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Oceanic
Collected together here for the first time are twelve stories by the incomparable Greg Egan, one of the most exciting writers of science fiction working today. In these dozen glimpses into the future Egan continues to explore the essence of what it is to be human, and the nature of what - and who - we are, in stories that range from parables of contemporary human conflict and ambition to far-future tales of our immortal descendants. Return to the universe of the meta-civilisation known as the Amalgam, which Egan explored in his critically acclaimed novel Incandescence: 'Riding the Crocodile', which recounts an epic endeavour a million years from now to bridge the divide between the Amalgam and the reclusive Aloof; 'Glory', set in the same future, in which two archaeologists strive to decipher the artefacts of an ancient civilisation, and 'Hot Rock', where an obscure, sunless world conceals mind-spinning technological marvels, bitter factional struggles, and a many-layered secret history. This superb collection also includes the title story, the Hugo Award-winning 'Oceanic': a boy is inducted into a religion that becomes the centre of his life, but as an adult he must face evidence that casts a new light on his faith.
Contents:
Border Guards (1999)
Crystal Nights (2008)
Dark Integers (2007)
Glory (2007)
Hot Rock (2009)
Induction (2007)
Lost Continent (2008)
Oceanic (1998)
Oracle (2000)
Riding the Crocodile (2005)
Singleton (2002)
Steve Fever (2007)
Contents:
Border Guards (1999)
Crystal Nights (2008)
Dark Integers (2007)
Glory (2007)
Hot Rock (2009)
Induction (2007)
Lost Continent (2008)
Oceanic (1998)
Oracle (2000)
Riding the Crocodile (2005)
Singleton (2002)
Steve Fever (2007)
496 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
146 people are currently reading
1226 people want to read
About the author
Greg Egan
265 books2,775 followersGreg Egan specialises in hard science fiction stories with mathematical and quantum ontology themes, including the nature of consciousness. Other themes include genetics, simulated reality, posthumanism, mind transfer, sexuality, artificial intelligence, and the superiority of rational naturalism over religion.
He is a Hugo Award winner (and has been shortlisted for the Hugos three other times), and has also won the John W Campbell Memorial Award for Best Novel. Some of his earlier short stories feature strong elements of supernatural horror, while due to his more popular science fiction he is known within the genre for his tendency to deal with complex and highly technical material (including inventive new physics and epistemology) in an unapologetically thorough manner.
Egan is a famously reclusive author when it comes to public appearances, he doesn't attend science fiction conventions, doesn't sign books and there are no photos available of him on the web.
Excerpted from Wikipedia.
He is a Hugo Award winner (and has been shortlisted for the Hugos three other times), and has also won the John W Campbell Memorial Award for Best Novel. Some of his earlier short stories feature strong elements of supernatural horror, while due to his more popular science fiction he is known within the genre for his tendency to deal with complex and highly technical material (including inventive new physics and epistemology) in an unapologetically thorough manner.
Egan is a famously reclusive author when it comes to public appearances, he doesn't attend science fiction conventions, doesn't sign books and there are no photos available of him on the web.
Excerpted from Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
March 15, 2023
Mientras se alejaba, lo llamé: "¿Crees en Dios?" […]
Negó con la cabeza. “De niño lo hice. Ya no. Era una buena idea… pero no tenía sentido”. Me miró con escepticismo, todavía inseguro de mis motivos.
Dije: "Entonces, ¿no es la vida insoportable?"
Él rió. "No todo el tiempo."
Hace veinte mil años, los humanos vinieron de la Tierra para terraformar el planeta Covenant. Sus descendientes han perdido la mayor parte de su conocimiento y cultura, pero han vuelto a adquirir una tecnología similar a la de nuestro siglo XX. La población es mayoritariamente religiosa, creyendo en esos humanos como Ángeles, y en una figura mesiánica femenina llamada Beatrice reemplazando a Jesús en la mayoría de los aspectos, como fe/amor/esperanza. Pero ella se ahogó en el océano solo para resucitar después de tres días según su creencia.
La mitad de la gente de Covenant, los "Freelanders" viven en barcos orgánicos en el océano, mientras que los "Firmlanders" habitan en los continentes. La historia sigue la mayoría de edad del niño Freelander Martin de un creyente estricto en Beatrice a partir de la edad de diez años durante su adolescencia perdiendo su virginidad en una versión bastante diferente, hasta su edad adulta como científico.
Siempre he tenido suerte con las historias cortas de Greg Egan hasta ahora; algunos ejemplos son su alucinante novela posthumana Wang's Carpets, o su novela corta de ciencia ficción dura Glory. Esta es la primera historia que leo de él que cubre una discusión directa de ciencia versus religión. El autor construye un plausible escenario de futuro lejano que pone a prueba los anhelos de especulación de todos los lectores de ciencia ficción dura sobre la terraformación, la edición de genes y los misterios apocalípticos. Y confronta al lector con un reflejo de nuestra propia era de la Ilustración, pero no desde el punto de vista de la ficción histórica, sino de la ciencia ficción. En resumen, todo lo que me gusta leer.
Premio Hugo 1999
Negó con la cabeza. “De niño lo hice. Ya no. Era una buena idea… pero no tenía sentido”. Me miró con escepticismo, todavía inseguro de mis motivos.
Dije: "Entonces, ¿no es la vida insoportable?"
Él rió. "No todo el tiempo."
Hace veinte mil años, los humanos vinieron de la Tierra para terraformar el planeta Covenant. Sus descendientes han perdido la mayor parte de su conocimiento y cultura, pero han vuelto a adquirir una tecnología similar a la de nuestro siglo XX. La población es mayoritariamente religiosa, creyendo en esos humanos como Ángeles, y en una figura mesiánica femenina llamada Beatrice reemplazando a Jesús en la mayoría de los aspectos, como fe/amor/esperanza. Pero ella se ahogó en el océano solo para resucitar después de tres días según su creencia.
La mitad de la gente de Covenant, los "Freelanders" viven en barcos orgánicos en el océano, mientras que los "Firmlanders" habitan en los continentes. La historia sigue la mayoría de edad del niño Freelander Martin de un creyente estricto en Beatrice a partir de la edad de diez años durante su adolescencia perdiendo su virginidad en una versión bastante diferente, hasta su edad adulta como científico.
Siempre he tenido suerte con las historias cortas de Greg Egan hasta ahora; algunos ejemplos son su alucinante novela posthumana Wang's Carpets, o su novela corta de ciencia ficción dura Glory. Esta es la primera historia que leo de él que cubre una discusión directa de ciencia versus religión. El autor construye un plausible escenario de futuro lejano que pone a prueba los anhelos de especulación de todos los lectores de ciencia ficción dura sobre la terraformación, la edición de genes y los misterios apocalípticos. Y confronta al lector con un reflejo de nuestra propia era de la Ilustración, pero no desde el punto de vista de la ficción histórica, sino de la ciencia ficción. En resumen, todo lo que me gusta leer.
Premio Hugo 1999
October 22, 2019
Quite an interesting story of religious faith and belief in god in the face of science and reason. Egan dissects the notion of faith and belief, stripping it down to its essence. The world building in particular in fascinating, a far future alien world with abundant oceans, terraformed by humans from Earth long ago, yet isolated for millennia.
August 18, 2018
Oceanic, terzo libro che leggo di Egan, ma dalle prime pagine ho avuto un attimo di disorientamento, chiuso il libro ho riletto il titolo e chi lo avesse scritto, ebbene sì lo ha scritto Greg Egan. Eppure dalla mia esperienza con le sue opere da me lette ("La terra moltiplicata" e "La scala di Schild"), non mi sarei mai aspettato un libro così come si è rivelato alla fine. Comunque mi è piaciuto, non so com'è ma questo autore mi sbalordisce sempre.
In questo racconto seguiamo la vita di Martin, che sul pianeta Covenant fa parte degli Acqualiberi e da piccolo sperimenta l'Immersione e l'incontro mistico con Beatrice (non sarà mica che Egan volesse celebrare Dante?), figlia di Dio e da lì parte il suo personale percorso di vita, che crescendo avrà risvolti molto forti sulla sua intera esistenza.
Il racconto è sfuggente, perchè butta lì tante idee, tante nozioni solo accennate, ma credo che il tutto sia stato sapientemente architettato dall'autore, per non far perdere, al lettore, il fulcro del libro, cioè: "La fede (qualsiasi tipo di fede) in qualcosa di ultraterreno, di non concepibile, di non verificabile, può rendere totalmente libero l'essere umano?"
"Quando lo capirete, sarete liberi di affrontare la verità su qualunque cosa che vi dia l'impressione di elevare il vostro spirito, di riempire di gioia il vostro cuore, o di qualunque altra cosa che renda la vostra vita meritevole di essere vissuta... e in quel momento capirete che tutto è una menzogna, è corruzione. Solo a quel punto non sarete mai più schiavi!"
In questo racconto seguiamo la vita di Martin, che sul pianeta Covenant fa parte degli Acqualiberi e da piccolo sperimenta l'Immersione e l'incontro mistico con Beatrice (non sarà mica che Egan volesse celebrare Dante?), figlia di Dio e da lì parte il suo personale percorso di vita, che crescendo avrà risvolti molto forti sulla sua intera esistenza.
Il racconto è sfuggente, perchè butta lì tante idee, tante nozioni solo accennate, ma credo che il tutto sia stato sapientemente architettato dall'autore, per non far perdere, al lettore, il fulcro del libro, cioè: "La fede (qualsiasi tipo di fede) in qualcosa di ultraterreno, di non concepibile, di non verificabile, può rendere totalmente libero l'essere umano?"
"Quando lo capirete, sarete liberi di affrontare la verità su qualunque cosa che vi dia l'impressione di elevare il vostro spirito, di riempire di gioia il vostro cuore, o di qualunque altra cosa che renda la vostra vita meritevole di essere vissuta... e in quel momento capirete che tutto è una menzogna, è corruzione. Solo a quel punto non sarete mai più schiavi!"
November 4, 2015
I read it once upon a time then I read it twice just now.
Since I learn Quantum mechanics,General relativity and IT,
I am easy to understand the contents of it.
Generally speaking science fiction are many physics novels
but Eagan's short stories contains the contents of Molecular biology.
Since I learn Quantum mechanics,General relativity and IT,
I am easy to understand the contents of it.
Generally speaking science fiction are many physics novels
but Eagan's short stories contains the contents of Molecular biology.
January 20, 2012
Greg Egan es quizás el escritor de ciencia ficción hard más destacado actualmente. Su escritura se caracteriza por sus ideas revolucionarias, mezcla de matemáticas, física, biología, informática y filosofía. Todo esto hace que sus obras exijan mucho del lector, e incluso puede provocar que éste se pierda entre tanta información científica. Además, a Egan se le suele achacar que deja un tanto de lado la caracterización de personajes en detrimento de la ciencia. Sin embargo, esto no es óbice para disfrutar con sus escritos, sobre todo si te gusta la ciencia ficción más dura.
Estos son los tres relatos largos contenidos en la presente recopilación:
OCEÁNICO. Nos encontramos en el planeta Promisión, 20.000 años después de la llegada de una nave humana. Sus habitantes se dividen en librelandeses, que viven en el océano, y firmelandeses, que viven en tierra firme. El protagonista es Martín, que se dispone a realizar un rito de iniciación que le acerque a su Diosa. En el transcurso del relato, iremos observando cómo va cuestionando sus propias creencias. Cabe destacar la dicotomía entre racionalismo y religión y creacionismo, entrando en un interesante debate, sin duda lo mejor de la narración.
ORÁCULO. El relato empieza de manera algo confusa, con Robert Stoney (que en realidad se trata de Alan Turing) encerrado en una especie de prisión kafkiana, al que se le intenta hacer confesar sus inclinaciones homosexuales. Hasta que de repente sucede algo extraordinario, y es liberado. Es un relato interesante, con buenas ideas sobre universos paralelos y realidades alternativas, pero que sin embargo adolece de un planteamiento más claro de cara al lector. Me ha parecido demasiado confuso y errático.
SINGLETON. La historia comienza cuando el protagonista se enfrenta a un acto brutal, cuando decide ayudar a un pobre hombre que está siendo apaleado. Este hecho marcará el devenir de su vida, y le hará preguntarse qué hubiera pasado con su vida si no hubiera actuado como lo hizo. Todo esto le llevará a construir un ordenador cuántico que incorpora un dispositivo capaz de colapsar todas las decisiones, de realidades posibles. Porque esta es la obsesión del protagonista, saber que en esos muchos mundos pueda haber otros protagonistas más o menos favorecidos. Sin lugar a dudas, se trata del mejor relato de la recopilación, donde Egan especula con ideas sobre la mecánica cuántica y la inteligencia artificial, sin dejar de lado esta vez los sentimientos de los personajes.
Estos son los tres relatos largos contenidos en la presente recopilación:
OCEÁNICO. Nos encontramos en el planeta Promisión, 20.000 años después de la llegada de una nave humana. Sus habitantes se dividen en librelandeses, que viven en el océano, y firmelandeses, que viven en tierra firme. El protagonista es Martín, que se dispone a realizar un rito de iniciación que le acerque a su Diosa. En el transcurso del relato, iremos observando cómo va cuestionando sus propias creencias. Cabe destacar la dicotomía entre racionalismo y religión y creacionismo, entrando en un interesante debate, sin duda lo mejor de la narración.
ORÁCULO. El relato empieza de manera algo confusa, con Robert Stoney (que en realidad se trata de Alan Turing) encerrado en una especie de prisión kafkiana, al que se le intenta hacer confesar sus inclinaciones homosexuales. Hasta que de repente sucede algo extraordinario, y es liberado. Es un relato interesante, con buenas ideas sobre universos paralelos y realidades alternativas, pero que sin embargo adolece de un planteamiento más claro de cara al lector. Me ha parecido demasiado confuso y errático.
SINGLETON. La historia comienza cuando el protagonista se enfrenta a un acto brutal, cuando decide ayudar a un pobre hombre que está siendo apaleado. Este hecho marcará el devenir de su vida, y le hará preguntarse qué hubiera pasado con su vida si no hubiera actuado como lo hizo. Todo esto le llevará a construir un ordenador cuántico que incorpora un dispositivo capaz de colapsar todas las decisiones, de realidades posibles. Porque esta es la obsesión del protagonista, saber que en esos muchos mundos pueda haber otros protagonistas más o menos favorecidos. Sin lugar a dudas, se trata del mejor relato de la recopilación, donde Egan especula con ideas sobre la mecánica cuántica y la inteligencia artificial, sin dejar de lado esta vez los sentimientos de los personajes.
December 24, 2021
Tres novelas cortas para conocer a Greg Egan, este enigmático escritor australiano, considerado de Ciencia Ficción "Dura". La primera, "Oceánico" trata de la evolución filosófica de un hombre desde su iniciación religiosa por medio de una inmersión, en un exoplaneta conquistado y adaptado para la vida por la humanidad, miles de años antes, y ahora sus descendientes pueden cambiar completamente de sexo en cada relación sexual, incluyendo la capacidad de concebir y embarazarse y por eso alguien pudo haber tenido una madre que ahora es su padre. La segunda, "Oráculo" trata de intrigas de la posguerra, manipulaciones de la Historia por viajeros en el tiempo y homenaje a ciertos personajes reales que vivieron situaciones similares. Finalmente, "Singleton" va sobre la inteligencia, la vida artificial y los universos cuánticos paralelos.
Acostumbrado a las malas traducciones hechas al vapor en Barcelona, este libro me sorprendió por su buena traducción y su español casi neutro e internacional, salvo algunas excepciones leves, gracias al trabajo de los argentinos Luis Pestarini y Claudia de Bella. Confieso que había intentado leer la versión en inglés y no me había atrapado, así que esta versión es bastante recomendable para los lectores de habla hispana.
Acostumbrado a las malas traducciones hechas al vapor en Barcelona, este libro me sorprendió por su buena traducción y su español casi neutro e internacional, salvo algunas excepciones leves, gracias al trabajo de los argentinos Luis Pestarini y Claudia de Bella. Confieso que había intentado leer la versión en inglés y no me había atrapado, así que esta versión es bastante recomendable para los lectores de habla hispana.
September 18, 2021
Da non lettrice di fantascienza, per me questo genere è fatto di alieni, robot, società alternative, intrighi, inseguimenti, sparatorie (mmm, 🤔🤔🤔forse mi sto confondendo con i thriller?!😝).
Questo romanzo non è nulla di tutto ciò. Sì, c'è una società alternativa e futuristica con sue regole, ma fondamentalmente è un romanzo sul rapporto dell'uomo con la religione e di quest'ultima con la scienza (nella fattispecie la biochimica). Le riflessioni superano decisamente le scene d'azione e la trama è una rete sottile il cui scopo sembra unicamente reggere il ragionamento di Egan.
Il mondo del pianeta Covenant è poco approfondito, gli eventi che hanno portato a costituire questa società sono solo accennati, non ci sono come e perché. La religione la fa da padrone, ma è oppio per il popolo... letteralmente!
Questo romanzo non è nulla di tutto ciò. Sì, c'è una società alternativa e futuristica con sue regole, ma fondamentalmente è un romanzo sul rapporto dell'uomo con la religione e di quest'ultima con la scienza (nella fattispecie la biochimica). Le riflessioni superano decisamente le scene d'azione e la trama è una rete sottile il cui scopo sembra unicamente reggere il ragionamento di Egan.
Il mondo del pianeta Covenant è poco approfondito, gli eventi che hanno portato a costituire questa società sono solo accennati, non ci sono come e perché. La religione la fa da padrone, ma è oppio per il popolo... letteralmente!
August 10, 2024
Primer acercamiento al autor y se nota su densidad al instante. Es cierto que se deja leer, siempre y cuando soportes no entender todos los postulados científicos expuestos y seas capaz de vivir la historia con una idea general de la misma (más apta para entendidos, claro).
"Oceánico": fue el cuento que más me gustó, en especial toda la historia del planeta Promisión. La trama algo lenta pero interesante, al final quedé con ganas de saber más sobre el origen de sus habitantes.
"Oráculo": ya empieza a doler la cabeza, pero los contrapuntos expuestos mantienen el interés.
"Singleton": el más denso, pero pasado la mitad, el más cautivante, no puedes dejar de leer. Una visión muy particular de inteligencias artificiales y mundos paralelos.
Al final quedo con la sensación de haber podido disfrutar más si tuviera un mayor bagaje científico, pero igual me dejó buenas sensaciones. Hubiera sido perfecto la trama del tercer cuento en el universo del primero.
Desde ya me preparo para una novela completa de Egan, habrá que ser valiente.
"Oceánico": fue el cuento que más me gustó, en especial toda la historia del planeta Promisión. La trama algo lenta pero interesante, al final quedé con ganas de saber más sobre el origen de sus habitantes.
"Oráculo": ya empieza a doler la cabeza, pero los contrapuntos expuestos mantienen el interés.
"Singleton": el más denso, pero pasado la mitad, el más cautivante, no puedes dejar de leer. Una visión muy particular de inteligencias artificiales y mundos paralelos.
Al final quedo con la sensación de haber podido disfrutar más si tuviera un mayor bagaje científico, pero igual me dejó buenas sensaciones. Hubiera sido perfecto la trama del tercer cuento en el universo del primero.
Desde ya me preparo para una novela completa de Egan, habrá que ser valiente.
July 27, 2019
Maybe slightly more towards 3.5, but my whole judging is somewhat unfair, because I read some of the stories before in other collections and re-reading (without explicitly planning to) always make me a bit of annoyed (I loved them in collections, though) and because I keep waiting for yet another story that will have the punch of "Cutie" (which is one of my two favorite short stories ever, something that deeply ate it's way into my brain by now).
June 21, 2022
Lost Continent (2008)
A teenager is smuggled out of his home universe that has been invaded by those from a future universe. He arrives in a future universe where everything is much better, but they strongly prefer not having any more refugees from war-torn universes. And so he waits in the refugee camp...and he waits.
Ok
Dark Integers (2007)
A sequel to Luminous. This one was a mathematical conspiracy thriller as well. Although a distinct narrative existed this time, it remained mostly infodump. Two of the story's ideas were that the same physical expression of an integer may qualitatively differ and that dark integers existed. A dark integer was analogous to dark matter. They're integers that had remained undetectable but may have constituted the majority of integers. What did that mean in practical terms? I haven't the slightest idea. The problems that were thought to have been resolved, weren't.
Ok
Crystal Nights (2008)
A billionaire wanted to create AI far greater than humanity that would in turn out of gratitude allow his own apotheosis. A world simulation was thus created. His attempts at being a benevolent creator almost immediately failed due to not being omnipotent. Ethics become irrelevant. Consequences occurred.
Enjoyable
Steve Fever (2007)
A non-sentient though goal-directed AI nanoswarm that temporarily commandeered human brains to suitable biological computation and physical presence compelled the protagonist to go to Atlanta.
Meh
Induction (2007)
A simple story of creating the means to travel light years as data and then doing so.
Ok
Singleton (2002)
Many-Worlds Interpretation is assumed to be true. That means that every possible action may be occurring in some other world. What if there was a Singleton though, an entity whose actions were always the same?
Enjoyable
Oracle (2000)
Singleton is the prequel to this story. A character travels back in time to a different world and teaches him all he needs to know to make technological breakthroughs well ahead of their time.
Ok
Border Guards (1999)
A Jewel story. Immortals play Quantum Soccer. An unknown woman appears and tells the story of her life. Even several millennia later, some memories remain open wounds. Death is derided, as few remember it.
Enjoyable
The following three stories take place in the Amalgam universe.
Riding the Crocodile (2005)
After being married for over 10,000 years, a couple decides to go on one last adventure, to understand that which remains unknown. 10,000s of years pass by as they travel, though they subjectively experience no time for almost any of it.
Enjoyable
Glory (2007)
Researchers travel to a relatively undeveloped planet to study the artifacts of an ancient civilization before the contemporary culture destroys everything because they revere only war and expansion.
Enjoyable
Hot Rock (2009)
Researchers travel to a planet thought to be uninhabited to see if any cultural legacy remains, though what they find is far more than could have ever been reasonably expected.
Ok
Oceanic (1998)
20,000 years ago from their present, posthumans came to the planet. To the last they gave up immortality and eventually technology, cut off from the rest of humanity. Over the many 1,000s of years various religions came into existence. The protagonist was born into what is considered by many to be a fundamentalist cult. As he grows older his relation to the religion of his birth changes. There's also an explicit sex scene which ends with an intriguing biological process.
Enjoyable
A teenager is smuggled out of his home universe that has been invaded by those from a future universe. He arrives in a future universe where everything is much better, but they strongly prefer not having any more refugees from war-torn universes. And so he waits in the refugee camp...and he waits.
Ok
Dark Integers (2007)
A sequel to Luminous. This one was a mathematical conspiracy thriller as well. Although a distinct narrative existed this time, it remained mostly infodump. Two of the story's ideas were that the same physical expression of an integer may qualitatively differ and that dark integers existed. A dark integer was analogous to dark matter. They're integers that had remained undetectable but may have constituted the majority of integers. What did that mean in practical terms? I haven't the slightest idea. The problems that were thought to have been resolved, weren't.
Ok
Crystal Nights (2008)
A billionaire wanted to create AI far greater than humanity that would in turn out of gratitude allow his own apotheosis. A world simulation was thus created. His attempts at being a benevolent creator almost immediately failed due to not being omnipotent. Ethics become irrelevant. Consequences occurred.
Enjoyable
Steve Fever (2007)
A non-sentient though goal-directed AI nanoswarm that temporarily commandeered human brains to suitable biological computation and physical presence compelled the protagonist to go to Atlanta.
Meh
Induction (2007)
A simple story of creating the means to travel light years as data and then doing so.
Ok
Singleton (2002)
Many-Worlds Interpretation is assumed to be true. That means that every possible action may be occurring in some other world. What if there was a Singleton though, an entity whose actions were always the same?
Enjoyable
Oracle (2000)
Singleton is the prequel to this story. A character travels back in time to a different world and teaches him all he needs to know to make technological breakthroughs well ahead of their time.
Ok
Border Guards (1999)
A Jewel story. Immortals play Quantum Soccer. An unknown woman appears and tells the story of her life. Even several millennia later, some memories remain open wounds. Death is derided, as few remember it.
Enjoyable
The following three stories take place in the Amalgam universe.
Riding the Crocodile (2005)
After being married for over 10,000 years, a couple decides to go on one last adventure, to understand that which remains unknown. 10,000s of years pass by as they travel, though they subjectively experience no time for almost any of it.
Enjoyable
Glory (2007)
Researchers travel to a relatively undeveloped planet to study the artifacts of an ancient civilization before the contemporary culture destroys everything because they revere only war and expansion.
Enjoyable
Hot Rock (2009)
Researchers travel to a planet thought to be uninhabited to see if any cultural legacy remains, though what they find is far more than could have ever been reasonably expected.
Ok
Oceanic (1998)
20,000 years ago from their present, posthumans came to the planet. To the last they gave up immortality and eventually technology, cut off from the rest of humanity. Over the many 1,000s of years various religions came into existence. The protagonist was born into what is considered by many to be a fundamentalist cult. As he grows older his relation to the religion of his birth changes. There's also an explicit sex scene which ends with an intriguing biological process.
Enjoyable
August 15, 2011
Hard SF for folks who enjoy ideas over characterization and style. Some of the ideas are intriguing, and a bunch of people seem to think Egan is some sort of genius for rambling on about esoteric subjects, but I don't understand the hype.
The blurb about the book says Egan writes stories about "what it is to be human." I think maybe they read a different book.
The blurb about the book says Egan writes stories about "what it is to be human." I think maybe they read a different book.
September 10, 2017
A nice short story. I was wavering between 3 and 3.5 stars.
My rating refers only to the eponimous Hugo award-winning novella, freely available online here: http://www.gregegan.net/OCEANIC/Compl...
My rating refers only to the eponimous Hugo award-winning novella, freely available online here: http://www.gregegan.net/OCEANIC/Compl...
November 26, 2017
Libro que recopila tres relatos de similar extensión.
El primero de igual título que el libro, el segundo llamado Oráculo y el tercero Singleton. A pesar de ir en contra de la opinión mayoritaria van ordenados de peor a mejor. Entiéndase como de que menos me ha gustado a más si se prefiere.
Oceánico, que da nombre a la recopilación, es un bluf. Dicen que es un relato muy logrado y donde es autor alcanza la madurez y… habladurías todo. Algún detalle que si, bueno, de él se podría sacar algo pero en realidad es un relato que aplana. Ni la historia me ha parecido de mucho interés, ni como está contada, ni los personajes. Tal vez podría haber algún interés en lo que pretendía explicar pero desde luego no he conectado con él en ningún momento.
No me ha gustado. Una estrella.
En Oráculo mejora. Pero sin llegar a bueno. Hay dos partes bien diferenciadas con un salto abrupto entre ellas. Aunque aparece el mismo protagonista la primeria es un cautiverio en una prisión y la segunda lo que uno podría esperar de un libro del autor. El cambio de tema y de tono entre las partes no está nada bien hecho.
En este relato se plantean cosas más “terrenales” sin tener que ver con dioses. Y por terrenales me refiero por ejemplo a la formulación hamiltoniana de la relatividad general con base en ciertas variables espinoriales (y acabo pasando más tiempo en wikipedia buscando las bases científicas de todo lo que cuenta que leyendo) para describir el multiverso.
Vale, está bien, de acuerdo. Dos estrellas
El que cierra el libro: Singleton. Tengo claro porque este es el que me ha gustado. Por una parte se plantean conceptos interesantes – alguno visto en el anterior relato – y se le suma que esta vez hay personajes. La historia importa, los personajes evolucionan y de fondo se acaba dando una historia paternofilial*. Y además hay personajes secundarios con cierto interés. Y es capaz de contar la historia de una persona durante casi toda su vida en unas pocas páginas. Sin ser perfecto me ha gustado bastante.
Tres estrellas
*O en primer plano dependiendo de que crea el lector de que va el relato y entienda la parte científica como una distracción
El primero de igual título que el libro, el segundo llamado Oráculo y el tercero Singleton. A pesar de ir en contra de la opinión mayoritaria van ordenados de peor a mejor. Entiéndase como de que menos me ha gustado a más si se prefiere.
Oceánico, que da nombre a la recopilación, es un bluf. Dicen que es un relato muy logrado y donde es autor alcanza la madurez y… habladurías todo. Algún detalle que si, bueno, de él se podría sacar algo pero en realidad es un relato que aplana. Ni la historia me ha parecido de mucho interés, ni como está contada, ni los personajes. Tal vez podría haber algún interés en lo que pretendía explicar pero desde luego no he conectado con él en ningún momento.
No me ha gustado. Una estrella.
En Oráculo mejora. Pero sin llegar a bueno. Hay dos partes bien diferenciadas con un salto abrupto entre ellas. Aunque aparece el mismo protagonista la primeria es un cautiverio en una prisión y la segunda lo que uno podría esperar de un libro del autor. El cambio de tema y de tono entre las partes no está nada bien hecho.
En este relato se plantean cosas más “terrenales” sin tener que ver con dioses. Y por terrenales me refiero por ejemplo a la formulación hamiltoniana de la relatividad general con base en ciertas variables espinoriales (y acabo pasando más tiempo en wikipedia buscando las bases científicas de todo lo que cuenta que leyendo) para describir el multiverso.
Vale, está bien, de acuerdo. Dos estrellas
El que cierra el libro: Singleton. Tengo claro porque este es el que me ha gustado. Por una parte se plantean conceptos interesantes – alguno visto en el anterior relato – y se le suma que esta vez hay personajes. La historia importa, los personajes evolucionan y de fondo se acaba dando una historia paternofilial*. Y además hay personajes secundarios con cierto interés. Y es capaz de contar la historia de una persona durante casi toda su vida en unas pocas páginas. Sin ser perfecto me ha gustado bastante.
Tres estrellas
*O en primer plano dependiendo de que crea el lector de que va el relato y entienda la parte científica como una distracción
January 13, 2023
Tres novelas cortas o relatos largos sobre la identidad humana, la religión, la(s) realidad(s), la inteligencia artificial y la física cuántica.
No pensé jamas que la ciencia ficción dura me iba a gustar tanto. Cargado de cuestiones físicas, matemáticas, neurológicas y biológicas, Egan aborda distintos tópicos problemáticos a través de historias sumamente atrapántes y entretenidas.
El primer relato, Oceánico, es el que mas me gusto. Los otros dos también son muy buenos, pero dada la complejidad técnica de lo que aborda no estoy seguro de haberlos entendido del todo.
Te deja pensando muchisimo.
No pensé jamas que la ciencia ficción dura me iba a gustar tanto. Cargado de cuestiones físicas, matemáticas, neurológicas y biológicas, Egan aborda distintos tópicos problemáticos a través de historias sumamente atrapántes y entretenidas.
El primer relato, Oceánico, es el que mas me gusto. Los otros dos también son muy buenos, pero dada la complejidad técnica de lo que aborda no estoy seguro de haberlos entendido del todo.
Te deja pensando muchisimo.
November 2, 2024
Greg Egan is one of those authors who is little known outside his genre (hard sci-fi) and perhaps inscrutable to lay readers, but unforgettable for fans of the genre. Oceanic is a compelling collection that fully justifies Egan’s reputation as the “hardest” hard sci-fi author. Rather than simply stating that “an interstellar probe was sent,” Egan dives into the plausible-yet-fictional physics behind the probe, often in excessive detail.
In another Egan anthology, Axiomatic, the core themes are mind-body dualism and simulated consciousness. Oceanic relegates these concepts to the background – as if digital copies of consciousness are already commonplace – allowing Egan to focus more thematically on AI safety and space travel. It’s a well-constructed collection with a cohesive “cinematic universe,” though each story stands on its own. For example, the synthetic human Helen from Singleton reappears in Oracle, explaining how humanity ends up in synthetic bodies. Induction chronicles Earth’s galactic expansion through “spores” that land in new solar systems and use nanomachines to build infrastructure, ready to receive beamed consciousnesses and load them into new bodies. The story’s title hints at Egan’s suggestion that once this is achieved for one planet, it will soon spread across the galaxy by induction. This groundwork builds toward Riding the Crocodile, Glory, and Hot Rock, which feature a post-scarcity galactic society called the Amalgam. Here, inhabitants can choose to live as digital consciousnesses or inhabit synthetic bodies, freely exploring worlds as they please.
Having said that, the best story in the collection is the standalone Dark Integers. This is Egan at his most creative. Mathematics itself obeys Einstein locality, allowing different parts of the universe to have different mathematical truth. Aliens are involved. It’s wacky, mind-bending, and Hofstadter-coded, and pushes the boundaries of conceptual sci-fi. The same can be said of Egan more generally. But it’s not for the faint of heart!
My highlights here.
In another Egan anthology, Axiomatic, the core themes are mind-body dualism and simulated consciousness. Oceanic relegates these concepts to the background – as if digital copies of consciousness are already commonplace – allowing Egan to focus more thematically on AI safety and space travel. It’s a well-constructed collection with a cohesive “cinematic universe,” though each story stands on its own. For example, the synthetic human Helen from Singleton reappears in Oracle, explaining how humanity ends up in synthetic bodies. Induction chronicles Earth’s galactic expansion through “spores” that land in new solar systems and use nanomachines to build infrastructure, ready to receive beamed consciousnesses and load them into new bodies. The story’s title hints at Egan’s suggestion that once this is achieved for one planet, it will soon spread across the galaxy by induction. This groundwork builds toward Riding the Crocodile, Glory, and Hot Rock, which feature a post-scarcity galactic society called the Amalgam. Here, inhabitants can choose to live as digital consciousnesses or inhabit synthetic bodies, freely exploring worlds as they please.
Having said that, the best story in the collection is the standalone Dark Integers. This is Egan at his most creative. Mathematics itself obeys Einstein locality, allowing different parts of the universe to have different mathematical truth. Aliens are involved. It’s wacky, mind-bending, and Hofstadter-coded, and pushes the boundaries of conceptual sci-fi. The same can be said of Egan more generally. But it’s not for the faint of heart!
My highlights here.
September 6, 2013
This strong collection from hard SF maestro Greg Egan features his signature blend of fitful characterisation, competent prose, and exhilarating speculation.
- "Lost Continent" is a flat, nonspeculative criticism of Australia's refugee policy; while politically admirable, it is unsubtle and bathetic. **
- "Dark Integers" and "Crystal Nights" are computation-oriented stories which clearly prefigure the second half of Permutation City. "Dark Integers" also explores the notion of mathematics "supervening" on physics; no doubt, Egan could have gotten more juice out of this premise if he'd squeezed harder. ***
- "Steve Fever" is a playful and entirely original take on the nano-plague genre. Perhaps the most inventive story in the book. *****
- "Induction" and "Riding the Crocodile" are classical Clarke-esque odes to space exploration and the cosmic unknown. The latter is set in the Amalgam-Aloof future of Incandescence, along with "Glory" and "Hot Rock". "Glory" explores some superficial ways in which alien science may differ from its anthropic counterpart. The MacGuffin is a sort of "grand unifying theorem" for mathematics, clearly riffing on ideas from (real world) mathematics in category theory and algebraic geometry. As with "Dark Integers", Egan could have exploited this premise more. ****
- "Hot Rock", on the other hand, is hard SF speculation at it's very best; a dizzying (and literal) dive into an unknown world reminiscent of Clarke's canonical Rendezvous with Rama. *****
- "Singleton" and "Oracle" are inspired by Egan's interest in the many-worlds interpretation (MWI) of quantum mechanics (see also Quarantine). "Singleton" is the stronger of the two, tying MWI, quantum computation, and the ethical sticky wickets of post-humanism together. "Oracle", a sort of sequel, is a feeble (and rather odd) roman à clef involving Turing and C. S. Lewis. **
- "Border Guards" reads like copy for Egan's quantum soccer Java applet. Nifty but self-indulgent. **
- The jewel of the collection is the titular, Hugo-winning novella "Oceanic". With a broad emotional palette and depth of characterisation unusual for Egan, the story follows the protagonist's religious trajectory in a post-genetic, post-apocalyptic human colony. ("Oceanic" is probably also set in the Amalgam-Aloof universe.) The ending is a tour de force of genuine human drama, painted with a touch of the sublime. *****
- "Lost Continent" is a flat, nonspeculative criticism of Australia's refugee policy; while politically admirable, it is unsubtle and bathetic. **
- "Dark Integers" and "Crystal Nights" are computation-oriented stories which clearly prefigure the second half of Permutation City. "Dark Integers" also explores the notion of mathematics "supervening" on physics; no doubt, Egan could have gotten more juice out of this premise if he'd squeezed harder. ***
- "Steve Fever" is a playful and entirely original take on the nano-plague genre. Perhaps the most inventive story in the book. *****
- "Induction" and "Riding the Crocodile" are classical Clarke-esque odes to space exploration and the cosmic unknown. The latter is set in the Amalgam-Aloof future of Incandescence, along with "Glory" and "Hot Rock". "Glory" explores some superficial ways in which alien science may differ from its anthropic counterpart. The MacGuffin is a sort of "grand unifying theorem" for mathematics, clearly riffing on ideas from (real world) mathematics in category theory and algebraic geometry. As with "Dark Integers", Egan could have exploited this premise more. ****
- "Hot Rock", on the other hand, is hard SF speculation at it's very best; a dizzying (and literal) dive into an unknown world reminiscent of Clarke's canonical Rendezvous with Rama. *****
- "Singleton" and "Oracle" are inspired by Egan's interest in the many-worlds interpretation (MWI) of quantum mechanics (see also Quarantine). "Singleton" is the stronger of the two, tying MWI, quantum computation, and the ethical sticky wickets of post-humanism together. "Oracle", a sort of sequel, is a feeble (and rather odd) roman à clef involving Turing and C. S. Lewis. **
- "Border Guards" reads like copy for Egan's quantum soccer Java applet. Nifty but self-indulgent. **
- The jewel of the collection is the titular, Hugo-winning novella "Oceanic". With a broad emotional palette and depth of characterisation unusual for Egan, the story follows the protagonist's religious trajectory in a post-genetic, post-apocalyptic human colony. ("Oceanic" is probably also set in the Amalgam-Aloof universe.) The ending is a tour de force of genuine human drama, painted with a touch of the sublime. *****
January 20, 2024
Somehow I totally forgot that people in this story swap penises when they have sex. You'd think that was something that'd stand out.
Anyways, Oceanic! I read this story years ago and it blew my mind. It's not quite as good on a re-read, but it's still amazing. The basic premise: Martin grows up in the isolated countryside and becomes deeply religious in his teens. The religion of his world is based on semi-mythical events that happened 20,000 years before, but it's also in a deep sense true: there's a religious ceremony where you're purposefully drowned, and as the water enters your lungs, you feel a deep, abiding sense of God's love within you that stays for the rest of your life. Everyone feels the same thing from the ceremony. Put together with archeological records confirming most of the religious narrative, religion is simply accepted as something factually accurate by most of the population on Martin's world.
Until Martin disproves it. A byproduct of a bacteria in ocean water causes permanent shifts in brain chemistry when it enters the body during periods of high stress. The religion is false. The sense of God's love that everyone feels is mere chemicals.
I really love this story because of its focus on Martin. There are hints of the effect on society of his discovery, but the bulk of the story is just about him: his faith, his devotion to the truth, his doubts, his fears. You can see how such a discovery would render faultlines in every person through every avenue his thoughts take- atheism, a religion based on philosophy rather than fact, rage, hopelessness. Nowadays most people have much less disprovable gods, but there's parallels in deeply ideological people who have lived to see their ideologies fail. It's the best of science fiction: a mirror on our own society, from the fantastic.
Anyways, Oceanic! I read this story years ago and it blew my mind. It's not quite as good on a re-read, but it's still amazing. The basic premise: Martin grows up in the isolated countryside and becomes deeply religious in his teens. The religion of his world is based on semi-mythical events that happened 20,000 years before, but it's also in a deep sense true: there's a religious ceremony where you're purposefully drowned, and as the water enters your lungs, you feel a deep, abiding sense of God's love within you that stays for the rest of your life. Everyone feels the same thing from the ceremony. Put together with archeological records confirming most of the religious narrative, religion is simply accepted as something factually accurate by most of the population on Martin's world.
Until Martin disproves it. A byproduct of a bacteria in ocean water causes permanent shifts in brain chemistry when it enters the body during periods of high stress. The religion is false. The sense of God's love that everyone feels is mere chemicals.
I really love this story because of its focus on Martin. There are hints of the effect on society of his discovery, but the bulk of the story is just about him: his faith, his devotion to the truth, his doubts, his fears. You can see how such a discovery would render faultlines in every person through every avenue his thoughts take- atheism, a religion based on philosophy rather than fact, rage, hopelessness. Nowadays most people have much less disprovable gods, but there's parallels in deeply ideological people who have lived to see their ideologies fail. It's the best of science fiction: a mirror on our own society, from the fantastic.
December 31, 2014
Último libro del año y qué mejor que Greg Egan en su mejor faceta: Los relatos cortos.
En Oceánico se encuentran tres relatos que, para mi, muestran lo mejor del autor ya que ninguno flaquea.
Oceánico: Un relato menos especulativo de lo que acostumbra. Más centrado en la evolución del personaje y en un conflicto científico religioso en un futuro lejano y en un planeta lejano. Lo más destacado para mi sería el desarrollo de las ideas de la sexualidad que, en parte, recuerdan a Distress pero algo mas enrevesado.
Oráculo: Una trama casi policíaca con contenido histórico y reseñas a Turing y la lucha por los derechos de la homosexualidad así como el debate religioso encarnado en quien se presupone debe ser el escritor de las Crónicas de Narnia. El relato se hace bastante interesante aportando bastantes ideas originales. Quizá para mi el relato más flojito aún así el final me parece perfecto, consiguiendo unificar religión y física cuántica.
Singleton: Para mi el mejor. Es el más original y el que desarrolla una idea de principio a fin a través de saltos temporales que hace que se lea de una tacada. Por momento puede abusar de demasiados tecnicismo complicando la lectura, pero conforme avanza el relato todo se va aclarando bordando un relato genial
En Oceánico se encuentran tres relatos que, para mi, muestran lo mejor del autor ya que ninguno flaquea.
Oceánico: Un relato menos especulativo de lo que acostumbra. Más centrado en la evolución del personaje y en un conflicto científico religioso en un futuro lejano y en un planeta lejano. Lo más destacado para mi sería el desarrollo de las ideas de la sexualidad que, en parte, recuerdan a Distress pero algo mas enrevesado.
Oráculo: Una trama casi policíaca con contenido histórico y reseñas a Turing y la lucha por los derechos de la homosexualidad así como el debate religioso encarnado en quien se presupone debe ser el escritor de las Crónicas de Narnia. El relato se hace bastante interesante aportando bastantes ideas originales. Quizá para mi el relato más flojito aún así el final me parece perfecto, consiguiendo unificar religión y física cuántica.
Singleton: Para mi el mejor. Es el más original y el que desarrolla una idea de principio a fin a través de saltos temporales que hace que se lea de una tacada. Por momento puede abusar de demasiados tecnicismo complicando la lectura, pero conforme avanza el relato todo se va aclarando bordando un relato genial
July 31, 2011
Another tight set of head bursting hard sci-fi from Egan - not an easy read but always rewarding. Slow going at some stages, but very rewarding when it all comes together at the end of each story.
Most of the stories are set in "The Amalgam" of highly advanced races capable of corporeal-data person transfer and intergalatic travel. "Oceanic" itself is set in probably the strongest story of the collection and is set in a re-corporealised post Amalgam society.
"Dark Integers" carries on the alternate logic story from his last collection and was the weakest story for me - too near future. "Oracle" was my favourite, as I was very familiar with all of the biographies of the fictonalised characters.
Most of the stories are set in "The Amalgam" of highly advanced races capable of corporeal-data person transfer and intergalatic travel. "Oceanic" itself is set in probably the strongest story of the collection and is set in a re-corporealised post Amalgam society.
"Dark Integers" carries on the alternate logic story from his last collection and was the weakest story for me - too near future. "Oracle" was my favourite, as I was very familiar with all of the biographies of the fictonalised characters.
February 12, 2014
Tres historias: una que cuestiona los orígenes de las creencias religiosas, la siguiente, un mano a mano de una versión alternativa de Turing y C.S. Lewis, y la ultima, las connotaciones de la construcción de una inteligencia artificial. Como acostumbra, Egan es un escritor muy exigente con sus lectores, proponiendo ideas y escenarios novedosos sin que estos afecten el desarrollo de buenas historias. Muy recomendado.
May 9, 2017
The two Amalgam stories were closer to a 4, but everything else was pretty subpar, including the titular story. Two of them were completely unreadable, and would have still been unreadable without the bizarre rape subplot (???). Disappointing, since I figured Egan's dense ideas would be better suited to a shorter format anyway.
April 3, 2020
2014.09.10–2020.02.14
Contents
Egan G (2009) Oceanic
01. Lost Continent (2008)
02. Dark Integers (2007)
03. Crystal Nights (2008)
04. Steve Fever (2007)
05. Induction (2007)
06. Singleton (2002)
07. Oracle (2000)
08. Border Guards (1999)
09. Riding the Crocodile (2005)
10. Glory (2007)
11. Hot Rock (2009)
12. Oceanic (1998)
Acknowledgments
Contents
Egan G (2009) Oceanic
01. Lost Continent (2008)
02. Dark Integers (2007)
03. Crystal Nights (2008)
04. Steve Fever (2007)
05. Induction (2007)
06. Singleton (2002)
07. Oracle (2000)
08. Border Guards (1999)
09. Riding the Crocodile (2005)
10. Glory (2007)
11. Hot Rock (2009)
12. Oceanic (1998)
Acknowledgments
November 4, 2015
I read it once upon a time then I read it twice just now.
Since I learn Quantum mechanics,General relativity and IT,
I am easy to understand the contents of it.
Generally speaking science fiction are many physics novels
but Eagan's short stories contains the contents of Molecular biology.
Since I learn Quantum mechanics,General relativity and IT,
I am easy to understand the contents of it.
Generally speaking science fiction are many physics novels
but Eagan's short stories contains the contents of Molecular biology.
November 1, 2013
A nice, short story about how the feelings of faith can have biological causes, and the challenge of determining if that is inconsequential or not. Good read.
January 17, 2017
Not all the stories were equally engaging for me, but the eponymous novella deserves 5 out of 5 stars. Overall, I'd give this collection a solid 4 out of 5. Femtomachines FTW!
January 28, 2017
Strange short story about people living on an ocean planet that was populated by a starfaring race that has long since disappeared. Some interesting discussion of how religion and science collide.
January 2, 2015
Gardes-frontières
Du football quantique, rien que ça.
Et encore, ce football quantique n'est qu'un avant-goût de l'univers présenté. Pour être honnête, je suis à peu près certain de ne pas avoir tout compris. Parce qu'entre l'espèce de multivers fractal, les personnages virtuels immortels, et l'incapacitié à communiquer typique d'Egan, cette nouvelle était plutôt difficile à appréhender.
En fait, je n'ai pas trop saisi où ce trouvait le coeur de cette histoire : la description d'un sport étrange ? d'un univers bizarroïde ? ou une constation sur la douleur de la perte d'un être aimé ? J'en sais rien, en fait.
Les Entiers sombres
Cette nouvelle fait suite à une nouvelle précédement publiée (dont j'ai malheureusement oublié le nom) qui présentait une rupture dans le tissu des mathématiques, rupture isolant deux univers parallèles.
Dans celle-ci, la rupture est attaquée "au bazooka conceptuel", et le personnage principal tente de réparer les dégats.
Le plus gros inconvénient de cette histoire, c'est son improbabilité politique : si l'autre côté surveille à ce point le nôtre, pourquoi diable ne tente-t-il pas de discuter avec les responsables ? Au lieu de laisser la charge diplomatique à une bande de mathématiciens.
A cet important défaut près, c'est une histoire raisonnablement correcte.
Mortelles ritournelles
Rho, alors là, le fameux effet Egan commence à prendre : je décolle à moitié de ma chaise devant la puissance des idées du mec.
En gros, cette histoire décrit comment une équipe a créé un générateur de mélodies publicitaires débiles, grâce à l'imagerie fonctionnelle : ils cherchent des mélodies qui s'incrustent dans le cerveau des auditeurs, même si elles sont nulles.
Et évidement, en tirant le fil des conséquences de cette trame très simple, on obtient un résultat spectaculaire.
Le Réserviste
Sans doute la nouvelle la moins extraordinaire, puisqu'il s'agit d'une exploitation particulièrement classique du fameux "je t'ai bien eu" de bien des nouvelles. Bref ...
En gros, dans cette histoire, un type bien infâme dispose de tout un paquet de clones pour assurer son immortalité future. Il choisit un jour de faire transplanter sa mémoire dans ce clone. Mais la mémoire est-elle la personnalité ?
La question est super intéressante, mais utiliser ce genre de débat éthique pour un résultat pareil ... ben c'est gâché, je trouve. Pour tout dire, au moment où j'ai compris que cette nouvelle n'était qu'un jeu littéraire, j'ai été sincèrement déçu. je 'mattendais à quelque chose soit de plus brillant, soit de plus cruel.
Poussière
Une vraiment très bonne variation sur une partie charnière de la cité des permutants. Vous vous souvenez du moment où le personnage principal crée une cope de son esprit, et commence à 'lexécuter de façon répartie et temporellement mélangée pour "voir ce qui se passe" ? Et du fait que, curieusement, la copie reste cohérente même quans son substrat temporel déconne ? Eh bien cette nouvelle reprend exactement cette trame, en en changeant juste la fin. Et ce changement d eperspective final étend très largement les horizons du lecteur, en lui faisant comprendre à la fois ce que ressent la simulation, et ce que ressent l'auteur de cette simulation.
C'est parfaitement brillant.
Les Tapis de Wang
L'une de mes nouvelles préférées, que n'aurait sans doute pas renié John C. Wright (celui de la haute transcendance). On y voit une humanité transcendée pour devenir des créatures virtuelles hébergées par des superordinateurs partir à la conquête de l'espace, pour découvrir, après un voyage de quelques centaintes d'années, une planète habitée par de mystérieux tapis auto-reproducteurs.
Le meilleur arrive quand les explorateurs comprennent ce que sont ces tapis.
Je dois dire que j'ai été estomaqué par la puissance intellectuelle de cette nouvelle. Déja, la transcendance et son exploitation pour la conquête spatiale est une idée qui, si elle n'est pas exactement neuve, n'est pas non plus galvaudée. Mais alors y ajouter la découverte d'extra-terrestres de ce type, et mettant en jeu les automates cellulaires sous cette forme, c'est d'un intérêt encore supérieur.
En bonus, Egan rajoute des questionnements sur l'identité, l'amour, et l'unité d'un esprit pouvant potentiellement exister à travers des centaines d'années-lumière. Et alors ça, je peux affirmer que ça ajoute une sacrée profondeur à l'histoire.
Océanique
Je n'ai pas aimé cette histoire-là.
Des colons ayant régressé sur une planète lointaine depuis l'époque divine de la colonisation, ett ayant mis en place un dispositif de changement de sexe qui doit clairement faciliter l'égalité des sexes. Ca forme, en un sens, un joli décor.
Mais utiliser ce décor pour trouver une origine environementale à certains délires mystiques, c'est moyen. Ca donne surtout, contrairement aux autres nouvelles, un côté survolé, ou plutôt gentille histoire pour lecteurs débutants, qui m'a laissé complètement froid.
Fidélité
Peut-on rester la même personne pour toujours ? Peut-on ressentir toujours les mêmes sentiments pour un être proche ? Et, dans ce cas, est-on encore vraiment humain ?
Ces questions auraient pu donner lieu à une prise de conscience intéressante, mais peut-être à cause du postulat de départ, ça ne donne qu'une nouvelle fade, puisqu'il n'y à partir du moment où les personnages se figent, plus aucun changement possible dans le récit.
Lama
Cette histoire d'implant dans la zone du langage est extrêmement prometteuse, mais achoppe malheureusement à trouver une conclusion digne de ce nom. Parce que pour moi, ce complot organisé par des concurrents dont la morale interdit l'émergence d'une nouvelle forme de langage ressemble trop à une tentative désespérée de sortir dignement de cette histoire.
Yeyuka
On peut guérir de tout, tout dépend du prix. C'est ce qu'illustre cette histoire en remettant ce prix dans le contexte de privatisation de la médecine actuel. Du coup le prix n'est pas tant une question d'argent que de valeurs morales personnelles. Et ça, c'est bien.
Singleton
J'ai parfois l'impression que les ambitions littéraires d'Egan perdent toutes mesure. Par exemple, cette nouvelle essaye de nous présenter l'impact de la théorie des mondes quantiques multiples d'Everett sur le libre arbitre. Quel besoin avait-il d'y ajouter des questions de paternité et de statut légal des androïdes ?
Je trouve que ça diminue légèrement l'impact existentiel de cette histoire qui serait sinon fort bonne.
Oracle
Cette nouvelle reprend le personnage d'Helen de la précédente nouvelle pour la glisser dans un continuum spatio-temporel différent : l'Angleterre des années 50 où un mathématicien, que j'imagine inspiré de Turing, affronte une opposition bigote incarnée par un auteur inspiré, lui, par CS Lewis (celui des chroniques de Narnia).
Si cette nouvelle suit la précédente c'est aussi et surtout parce qu'elle reprend le concept d'unicité dans le multivers quantique. Une notion avec laquelle j'ai d'ailleurs beaucoup de mal à adhérer, mais qui a l'avantage d'être présentée de façon très didactique.
Le Continent perdu
Un récit quasiment journalistique sur ce qu'est aujourd'hui l'accueil des migrants dans les pays développés : l'humanité est bannie, la bonne foi oubliée, la misère assimilée à un mensonge. C'est moche, mais je ne trouve pas que ça ait sa place dans une intégrale raisonnée.
Du football quantique, rien que ça.
Et encore, ce football quantique n'est qu'un avant-goût de l'univers présenté. Pour être honnête, je suis à peu près certain de ne pas avoir tout compris. Parce qu'entre l'espèce de multivers fractal, les personnages virtuels immortels, et l'incapacitié à communiquer typique d'Egan, cette nouvelle était plutôt difficile à appréhender.
En fait, je n'ai pas trop saisi où ce trouvait le coeur de cette histoire : la description d'un sport étrange ? d'un univers bizarroïde ? ou une constation sur la douleur de la perte d'un être aimé ? J'en sais rien, en fait.
Les Entiers sombres
Cette nouvelle fait suite à une nouvelle précédement publiée (dont j'ai malheureusement oublié le nom) qui présentait une rupture dans le tissu des mathématiques, rupture isolant deux univers parallèles.
Dans celle-ci, la rupture est attaquée "au bazooka conceptuel", et le personnage principal tente de réparer les dégats.
Le plus gros inconvénient de cette histoire, c'est son improbabilité politique : si l'autre côté surveille à ce point le nôtre, pourquoi diable ne tente-t-il pas de discuter avec les responsables ? Au lieu de laisser la charge diplomatique à une bande de mathématiciens.
A cet important défaut près, c'est une histoire raisonnablement correcte.
Mortelles ritournelles
Rho, alors là, le fameux effet Egan commence à prendre : je décolle à moitié de ma chaise devant la puissance des idées du mec.
En gros, cette histoire décrit comment une équipe a créé un générateur de mélodies publicitaires débiles, grâce à l'imagerie fonctionnelle : ils cherchent des mélodies qui s'incrustent dans le cerveau des auditeurs, même si elles sont nulles.
Et évidement, en tirant le fil des conséquences de cette trame très simple, on obtient un résultat spectaculaire.
Le Réserviste
Sans doute la nouvelle la moins extraordinaire, puisqu'il s'agit d'une exploitation particulièrement classique du fameux "je t'ai bien eu" de bien des nouvelles. Bref ...
En gros, dans cette histoire, un type bien infâme dispose de tout un paquet de clones pour assurer son immortalité future. Il choisit un jour de faire transplanter sa mémoire dans ce clone. Mais la mémoire est-elle la personnalité ?
La question est super intéressante, mais utiliser ce genre de débat éthique pour un résultat pareil ... ben c'est gâché, je trouve. Pour tout dire, au moment où j'ai compris que cette nouvelle n'était qu'un jeu littéraire, j'ai été sincèrement déçu. je 'mattendais à quelque chose soit de plus brillant, soit de plus cruel.
Poussière
Une vraiment très bonne variation sur une partie charnière de la cité des permutants. Vous vous souvenez du moment où le personnage principal crée une cope de son esprit, et commence à 'lexécuter de façon répartie et temporellement mélangée pour "voir ce qui se passe" ? Et du fait que, curieusement, la copie reste cohérente même quans son substrat temporel déconne ? Eh bien cette nouvelle reprend exactement cette trame, en en changeant juste la fin. Et ce changement d eperspective final étend très largement les horizons du lecteur, en lui faisant comprendre à la fois ce que ressent la simulation, et ce que ressent l'auteur de cette simulation.
C'est parfaitement brillant.
Les Tapis de Wang
L'une de mes nouvelles préférées, que n'aurait sans doute pas renié John C. Wright (celui de la haute transcendance). On y voit une humanité transcendée pour devenir des créatures virtuelles hébergées par des superordinateurs partir à la conquête de l'espace, pour découvrir, après un voyage de quelques centaintes d'années, une planète habitée par de mystérieux tapis auto-reproducteurs.
Le meilleur arrive quand les explorateurs comprennent ce que sont ces tapis.
Je dois dire que j'ai été estomaqué par la puissance intellectuelle de cette nouvelle. Déja, la transcendance et son exploitation pour la conquête spatiale est une idée qui, si elle n'est pas exactement neuve, n'est pas non plus galvaudée. Mais alors y ajouter la découverte d'extra-terrestres de ce type, et mettant en jeu les automates cellulaires sous cette forme, c'est d'un intérêt encore supérieur.
En bonus, Egan rajoute des questionnements sur l'identité, l'amour, et l'unité d'un esprit pouvant potentiellement exister à travers des centaines d'années-lumière. Et alors ça, je peux affirmer que ça ajoute une sacrée profondeur à l'histoire.
Océanique
Je n'ai pas aimé cette histoire-là.
Des colons ayant régressé sur une planète lointaine depuis l'époque divine de la colonisation, ett ayant mis en place un dispositif de changement de sexe qui doit clairement faciliter l'égalité des sexes. Ca forme, en un sens, un joli décor.
Mais utiliser ce décor pour trouver une origine environementale à certains délires mystiques, c'est moyen. Ca donne surtout, contrairement aux autres nouvelles, un côté survolé, ou plutôt gentille histoire pour lecteurs débutants, qui m'a laissé complètement froid.
Fidélité
Peut-on rester la même personne pour toujours ? Peut-on ressentir toujours les mêmes sentiments pour un être proche ? Et, dans ce cas, est-on encore vraiment humain ?
Ces questions auraient pu donner lieu à une prise de conscience intéressante, mais peut-être à cause du postulat de départ, ça ne donne qu'une nouvelle fade, puisqu'il n'y à partir du moment où les personnages se figent, plus aucun changement possible dans le récit.
Lama
Cette histoire d'implant dans la zone du langage est extrêmement prometteuse, mais achoppe malheureusement à trouver une conclusion digne de ce nom. Parce que pour moi, ce complot organisé par des concurrents dont la morale interdit l'émergence d'une nouvelle forme de langage ressemble trop à une tentative désespérée de sortir dignement de cette histoire.
Yeyuka
On peut guérir de tout, tout dépend du prix. C'est ce qu'illustre cette histoire en remettant ce prix dans le contexte de privatisation de la médecine actuel. Du coup le prix n'est pas tant une question d'argent que de valeurs morales personnelles. Et ça, c'est bien.
Singleton
J'ai parfois l'impression que les ambitions littéraires d'Egan perdent toutes mesure. Par exemple, cette nouvelle essaye de nous présenter l'impact de la théorie des mondes quantiques multiples d'Everett sur le libre arbitre. Quel besoin avait-il d'y ajouter des questions de paternité et de statut légal des androïdes ?
Je trouve que ça diminue légèrement l'impact existentiel de cette histoire qui serait sinon fort bonne.
Oracle
Cette nouvelle reprend le personnage d'Helen de la précédente nouvelle pour la glisser dans un continuum spatio-temporel différent : l'Angleterre des années 50 où un mathématicien, que j'imagine inspiré de Turing, affronte une opposition bigote incarnée par un auteur inspiré, lui, par CS Lewis (celui des chroniques de Narnia).
Si cette nouvelle suit la précédente c'est aussi et surtout parce qu'elle reprend le concept d'unicité dans le multivers quantique. Une notion avec laquelle j'ai d'ailleurs beaucoup de mal à adhérer, mais qui a l'avantage d'être présentée de façon très didactique.
Le Continent perdu
Un récit quasiment journalistique sur ce qu'est aujourd'hui l'accueil des migrants dans les pays développés : l'humanité est bannie, la bonne foi oubliée, la misère assimilée à un mensonge. C'est moche, mais je ne trouve pas que ça ait sa place dans une intégrale raisonnée.
May 3, 2020
Good stories and author, could be great if...
Oceanic is the third book of short stories I’ve read by Greg Egan—so clearly I like his work well enough. Still, he can be pretty clunky as a writer. I don’t mind that the characters are pretty flat and that relationships are crudely drawn, really, because this is a fiction of ideas first and foremost.
Still, these stories could be head and shoulders above what they are now if it weren’t for:
1. The poorly explained science concepts! I’m definitely not a hard sciences person, but I am interested in the topic and have read a lot of popular science. I more or less understand basic physics things including relativity, general and special, and certain very basic ideas in quantum physics. And I have read enough complicated-science-for-dummies type stuff to know that it’s possible to explain complex ideas in a way that I can grasp. Egan either lacks the motivation or the ability to do this well. I will say this: at some point I realized that you can enjoy his stories without understanding his long, pedantic, boring, and largely incomprehensible explanations of the science itself. So if you’re not into that stuff, just read it once, don’t torture yourself going back over it, you’ll enjoy the story without it.
2. He’s SUCH a materialist and Cartesian dualist. (Possibly even a Singularitarian? Shudder....) Like, not the kind that questions his own assumptions about the nature of consciousness either. Nor does he appear especially curious about newer directions in the philosophy of consciousness. (This book, Oceanic, is particularly immature in this regard, a la Kurzweil, though all of the books I’ve read by Egan feel very “godel escher bach”/“minds I”). He seems like a much smarter person than me, and I feel disappointed he isn’t exploring any of the truly subtler implications around universe simulation, the mind body continuum, etc. I guess this is partly tied up in the weakness described in point 1, above.
I would, though, recommend any of Egan’s story collections, if you’re interested in hard SF. He’s prolific, so even though there are clunkers here and there, his work is overall entertaining and thought-provoking. Perhaps it’s greedy to wish it was more than it is—I just feel like if he pushed himself more as a writer and balanced out his logical, science side with some education and personal development in the so-called “softer” stuff, he could produce work that we could actually call pretty great, rather than just entertaining.
Oceanic is the third book of short stories I’ve read by Greg Egan—so clearly I like his work well enough. Still, he can be pretty clunky as a writer. I don’t mind that the characters are pretty flat and that relationships are crudely drawn, really, because this is a fiction of ideas first and foremost.
Still, these stories could be head and shoulders above what they are now if it weren’t for:
1. The poorly explained science concepts! I’m definitely not a hard sciences person, but I am interested in the topic and have read a lot of popular science. I more or less understand basic physics things including relativity, general and special, and certain very basic ideas in quantum physics. And I have read enough complicated-science-for-dummies type stuff to know that it’s possible to explain complex ideas in a way that I can grasp. Egan either lacks the motivation or the ability to do this well. I will say this: at some point I realized that you can enjoy his stories without understanding his long, pedantic, boring, and largely incomprehensible explanations of the science itself. So if you’re not into that stuff, just read it once, don’t torture yourself going back over it, you’ll enjoy the story without it.
2. He’s SUCH a materialist and Cartesian dualist. (Possibly even a Singularitarian? Shudder....) Like, not the kind that questions his own assumptions about the nature of consciousness either. Nor does he appear especially curious about newer directions in the philosophy of consciousness. (This book, Oceanic, is particularly immature in this regard, a la Kurzweil, though all of the books I’ve read by Egan feel very “godel escher bach”/“minds I”). He seems like a much smarter person than me, and I feel disappointed he isn’t exploring any of the truly subtler implications around universe simulation, the mind body continuum, etc. I guess this is partly tied up in the weakness described in point 1, above.
I would, though, recommend any of Egan’s story collections, if you’re interested in hard SF. He’s prolific, so even though there are clunkers here and there, his work is overall entertaining and thought-provoking. Perhaps it’s greedy to wish it was more than it is—I just feel like if he pushed himself more as a writer and balanced out his logical, science side with some education and personal development in the so-called “softer” stuff, he could produce work that we could actually call pretty great, rather than just entertaining.
October 8, 2017
I'm a huge fan of Greg Egan's short stories, but I found this collection to be slightly underwhelming, though still enjoyable. Egan typically writes hard, hard sci-fi that either delves into advanced physics or biology/neurology/the human brain/consciousness, in high-concept ways that really "wow" the reader. His stories are still hard sci-fi in this collection, but were, for me, less memorable than usual. A number of the stories were not fully, truly stand-alone, in that they were either sequels to other short stories or were set in his "Amalgam" universe, in which humans and other aliens have becoming functionally immortal. Each story stood on its own, but the diversity of the collection suffered a little bit as a result.
Themes that cropped up repeatedly in the stories included the psychological and sociological repercussions of immortality, the illusion of free will, alternate realities/parallel universes, artificial intelligence, and the conflict between religion and science.
Almost any Greg Egan short story is worth your time if you like hard sci-fi, but I strongly recommend you start with one of his other collections: both "Axiomatic" and "Luminous" are stronger and more accessible.
Themes that cropped up repeatedly in the stories included the psychological and sociological repercussions of immortality, the illusion of free will, alternate realities/parallel universes, artificial intelligence, and the conflict between religion and science.
Almost any Greg Egan short story is worth your time if you like hard sci-fi, but I strongly recommend you start with one of his other collections: both "Axiomatic" and "Luminous" are stronger and more accessible.
September 6, 2021
Oceanic è un romanzo particolare, che racconta del rapporto del protagonista, Martin, con la propria fede religiosa, e del modo in cui questo rapporto di evolve. Il romanzo intero si fa quindi riflessione sul concetto di fede, su come questa agisce sul credente e sulla società, sulle contraddizioni che talvolta comporta, e nella seconda metà anche sull'incontro-scontro tra religione e scienza. Il punto di forza del libro è indubbiamente la quantità di spunti che riesce ad offrire pur in così poche pagine, ma la sua brevità, a mio avviso, non riesce a rendere giustizia né alla complessità dei temi trattati, né all'approfondimento psicologico del protagonista, ma soprattutto non riesce ad appagare le curiosità che suscita sul pianeta Covenant, la sua storia, i suoi abitanti con la loro particolare morfologia e le differenti società e religiosni in cui si dividono. Viene spiegato poco in maniera esplicita, e questo mi piace perché aumenta il senso di realismo, ma poi non ci sono abbastanza pagine per far sì che emergano in maniera "naturale" tutte le informazioni che il lettore vorrebbe: ci sono tanti accenni, e sono tutti interessanti, ma quanto viene lasciato in sospeso o alla fantasia del lettore supera di gran lunga quanto viene rivelato, e questo mi ha lasciato addosso una certa insoddisfazione.
Insomma, un romanzo con del potenziale pazzesco, ma troppo breve per poter appagare la mia curiosità di lettrice.
Insomma, un romanzo con del potenziale pazzesco, ma troppo breve per poter appagare la mia curiosità di lettrice.
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