Seveneves

The moon blew up without warning and for no apparent reason.

I guess in order to indulge in a bit of world-building one must destroy the world first.

Neal Stephenson is a genius. A polymath with a wide range of interests, he specializes in the big idea, and the more concrete the better. In this way he carries forward the tradition of hard science fiction, in which the best example is probably Arthur C. Clarke. Stephenson eschews FTL transportation, time travel, invading aliens, or any of the other tropes of sci-fi that cannot find a solid basis in contemporary science. Instead he takes what is known, adds what is possible, and extrapolates to what could be. His one concession to the unknown is his opening, noted at top. Although a theory or two are trotted out, we never really learn what caused the moon to explode. Consider it the

The kernel around which the story nucleated was the space debris problem, which I had been reading about, both as a potential obstacle to the company’s efforts and as a possible opportunity to do something useful in space by looking for ways to remediate it. Some researchers had begun to express concern over the possibility that a collision between two pieces of debris might spawn a large number of fragments, thereby increasing the probability of further collisions and further fragments, producing a chain reaction that might put so much debris into low earth orbit as to create a barrier to future space exploration. – from Stephenson’s site

And the story is a compelling one, not so much in the sense of classic plot construction, but in terms of how we get from the biggest “OH CRAP” moment in human history, to something not guaranteed to soil pants. Stephenson looks most attentively at the engineering details of what is involved in trying to salvage the human race, once it is clear that the sky will go all to pieces, that the term scorched earth will be applicable to all the land on Earth, that the homeland will become a wasteland. What hardware is necessary? What is available? What can go wrong? How do we get from here to up there? This is his gig. He loves this stuff and it shows. He also does a good job of portraying the ensuing struggles down below. Who will be selected to survive? How will they be picked? How will the politics of the selection be handled? What will the criteria be? Ideas bang into other ideas, which fracture and crash into even more ideas, and so on, until you have an entire layer of nifty concept blanketing your brain.

World leaders make the big announcement of imminent doom at Crater Lake, and yes, it really is that blue

I think Stephenson is more optimistic than most and his presumptions about the level of on-the-ground conflict and pure lunacy are out of line with what we know about humans. He gives only a little thought to deniers, but in a country like the USA, for example, in which a quarter of the population does not believe in evolution, in which the Republican base clings to beliefs that would make L. Ron Hubbard scream for mercy, in which Texas lunatics of both the tinfoil-hat and elected variety (I know, no real difference there) persuade themselves that a military exercise is a federal invasion, there would be a lot more going on, denier-wise, than Stephenson projects. All theoretical of course, but do you really think that in the time remaining that birthers and those who believe the Apollo moon landing was a hoax would not make use of their considerable ordnance to make life even more miserable for those with brains?

Neal Stephenson

The book is divided into three parts, although it breaks down into smaller chapter chunks. The first takes us from the initial event to the beginning of the end of Earth as we know it, how humanity comes together, or doesn’t, to preserve the species. Part two takes on the final days of earth and a whole new world of conflict, resolution, or not, setting the stage for Part three, five thousand years on, when, through forces natural and engineer-enhanced, it is again possible to set foot on Mother Earth without singeing your toes. The seven eves of the title refer to the last orbiting survivors, whose reproductive capacity and DNA is used in an attempt to reconstitute the species, and, hopefully, in time, reclaim the original Mother ship.

This inflatable harbinger has been deployed on the ISS for several years – image from

Stephenson does action-adventure pretty well, and there is plenty of that here. The end of the Earth is a compelling starting point and survival of the species concerns will keep you engaged. Will this work? Will that? Who will live? Who won’t?

Character is not the thing in Neal Stephenson fiction. His greatest talents lie elsewhere, although it is definitely fun that he puts an avatar of Neal DeGrasse Tyson aboard. The significance of character here is to consider personality differences and their social, and genetic engineering implications. Given people with certain traits, how are they likely to behave, and how will those behaviors help or harm the survivability of homo sap? There is consideration of the concept of the state of nature. What is natural for people? How is that defined? Pretty interesting stuff. And there is plenty more brain candy in SevenEves. (Not for you, zombies, go away) On the hardware side, how about harnessing asteroids and comets for raw materials? Using robots of unexpectedly small dimensions for space-mining? Making orbiting environments in which humanity could survive, and even expand? How about some notions for terra-forming not only lifeless space rocks, but…um…Terra. How about interesting ways of transporting people and materials between orbiting locations, and between Earth and orbit. How about some advanced notions for individual flight on-planet? Life sciences? How about the challenges of food production in space? Bio-engineering is the biggest item here, not only in selecting who gets to be among those sent into orbit to survive torch-ageddon. But in figuring out how the differences in people can be used to ensure survival of the species, and looking at the results, some of which are quite surprising. Social science? Well, the science is a lot softer here, but the politics of end-times Earth and struggles for power among the spacers offer a look at elements of human nature that will be familiar. Stephenson’s optimism about our ability to think our way to actual survival is balanced by his recognition that we are, as a species, probably certifiable, so will continue having at each other as long as there are others to go after.

An O’Neill Cylinder – from the outside

I am certain that those more versed in contemporary sci-fi will have more recent comparisons to make, but the work that I was most reminded of here is the Hugo-Award-winner for Best-All-Time Series, Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series. In both, a core of talented people (a broader range of talent than in Stephenson‘s more engineer-and-hard-science-oriented portrayal) are brought together to preserve human culture in the face of an imminent catastrophe. The specifics are quite different, but they share a grandness of vision. No psychohistory in SevenEves, but the multi-millennial look at humanity offers the opportunity for and realization of a great speculative vision.

There are some commonalities between SevenEves and another recent, and very popular, sci-fi offering of the space variety, The Martian, at a mere 384 pps, could dock with and be pulled up on the side the 880 page SevenEves like a The Galt in our Stars, in which someone gets a life threatening disease and no one cares). I wonder also how the very small number of remnant original eves is supposed to be able to provide the training their progeny will require to master all the skills required to sustain civilization. I am sure there are many other details one could look at in considering the next five thousand or so years, but it might take a few more volumes.

SevenEves is a major contribution to contemporary science fiction. It is engaging enough on a visceral level, but it is crack not just for sci-fi fans, but for futurists, scientists, geneticists, engineers, and those concerned with how humanity will survive the challenges that lie ahead. It is a big book, not only in its physical bulk, but in its ambition and range of interests. Like the great works of his predecessors, Asimov, Clarke, and other giants of science fiction, the vision Stephenson has built in SevenEves will be read, I expect, as long as there are still people left alive, whether on Earth or not.

Publication date –
—–Hardcover – 5/19/15
—–Paperback – 5/17/16

This review first posted – 5/15/15

==========In the summer of 2019 GR reduced the allowable review size by 25%, from 20,000 to 15,000 characters. In order to accommodate the text beyond that, as of May 29, 2020, I moved it to the comments section directly below, well, maybe not directly, but somewhere around comment #10

I guess in order to indulge in a moment of world-building one must destroy the world first.Neal Stephenson is a ace. A polymath with a wide compass of interests, he specializes in the big mind, and the more concrete the better. In this way he carries forward the custom of hard science fabrication, in which the best example is credibly Arthur C. Clarke. Stephenson eschews FTL exile, time change of location, invading aliens, or any of the early tropes of sci-fi that can not find a solid basis in contemporary science. rather he takes what is known, adds what is possible, and extrapolates to what could be. His one concession to the unknown is his opening, noted at crown. Although a hypothesis or two are trotted out, we never actually learn what caused the moon to explode. Consider it the MacGuffin of the novel, the plot device that gets the action moving. I guess breaking up international relations and security network ’ thymine hard to do. No exploding moon ? No report. Why does it explode ? Doesn ’ metric ton matter. The story is about what happens after.And the story is a compelling one, not so much in the sense of classic plot construction, but in terms of how we get from the biggest “ OH CRAP ” moment in human history, to something not guaranteed to soil pants. Stephenson looks most attentively at the engineering details of what is involved in trying to salvage the human slipstream, once it is clear that the sky will go all to pieces, that the terminus scorched earth will be applicable tothe country on Earth, that the fatherland will become a barren. What hardware is necessary ? What is available ? What can go incorrect ? How do we get from here to up there ? This is his gig. He loves this stuff and it shows. He besides does a commodity job of portraying the ensuing struggles down below. Who will be selected to survive ? How will they be picked ? How will the politics of the choice be handled ? What will the criteria be ? Ideas slam into other ideas, which fracture and crash into even more ideas, and so on, until you have an integral layer of bang-up concept blanketing your brain.I think Stephenson is more optimistic than most and his presumptions about the flush of on-the-ground conflict and pure folly are out of tune with what we know about humans. He gives only a small remember to deniers, but in a country like the USA, for exercise, in which a quarter of the population does not believe in evolution, in which the Republican base clings to beliefs that would make L. Ron Hubbard scream for clemency, in which Texas lunatic of both the tinfoil-hat and elected variety ( I know, no real difference there ) persuade themselves that a military practice is a federal invasion, there would be a distribute more going on, denier-wise, than Stephenson projects. All theoretical of course, but do you truly think that in the prison term remaining that birthers and those who believe the Apollo moon landing was a fraud would not make function of their considerable artillery to make life even more abject for those with brains ? The bible is divided into three parts, although it breaks down into smaller chapter chunks. The first takes us from the initial event to the begin of the end of Earth as we know it, how world comes together, or doesn ’ triiodothyronine, to preserve the species. Part two takes on the final examination days of earth and a solid new universe of conflict, resoluteness, or not, setting the stage for Part three, five thousand years on, when, through forces natural and engineer-enhanced, it is again possible to set foot on Mother Earth without singeing your toes. The seven eves of the title mention to the last orb survivors, whose generative capacity and deoxyribonucleic acid is used in an try to reconstitute the species, and, hopefully, in time, reclaim the original Mother ship.- picture from Smithsonian Magazine Stephenson does action-adventure reasonably well, and there is batch of that here. The conclusion of the Earth is a compelling start point and survival of the species concerns will keep you engaged. Will this oeuvre ? Will that ? Who will live ? Who won ’ thymine ? Character is not the thing in Neal Stephenson fiction. His greatest talents lie elsewhere, although it is decidedly fun that he puts an avatar of Neal DeGrasse Tyson aboard. The meaning of character here is to consider personality differences and their social, and genetic engineering implications. Given people with certain traits, how are they likely to behave, and how will those behaviors help or harm the survivability of homosexual fool ? There is consideration of the concept of the state of nature. What is lifelike for people ? How is that defined ? Pretty concern farce. And there is plenty more genius candy in SevenEves. ( not for you, zombies, go away ) On the hardware side, how about harnessing asteroids and comets for crude materials ? Using robots of by chance little dimensions for space-mining ? Making orbiting environments in which humanness could survive, and even expand ? How about some notions for terra-forming not only lifeless quad rocks, but…um…Terra. How about interest ways of transporting people and materials between orbiting locations, and between Earth and orbit. How about some advance notions for individual trajectory on-planet ? Life sciences ? How about the challenges of food production in distance ? Bio-engineering is the biggest token here, not only in selecting who gets to be among those sent into scope to survive torch-ageddon. But in figuring out how the differences in people can be used to ensure survival of the species, and looking at the results, some of which are quite storm. Social science ? Well, the science is a batch softer here, but the politics of end-times Earth and struggles for baron among the spacers offer a expression at elements of human nature that will be familiar. Stephenson ’ s optimism about our ability to think our way to actual survival is balanced by his recognition that we are, as a species, probably certifiable, so will continue having at each early ampere long as there are others to go after.I am certain that those more verse in contemporary sci-fi will have more late comparisons to make, but the sour that I was most prompt of here is the Hugo-Award-winner for Best-All-Time Series, Isaac Asimov ’ sseries. In both, a core of talented people ( a broader range of talent than in Stephenson ‘ s more engineer-and-hard-science-oriented portrayal ) are brought together to preserve human culture in the grimace of an at hand catastrophe. The specifics are quite different, but they share a importance of vision. No psychohistory in, but the multi-millennial look at humanness offers the opportunity for and realization of a great notional vision.There are some commonalities betweenand another late, and very democratic, sci-fi oblation of the space assortment, The Martian. not in cinch, of course., at a bare 384 pps, could dock with and be pulled up on the side the 880 pagelike a tender boat on a cruise ship. Both deal with life-and-death scenarios in an airless evacuate ( no, not the US Congress ), although one deals with a single life sentence in hazard, while the other takes on a larger aim. But there is a clayey emphasis on technical school in both. Weir ’ s fantastic narrative offered an betroth narrator and way besides much detail on how he goes about attempting to survive while stranded on the bolshevik planet. Stephenson writes about things that he finds interest whether or not they clutter up the narrative with technical minutia, and at 880 pps, trust me, there is excessively much detail. Hey, his book, his fib. He gets off on the details of mechanics, and it is nowhere ampere mind-numbing as an endless jeremiad by, say John Galt, but you may find yourself feeling a need to skim from clock time to fourth dimension. ( strictly an digression – I think Chris Moore should write a fresh about the Republican clown car of 2016 presidential candidates, called, in which person gets a life threatening disease and no one cares ). I wonder besides how the very small total of remnanteves is supposed to be able to provide the training their offspring will require to master all the skills required to sustain refinement. I am certain there are many other details one could look at in considering the next five thousand or so years, but it might take a few more volumes.is a major contribution to contemporary science fabrication. It is engaging enough on a intuitive level, but it is snap not barely for sci-fi fans, but for futurists, scientists, geneticists, engineers, and those concerned with how humanness will survive the challenges that lie ahead. It is a big koran, not entirely in its physical bulge, but in its ambition and range of interests. Like the great works of his predecessors, Asimov, Clarke, and other giants of science fabrication, the vision Stephenson has built inwill be read, I expect, deoxyadenosine monophosphate long as there are still people left alert, whether on Earth or not.Publication date – — — -Hardcover – 5/19/15 — — -Paperback – 5/17/16This review first posted – 5/15/15==========In the summer of 2019 GR reduced the permissible follow-up size by 25 %, from 20,000 to 15,000 characters. In order to accommodate the text beyond that, as of May 29, 2020, I moved it to the comments section immediately below, well, possibly not, but somewhere around gossip # 10