenario for some one to start a civil war between the three races of mankind.
Charles Sheffield was a scientist and this is hard science fiction, if that is your cup of tea, then you should enjoy this.
February 5, 2017
Book 2 in the Proteus series, Bey Wolf heads to the Outer System to solve issues with the Form Change systems (you can go to sleep in a tank, and wake up with a different body) to prolong your life. Cuz, people go in, and don't come out very well these days. Political intrigue and investigations ensue to find the cause of this and to resolve it. During the whole thing, Bey learns more about the mental problems plaguing him as well. No spoilers, so can't say if he solves the issue or not, but there is a book 3, so get reading!
September 8, 2020
This is satisfactory sci-fi thought-experiment futurism. It is a sequel, but you can start the series here. It is a much better novel than Sight of Proteus. In some ways, this reminded me of Sterling's Schismatrix.
Definitely worth tracking down a copy of this one, if you dig high-concept space fiction.
Definitely worth tracking down a copy of this one, if you dig high-concept space fiction.
May 16, 2018
This was an excellent science fiction story. It kept me interested all the way through. Set in the distant future and where people live in remote and distant settlements.
April 11, 2011
A very engaging and entertaining plot. I liked it for the same reasons I like Asimov: the ideas. Proteus Unbound has an interesting take on body modification. Body mod is not new or interesting on its own, but it's almost always a fascinating topic and it was well-imagined and developed in this series.
All that said, it's not literature. I don't feel changed for having read it - and when you come down to it, the change/broadening/whatever you want to call it, that's what really good writing is about.
Books like these have their place - I use them for escapism. But it's more or less forgettable after the read is over.
All that said, it's not literature. I don't feel changed for having read it - and when you come down to it, the change/broadening/whatever you want to call it, that's what really good writing is about.
Books like these have their place - I use them for escapism. But it's more or less forgettable after the read is over.
June 29, 2013
Nice, but pretty forgettable. As a middle book in a series, it definitely suffered from a lack of resolution, though it worked fairly well on its own otherwise.
The body-mod concept saw some interesting exploration, but there were cooler places to take it (though maybe future books will do better).
The body-mod concept saw some interesting exploration, but there were cooler places to take it (though maybe future books will do better).
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews