Foreigner

Quintaglio Ascension #3

by Robert J. Sawyer

In Far-Seer and Fossil Hunter , we met the Quintaglios, a race of intelligent dinosaurs from Earth and learned of the threat to their very existence. Now they must quickly advance from a culture equivalent to our Renaissance to the point where they can leave their planet.
While the Quintaglios rush to develop space travel, the discovery of a second species of intelligent dinosaur rocks their most fundamental beliefs. Meanwhile, blind Afsan -- the dinosaurian Galileo -- undergoes the newfangled treatment of psychoanalysis, throwing everything he thought he knew about his violent people into a startling new light.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Dinosaurs, Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Ebooks, Canada

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Robert J. Sawyer is one of Canada's best known and most successful science fiction writers. He is the only Canadian (and one of only 7 writers in the world) to have won all three of the top international awards for science fiction: the 1995 Nebula Award for The Terminal Experiment, the 2003 Hugo Award for Hominids, and the 2006 John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Mindscan.
Robert Sawyer grew up in Toronto, the son of two university professors. He credits two of his favourite shows from the late 1960s and early 1970s, Search and Star Trek, with teaching him some of the fundamentals of the science-fiction craft. Sawyer was obsessed with outer space from a young age, and he vividly remembers watching the televised Apollo missions. He claims to have watched the 1968 classic film 2001: A Space Odyssey 25 times. He began writing science fiction in a high school club, which he co-founded, NASFA (Northview Academy Association of Science Fiction Addicts). Sawyer graduated in 1982 from the Radio and Television Arts Program at Ryerson University, where he later worked as an instructor.

Sawyer's first published book, Golden Fleece (1989), is an adaptation of short stories that had previously appeared in the science-fiction magazine Amazing Stories. This book won the Aurora Award for the best Canadian science-fiction novel in English. In the early 1990s Sawyer went on to publish his inventive Quintaglio Ascension trilogy, about a world of intelligent dinosaurs. His 1995 award winning The Terminal Experiment confirmed his place as a major international science-fiction writer.

A prolific writer, Sawyer has published more than 10 novels, plus two trilogies. Reviewers praise Sawyer for his concise prose, which has been compared to that of the science-fiction master Isaac Asimov. Like many science fiction-writers, Sawyer welcomes the opportunities his chosen genre provides for exploring ideas. The first book of his Neanderthal Parallax trilogy, Hominids (2002), is set in a near-future society, in which a quantum computing experiment brings a Neanderthal scientist from a parallel Earth to ours. His 2006 Mindscan explores the possibility of transferring human consciousness into a mechanical body, and the ensuing ethical, legal, and societal ramifications.

A passionate advocate for science fiction, Sawyer teaches creative writing and appears frequently in the media to discuss his genre. He prefers the label "philosophical fiction," and in no way sees himself as a predictor of the future. His mission statement for his writing is "To combine the intimately human with the grandly cosmic."

http://us.macmillan.com/author/robert...

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

VALUTAZIONE PERSONALE: 4,0

Terzo ed ultimo capitolo della Quintaglio Ascension Trilogy, Foreigner (molto fantasiosamente tradotto nell' edizione italiana col titolo La vendetta dei Quintaglio) conclude abbastanza degnamente questa trilogia alla quale mi sono subito affezionato e, di fatto, la valutazione espressa è da riferirsi più all'intera opera che al singolo volume.

Sebbene, dal punto di vista oggettivo, non si tratti davvero di nulla di eccezionale, non ho potuto fare a meno di farmi catturare dalle vicende di questa bizzarra civiltà di tirannosauridi intelligenti, di immedesimarmi in essi(per quanto ciò possa essere possibile!), di sorridere e divertirmi leggendo le avventure e le disavventure dei protagonisti e, perché negarlo, talvolta anche di commuovermi, e proprio a tal proposito questo terzo capitolo si supera alla grande.

Il tutto viene sempre esposto mediante uno stile di scrittura semplice ma al tempo stesso pregnante, soddisfacente quanto basta a non annoiare mai il lettore in arzigogolate descrizioni ed elucubrazioni, compiendo il proprio lavoro nella giusta misura per ciò che questo prodotto si prefigge di essere: una lettura di intrattenimento, mai troppo banale ma nemmeno vogliosa di innovazioni, nella quale il lettore possa immergersi per qualche ora della propria giornata divertendosi con la speculazione (fanta)scientifica che, senza dubbio, rappresenta il punto di forza dell'intera trilogia, anche se in questo ultimo volume il tono narrativo diviene decisamente più cupo, dando ampio risalto agli aspetti più oscuri e reconditi della mente di questi rettili intelligenti e dalla cui analisi si chiariscono molti dei comportamenti degli stessi e si riesce a rispondere a molte delle domande lasciate sospese nei due precedenti episodi della trilogia.

Difetti? Ne potrei trovare a bizzeffe...
Esistono opere migliori che si basino sulle stesse tematiche? Molto probabile.
Posso, tuttavia, ampiamente asserire che, nel complesso, almeno per quanto mi riguarda, questa trilogia abbia centrato in pieno il proprio scopo, ovvero quello di intrattenere il lettore, ed era da diverso tempo che non mi capitava di leggere una trilogia alla quale non mi riuscisse di affezionarmici così tanto.

Ampiamente promossa.

[James Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted on Journalstone

Many more years have passed since the end of Fossil Hunter. The Quintaglios continue to investigate the alien spacecraft. Meanwhile, Toroca discovers another species of sentient dinosaurs living on the other side of the moon. Afsan has been having strange, unsettling dreams lately and they’ve been affecting him personally, so he tries a new kind of medicine: the “talking cure.”

The third book in the trilogy has the strongest story. (And the Watcher is gone, hooray!) Many of the subplots in book 2 belatedly acquire meaning here, and every new subplot in this book is interesting and memorable.

Toroca’s story is the most exciting. The discovery of a new island chain. They refer to the people there as the “Others,” and they are friendly, but the Quintaglios are not. Just the sight of one of the Others can send a Quintaglio into dagamant, attacking and killing every Other in sight. It’s the ultimate nightmare of first-contact. Fortunately, Toroca does not have this reflex, and he is chosen to be the emissary. Not only does he have to learn a new language, he has to learn their customs and their faith, and he rises to the occasion admirably.

Afsan, however, is deeply disturbed throughout the book. He’s about to help change the world again, this time through his psychiatrist, Mokelb. She discovers the truth about Quintaglio civilization. Their own religion has been holding back the development of their civilization.

Robert J. Sawyer’s work often has anti-religious overtones. Sometimes he gets carried away with this theme, presenting it in a ham-fisted way instead of making a logical case for it. The Quintaglio Ascension Trilogy cleverly disguises the theme inside another culture. If Sawyer tried to tell this story with humans, it would have been panned as too preachy, but because he wrapped it up in an alien species, it stands on its own without coming across as a science fiction author thumbing his nose at the Church.

It is enormously satisfying to watch the Quintaglios develop as a species, going from renaissance-era technology to space-faring in only a few generations. In fact, the conclusion of the series makes the first two books even more memorable in hindsight because of the new light Foreigner casts on them.

It’s as though Sawyer knew the ending the whole time and intentionally wrote the series with a limited perspective just so he could flip our view of this society upside down and shock us with the truth that was right under their snouts. You can take it as an allegory of how unquestioned beliefs can harm a population, or simply accept it as a great series about the ascension of a race of dinosaurs from the dark ages. Either way, it’s a satisfying conclusion to a satisfying trilogy.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really glad I read this series. Can't quite recommend it generally, though. You have to be interested in ideas about what it means to be alien, and what it means to be human in comparison. And what science & bold thinkers can do for their people. And you have to be able to give it a bit of time... it's got so many new things to think about that reading it in bits isn't a good idea.

But if you do read it, you'll be rewarded. With humorous bits, such as: "a watched carcass never finishes draining." With bits like the psychologist's fascinating theories: I don't know enough to be sure how many of them apply irl to humans but, for example, the idea that "dreams... are attempts to prolong sleep" is a bit of one that is certainly true for me sometimes, as I figured out from reading the explanation here.

And I was rewarded with a beautifully worded committal service speech for a certain kind of situation: "I mourn the death even of one unknown, for the chance to to make that stranger a friend has come and passed. In heaven perhaps our paths will cross, and although we were not acquainted in life, perhaps there we will hunt side by side. Your journey will be a safe one, stranger, for we are both formed from the hands of God."

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

More fun from Robert Sawyer's crazy imagination. This time the dinosaurs instead of humans have evolved on an earthlike world subject to many earthquakes, as well as the common societal beliefs that tend to develop in response to a fear of death and the unknown. Asfan, the reptilian protagonist, takes on the guise of Copernicus, Galilieo, Freud, and many other well-known historical ground-breakers, and becomes a Christlike figure as he tries to convince his peers that "The Face of God" is actually a gaseous planet and that they are all in fact living on a tiny moon, which revolves around the planet, and due to gravitational stress, the moon is doomed to break up and explode into tiny pieces in the near future. That Sawyer manages to get you to identify and care about these dinosaur characters is an amazing feat in itself. Very enjoyable!

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Foreigner is the final volume of Sawyer's first trilogy, the dino-centric Quintaglio Ascension. It's a true trilogy, in that each volume tells a contained story, yet each third fits together to form an over-reaching greater arc. It's a little unusual in that he takes some of the assumptions from the earlier books and stands them on their heads, but he pulls it off well and the story concludes in a convincing and satisfying manner. In this one, the historical human-analog he examines is not a physical scientist, but rather Sigmund Freud, and there's less of a sense of the conflict of religious tradition versus scientific exploration. It's a very thought-provoking and challenging trio of books, and well worth picking up. Dinosaurs never had it so good!

[Chip · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good conclusion to Sawyer's dino-series. The second half of the book shows his talent in building interesting characters with good stories. Though this one doesn't really have a strong enlighten character as the first two (sorry I don't buy the connection with Freud). A bit rough in the section of nanobots building the space elevator.

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any book that makes me cry actual tears pretty much deserves 5 stars.

The last volume in Sawyer's Quintaglio Ascension trilogy, Foreigner picks up about two years after the events of Fossil Hunter: Novato and her team continue to excavate the crashed alien spaceship that seeded their moon with life, while Toroca (the "Darwin" of the last book who deduces the principles of evolution) makes contact with a new species of intelligent dinosaur, a peaceful civilization that casts the Quintaglios' own violent society into stark relief.

This is unquestionably my favorite book of a series that is already Sawyer's best (of what I've read so far). He's extrapolated paleontology to create a fascinating non-human society and world. Where lazier sci-fi might fall back on anthropomorphization, the Quintaglios are not just "humans with a coat of paint": their society, culture, and individual temperament is clearly rooted in their unique ontology as a species.

Sawyer's style basically weaves different concepts and speculations about biology, physics, and other sciences into the story, and while it hasn't always worked for me, I really like the blend of narrative and ideas in the Quintaglio trilogy. While in his Neanderthal Parallax trilogy I often felt the characters and story played second fiddle to the ideas, the characters in the QA series are much more than vehicles for ideas. Their hopes, fears, and desires--in short, all the things that make up good character development--are just as important to the story.

Probably at least 2 of my 5 stars for this book come from the deeply satisfying culmination of Afsan's arc. It was moving and interesting to see him grow from an awkward youth to a hunter, astronomer and world traveler in the first book, and to watch him struggle with the choice to reveal what he had discovered about their world in order to save his people from destruction--even at the price of being blinded for heresy. In the third book we see his emotional growth and self-awareness reach its peak as he undergoes psychoanalysis in the hopes of restoring his sight. Troubled by nightmares, he tries the new "talking cure" at Emperor Dybo's insistence. Rational materialist that he is, Afsan doesn't expect much to come of it; but in the end he not only gains a new perspective on the roots of Quintaglio violence but also comes to terms with an old, personal trauma.

When he does finally regain his sight in the third book, it's so tragic because he only has a little time left to enjoy his newfound vision. The scene where he says goodbye to his friends and family whom he hasn't seen in twenty years honestly had me weeping buckets. It was so poignant and just beautifully, perfectly written.

Books like these are why I will keep reading Robert J. Sawyer. Even though his books can be hit or miss, the hits knock it out of the park.

[Steve Scanlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third and final book in the “Quintaglio Ascension”. It was, like the others, a pleasure to read and I finished it quite quickly. I’m only sorry this is the last.

Asfan is suffering from bad dreams and he is convinced to seek the assistance of Mokleb, a practitioner of the new study of psychology.

Novato, the mother of Asfan’s children is continuing her study of the alien craft discovered in FOSSIL HUNTER.

Asfan’s son, Toroca, is on a geological study that takes him to previously unexplored territories where he discovers another possible threat to Quintaglio existence.

The only gripe I have, and it’s a small one, is the abrupt conclusion. The story line covered in the last few pages could have been further explored in future novels. This is possibly selfishness on my part since I enjoyed the stories so much I didn’t want them to end.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. This book was a perfect end to a great trilogy. Everything was intertwined with the first two novels so well that it made me believe that the author wrote all three books before the first one was even published. Many small and seemingly insignificant events from the series all came together in a wonderful explanation at the end. While the first two books were somewhat predictable, this one kept me guessing the entire way.

The characters were much deeper in this book. I enjoyed the constant viewpoint changes between Afsan, Novato and Toroca. By the end I felt like I was saying goodbye to good friends and family. This book has many interesting parallels to our world and culture, and makes you see things in a new light.

[KB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Foreigner brings Robert Sawyer's Quintaglio Ascension trilogy to a satisfying end. Early in this novel, certain plot threads seem excessive or unnecessary, but by the final pages everything coalesces to answer outstanding questions and leave the reader with a pleasant conclusion.

[Frank Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike the first two books, the plot of the finale is much less predictable. This is rather necessary since in the span of a single generation Quintaglio society must find their place in the universe, overhaul their cultural setting and then advance their technology far enough to launch themselves into space.

The more interesting plot line can be guessed from the title, the Quintaglios meet their neighbours and it's an interesting development over all. Less grippingly, Afsan's plot line involves a lot of therapy. Fair enough, the Quintaglio once thought to be "The One" has been through a lot of hell and although the journey is a bit plain to read it does eventually produce some juicy fruit, something that Sawyer has obviously been saving up all along.

Cool trilogy, it didn't turn out to be what I was initially hoping for but it is certainly a fun dino adventure.

[Devero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Terminata nel week end scorso questa lettura. Buona nel complesso, ma l'ultimo del ciclo dei Quintaglio a mio avviso non è propriamente riuscito quanto il primo, e in parte, il secondo.
C'è della suspance qua e là, una buona dose di avventura e introspezione dei personaggi, una buona continuità e quel giusto senso di stranezza che un romanzo privo di umani deve avere.
Erano i primi romanzi di Sawyer, e nel complesso sfigurano rispetto ai successivi, ma restano comunque un 3 stelle buone.

[Tim Popko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sawyer put a great ending on his Quintaglio Ascension trilogy in this novel, completing a full circle of their Dinosaur world, and protagonist Afsan's life. As in the prior two stories, Afsan pushes Quintaglio civilization forward, this time in a Freudian psychotherapy setting. The advances of his "People" was also furthered by their discovery of another group of distant Quintaglios, living on the other side of their moon; they did not have any of the territorial 'dagamant', that is, territorial defensiveness, that was present in all the other tales, and Sawyer works full-circle to explain that 'dagamant' behaviors are all a result of Freudian-style child abuse.

The anti-religious message Sawyer weaves into the story is not done lightly. It is clear he was bashing the culling of the bloodpriests (they literally ate newborn eggs, selecting one of every eight to survive) and tying Afsan's sufferings very closely to the power of religion. Sawyer expanded greatly on this theme when Afsan confronts a bloodpriest in a temple directly, going so far as to threaten his life and exposing him as a liar.

The book was weak in some areas - Sawyer's signature style is to work three storylines concurrently, so while I was hooked on the therapy sessions between Afsan and his therapist Molkeb, I found Novato's journey on an alien-made space elevator to be an unimaginative blur. It didn't go anywhere, and it only served as a sideshow in my opinion. The final ending was heartwarming - the Quintaglios seed onto new planets and watch their old moon disintegrate, and new generations are permitted to live and grow up without the need for "culling" by heartless bloodpriests. Interestingly enough, the discovery of Freudian psychology comes before the Theory of Evolution in this tale, which to me was wildly unconventional but it works beautifully here.

By story's end, I was left with a sense of farewell to a set of old friends. Afsan had an amazing life, and I was rooting for him all throughout the story for him to finally get his eyesight back.

[Lorenzo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Si conclude così la trilogia della Quintaglio Ascension, un piccolo ma interessante viaggio all'interno di un mondo alternativo popolato da discendenti dei dinosauri.
Il capitolo conclusivo della saga è risultato meno incisivo, meno appassionante e meno interessante dei due libri precedenti. Se il secondo libro risolveva con grande chiarezza molti dei misteri lasciati in sospeso, questo li infittisce. Spiegazioni anche semplici ma assolutamente coerenti con la storia sono state rivisitate e modificare in questo terzo capitolo e, a parer mio, non in meglio.
Anche in questo caso, il protagonista si mostra essere nuovamente un deus ex machina, capace di risolvere qualunque problema che accada nel libro.
La serie aveva parte della sua forza sul fatto di strutturare i tre libri basando tre dei personaggi principali su altrettanti scienziati realmente esistiti: Galileo, Darwin e Freud; tuttavia questo terzo libro si trasforma quasi esclusivamente in un monologo di psicoanalisi senza riuscire a sfruttare appieno l'enorme potenzialità del personaggio qui presentato. La psicologia nel mondo dei quintaglio gioca un ruolo fondamentale e sarebbe stato interessante scoprire attraverso la psicologia anche ciò che stava fuori dai domini dei quintaglio. Purtroppo così non è stato e il personaggio di "Freud" è servito solo per rafforzare il concetto di deus ex machina nel personaggio principale e chiudere così il cerchio su di lui.
Un grande peccato per una saga che con il secondo pareva preannunciare un finale decisamente più interessante e coinvolgente.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so damn good. Love it. Great development and finalisation of the series. I love the psychology aspect, how it delves into why Quintaglios are like that. The fact that territoriality is actually a species-wide trauma response due to the culling of the blood priests is so fascinating. I've seen the psychologist character referred to as dinosaur freud, but honestly with the whole unconscious and conscious thing it felt more like Jung. The Jijaki making an ark that expanded into a space elevator up to an observation chamber that monitors every seeded world is awesome. The conflict and interaction with the Others was really interesting. Sal-Afsan's death was so sad but bittersweet, and I love that they took his Farseer to the stars. Love the epilogue showing that not only did the Quintaglios and Others manage to come together, they also escaped into the stars. Now they're coming to Earth, but we won't see that. It's so heart-wrenching to know that the characters never got to see space, but that their work saved their species. I only wonder where the dark matter entity went.

[Lone Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final book in the ‘Quintaglio Ascension’ trilogy, ‘Foreigner’ follows the characters from the previous books as they continue learning about themselves and their world, and work towards spaceflight.

Afsan, plagued by bad dreams, decides to undergo the new treatment of psychoanalysis, uncovering the root of the species’ aggression as he does so. Novato, investigating the spaceship found in the last book, accidentally sets off the building of a space elevator, which reveals a host of new knowledge. Toroca, exploring the world by boat, discovers a chain of islands inhabited by another intelligent dinosaur species – but finds that the mere sight of them triggers a frenzy of bloodlust in everyone but himself.

I would personally have liked to hear more about the Others, and I honestly found Mokleb, the psychoanalyst, rather annoying, but this is still an excellent read and a fitting conclusion to a wonderful series.

[Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, and the series as a whole, deserves 3.5 stars. Sawyer is a good storyteller. The Quintaglio's are an interesting race, and many of the recurring characters are engaging. In this final book, the mystery of the Ark is explored, and the crew of the Dasheter again make a startling discovery. The psychoanalysis of Asfan has its moments. The aspect that holds these books back is that the answers to many of the problems seem facile. Part of the problem is simply that the books are largely short adventure stories, and Sawyer chose not to spend too much narrative time building to his outcomes. For example, using the gliders to defeat the others is plausible, but bombing ships from aircraft is no simple matter. I'm glad that I finally read this series, but, among Sawyer's early novels, The Terminal Experiment and Starplex are far better books.

[Thomas Hale · Rating 5 out of 5]

The end of the trilogy, with our dinosaur civilisation facing the twin threats of psychology and the titular Foreigners. The grand revelations are doled out much more organically than in the previous book, and I was very satisfied to find myself reaching the twists a few chapters before the characters did. The ultimate messages - about trauma, violence, and maladaption - were surprisingly deep and resonated back through the previous books to uplift them. Sawyer put a lot of thought and care into all of this, and I think he stuck the landing. There is still a lot of space in this world for more stories, but the narrative arcs all came together well here. I'll miss my time with the science dinosaurs.

[Shaeyera Drache · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have too much conflict about this book in my brain. I would rate it higher on the subject matter alone, because it was a rather ambitious book. I definitely wanted a fourth book to follow, and if it had just been a continuation of what happened, I would have been extremely happy. But I kind of got the feeling that at this point the author was tired of playing in this universe, which is unfortunate. I don't think I'll ever get enough of the Quintaglios. I just want some more... I will always want some more.

[Rod · Rating 3 out of 5]

After many years since reading the first two, finally circled back around to read the final book in this trilogy. This time, Freud makes a mirror-world appearance (following Galileo and Darwin in the first two volumes). The vision of heaven broke even my more-than-willing-suspension-of-disbelief and along-for-the-ride reading posture. Still, it was enjoyable, as I have always found Sawyer to be, though not face-out-worthy.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good story, and worth reading if you read the first two in the trilogy. I keep wavering between liked and loved it...I think the problem for me remains that he wrote all of these about dinosaurs. I find it hard to care about dinosaurs in sci fi, though he makes me care. What makes me care is that they see like us in his story, which makes sense on some levels and not so much on others. If you read the first two, read this one.

[Emanuele Gemelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a pity how this series has developed from the first book to the last. If the first was really good, the second not as much, this is rather lukewarm. Still there are good ideas, but the development of the plot is lacking depth and connections.

[Scott Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Here, we meet the Quintaglio Freud as they develop the science of psychology. Sawyer has crafted a really intriguing world and I would gladly read more stories set in it.

[Allain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Compared to the other books in the series this one felt rushed.

Jumping forward in time past what should have been the climax of the 3 books felt like the author just wanted to be done with the whole thing.

That said, the Mokleb discussions and their eventual revelations were great.

[Norman Howe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This ultimate novel in the series takes the Quintaglio to new heights - literally! The psychology of the race is examined, and their true origin revealed. But all this takes time, time Land may not have.

[Wenzel Roessler · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an excellent end to the series. The plot and the characters just continue to shine. Sawyer does such a great job with describing the setting and inhabitants of this world and the plot never stalls. Rich dialogue and wonder interactions make this book such a delight, I laughed and I cried.

[Lars Dradrach · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fitting conclusion to an amazing and rather overlooked trilogy

Following in the same path as the previous two books, now with the birth of psychotherapy as the main discovery, but also with more focus on the overall sci-if. Origin story line

[Holly Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd really only recommend it to anyone who made it through 1 & 2. Beware that there are pages and pages of information about the mating habits of these alien dinosaurs. I had a good time, though not as good as book #1.

[Dobes Crusher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A phenomenal ending to a really well-developed series. I so enjoyed my time with the Quintaglios and the characters I grew to love over the course of the three books. I feel I am going to be thinking about this series for a while.

[James Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Quintaglio Ascension is quite literally the definition of an un-put-down-able series.
I read all 3 books in the trilogy in one sitting. I could not stop until I had devoured the series.
Robert J. Sawyer is quite simply the greatest living science fiction writer. Period.