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To Hold Infinity
Copyright 1998 by
John Meaney
I first read this in February 1999 and most recently on the 30th July 2010
On the world of Fulgor, the "Luculenti" are the privileged few who have
undergone the implantation of nano-technology "plexcores". These
plexcores vastly increase their intellectual capabilities and the
Luculenti have become the new aristocracy of their world.
Tetsuo Sunadomari has just been through this process, but he's still
untrained and abuse of the new potential could kill him.
In the meantime, he's trying to support himself by doing a little
business, but business on Fulgor is cut-throat in the extreme, and he's
seriously out of his depth. In a stupid act of desperation, he's stolen
something from some very dangerous people.
Yoshiko is Tetsuo's mother. Her husband has died, and Yoshiko has
decided that she doesn't want to live without him. She leaves Earth for
one last trip: to say farewell to her son.
But when Yoshiko arrives on Fulgor, her son is missing and his house
is in ruins following an armed attack by unknown assailants. So Yoshiko
is going to have to pull herself together and find her son, and Tetsuo
has got to grow up very quickly to survive what's happening to him.
This is very impressive, especially for a first novel. Our protagonists
reveal hidden resources, so hidden that they surprise even themselves.
It's full of excitement, enthralling you from the first chapter. The
writing is excellent, in particular the dialogue - I especially enjoyed
the scenes with Yoshiko and Maggie. Their drunken antics are a delight,
and are convincing. Vin and Tetsuo also are very believable characters.
What's it got? Well, quite a lot so here we go: direct brain to computer
interfacing, faster-than-light travel and communications, electronic
enhancement of intellect, nano-computing, cloning, guns and murder,
mind-rape and Japanese martial arts.
This aobe review was done in June 2001. I've just read the book again
and it was a blast. Only the last few pages seem to wander a little.
Jolly well done, John Meaney
Loaded on the 9th June 2001.
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