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Deus X
In the tradition of Blade Runner and stories like Philip K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep," acclaimed science-fiction author Norman Spinrad explores the depths of what it means to be human; more accurately, he delves into the nature of the soul in our increasingly computerized technological age. Featuring a poignant new Afterword by Spinrad, this reprinting of one of Spinrad's most cherished works is more timely than ever before. Can human consciousness exist within the framework of an electronic "brain" and still maintain its humanity? In DEUS X, a dying priest's consciousness is uploaded into the most advanced computer of the day - and what ensues is a thought-provoking, entertaining and overly intriguing clash between the various characters surrounding the experiment, a female Pope and a computer guru who'd rather be sailing and smoking pot, for example. Spinrad is author of over twenty novels, including BUG JACK BARRON, THE MIND GAME, THE VOID CAPTAIN'S TALE, JOURNALS OF THE PLAGUE YEARS, LITTLE HEROES, PICTURES AT 11, GREENHOUSE SUMMER, THE DRUID KING, and MEXICA.
96 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
5 people are currently reading
196 people want to read
About the author
Norman Spinrad
365 books217 followersBorn in New York in 1940, Norman Spinrad is an acclaimed SF writer.
Norman Spinrad, born in New York City, is a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science. In 1957 he entered City College of New York and graduated in 1961 with a Bachelor of Science degree as a pre-law major. In 1966 he moved to San Francisco, then to Los Angeles, and now lives in Paris. He married fellow novelist N. Lee Wood in 1990; they divorced in 2005. They had no children. Spinrad served as President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) from 1980 to 1982 and again from 2001 to 2002.
Norman Spinrad, born in New York City, is a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science. In 1957 he entered City College of New York and graduated in 1961 with a Bachelor of Science degree as a pre-law major. In 1966 he moved to San Francisco, then to Los Angeles, and now lives in Paris. He married fellow novelist N. Lee Wood in 1990; they divorced in 2005. They had no children. Spinrad served as President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) from 1980 to 1982 and again from 2001 to 2002.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 3, 2020
Reading this book for the first time in 2020 or after it will seem dated but like many classics of Science Fiction, it is important to remember when they were written. It is very important when judging this masterful short Sci-fi novel to remember that it was written and released in 1992 one year into Clinton's first term. Norman Spinrad is still with us and commenting on the world, he was even a guest on our podcast. Long lost writers like Brunner or Asimov often get credit for being ahead of the times. This novel is amazingly forward-thinking for the time it was written. Respect to Spinrad for that.
This review will be spoiler-heavy but it is somewhat hard to find book at this point and I think the most important thing this novel does is open up discussion of themes common in Science Fiction. Can we survive? and if technology saves us will we still be human?
Before I get detailed about this novel let me point out that this novel is in part a Climate Change novel, decades before Cli-fi was a literary movement, before many in the world admitted that this was a crisis or concern. Next, let's consider that this novel is also a work of cyberpunk, now Spinrad pokes fun at the literary movement that was inspired by his generation of New wave sci-fi writers. This is done when the narrator basically admits that he is in the fringes of a cyberpunk story.
Marley Phillipe is a cool character riding out the climate apocalypse with an increasingly robotic body and sailboat called the Mellow Yellow. His plan to die peacefully and get high. His plan is interrupted when the Catholic Church recruits him for a mission. You see the population of the world to escape the slow death of the run-away Greenhouse effect has created a virtual world called the Big Board. The idea is that most people have uploaded their minds to the Big Board.
This presents the catholic church with a conflict. They don't believe the cyber minds are actual souls but with the world dying they need to preserve their history. So they uploaded the memory of Father De Leone and his mind has since disappeared from the Big Board. The Church brings Marley to Rome to investigate, and he eventually learns that hackers are holding his mind hostage and their demands are simple. Recognize our virtual souls.
I read this book during the stay at home order of the Coronavirus it was impossible not to see similar nature to the Big Board. We have all become home units plugged into the internet which is becoming the social interface. This book takes place after Earth has become dead, the garden of Eden has thrown us out and the big question becomes is this new existence actually living? What if our cyber selves were trying to prove they had a soul?
This is a very provocative novel and amazing for the time it was written. This is a short and powerful work.
Consider this from page 135:
"Was this what God saw, if there was one, the whole wide world and all these space probes and sat-feeds besides, from the inside of Creation? Was this what Pierre De Leone saw from inside the system itself?
Deserted cityscapes. Entertainment channel Disneyworlds. Oceans Lapping against the great seawalls. Sat imagines of melting polar caps, spreading deserts. Eavesdropped videophone conversations. News Channels. corporate systems babbling to each other..."
"...Were these to be our Spiritual successors ?"
and two pages later...
"The World out there is dying. The world in here... From this perspective, it was all too clear. When the biosphere is gone we will go on."
Deus X questions what it means to be human, and what it means to be spiritual. The last barrier before humans can transition to a digital existence is the spiritual question. The great fear of this novel is a species taking that last step, one willing to destroy the planet that sustains itself can feel better about if their digital soul is one it can reckon with their god. Goddamn Spinrad wrote a hell of a novel here and when you consider how early into the internet we were at this point it makes it more impressive.
You should read it. Big thumbs up.
This review will be spoiler-heavy but it is somewhat hard to find book at this point and I think the most important thing this novel does is open up discussion of themes common in Science Fiction. Can we survive? and if technology saves us will we still be human?
Before I get detailed about this novel let me point out that this novel is in part a Climate Change novel, decades before Cli-fi was a literary movement, before many in the world admitted that this was a crisis or concern. Next, let's consider that this novel is also a work of cyberpunk, now Spinrad pokes fun at the literary movement that was inspired by his generation of New wave sci-fi writers. This is done when the narrator basically admits that he is in the fringes of a cyberpunk story.
Marley Phillipe is a cool character riding out the climate apocalypse with an increasingly robotic body and sailboat called the Mellow Yellow. His plan to die peacefully and get high. His plan is interrupted when the Catholic Church recruits him for a mission. You see the population of the world to escape the slow death of the run-away Greenhouse effect has created a virtual world called the Big Board. The idea is that most people have uploaded their minds to the Big Board.
This presents the catholic church with a conflict. They don't believe the cyber minds are actual souls but with the world dying they need to preserve their history. So they uploaded the memory of Father De Leone and his mind has since disappeared from the Big Board. The Church brings Marley to Rome to investigate, and he eventually learns that hackers are holding his mind hostage and their demands are simple. Recognize our virtual souls.
I read this book during the stay at home order of the Coronavirus it was impossible not to see similar nature to the Big Board. We have all become home units plugged into the internet which is becoming the social interface. This book takes place after Earth has become dead, the garden of Eden has thrown us out and the big question becomes is this new existence actually living? What if our cyber selves were trying to prove they had a soul?
This is a very provocative novel and amazing for the time it was written. This is a short and powerful work.
Consider this from page 135:
"Was this what God saw, if there was one, the whole wide world and all these space probes and sat-feeds besides, from the inside of Creation? Was this what Pierre De Leone saw from inside the system itself?
Deserted cityscapes. Entertainment channel Disneyworlds. Oceans Lapping against the great seawalls. Sat imagines of melting polar caps, spreading deserts. Eavesdropped videophone conversations. News Channels. corporate systems babbling to each other..."
"...Were these to be our Spiritual successors ?"
and two pages later...
"The World out there is dying. The world in here... From this perspective, it was all too clear. When the biosphere is gone we will go on."
Deus X questions what it means to be human, and what it means to be spiritual. The last barrier before humans can transition to a digital existence is the spiritual question. The great fear of this novel is a species taking that last step, one willing to destroy the planet that sustains itself can feel better about if their digital soul is one it can reckon with their god. Goddamn Spinrad wrote a hell of a novel here and when you consider how early into the internet we were at this point it makes it more impressive.
You should read it. Big thumbs up.
July 17, 2019
I have read all the reviews. I disagree completely with the majority of them, in this novel I found a light hearted look into the soul and what that soul means. Great work
October 1, 2008
La question de l’âme est toujours d’actualité, peut-être même encore plus à l’heure où la numérisation du cerveau humain n’est plus un rêve, mais un possible lointain. Ce livre explore l’une des facettes du problème de l’âme éternelle : peut-elle être changée de support de la glaise au silicium sans pertes ? En clair, un humain numérisé conserve-t-il son âme. C’est une question troublante, et pour y répondre, Spinrad nous place au bon endroit, et au bon moment.
L’endroit, c’est le milieu de la mer, sans aucune autre tentation que celle de la réflexion, et de l’introspection.
Le moment, c’est la fin du monde. Pas une fin du monde avec météorites et tout le tintouin, une où aucune chance n’est laissée. Non, juste une mort par inanition, par engorgement et destruction de la biosphère. Un truc bien lent, une espèce de cancer de la terre, où plus rien ne poussse sur la terre ni dans la mer, et où l’humanité des derniers jours s’interroge sur la capacité de l’âme à survivre dans une enveloppe informatique.
Si la question est intéressante, la réponse ne l’est pas moins, et on suivra avec beaucoup d’intérêt l’enquête menée conjointement par un vieux prêtre numérisé, et par une espèce de pseudo hacker-chaman, qui va aller le chercher dans les profondeurs du cyberespace, afin de lui poser cette terrible question : "esprit, as-tu une âme ?". Malheureusement, si la question est proprement fascinante, l’auteur y répond, à mon sens, par une pirouette digne du pari de Pascal (auquel sont faites de nombreuses références) qui renvoie chacun devant son miroir.
Mis à part cette fin, un peu décevante, on est quand même en présence d’un livre fascinant, pas par la qualité de l’écriture, correcte mais pas fabuleuse, mais par la complexité et la richesse du propos. Car si la sf nous habitue à sauver l’univers, ce n’est pas le cas ici, et ce qui est en danger, c’est l’âme des clones numériques, une question qui est actuellement posée, et pour laquelle les réponses sont aussi nombreuses que variées.
L’endroit, c’est le milieu de la mer, sans aucune autre tentation que celle de la réflexion, et de l’introspection.
Le moment, c’est la fin du monde. Pas une fin du monde avec météorites et tout le tintouin, une où aucune chance n’est laissée. Non, juste une mort par inanition, par engorgement et destruction de la biosphère. Un truc bien lent, une espèce de cancer de la terre, où plus rien ne poussse sur la terre ni dans la mer, et où l’humanité des derniers jours s’interroge sur la capacité de l’âme à survivre dans une enveloppe informatique.
Si la question est intéressante, la réponse ne l’est pas moins, et on suivra avec beaucoup d’intérêt l’enquête menée conjointement par un vieux prêtre numérisé, et par une espèce de pseudo hacker-chaman, qui va aller le chercher dans les profondeurs du cyberespace, afin de lui poser cette terrible question : "esprit, as-tu une âme ?". Malheureusement, si la question est proprement fascinante, l’auteur y répond, à mon sens, par une pirouette digne du pari de Pascal (auquel sont faites de nombreuses références) qui renvoie chacun devant son miroir.
Mis à part cette fin, un peu décevante, on est quand même en présence d’un livre fascinant, pas par la qualité de l’écriture, correcte mais pas fabuleuse, mais par la complexité et la richesse du propos. Car si la sf nous habitue à sauver l’univers, ce n’est pas le cas ici, et ce qui est en danger, c’est l’âme des clones numériques, une question qui est actuellement posée, et pour laquelle les réponses sont aussi nombreuses que variées.
October 28, 2013
A tale of theological discussions in cyberworld. Pretty interesting, nice worldbuilding, and most importantly not an overly long book. Real review coming when I get around to do that. =)
August 1, 2012
Once upon a time, man was thrown out of Eden and into the fallen world. Now the world is polluted and global warming isn't making things any better. But, having passed the "Singularity," people can have their essence downloaded into the Big Board. Is this the new Eden? Or the technological equivalent of Noah's Ark? Are the beings in this vortex even human? Do they have souls?
Pope Mary I, the first female pope of a Catholic church trying desperately to find its relevance in this bleak future, asks Father De Leone--who is convinced that these entities are abominations--to allow himself to be loaded onto the Big Board. Who better to argue that the entities are souls than a man who argued the exact opposite? But shortly after being uploaded, De Leone (whatever he is) goes missing.
An incredible mixture of science fiction, religion, and philosophy.
Pope Mary I, the first female pope of a Catholic church trying desperately to find its relevance in this bleak future, asks Father De Leone--who is convinced that these entities are abominations--to allow himself to be loaded onto the Big Board. Who better to argue that the entities are souls than a man who argued the exact opposite? But shortly after being uploaded, De Leone (whatever he is) goes missing.
An incredible mixture of science fiction, religion, and philosophy.
July 9, 2008
THE VATICAN
March 31, 2016
Metka pohdinta ihmisen sielusta istutettuna henkilöiden paavi Maria I, Marley Philippe ja isä De Leone ympärille.
December 14, 2024
Con dos voces en primera persona que se entrelazan (la de un sacerdote moribundo con los capítulos en números romanos y un detective fumeta de la red en dígitos) y jugando con el orden y el paso del tiempo, Deus X de Norman Spinrad cuenta una historia de transcendencia, colapso e identidad en un futuro donde se puede replicar la consciencia en software. El enfoque religioso y climático de un tema tan visto lo vuelve interesante y ágil en tan solo 130 páginas. El Padre, el Hijo y el Espíritu Software están de acuerdo.
November 21, 2018
Not one of Spinrad's best, but a decent novella. Feels very dated today, but must of have been fresh when it came out.
February 25, 2024
A pot smoking cyber-shaman cuts a deal with the damned souls trapped in the 'net on behalf of the Catholic Church. Strange visions of the Internet from Ye Olden Dayes.
January 28, 2019
Într-un post apocaliptic cu Pământul praf, fără ozon și super poluat, Marley Philippe (vine de la Bob Marley ?), fumează iarbă, străbate oceanele pe velierul sau Mellow Yellow cu pânze pe post de baterii solare și are o privire asupra lumii de tip gansta.
De fapt nu știu dacă chiar a avut loc o apocalipsă cu cap și coadă, cu un început și un sfârșit, ca să poți sa zici că ești în postapocaliptic.Mai degrabă avem o catastrofă climatică (în siajul căreia au avut loc și alte catastrofe: demografică, economică, etc)
Nivelul oceanului a crescut, climatul s-a schimbat, ghețarii s-au topit, încălzirea globală, efectul de sera, etc, etc...O lume post-combustibili solizi, post Epoca Spatială, în care mașinile folosind combustibili pe baza de petrol (deci poluante) erau puse la index și doar cei foarte bogați și puternici (vezi papalitatea) le puteau folosi.
Apocalipsa/catastrofa asta poate să fie și ongoing business.
Marley este detectiv în Partea Cealaltă, lumea virtuală unde omul pe persoană fizică este clonat, cu tot felul de implicații sociale, legale, economice, filozofice, religioase etc.
E un expert în sisteme experte :) care o iau razna, un fel de shaman al lumii virtuale (Big Board - un fel de Internet mult evoluat, pornit de la Bursa din New York, după care s-au conectat toate bursele, după aia tot restul) pentru că trece de suprafața agreabilă a lumii virtuale și se afundă în abisurile sistemelor expert, ale clonelor care poseda IA, ale IA-urilor rapace.
continuarea pe ... si vreme(a) e ca sa citim
De fapt nu știu dacă chiar a avut loc o apocalipsă cu cap și coadă, cu un început și un sfârșit, ca să poți sa zici că ești în postapocaliptic.Mai degrabă avem o catastrofă climatică (în siajul căreia au avut loc și alte catastrofe: demografică, economică, etc)
Nivelul oceanului a crescut, climatul s-a schimbat, ghețarii s-au topit, încălzirea globală, efectul de sera, etc, etc...O lume post-combustibili solizi, post Epoca Spatială, în care mașinile folosind combustibili pe baza de petrol (deci poluante) erau puse la index și doar cei foarte bogați și puternici (vezi papalitatea) le puteau folosi.
Apocalipsa/catastrofa asta poate să fie și ongoing business.
Marley este detectiv în Partea Cealaltă, lumea virtuală unde omul pe persoană fizică este clonat, cu tot felul de implicații sociale, legale, economice, filozofice, religioase etc.
E un expert în sisteme experte :) care o iau razna, un fel de shaman al lumii virtuale (Big Board - un fel de Internet mult evoluat, pornit de la Bursa din New York, după care s-au conectat toate bursele, după aia tot restul) pentru că trece de suprafața agreabilă a lumii virtuale și se afundă în abisurile sistemelor expert, ale clonelor care poseda IA, ale IA-urilor rapace.
continuarea pe ... si vreme(a) e ca sa citim
May 8, 2011
A short novel that raises some interesting points about religion and cyber-life-after-death. It was probably more shocking when it was first printed and the topics had not been so over-mined. The characters were a bit thin, though Pope Mary I was interesting. Overall it was a nice, quick, thought-provoking read.
November 24, 2016
I previously read this as part of a small collection of Spinrad's work, and just re-read this (probably the fifth time) again on it's own. I really like this story, it really speaks to me. I have recommended this story to many people, but previously it was really hard for people to get a hold of, glad I have a digital copy now.
July 8, 2016
Aika hidaslukuinen, paljon tieteellistä sananhelinää - kuvauksia, kun oltiin virtuaalitodellisuudessa. Kuoleva pappi sai tehtäväkseen mennä virtuaalitodellisuuteen ja ottaa selville onko virtuaaliminällä sielu. 2½
March 10, 2016
Finnish edition: Perinteinen Isojen Ideoiden tieteiskuvitelma. Henkilöt jäävät vähän sivuosaan ja juonessakaan ei ehditä paljon velloa, kun kaahataan suoraan kiitoradalle. Itse pääidea ja sen käsittely on kyllä 5/5 ontologista aivojörniä parhaimmillaan.
April 3, 2016
Really cool novela. Gets to the heart of spirituality despite humanity being awash in technology.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews