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This is the second Greg Egan book I've read. The first was Permutation City and that was excellent and the first book in which the idea of copies/upload/personality constructs (PC) made some sort of sense. With Diaspora Egan goes well beyond that, 150 pages in its an excellent book. Even though written nearly a decade ago it visualisation of a future for humanity is far better than most modern SF authors, and it should be quoted as much as Snowcrash when it comes to talking about virtual worlds. The opening chapter describing the "birth" of a new PC, and that PC's first interaction with external data streams, and then its avatar and its virtual world home are superb.

For the record, and it doesn't include any spoilers, Diaspora identifies a future only 100 or so years out when humanity has post-signularity fragmented into about 4 different "species" (compare with the BT future evolution chart I posted a fortnight or so ago):

- Statics - organic, unmodified humans (i.e. us)
- Exhuberants - organic modified humans, whose modifications range from cosmetic to the extremes to cope with hostile environments such as the sea and space
- Gleisner robots - "uploaded" and (I assume) digitally evolved humans who live in mechanical bodies
- Polis residents (I don't think he gives them a name as the story is from their point of view) - uploaded and digitally evolved humans who live in virtual worlds (although those worlds have feeds of the physical world, have agency in it through robots, and can step out into it through Gleisner robots.

The Signal - Home Page

Been trying to find some new podcasts to listen to and came across The Signal - a podcast dedicated to Firely - the Joss Whedon (Buffy) cancelled Sc-Fi series, that then spawned the Serendipity movie.

Its an incredibly well produced show, covering both real and fan developments in the Firefly universe, an episode of a fan drama series, an article about canon matters, reviews, fan film updates, an article on Hitch-Hikers Guide, music and musch more. No suprise that it won the Peoples Choice in the 2006 Podcast Awards.

Browncoats (Firefly fans) are active in both SL and Multiverse building Firefly worlds. Much as I'm not a particular fan of Firefly (even more wagon-train in space than Star Trek, especially for a supposed 2500 AD setting), you have got to admire the professionalism and energy of these guys and girls. If only we'd had these sort of resources available when Traveller was in its hayday.

A book of neverending suprises. Easily his best book. Far better than JPod, or even Microserfs.

Watching the season finale (twice) last night I was struck by the Christian imagery that Russell T Davies was piling on - intentionally? Owen as Judas, Jack as the Son, waiting only for his Father (Dr Who) who forsook him both when he attacked the monster and when he failed to tempt him, The Tardis as the Holy Ghost (the spirit that brought Jack back to life the first time), then the resurrection of Jack after Gwen has been watching over him, the reunion with the team members (the disciples), and then the coming of the wind (the spirit/tardis/Dr Who/God) to take him away, leaving the disciples alone.

Stunning finale and an excellent series. Can't wait for Series 2.

The book of the moment (at least in cyber-circles)

- or maybe not.

Whilst the whole thing about the Epiphany wearable overlaying different interpretations of reality on what people saw was fun, the whole plot side of things was dreadful - ditto much of the writing.

Working off the same basic ideas as The Singularity is Near by Ray Kurzweil ( the signularity, uploads, computational matter) its a great exploration of the ideas until the final 100 or so pages. It's like Arthur C Clarke writing 100 extra pages about what happened to Dave when he came home (yes 2010 was dreadful), or Jodi Foster going on for another hour after Contact. See my Seismic Shift essay for my personal fall-out from these books.

Accelerando web site.

Ray Kurzweil's book about GNR (Genetics-Nanotech-Robotics). The first 100 pages are very boring graphs about exponential returns, the last 100 pages are all notes, but somewhere in the middle 400 pages there's a great 200 page book struggling to get out. Certainly making me rethink my ideas about space and space exploration.

See my Seismic Shift essay/commentary for my take on Ray's ideas. Also read Charles Stross' Accelerando for an SF treatment of his ideas.

Heard a lot anbout this when iit came out in hardback last year. Now in paperback, but almost put off by the "the next Da Vince Code" sticker on the cover. Amazon reviews are mixed (mind you they were for Singularity Sky too!)

Should have been put off! Very poor, and it's only the first part of a trilogy so it doesn't even get to a proper ending (or even I suppose the interesting stuff).

Finally got the Locas graphic novel in hardback, all 704 pages off it. Just a beautiful book. I can remember buying the smaller graphic novel collections - Ape Sex, Love & Rockets etc back in the 80s, I even used a Locas image on the front of a (very) limited edition Army communications training manual I did. And for some reason I also remember reading about Maggie and Hopey sat in The Point in Milton Keynes shortly after it opened. Wonderful book, just wonderful.

Some great Locas images at http://www.hoppers13.com/love/black.html

Read heard a lot about this so finally got a copy. About a third of the way through and can't see what all the fuss is about yet.

Dreadful book. Nice set-up (what happens in a bunch of aliens handing out coruncopia machines - machines that make everything and fulfil your every wish - turn up), but it never really exploits it, instead opting for a pointless space-opera.