Author: Simon Laub Newsgroups: alt.history.future,rec.arts.sf.written,rec.arts.sf.science Subject: The deep future according to Stephen Baxter. Stephen Baxters "Time" has one of the best time- jumping sequences in recent SF, during which the protagonist witness the entire future of the universe. For that reason alone I had to read the (relatively) new Stephen Baxter book "Deep Future" (published 2002 in Great Britain). It starts with the close future though. I always enjoy the gadget part of such futurology. And Stephen Baxters present some neat ones. E.g. the "recording angel" - that sits on your shoulder and transcribes your meetings, the evolution of your thoughts etc. - it will of course be a brilliant thing for the authorities - and the part where individuals are joined together in an "internet of the mind", to make an extension of our present selfes, seems rather inevitable. But, actually I don't think we are presented with that many surprises by Stephen Baxter in the immediate future. The deep future is that more exciting. Great nations (companies?) should afford something more than welfare programmes (if they want to survive). And surely if the dinosaurs had had a spaceprograme they might have been around today. So space bound we must be.... It might even be, as David Brin has suggested, that humanity is currently being farmed by "space-friends" for an interstellar future. But off we go to the very deep future and the heath death of the universe. Where our very distant descendants will try to survive there in a "universe in ruins", when the stars are long gone. Here Stephen Baxters presentation also seem rather inevitable. But certainly, as always, there is certain magic to Stephen Baxters books! What we are waiting for right now seems the real mystery, cause there is only one way - and thats up, up among the stars. -Simon ------------------------ Simon Laub www.silanian.subnet.dk Lets return: http://www.silanian.subnet.dk/i/apollo.htm