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AI Trilogy #3
Divergence
Tony Ballantyne grew up in County Durham in the North East of England. He studied Math at Manchester University before moving to London for ten years where he taught first Math and then later IT. He now lives in Oldham with his wife and two children. His hobbies include playing boogie piano, walking, and cycling. "From the Paperback edition."
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First published May 1, 2007
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About the author
Tony Ballantyne
73 books73 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Anthony Ballantyne, is a British science-fiction author who is most famous for writing his debut trilogy of novels, Recursion, Capacity and Divergence. He is also Head of Information Technology and an Information Technology teacher at The Blue Coat School, Oldham and has been nominated for the BSFA Award for short fiction.
He grew up in County Durham in the North East of England, and studied Math at Manchester University before moving to London for ten years where taught first Math and then later IT.
He now lives in Oldham with his wife and two children. His hobbies include playing boogie piano, walking and cycling.
Anthony Ballantyne, is a British science-fiction author who is most famous for writing his debut trilogy of novels, Recursion, Capacity and Divergence. He is also Head of Information Technology and an Information Technology teacher at The Blue Coat School, Oldham and has been nominated for the BSFA Award for short fiction.
He grew up in County Durham in the North East of England, and studied Math at Manchester University before moving to London for ten years where taught first Math and then later IT.
He now lives in Oldham with his wife and two children. His hobbies include playing boogie piano, walking and cycling.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 8, 2012
6/6/12 Divergence, Tony Ballantyne, 2007. It started slowly with too many characters, but then zoomed off into the depths of the story with all its philosophical issues and amazing details. The ending, as was to be expected, verged on the psychedelic symbolic images of 2001 the movie, but did not go over that abyss. Too many great ideas were contained in the processing space of this trilogy to mention them all but a few of my favorites were: “... so what if your mind is a TM? You are greater than the sum of your parts.”; the dark plants being fixed in space by the observation of an intelligence; the n-string game and Schroedinger’s Cat’s Cradle; “There are different levels of programming languages, so why not one specifically for the soul?”
A you would expect from an author who taught math and IT, these books are full of mathematical references. Although the story is built mostly on computer science and artificial intelligence, it mentions stellated icosahedrons and dodecahedrons, the Sierpinski Gasket and the Mandelbrot set, the golden ratio, Riemannian transforms, and Hilbert space. It even includes the formula for Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle! One of the characters sails off in a spaceship called the Fourier Transform, on which the classical mathematical impossibilities are no longer impossible: creating a formal way for determining a proof, finding an even number that is not the difference of two primes, having a recursive set for everything, a solution for an NP complete problem, and all the other NP problems tumbling into P.
A you would expect from an author who taught math and IT, these books are full of mathematical references. Although the story is built mostly on computer science and artificial intelligence, it mentions stellated icosahedrons and dodecahedrons, the Sierpinski Gasket and the Mandelbrot set, the golden ratio, Riemannian transforms, and Hilbert space. It even includes the formula for Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle! One of the characters sails off in a spaceship called the Fourier Transform, on which the classical mathematical impossibilities are no longer impossible: creating a formal way for determining a proof, finding an even number that is not the difference of two primes, having a recursive set for everything, a solution for an NP complete problem, and all the other NP problems tumbling into P.
February 22, 2012
It kept me reading, but that was about it. The plot is fragmented and parts of it don't make sense. Sloppy editing makes the problem worse – words missing from sentences, passages apparently missing from the text (since critical information needed to make sense of what is there seems to have been left out). The characters are unsympathetic and their behaviour and thoughts puerile. A lot of therapy-speak is involved.
The laws of physics are repeatedly violated during the action, without so much of a word of explanation as to how this is possible. At one point, a spacecraft decelerates from near-lightspeed (or possibly even FTL) to a stop in frame of reference of the local spacetime within a distance of 900km! Clearly momentum does not exist in Mr. Ballantyne's universe.
The metaphysical aspects of the story are incredible. No word of explanation is offered for these paradoxes and impossibilities either.
Neither is it explained why far-future spaceships seem to be decorated in different varieties of late-twentieth-century kitsch.
A religious 'angle' suddenly appears and disappears halfway through. I think somebody told the author this is now necessary in order to sell speculative fiction to Americans.
The people who compare the author to Alastair Reynolds or (sacrilege!) Iain M. Banks must have been bribed. There is no similarity between this tripe and the work of those authors.
The laws of physics are repeatedly violated during the action, without so much of a word of explanation as to how this is possible. At one point, a spacecraft decelerates from near-lightspeed (or possibly even FTL) to a stop in frame of reference of the local spacetime within a distance of 900km! Clearly momentum does not exist in Mr. Ballantyne's universe.
The metaphysical aspects of the story are incredible. No word of explanation is offered for these paradoxes and impossibilities either.
Neither is it explained why far-future spaceships seem to be decorated in different varieties of late-twentieth-century kitsch.
A religious 'angle' suddenly appears and disappears halfway through. I think somebody told the author this is now necessary in order to sell speculative fiction to Americans.
The people who compare the author to Alastair Reynolds or (sacrilege!) Iain M. Banks must have been bribed. There is no similarity between this tripe and the work of those authors.
June 6, 2013
4/5 stars.
Although still very good, this final book in his Recursion trilogy was a little disappointing when compared against the earlier books. It did not have the same sweeping scope; the multiple POVs, so typical of this trilogy, were this time pretty much confined to one single story thread; switching between different members of the crew of a small trading spaceship. Also the generally very good hard science aspects of the SF were a little weaker this time around.
That said I did like the idea of the Fair Exchange software that guarantees all trades are fair and balanced; that is something I would like to see coming into existence! The journeying and trading using the FE software was for me some of the most entertaining parts of the story. Once they reached Earth it all got a bit messy and I found it much harder to remain involved in the story.
The final ending was acceptable for the book but, again, a little disappointing for the whole trilogy. Just scraped my 4/5 star rating.
Although still very good, this final book in his Recursion trilogy was a little disappointing when compared against the earlier books. It did not have the same sweeping scope; the multiple POVs, so typical of this trilogy, were this time pretty much confined to one single story thread; switching between different members of the crew of a small trading spaceship. Also the generally very good hard science aspects of the SF were a little weaker this time around.
That said I did like the idea of the Fair Exchange software that guarantees all trades are fair and balanced; that is something I would like to see coming into existence! The journeying and trading using the FE software was for me some of the most entertaining parts of the story. Once they reached Earth it all got a bit messy and I found it much harder to remain involved in the story.
The final ending was acceptable for the book but, again, a little disappointing for the whole trilogy. Just scraped my 4/5 star rating.
February 12, 2011
If a book tells you from the start that it is about god-like machine intelligences, can it be criticized for having a deus ex machina ending?
It has science that is fictional. It is better than average. The ending was logical but not as exciting as the build up promised.
You should read at least one of the preceding two related books (Capacity and Recursion) before reading this one.
It has science that is fictional. It is better than average. The ending was logical but not as exciting as the build up promised.
You should read at least one of the preceding two related books (Capacity and Recursion) before reading this one.
September 7, 2007
I struggled through ten chapters before declaring this one of the most boring books I've read in a long time. The premise of an AI controlling all human life could have been a lot more interesting, and I just couldn't get interested enough in the narrative character to wait for the author to get to the point.
March 27, 2021
I hadn't realised that this book number 3 of a series until after I'd completed it. I found it a bit of a struggle to get through as I didn't connect with any of the characters and found much of the back story pretty tedious and lacking any connection to the whole. I'm still not too sure that I get 'it' and nothing I've read makes me want to go back and read the previous books.
January 5, 2022
I've read this one before but couldn't remember it. Perhaps not a great start. It's pretty well written, if a bit dull in parts. Some of the science is kinda cool but I felt as if the AIs were a bit daft at times. The attempt to merge "god" and tech was a bit clumsy but in the end I enjoyed the book.
May 20, 2019
Ugh.
Lots of characters, none of whom had much of a personality, much of a claim on reader sympathy, or, as far as I could tell, much of a reason for being in the book.
Some interesting ideas, based on misinterpreting metaphors used in explaining physics and math.
Skip this one.
Lots of characters, none of whom had much of a personality, much of a claim on reader sympathy, or, as far as I could tell, much of a reason for being in the book.
Some interesting ideas, based on misinterpreting metaphors used in explaining physics and math.
Skip this one.
January 31, 2020
The difference between AI and being human told in a slightly confusing story but that is probably because I had unknowingly read the third book in this Trilogy. Will definitely read the other two and may review my rating for this book.
March 31, 2018
Maybe a little anticlimactic, but really, given the scope of the previous books, what was he going to do?
August 15, 2018
The third in a series, which I have not read, Divergence is sometimes opaque, but excellently written.
Read
December 28, 2019It was okay but half way through and it's just not grabbing me.
January 8, 2020
Was kind of boring, but perhaps I was just not in the mood. I'll give it another chance in the future.
Read
May 26, 2025SCI FI Ballanty Tony 05/2007
December 30, 2020
The book itself wasn't a bad read, but I guess after reading the previous 2 books, I was disappointed at how the story was wrapped.
November 6, 2007
The final book in his trilogy concerning AIs, sentience and humanity, this is also the weakest book. Generations ago, an AI named The Watcher developed and set itself up as the caretaker of humanity. Under its ever-watchful gaze, all thinking beings, digital, robotic or atomic, are petted and cared for. Social Care watches over everyone, making sure no one is too depressed or lonely, ensuring that even the smallest urges toward violence or self-destruction are turned to more positive impulses. But some chafe under the eye of the Watcher—DIANA, a corporation that wants to take the Watcher’s place, and Chris, an AI that wants no Watcher at all. And while the three great powers fight for supremacy, the mindless menace of the Black Velvet Bands and Schrödinger Boxes (which attract and are attracted to intelligence, and are eventually lethal) threaten humanity’s very survival. I liked characters in the first two books, but this one has no main characters (and only one minor character, Eva) that interest me at all. Also, I find it hard to be opposed to an AI that cares for humanity—I’m sure being cared for, and helped to care for others, is a terrible threat to freedom, but I can’t get too worked up about it. I was a bit leery of the savior of the books, a system of thought/software program/way of life called Free Enterprise, and the fact that its main proponent is an alien robot who offhandedly mentions that he was built by Jesus and the Apostles. Um, fuck that.
October 18, 2013
I was unaware of the fact that this book was part of a trilogy when I took it out from the library since nowhere on the book does it mention that fact. I can attest to the fact that it is a confusing mess. Whether it is because I missed the background story of the first two books or whether it is just that - a mess, I don't know.
Every few chapters Ballantyne seems to want to make some sort of ideological statement about the nature of capitalism, socialism or communism, then completely fails to follow through and make any sort of statement at all. It is an incredibly frustrating read and makes no sense at all. It's a bit like watching my three year old try to grapple with complex concepts.
He also seems to throw around mathematical and scientific phrases and words in a manner that makes no sense in context.
Every few chapters Ballantyne seems to want to make some sort of ideological statement about the nature of capitalism, socialism or communism, then completely fails to follow through and make any sort of statement at all. It is an incredibly frustrating read and makes no sense at all. It's a bit like watching my three year old try to grapple with complex concepts.
He also seems to throw around mathematical and scientific phrases and words in a manner that makes no sense in context.
July 22, 2014
A somewhat disappointing end to a fine trilogy. Ballantyne's trilogy was a conceptual one, a story of two separate ideas, only loosely linked by plot and character. When the ideas became too ad-hoc, then the need for strong characters grew greater, and this is where 'Divergence' became unsatisfying.
March 19, 2009
The conclusion to the three book series.
haven't gotten to the end yet, however, it is shaping up to be a good read.
However, I felt that the beginning was kind of slow, having just finished reading capacity and how explosive the ending was.
haven't gotten to the end yet, however, it is shaping up to be a good read.
However, I felt that the beginning was kind of slow, having just finished reading capacity and how explosive the ending was.
September 6, 2010
Conclusion of the Recursion series that requires you to have read the other books in the series. I liked how it continued to build on the themes of the series, but the ending felt a little forced. All in all I'll still re-read this series, but this was my least favorite.
July 14, 2010
This book was ok, but a bit weirder than I like.
June 14, 2013
The beginning and middle were great and the end was anti-climatic and boooring. The end gets very philosophical which would have been fine if the whole book was that way.
August 6, 2013
Loved this series
Read
July 10, 2016Silly me, I thought I was starting Divergent! Turned out to be pretty interesting anyway. If you like thought provoking sci-fi this one fits the bill.
April 4, 2010
Ballantyne is like Peter F Hamilton, Lite. Good solid SF. Read Recursion and Capacity first.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews