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Earth Made Of Glass
Copyright 1998 by
John Barnes
I first read this in 2000 and most recently on the 8th May 2006
Matter transportation, in the guise of the "Springer",
The lost worlds of humanity are still being discovered and
re-united under the benevolent sway of the Thousand Cultures.
For the client worlds, hpwever, the arrival of the Thousand Cultures isn't
without its problems. Yhe planet is no longer isolated - union with the rest of
humanity brings the "Springer", the matter teleportation gateway that allows
one to walk (albeit expensively) from one world to another. Now all of
humanity's varied cultures are just a step away and each rediscovered colony
suffers a major cultural and economic upheaval,
Careful diplomacy is needed to prepare these worlds for their re-entry.
When diplomacy fails, a special government department of trouble-shooters
steps in to mitigate the damage.
On the world of Briand diplomacy is failing fast. The world was settled by
two very different cultures, originally in separate locations. However, following a
natural disaster, both populations are now forced to live in one area. They hate
each other and they are slipping into civil war. The arrival of the
Thousand Cultures is accelerating this process.
Giraut and Margaret Leones are the husband and wife team of trouble-shooters sent in
to try a last minute salvation.
They're certainly going to trigger some changes in the two societies. But the
changes will be violent, deadly and horrifying.
I still can't quite decide whether it's a little boring, but regardless it's
impressive and satisfying. It's just that I never look forward to reading
it but once I've got into it again, it pretty much grips me.
It's a good book, full of perceptive and unusual observation of the characters,
particularlywith respect to Giraut and Margaret's complicated relationship - Giraut remains passionately
in love with his wife Margaret and yet the latter remains convinced that the
dashing Giraut couldn't possibly really love her. There's also the interesting controversial between
Ix and Auvaiyar All the characters have failings with arguable exception of Giraut (but then I'm a guy,
of course).
Loaded on the 15th July 2006.
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