The Lifecycle of Software Objects Review

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(More customer reviews)Everything else I've read by Ted Chiang has been a slam-dunk work of genius, where all the conceptual threads get tied up in some amazing way. This book is not like that, which is both good and bad. The conceptual stuff here isn't as unique as in his previous work - this territory has been mined, in various ways, going at least as far back as the Asimov robot novels. Nonetheless, Chiang gives an interesting spin on it. The strength of the book is that it sets up a scenario that feels much more real and grounded in human emotion and motivation than his other works have been - more so than most contemporary science fiction, for that matter. The problem is, we don't actually get the character development that the story cries out for. This is a story that, unlike his previous stories, doesn't actually fully work as a conceptual sketch, despite the rich possibilities hinted at. Maybe Chiang has outgrown the short story format, and for some reason hasn't elected to take the plunge into a true novel, which this could easily have been, and a great one at that. So let me throw out some unsolicited advice: Ted, quit your day job and go for it. If this is what your sketch of a novel looks like, I'm already sold on the real thing.

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Center of Gravity: Star Carrier: Book Two Review

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(More customer reviews)If you haven't read Book 1 of this series, I highly recommend you read Earth Strike: Star Carrier: Book One first to make sure you are up to speed on the characters and their background as the author draws on a lot of the personal relationships, as well as to make sure just who the heck the bad guys are.
This book pick right up where the first one left off, and it is pretty much non-stop action with good character dialogue. I also like how he brings you along on the technological front, which makes the light drive systems more believable. You know you're reading an intriguing . thought-proviking book when you dream about some of the technologies like I did - I wouldn't mind having a replicator!
About the only drawback I have with the book is the different alien names as it was hard for me to keep them all straight. There is a lot of repitition to his other series with idiotic politicians and similar characteristics of the soldier heroes but it's not that big of a deal to me.
Bottom line is this is a good story - well worth the investment on my Kindle. Now, how much longer do we have to wait for the next book in the series?

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In the evolution of every sentient race, there is a turning point when the species achieves transcendence through technology.

The warlike Sh'daar are determined that this monumental milestone will never be achieved by the creatures known as human.

On the far side of known human space, the Marines are under siege, battling the relentless servant races of the Sh'daar aggressor. With a task force stripped to the bone and the Terran Confederation of States racked by dissent, rogue Admiral Alexander Koenig must make the momentous decision that will seal his fate and the fate of humankind. A strong defensive posture is futile, so Koenig will seize the initiative and turn the gargantuan Star Carrier America toward the unknown. For the element of surprise is the only hope of stalling the Sh'daar assault on Earth's solar system-and the war for humankind's survival must be taken directly to the enemy.

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The Lights in the Tunnel: Automation, Accelerating Technology and the Economy of the Future Review

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(More customer reviews)Other reviewers have summarized the book in detail, so I won't. I'll just emphasize the bottom line:
Machines are fast approaching humans in terms of *mental* labor capacity, not just *physical* labor capacity. In the past as machines took over much of our physical labor, we were then free to turn to more valuable mental labor. But once machines take over much of our mental labor, then what do we turn to for employment?
The author makes a very compelling case that this situation will arise, and likely within the next few decades. And he also lays out some rather bold suggestions to delay the shock of the resulting high unemployment and allow us to transition to an inevitably new type of economy as smoothly as possible. Though, even with these suggestions, I expect this transition is not likely to be smooth.
This book is a very important, frank discussion of a pending time-bomb for our precious mass market economy. Read it and recommend it to others. And think about how you and your family and friends will manage the forthcoming transition.

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What will the economy of the future look like? Where will advancing technology, job automation, outsourcing and globalization lead? This groundbreaking book by a Silicon Valley computer engineer explores these questions and shows how accelerating technology is likely to have a highly disruptive influence on our economy in the near future--and may well already be a significant factor in the current global crisis. THE LIGHTS IN THE TUNNEL employs a powerful thought experiment to explore the economy of the future.An imaginary "tunnel of lights" is used to visualize the economic implications of the new technologies that are likely to appear in the coming years and decades. The book directly challenges conventional views of the future and illuminates the danger that lies ahead if we do not plan for the impact of rapidly advancing technology. It also shows how the economic realities of the future might offer solutions to issues such as poverty and climate change.

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