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Toolmaker Koan
In the not-too-distant future, after a One-Day War separates the world into two opposing power blocs, a Soviet space probe discovers Charon, an ancient, god-like computer system that has been studying Earth for centuries.
- GenresScience Fiction
344 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 1987
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 17, 2011
It's astonishing (for some of us) that it's been 20 years since the Soviet Union broke up and the whole existential threat of those Godless Commie pinko bastards vanished like a pipe dream.
Warsaw Pact? East Germany? Containment? Detente?
I'm reminded of these things because Toolmaker Koan was published in 1988, a year before the Berlin Wall (what's that, grandpa?) came down and three short years before the USSR splintered yet the chimaera of US/Soviet rivalry was so firmly established that the background to this novel is a near-future world where Earth is divided between the United People's Democratic Republics of Africa and Eurasia and the Greater Columbian Alliance. There's nary a whisper of the mortal threat of Muslim jihadists to Western civilization. But the "bad guys" would be just as cartoonishly simplistic.
Toolmaker Koan is an example of one of those nostalgic favorites that turns out to be far less then you remembered. McLoughlin is not a terribly good writer. He has no style, his paragraphs falling upon your head like an avalanche (Is that a good use of simile? It's better than McLoughlin's):
And there's an element (I sincerely hope unconscious) of white, Euro-centrism that borders on the offensive (perhaps it crosses for some - I'm a white, Euro-male myself but even my hackles rose on lines like this: "'Of course not. Would that we had the money for such foolishness!' Ulibarri emitted another noxious nebula, shrugged hispanically." (p. 33)) And is it coincidence that the two most sympathetic protagonists are both white, both blond?
But, despite the inelegant, inept and impolitic prose, the idea behind Toolmaker Koan is still fascinating. I need to go into a bit of background here to explain things: A Soviet probe has discovered a possibly alien artifact 22 AU from Earth. Both the Sovs and the West send expeditions to find out what's out there. The ships destroy each other before contacting the artifact but "Charon," an eons-old AI built by an extinct civilization, saves two people from each ship and resurrects them aboard the Hwiliria, an artifact of Earth's first intelligent race, the Whileelin, who immolated themselves 65 million years ago (hint: what killed off the dinosaurs?). Charon has preserved the last of the Whileelin in the hopes that together humans and Whileelin can resolve the Toolmaker Koan which he explains here (after a truly painful infodump about Lamarckian evolution and koans):
The solution is to break free from the planetary womb to exploit space since toolmaking cultures need room (Lebensraum?) to expand into and survive. (This still doesn't resolve the koan - it just puts off its fatal denouement until a culture reaches the limits of the extraterrestrial sandbox.) And in the end, humans and Whileelin can't coexist and it's the humans who come out on top.
I can't recommend this one but if you have an interest in topics like this, you might like it, if not really enjoy it.
______________________________________________
I'm in the midst of rereading this. I was cleaning out the storage space above the carport; came across it in one of the boxes; and thought "What the heck," I had had it on my mind since reading Endgame: Volume 1: The Problem of Civilization.
Alas, my fond memories are not faring well...
I'll return with a more complete tale of woe when I've finished :-(
______________________________________________
Reading Alistair Reynolds' Galactic North reminded me of this little-known book I read as a teen-ager.
The koan of the title is that intelligent species always destroy themselves just as they reach a cusp of technology and development. I.e., they see the cliff they're going over but they can't stop themselves from going over it.
I found that idea intriguing. The other interesting thing about the novel is that the humans uncover an advanced civilization of dinosaurs that destroyed themselves 65 million years ago, ushering in our chance for self-immolation.
Warsaw Pact? East Germany? Containment? Detente?
I'm reminded of these things because Toolmaker Koan was published in 1988, a year before the Berlin Wall (what's that, grandpa?) came down and three short years before the USSR splintered yet the chimaera of US/Soviet rivalry was so firmly established that the background to this novel is a near-future world where Earth is divided between the United People's Democratic Republics of Africa and Eurasia and the Greater Columbian Alliance. There's nary a whisper of the mortal threat of Muslim jihadists to Western civilization. But the "bad guys" would be just as cartoonishly simplistic.
Toolmaker Koan is an example of one of those nostalgic favorites that turns out to be far less then you remembered. McLoughlin is not a terribly good writer. He has no style, his paragraphs falling upon your head like an avalanche (Is that a good use of simile? It's better than McLoughlin's):
"Before them in the grass stood a vast oaken table, three meters at least in length. Covered with a damask cloth whose edges swayed softly in the breeze, the board sparkled with silver place-settings, crystal goblets, trays, bowls, plates; these contained cakes and croissants, pastries of every description. They were laden with tiny roasted birds glistening in mahogany sauces, great reeking hot slabs of thick-sliced bacon, sausages of different colors and shapes, lobsters, shrimp, a tuna of perhaps twenty kilograms' mass, fruits of every description, a variety of pastas and their sauces, antipasto, pesto in little gold-wrought bowls, rices and spices and assorted vices, including a wood-carved humidor whose glass top showed the tips of a dozen dark, powerful-looking cigars...all in the midst of the African wilderness, with no other sign of artifice for seemingly endless kilometers of tree-studded grassland." (pp. 104-05)
And there's an element (I sincerely hope unconscious) of white, Euro-centrism that borders on the offensive (perhaps it crosses for some - I'm a white, Euro-male myself but even my hackles rose on lines like this: "'Of course not. Would that we had the money for such foolishness!' Ulibarri emitted another noxious nebula, shrugged hispanically." (p. 33)) And is it coincidence that the two most sympathetic protagonists are both white, both blond?
But, despite the inelegant, inept and impolitic prose, the idea behind Toolmaker Koan is still fascinating. I need to go into a bit of background here to explain things: A Soviet probe has discovered a possibly alien artifact 22 AU from Earth. Both the Sovs and the West send expeditions to find out what's out there. The ships destroy each other before contacting the artifact but "Charon," an eons-old AI built by an extinct civilization, saves two people from each ship and resurrects them aboard the Hwiliria, an artifact of Earth's first intelligent race, the Whileelin, who immolated themselves 65 million years ago (hint: what killed off the dinosaurs?). Charon has preserved the last of the Whileelin in the hopes that together humans and Whileelin can resolve the Toolmaker Koan which he explains here (after a truly painful infodump about Lamarckian evolution and koans):
"'On any planet where life evolves, given time, certain adaptable organisms acquire Lamarckian evolutionary systems - culture - to enhance their own survival. Once Lamarckian evolution is initiated, though, its consequent extinction is ensured. Or, to put it another way, animals with culture can see farther into the future than any other animals; but for cultural animals the future is brief. Why? Why must cultural toolmakers, the most gifted of the universe's spontaneous expressions, so swiftly and inexorably beat themselves into extinction with their very giftedness? Ah, my dear humans, that's a conundrum at the very heart of my own existence. The Toolmaker Koan: you, like me, are mad.'" (pp. 126-27)
The solution is to break free from the planetary womb to exploit space since toolmaking cultures need room (Lebensraum?) to expand into and survive. (This still doesn't resolve the koan - it just puts off its fatal denouement until a culture reaches the limits of the extraterrestrial sandbox.) And in the end, humans and Whileelin can't coexist and it's the humans who come out on top.
I can't recommend this one but if you have an interest in topics like this, you might like it, if not really enjoy it.
______________________________________________
I'm in the midst of rereading this. I was cleaning out the storage space above the carport; came across it in one of the boxes; and thought "What the heck," I had had it on my mind since reading Endgame: Volume 1: The Problem of Civilization.
Alas, my fond memories are not faring well...
I'll return with a more complete tale of woe when I've finished :-(
______________________________________________
Reading Alistair Reynolds' Galactic North reminded me of this little-known book I read as a teen-ager.
The koan of the title is that intelligent species always destroy themselves just as they reach a cusp of technology and development. I.e., they see the cliff they're going over but they can't stop themselves from going over it.
I found that idea intriguing. The other interesting thing about the novel is that the humans uncover an advanced civilization of dinosaurs that destroyed themselves 65 million years ago, ushering in our chance for self-immolation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2013
When the journal of Isaac Asimov judges a book to have an "argued and arguable" premise, ears should perk, eyes and tongues should water. This sci-fi book nails it mostly because of that premise. For fear of ruining the book, however, I can't tell you what that premise is: the theory behind this book is what makes it great, because it hits you right near the end, and you'll forever remember the enthusiastic shock that the argument made here influences. Suffice it to say that the premise has been and is argued in many other places by many various people and professions, but Toolmaker Koan perhaps is the best story-form presentation of the theory. And, further, I'll hint that I particularly like the fact that humanity's "progress" is called into question--though I would have liked more if McLoughlin didn't focus solely on the question of whether or not we should progress technologically and also questioned whether or not we have progressed morally, culturally, etc.
Since I can't really talk at all about the story or background theory without seriously ruining the only good parts of the novel, this review will be shamefully short. I will only say that, other than not projecting the events of humanity's apocalyptic demise far enough ahead in the future (I can give away that part of the story)--because we won't have satellite civilizations in space in 2030--the science involved here is at least theoretically possible. That's all you ask for in a good sci-fi novel. 20 years after Toolmaker Koan was first published, we can, I think, confirm that Pluto, once a planet, and Charon, once considered Pluto's moon, are not parts of some advanced computer from an alien world researching Earth (that part of the story I can give away, too). The peculiarities of Pluto and Charon, though, have at least been used in a rather genius way to construct the plot.
Aside from the genius transformation of Pluto/Charon into a massive Third Party ship/computer and the tantalizing scientific theory driving the story, McLoughlin's novel suffers from poor writing. The number of times that characters say, "ah," is annoyingly distracting. At first the "ah" usage portrays realistic conversation, but eventually it becomes contrived. Plus, it doesn't seem all that reasonable that a talking computer with the capabilities that Pluto/Charon has in this novel would also have to interrupt speech with "ah." No computer floating around in space for millions of years is going to say, "Well today I think I'm going to, ah, maybe shoot at some what you might call, ah, geese." To my knowledge Charon does not say this in the novel, but you get the point. On top of that, the characters aren't developed well enough for deeply enough for you to ever care for them beyond the fact that they are humans. And I won't mention the crap ton of grammar and spelling errors in my edition.
It would be a 5-star book, for enjoyment factor, if the writing were better. As it is, though, Toolmaker Koan is still a fun read, if only for the theories.
Since I can't really talk at all about the story or background theory without seriously ruining the only good parts of the novel, this review will be shamefully short. I will only say that, other than not projecting the events of humanity's apocalyptic demise far enough ahead in the future (I can give away that part of the story)--because we won't have satellite civilizations in space in 2030--the science involved here is at least theoretically possible. That's all you ask for in a good sci-fi novel. 20 years after Toolmaker Koan was first published, we can, I think, confirm that Pluto, once a planet, and Charon, once considered Pluto's moon, are not parts of some advanced computer from an alien world researching Earth (that part of the story I can give away, too). The peculiarities of Pluto and Charon, though, have at least been used in a rather genius way to construct the plot.
Aside from the genius transformation of Pluto/Charon into a massive Third Party ship/computer and the tantalizing scientific theory driving the story, McLoughlin's novel suffers from poor writing. The number of times that characters say, "ah," is annoyingly distracting. At first the "ah" usage portrays realistic conversation, but eventually it becomes contrived. Plus, it doesn't seem all that reasonable that a talking computer with the capabilities that Pluto/Charon has in this novel would also have to interrupt speech with "ah." No computer floating around in space for millions of years is going to say, "Well today I think I'm going to, ah, maybe shoot at some what you might call, ah, geese." To my knowledge Charon does not say this in the novel, but you get the point. On top of that, the characters aren't developed well enough for deeply enough for you to ever care for them beyond the fact that they are humans. And I won't mention the crap ton of grammar and spelling errors in my edition.
It would be a 5-star book, for enjoyment factor, if the writing were better. As it is, though, Toolmaker Koan is still a fun read, if only for the theories.
August 23, 2020
An interesting book with aspects of first contact, AI, nuclear war, space colonization, human nature ... and perhaps the Fermi Paradox.
Written in 1987, it pictures a future in which North and South America are a Western confederation and the rest of the world is an Eastern (Soviet-ish) confederation. There has already been a limited one-day nuclear war. The Eastern confederation sends a space probe to the outer solar system, where it encounters an apparent artifact. The East sends a manned mission to investigate, soon followed by a manned ship from the West. With the promise of alien tech, the two sides / ships don't want the other to acquire it. Relatively near the artifact, the two ships use their weapons against each other - leaving most of each crew dead and the remainder with radiation poisoning. Meanwhile, this is heightening tension back on Earth.
The artifact is an AI using compressed matter. It calls itself Charon. It uses its advanced tech to "reconstitute" two people from each ship, bringing them to a vast space habitat near Pluto. Charon explains Charon was made by machines built by machines built by the non-human civilization which made the habitat. Not long after that civilization made the habitat, it destroyed itself in a war among themselves. The humans are also told Charon has existed a very long time, visited many star systems, and seen various tool-making species. Based on the fact all of these species have destroyed themselves, Charon's Toolmaker Koan is that this is what tool-making animals do.
However, Charon wants to give it another try. Also on the space habitat are reconstituted members of the species which made the habitat. Charon hopes that together the two species can fulfill "metastasis" - the spread of life throughout the universe. After the humans have gotten to know members of the other species (or at least the ones who live on the "surface" area in the habitat's open interior,) Charon sends peaceful messages to both the East and West, and causes the habitat to "jump" to the neighborhood of Earth (and the East and West Lagrange space stations.) Both the East and West view this as a threat from aliens, as well as increasing East-West hostility.
Around this time, the humans and aliens discover the aliens' home planet's Moon is too similar to Earth's Moon to be a coincidence. The conclusion is the "aliens" are actually related to the dinosaurs (and their final war was the extinction event 65 million years ago.) Seeing Earth as their home planet, the "aliens" decide this isn't something they need to share with humans. A goal which might become more attainable as the East and West start another nuclear war... Charon has been weakened by all of its activities, but decides to intervene...
Written in 1987, it pictures a future in which North and South America are a Western confederation and the rest of the world is an Eastern (Soviet-ish) confederation. There has already been a limited one-day nuclear war. The Eastern confederation sends a space probe to the outer solar system, where it encounters an apparent artifact. The East sends a manned mission to investigate, soon followed by a manned ship from the West. With the promise of alien tech, the two sides / ships don't want the other to acquire it. Relatively near the artifact, the two ships use their weapons against each other - leaving most of each crew dead and the remainder with radiation poisoning. Meanwhile, this is heightening tension back on Earth.
The artifact is an AI using compressed matter. It calls itself Charon. It uses its advanced tech to "reconstitute" two people from each ship, bringing them to a vast space habitat near Pluto. Charon explains Charon was made by machines built by machines built by the non-human civilization which made the habitat. Not long after that civilization made the habitat, it destroyed itself in a war among themselves. The humans are also told Charon has existed a very long time, visited many star systems, and seen various tool-making species. Based on the fact all of these species have destroyed themselves, Charon's Toolmaker Koan is that this is what tool-making animals do.
However, Charon wants to give it another try. Also on the space habitat are reconstituted members of the species which made the habitat. Charon hopes that together the two species can fulfill "metastasis" - the spread of life throughout the universe. After the humans have gotten to know members of the other species (or at least the ones who live on the "surface" area in the habitat's open interior,) Charon sends peaceful messages to both the East and West, and causes the habitat to "jump" to the neighborhood of Earth (and the East and West Lagrange space stations.) Both the East and West view this as a threat from aliens, as well as increasing East-West hostility.
Around this time, the humans and aliens discover the aliens' home planet's Moon is too similar to Earth's Moon to be a coincidence. The conclusion is the "aliens" are actually related to the dinosaurs (and their final war was the extinction event 65 million years ago.) Seeing Earth as their home planet, the "aliens" decide this isn't something they need to share with humans. A goal which might become more attainable as the East and West start another nuclear war... Charon has been weakened by all of its activities, but decides to intervene...
July 3, 2019
It was one of my very fist Sci - Fi books that I have read in English Language. It read to me forever and when I finished first time I was not much wiser from it. After a while and several more books later I re- read it again and a brand new realm opened from me. Great and very intelligent story. Actually it reads more like something Michael Crighton may could have written.
February 1, 2026
Good sci fi, about peoples and cultures on earth, with a machine God saving a dinosaur people from extinction, bringing them back when humans are about to bring down their own extinction. Silly ending though. Not predictable. - Plot - after a One-Day War separates the world into two opposing power blocs, a Soviet space probe discovers Charon, an ancient, god-like computer system that has been studying Earth for centuries.
May 29, 2022
Recent Rereads: Toolmaker Koan. Prehistoric Planet made me think of John McLoughlin’s intelligent raptors, out of time at the end of ours. An alien presence at the edge of the Solar System brings east and west together, in an attempt to save us from the fate of all intelligences.
March 11, 2025
Still a great read decades later.
McLoughlin really let his imagination go and came up with a unique take on Fermi's paradox based on geological discoveries that came out in the late 1980s. He also wrapped it in a damned good story with interesting characters—some not human—and lots of action. And, with literally everything in the balance.
Good read if you can find it. Unfortunately, now out of print. My old paperback copy is falling apart; so, I think I will scan it and make myself a digital version.
McLoughlin really let his imagination go and came up with a unique take on Fermi's paradox based on geological discoveries that came out in the late 1980s. He also wrapped it in a damned good story with interesting characters—some not human—and lots of action. And, with literally everything in the balance.
Good read if you can find it. Unfortunately, now out of print. My old paperback copy is falling apart; so, I think I will scan it and make myself a digital version.
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