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Making History
ASIN moved to this edition
Dav is a boring guy.
He goes from habitat to habitat in Safe Space selling computer equipment. His life is like so many others. Do your thing, pay your fines, avoid the Protectors.
But Dav has a problem. His PAD, the one he got when he was six years old like every person in Safe Space, is malfunctioning. Without your PAD, you can’t do anything. It’s your passport, your ID, your wallet, your key, your bank book, and your phone. Modifying your PAD is illegal, but he needs to do something. Surely getting someone to do a quick little repair will be OK? But one step over the line is all it takes to put a small crack in his reality, and small cracks have a habit of spreading!
Dav finds himself on a crazy ride through space as his boring life abruptly ends. He’s now helping to solve a mystery that affects every one of the thirty billion humans that live in Safe Space.
All he wanted was to get his PAD working!
Dav is a boring guy.
He goes from habitat to habitat in Safe Space selling computer equipment. His life is like so many others. Do your thing, pay your fines, avoid the Protectors.
But Dav has a problem. His PAD, the one he got when he was six years old like every person in Safe Space, is malfunctioning. Without your PAD, you can’t do anything. It’s your passport, your ID, your wallet, your key, your bank book, and your phone. Modifying your PAD is illegal, but he needs to do something. Surely getting someone to do a quick little repair will be OK? But one step over the line is all it takes to put a small crack in his reality, and small cracks have a habit of spreading!
Dav finds himself on a crazy ride through space as his boring life abruptly ends. He’s now helping to solve a mystery that affects every one of the thirty billion humans that live in Safe Space.
All he wanted was to get his PAD working!
- GenresScience Fiction
516 pages, ebook
First published March 31, 2018
8 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 2, 2018
In my personal reading experience, indi writers are far better at producing this type of book than mainstream writers. Polky has produced a book that is easy to read, entertaining and witty but at the same time considers complex ideas about humanity.
I found the story to be imaginative and fun and the central characters believable and likable, especially Samuel! And I'm not going to be able to think about iPhones in the same way again.
Dav is introduced as a rather spoilt and lazy salesman with a faulty Pad. This is a serious problem as a correctly working Pad is essential for everyday living as it controls everything from the owners banking to the docking of ships and is required for communication with the net and identification. Pads are issued to all individuals at 6 years old and only government upgrades are allowed. To suggest your pad may be faulty is not permissible. So, with money to spend Dav goes underground, literally to the maintenance level, in search of someone who can adjust his Pad illegally. Unfortunately, he gets caught up in a government raid and ends up on the run, accused of murder with Samuel an advanced computer as his assistant and friend. Samuel's priority is to rescue Masey his maker and understand the inconsistencies in the Knowledge.
Dav knows, like everyone else his every action is recorded via his Pad and believes this is for everyone's safety. He's about to learn everything he has been told, including history and geography, is a lie and the Knowledge is not the truth.
Some very interesting ideas about the role of technology and government, who is really in control, what it means to be human, to what extent are we all prisoners and is ignorance sometimes best.
My only criticism is there were a few tangents that while entertaining weren't really necessary to the story.
Overall a very entertaining and thought-provoking read I'm happy to recommend to other readers.
I found the story to be imaginative and fun and the central characters believable and likable, especially Samuel! And I'm not going to be able to think about iPhones in the same way again.
Dav is introduced as a rather spoilt and lazy salesman with a faulty Pad. This is a serious problem as a correctly working Pad is essential for everyday living as it controls everything from the owners banking to the docking of ships and is required for communication with the net and identification. Pads are issued to all individuals at 6 years old and only government upgrades are allowed. To suggest your pad may be faulty is not permissible. So, with money to spend Dav goes underground, literally to the maintenance level, in search of someone who can adjust his Pad illegally. Unfortunately, he gets caught up in a government raid and ends up on the run, accused of murder with Samuel an advanced computer as his assistant and friend. Samuel's priority is to rescue Masey his maker and understand the inconsistencies in the Knowledge.
Dav knows, like everyone else his every action is recorded via his Pad and believes this is for everyone's safety. He's about to learn everything he has been told, including history and geography, is a lie and the Knowledge is not the truth.
Some very interesting ideas about the role of technology and government, who is really in control, what it means to be human, to what extent are we all prisoners and is ignorance sometimes best.
My only criticism is there were a few tangents that while entertaining weren't really necessary to the story.
Overall a very entertaining and thought-provoking read I'm happy to recommend to other readers.
March 14, 2019
A friend recommended Making History by Bruce Polky and I added it to my TBR. Read on for my thoughts about this sci-fi novel.
Synopsis (from the author):
One little decision can get you killed, or something worse.
Dav jumps from planet to planet in Safe Space selling computer hardware, whether people need it or not. His life starts to fall apart when his Personal Assistance Device crashes. Like every citizen of Safe Space, his PAD's been his ID, wallet, phone, and more, from the time he was six years old. Without it he can't travel, can't work, can't even buy lunch!
Under Government law, every citizen must carry their PAD at all times, and any modification is illegal. Leaving it unattended will set off alarms, even calling it bad names will get you fined, or result in a visit from the Protectors.
Marsy, a black-market tech, can fix his machine, but her work has attracted the worst possible attention. Marsy is dragged off by the Protectors, kicking and screaming till the last. Dav gets out, but the Protectors know who he is and that is not a good thing. His new PAD is much more than he expected. Through it, he gets a glimpse of what lies behind Safe Space and the rigid control of the Government. Everything he has always known about life is challenged. If the Protectors find him, they will remove him for what he has discovered. He must learn to work with the new capabilities of his upgraded PAD to survive, but this device plays by its own rules, and it could kill him even faster!
His only option is to hunt for Marsy. She can tell him what this damn thing is, and maybe together they can uncover what the Government is hiding.
Or maybe humanity's whole future has already been decided.
What I liked:
First, I liked the story! A nice mix of science fiction and dystopia with a few little twists along the way kept my attention. Samuel (our resident computer inhabiting Dav’s PAD) was an entertaining character. Dav himself was a good character, too, though I liked Samuel better. Marsy and Garth added nice background, but the story revolved around Dav and Samuel. The discoveries Dav and Samuel made and government control of everything showed the dystopian side of the book. All told, a fun and entertaining novel!
What I didn’t like:
For me, the science fiction wasn’t futuristic enough. Yes, the PADs were cool, but from a technology perspective, not much different that tablets and phones available today. The space travel was cool, but the habitats, again were not so futuristic.
Overall impression:
Making History by Bruce Polkinghorne entertained me! Dav and Samuel’s adventures and the secrets they uncovered made for an interesting and thought provoking book. While it could have been heavier on the science fiction, the story kept me interested. If you enjoy sci-fi with a nice mix of dystopia, read this one!
My rating:
4 Stars
Synopsis (from the author):
One little decision can get you killed, or something worse.
Dav jumps from planet to planet in Safe Space selling computer hardware, whether people need it or not. His life starts to fall apart when his Personal Assistance Device crashes. Like every citizen of Safe Space, his PAD's been his ID, wallet, phone, and more, from the time he was six years old. Without it he can't travel, can't work, can't even buy lunch!
Under Government law, every citizen must carry their PAD at all times, and any modification is illegal. Leaving it unattended will set off alarms, even calling it bad names will get you fined, or result in a visit from the Protectors.
Marsy, a black-market tech, can fix his machine, but her work has attracted the worst possible attention. Marsy is dragged off by the Protectors, kicking and screaming till the last. Dav gets out, but the Protectors know who he is and that is not a good thing. His new PAD is much more than he expected. Through it, he gets a glimpse of what lies behind Safe Space and the rigid control of the Government. Everything he has always known about life is challenged. If the Protectors find him, they will remove him for what he has discovered. He must learn to work with the new capabilities of his upgraded PAD to survive, but this device plays by its own rules, and it could kill him even faster!
His only option is to hunt for Marsy. She can tell him what this damn thing is, and maybe together they can uncover what the Government is hiding.
Or maybe humanity's whole future has already been decided.
What I liked:
First, I liked the story! A nice mix of science fiction and dystopia with a few little twists along the way kept my attention. Samuel (our resident computer inhabiting Dav’s PAD) was an entertaining character. Dav himself was a good character, too, though I liked Samuel better. Marsy and Garth added nice background, but the story revolved around Dav and Samuel. The discoveries Dav and Samuel made and government control of everything showed the dystopian side of the book. All told, a fun and entertaining novel!
What I didn’t like:
For me, the science fiction wasn’t futuristic enough. Yes, the PADs were cool, but from a technology perspective, not much different that tablets and phones available today. The space travel was cool, but the habitats, again were not so futuristic.
Overall impression:
Making History by Bruce Polkinghorne entertained me! Dav and Samuel’s adventures and the secrets they uncovered made for an interesting and thought provoking book. While it could have been heavier on the science fiction, the story kept me interested. If you enjoy sci-fi with a nice mix of dystopia, read this one!
My rating:
4 Stars
November 24, 2018
What a gripping read! I loved all of it from the very first page to the last. The writer keeps you turning the pages at a frantic rate, but even then this book is a long one and takes some time to get through. Even for me, an avid reader, I had to stop on occasions and get some sleep while our intrepid heroes of Safe Space leapt between far-flung outposts.
Sci-fi is new for me. I've tried other authors, but not been hooked. This book is different. For a start you don't have any wierd names that you can't get your tongue around. Dev, Samuel, Marsey, Garth, etc, all dead easy. And the planets/star systems are easy to relate to as well. I really enjoyed the sort of suplimentary chapters with the explanation of how certain things came about. They had more than simple relevance to this story in particular. A great way of interleaving the fiction. The descriptions are good too. Most realistic, especialy the part where Dev takes off his survival suit after almost a year asleep in space. Could almost smell the guy myself! Had me wrinkling my nose. Which brings me to the characters themselves. They aren't always likeable, but I loved how they grow on you as they grow themselves. Master storytelling to get this kind of feeling as you read a book.
Anyway, all in all this book is a brilliant read, good for most ages. I only wish the author had more to offer than this one book. I'd read many more of his epic tales.
Sci-fi is new for me. I've tried other authors, but not been hooked. This book is different. For a start you don't have any wierd names that you can't get your tongue around. Dev, Samuel, Marsey, Garth, etc, all dead easy. And the planets/star systems are easy to relate to as well. I really enjoyed the sort of suplimentary chapters with the explanation of how certain things came about. They had more than simple relevance to this story in particular. A great way of interleaving the fiction. The descriptions are good too. Most realistic, especialy the part where Dev takes off his survival suit after almost a year asleep in space. Could almost smell the guy myself! Had me wrinkling my nose. Which brings me to the characters themselves. They aren't always likeable, but I loved how they grow on you as they grow themselves. Master storytelling to get this kind of feeling as you read a book.
Anyway, all in all this book is a brilliant read, good for most ages. I only wish the author had more to offer than this one book. I'd read many more of his epic tales.
April 4, 2019
At the age of six, you are given a PAD. This piece of technology is integrated into your life, you can do nothing without it. They never fail, they never go faulty. Or at least that's what they would have you believe. There was one chip distributed that was faulty, but they would never admit this, and since it is designed to cover any faults it cannot be proved. Dav was unfortunate to have been issued such a device, leaving him no choice but to pursue less than lawful means. He never expected the consequences of his actions would be so grand, and the truth that had been concealed from everyone would be so vast. What most people thought was truth and knowledge for all, was in fact carefully filtered propaganda designed at keeping them in place. Things are about to change.
Making History by Bruce Polky is an entertaining and gripping science fiction filled with technology, brilliant ideas, and great world/universe building. The characters are complex, intriguing, and evolving. It is written in a compelling narrative which makes it difficult to put down. I particularly liked the alternative history chapters where we learn about how things came to be, from the first idea of sharing knowledge and beyond. These snippets made an interesting intermission which further enhanced the flow of the story and builds upon the information we had already been given. This was a really enjoyable read, and will be highly appealing to lovers of sci-fi.
Making History by Bruce Polky is an entertaining and gripping science fiction filled with technology, brilliant ideas, and great world/universe building. The characters are complex, intriguing, and evolving. It is written in a compelling narrative which makes it difficult to put down. I particularly liked the alternative history chapters where we learn about how things came to be, from the first idea of sharing knowledge and beyond. These snippets made an interesting intermission which further enhanced the flow of the story and builds upon the information we had already been given. This was a really enjoyable read, and will be highly appealing to lovers of sci-fi.
September 24, 2018
I started out intrigued by the strange, almost alt-history vibe going on. But its not some total rewrite or a major change, it is more just off kilter. Knowing what I do by the end of the book, I am guessing that was totally intentional. After that I was grabbed by the characters and the mystery. What the hell is really going on here?
Outside of the history, a lot of the story is told in dialog. The dialog felt really natural and easy to read and gave me a good view of the characters. There is quite a lot of humour in the way the characters deal with each other and I found myself laughing out loud a few times.
The off kilter history turns into an even more off kilter present and then you get the twist! No spoilers here, but it comes in a way you don’t expect and all the rest of the mystery starts to fall into place. Looking back I keep thinking I should have guessed it earlier, but I had no idea until it hit. Make sure you go back and read the history segments again after you know the real situation.
Good story, filled with characters that you could believe. A future that you could actually imagine becoming a reality in the circumstances, and something to make you sit back and look at the world today and wonder how much we really understand of what is going on.
Outside of the history, a lot of the story is told in dialog. The dialog felt really natural and easy to read and gave me a good view of the characters. There is quite a lot of humour in the way the characters deal with each other and I found myself laughing out loud a few times.
The off kilter history turns into an even more off kilter present and then you get the twist! No spoilers here, but it comes in a way you don’t expect and all the rest of the mystery starts to fall into place. Looking back I keep thinking I should have guessed it earlier, but I had no idea until it hit. Make sure you go back and read the history segments again after you know the real situation.
Good story, filled with characters that you could believe. A future that you could actually imagine becoming a reality in the circumstances, and something to make you sit back and look at the world today and wonder how much we really understand of what is going on.
October 16, 2018
Dav Wurth is a computer salesman traveling to various human habitats throughout the star system selling his family's newest models. (Earth is now a tourist attraction where people go to experience what it is like to be outdoors.) Like all humans, he was given a PAD (think an iPad on steroids) at age 6 and it has been with him ever since. Now PADs are not supposed to glitch, but when his does Dav is forced to go to the black market to get it fixed as the government refuses to acknowledge that these things happen. Things pretty much go south for Dav from here as the act of trying to alter a PAD is sedition and he barely escapes the Protectors who are hot on his trail.
I really enjoyed this story. It was not only great fun, but Dav and several other characters had terrific arcs. The dialogue was witty, there was nice organic conflict, the world building was well done, and I looked forward to reading it every evening. The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five is the amount of editing errors and I thought he could have made the story a little tighter.
I highly recommend it and I hope there will be sequels.
I really enjoyed this story. It was not only great fun, but Dav and several other characters had terrific arcs. The dialogue was witty, there was nice organic conflict, the world building was well done, and I looked forward to reading it every evening. The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five is the amount of editing errors and I thought he could have made the story a little tighter.
I highly recommend it and I hope there will be sequels.
September 7, 2018
Although I grew up with Asimov and Heinlein, I haven't read much science fiction lately. That changed when I read MAKING HISTORY by Bruce Polky. It is a quiet kind of novel that grows on you, makes you think.
I liked this book because the characters were true to life, and their quest for answers in a seemingly diverse environment full of lies made sense to me.
The science is accurate and the plot points interesting. How would living in solitary confinement for a year change you? How would it be to wake up from near death after a year in space physically feel like? How would you choose between knowing the truth or dying? Which would you choose?
The book left me with more questions than answers, and got me to thinking. I look forward to more adventures with Dav and his sentient, emotional computer.
(But you can leave out the mechanical cockroaches in the next one!)
A good read.
I liked this book because the characters were true to life, and their quest for answers in a seemingly diverse environment full of lies made sense to me.
The science is accurate and the plot points interesting. How would living in solitary confinement for a year change you? How would it be to wake up from near death after a year in space physically feel like? How would you choose between knowing the truth or dying? Which would you choose?
The book left me with more questions than answers, and got me to thinking. I look forward to more adventures with Dav and his sentient, emotional computer.
(But you can leave out the mechanical cockroaches in the next one!)
A good read.
November 30, 2018
Making history is pure Sci Fi genius.
I don't always read hard Sci Fi, but I occasionally delve into the fray and this was a kick and a half. Shades of traveling through space in a bathrobe here.
A humble space salesman in search of a fix for his malfunctioning and essential to his life personal communicator (think iPad that controls your entire life) gets more than he bargains for when he reluctantly begins using an alternative that flies under the radar of governmental control.
He finds himself helping and at the same time at the mercy of a quickly evolving computer with a plan he hasn’t shared. I was intrigued and thoroughly entertained by this fast paced story as it jumped me through a well thought out universe that ultimately does my favorite thing in a novel: Come full circle in a surprising and crazy way. Loved it.
I don't always read hard Sci Fi, but I occasionally delve into the fray and this was a kick and a half. Shades of traveling through space in a bathrobe here.
A humble space salesman in search of a fix for his malfunctioning and essential to his life personal communicator (think iPad that controls your entire life) gets more than he bargains for when he reluctantly begins using an alternative that flies under the radar of governmental control.
He finds himself helping and at the same time at the mercy of a quickly evolving computer with a plan he hasn’t shared. I was intrigued and thoroughly entertained by this fast paced story as it jumped me through a well thought out universe that ultimately does my favorite thing in a novel: Come full circle in a surprising and crazy way. Loved it.
September 23, 2018
Salesman Dav is your ordinary man, in ordinary space. Except life is about to get a lot less ordinary for him, when he tries to get his personal access device (PAD) repaired - and ends up on a strange journey that unravels everything he thought he knew about the universe, and humanity's place within it. A complex science fiction story that unwinds its clues to the reader, as we follow Dav and another character, Marsy, coming to realise that history as they know it might not be the case. Featuring well-thought-through concepts, an alternate history (or is it?!), a rigorous galactic security force, and an AI coming to grips with human peculiarities - like humour and manners and emotional reactions - this is for anyone who likes a sci fi mystery slash adventure.
October 14, 2018
This is a fast-paced thought-provoking dystopian sci-fi novel that will make you question yourself, life around you, and the way you make decisions. It will also entertain you: I loved the descriptions of life on planet Tellmark, and I enjoyed reading about Dav's efforts to change his life.
The story also made me think about our life on this planet. Many people in Western societies tend to believe that freedom is something that all humans crave, but this book seems to question that premise: most people, when given the choice between freedom and comfort, would choose comfort. In today's world where concerns over safety (including emotional safety and safety from dangerous thoughts) are valued by many more than the right to free speech and free thought, this book is very timely.
The story also made me think about our life on this planet. Many people in Western societies tend to believe that freedom is something that all humans crave, but this book seems to question that premise: most people, when given the choice between freedom and comfort, would choose comfort. In today's world where concerns over safety (including emotional safety and safety from dangerous thoughts) are valued by many more than the right to free speech and free thought, this book is very timely.
February 14, 2019
This is a great sci-fi book that will keep you thinking. The first thing that crossed my mind was the saying "History is written by the victor." The history of this society at first seems to be an alternate history. But is it? Or is it a government cover-up or perhaps even something more sinister? Little by little, Dav discovers the reality of what is going on. Is there anything he can do to fix things? Should he even try?
It was great fun reading this story. There's plenty of humor and action and though-provoking situations. The technical details necessary in sci-fi worlds are separated out in a way that makes them easier to digest without clogging up the story. The story is long, but fascinating. A great read.
It was great fun reading this story. There's plenty of humor and action and though-provoking situations. The technical details necessary in sci-fi worlds are separated out in a way that makes them easier to digest without clogging up the story. The story is long, but fascinating. A great read.
September 10, 2018
I picked up this book thinking it would be an interesting read and I was not mistaken. The story starts so simply, a PAD that doesn't work and a quest to find a solution. The knowledge that all is not quite right with the world, but unable to really see where the wrong starts. It was an engaging read and one I very much enjoyed. Polky is a new author to me, but I will be keeping an eye on what he writes next because this was an amazing book with a thriller plot woven into it. Just when you think you might be close to the answers, another twist appears and from there you're pulled back into the story unable to put it down. Very much recommended!
December 15, 2018
Like Bladerunner meets Star Wars meets Sin City. This original, futuristic story is captivating throughout. A really interesting and original story that kept me turning pages when I had other things I ought to have been doing. A great read. It had philosophical depth too, the different types of year long isolation for the two main characters and their subsequent interactions was really deep and spoke to our current societal development. PADs seem like the way we are already going with Alexa and suchlike. I loved the historical interjections too. This book really came to life in a visual way for me.
April 23, 2019
Entertaining SciFi adventure
This is a dystopian ScFi adventure, an entertaining read and easy to enjoy. In essence, the story has a simple premise. An all-important Personal Assistance Device is broke and without it salesman Dav can't properly interact with a tech-driven world. So Dav begins a quest to get back on the right side of the law. Characters are well-drawn and believable and the story moves along with good pace with a clever twist I didn't see coming. There are some thought-provoking philosophical questions that arise from the story and certainly had me thinking after I'd finished the book. Recommended.
This is a dystopian ScFi adventure, an entertaining read and easy to enjoy. In essence, the story has a simple premise. An all-important Personal Assistance Device is broke and without it salesman Dav can't properly interact with a tech-driven world. So Dav begins a quest to get back on the right side of the law. Characters are well-drawn and believable and the story moves along with good pace with a clever twist I didn't see coming. There are some thought-provoking philosophical questions that arise from the story and certainly had me thinking after I'd finished the book. Recommended.
November 9, 2018
WOW!!! A timely novel, indeed. We live in a time in our sentient world when too many individuals seem to favor mediocrity and comfort over principle and civility. The message of this novel rings true for me. Believable characters and good pacing kept me turning the pages, making this an enjoyable and eye-opening experience. I am left with one question - is what we call this life we are living a reality or is it all Maya, just an illusion? This novel will make you question and ponder through the night. Well-done!
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February 6, 2021Common tropes, well told!
This is in no way a unique tale, it has been done in many different books before. It is however well written and thoroughly enjoyable. I will read more of this series and even more by this author. I am following Bruce Polky and expect to be well entertained many times in the future.
This is in no way a unique tale, it has been done in many different books before. It is however well written and thoroughly enjoyable. I will read more of this series and even more by this author. I am following Bruce Polky and expect to be well entertained many times in the future.
February 21, 2019
Great voice which made me really feel for the characters. I could see myself in their shoes despite the high-tech sci-fi setting.
April 9, 2019
I love Samuel!
Highly recommended. Great and fresh storyline with good characters. I was really impressed with the book. Very entertaining. Turn it into a movie please..
Highly recommended. Great and fresh storyline with good characters. I was really impressed with the book. Very entertaining. Turn it into a movie please..
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews