Product Description

In the 21st century most of the world's population are Therapied model citizens. But a slow unwinding becoming ever faster in the heads of the Therapied attracts the attention of Mary Choy, policewoman and Martin Burke, therapist; last seen in "Queen of Angels". Together they search for a solution.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2745689 in Books
• Published on: 1997-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 349 pages

Review
This sequel to Queen of Angels (1990) continues Bear's exploration of artificial intelligence and nanotechnology in the mid-21st century. Robber Jack Giffey - he likes to challenge machines, though he isn't what he appears to be - prepares to break into Omphalos. Omphalos, supposedly a cryogenic repository stuffed with valuables, is actually a huge survival fortress run by Roddy, a bacteria-based distributed neural network created by crazy genius Seefa Schnee. The owner of Omphalos is Aristos, a secret organization of super-rich whose members intend to destroy society while they hide inside Omphalos. Schnee has already distributed a nanovirus that breaks down the genetic, physical, or mental therapy upon which millions of people depend. Meanwhile, Jill, the first artificial intelligence to become aware, is contacted by a previously unknown AI - the well-informed but possibly untrustworthy Roddy. As the FBI puts together a team to investigate Omphalos and Aristos, Giffey's assault gets under way; Roddy attacks Jill and takes her over. The FBI rallies its investigators, Giffey discovers he's really someone else, and Jill fights desperately for her life. Complexity without clarity; Bear's yarn eventually packs quite a wallop, but what with the numbing present-tense narrative it seems to take forever to get there. (Kirkus Reviews)

Customer Reviews

Excellent, if it's your sort of thing.
This was the first Greg Bear book I've read since Blood Music, and I loved it.

The first few chapters were quite slow, and it took some time to get into the book, but once you do it's well worth it. Bear did very well in his portrayal of a not too distant but heavily changed future and interlaced it wonderfully with a plot that makes it difficult to put down.

That is, of course, if you can get past the constantly shifting perspectives as he jumps from character to character, and the sometimes obscure Futuristic(TM) language.

Reading Queen of Angels first would probably help getting into the book at the start, but it stands up very well on it's own.

A great sequel
This is possibly my favourite Greg Bear novel, rivalling Eon, Eternity and The Forge of God. Previous reviewers criticize it for being hard to read - have they read the prequel, Queen of Angels? Bear never ceases to amaze me with his remarkable (and often apocalyptic) visions of the future. Slant is a fine example of this, but also succeeds with its characterization, particularly of the mysterious Jack Giffey and the morally complex Jonathan Bristow.

All in all, great. Looking forward to the next installment in Bear's sprawling future history.

Difficult at first
In inventing the world of Slant, Bear uses an infuriatingly large array of long made-up words (some easily derived from current words, others seemingly random collections of letters). This makes it very difficult to read at any kind of pace, and difficult to keep track of the many sub-plot twists and turns. Personally, I found it very difficult to get through the first 150 pages.

However, as one gets further and further through the book, the language (and plot) seem to become more and more "normal" - and in my view better for it. That may be because there is less dialogue and more action; or it may be that Bear tired of trying to keep all his new words in consistent use...