The Sunless Countries
October 9th 2009 22:53
Book 4 of Virga
The Sunless Countries
Karl Schroeder 2009
The Sunless Countries
Karl Schroeder 2009
Dont listen to critics who describe the Virga series as steam punk! that's far too simple a description. Virga is perhaps more a post technological society. Virga is a giant balloon with a self healing skin of nanotube fibres orbiting in the Vega system. Its occupants have rejected any technology that requires electronics to fend over a takeover by an AI post human gestalt called AN. Hence they have gas powered airships jets and rockets and various mechanisms of steam and wood and cable and maintain gravity by building giant wheels spun by steam generators burning waste.
Many of these habitats are lighted by mini fusion suns but not one.
Sere in the realm of Abyss out in the twilight areas near the outer wall manages without a fusion sun with gas powered lanterns for its farms and trading salvage and other books.
It even has a university and a departmentof rare books including some that give hisotrian Leal Hieronyma Maspeth a dangerous insight into the origins of her world and why outlying towns are disappearing. Something alien that's been labelled a monster is crying a misunderstood warning out in the darkness about a danger effecting her world and others.
Is it a monster or an ally? Its methods of contact are causing chaos and confusion but its motives and those of others become entangled with human politics and ideologies.
Reading history can be a dangerous thing in Virga!
Enjoy!
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