Manifold: Origin

by Stephen Baxter | Science Fiction & Fantasy |
ISBN: 0345430808 Global Overview for this book
Registered by TomHl of Pewaukee, Wisconsin USA on 7/21/2004
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1 journaler for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by TomHl from Pewaukee, Wisconsin USA on Wednesday, July 21, 2004
from the back cover...

In the year 2015, astronaut Reid Malenfant is flying over the African continent, intent on examining a mysterious glowing construct in Earth's orbit. But when the very fabric of the sky tears open, spilling living creatures to the ground and pulling others inside (including his wife, Emma), Malenfant's quest to uncover the unknown becomes personal. While desperately searching to discover what happened to the woman he loves, Malenfant embarks upon an adventure to the very fount of human development, on Earth and beyond.

I received this book in trade through www.sf-books.com, from a member in Alberta. This is the third in the Manifold series -
1) Manifold: Time
2) Manifold: Space
3) Manifold: Origin

Journal Entry 2 by TomHl from Pewaukee, Wisconsin USA on Sunday, January 23, 2005
This third Manifold novel starts in time about half-way between the first two, in 2015. But that doesn't really matter because they are all three set in universes parallel to each other, and could each stand alone. In this version, Malenfant and his wife Emma are separated when she is thrown onto the Red Moon, which suddenly replaces our own familiar Luna one day. She survives, interacting with the local hominid peoples, while Malenfant mounts a NASA expedition to rescue her with the help of Nemoto. Parallel versions of each of these characters play roles in the first two books. In fact, this book is primarily about Emma, who is nothing more than a tattered photograph in Manifold:Space.

I found this story, unlike the first two, to be quite gory, with abundant descriptions of rape, torture, and cannibalism. I'm not sure if all that was necessary - except to show the pervasiveness of that across all the hominid species, and how it is a factor in evolution. The portrayal of Michael Praisegod, whose culture if not biology is close to our own, shows the use of more modern cultural institutions such as religion are not proof against the brutality.

Thematically, I think the hominid species can be categorized into two camps - with most in a static stagnant relationship with the universe, while a few are growth and expansion oriented. Baxter's position seems to be that both are flawed. With an infinity of time and space to play out to their logical outcomes, it's hard to find much ultimate hope - other than local and temporary happiness along the way.

Overall, I have to say that Baxter's Evolution is a more satisfying and enjoyable exploration of the concept of past and future evolution than this, although this one needs to be seen in the context of the series it is a part of.

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