BKFIRDEP.RVW   940225

Tor Books, Tom Doherty Associates, Inc.
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY  10010
"A Fire Upon the Deep", Vinge, 1992, 0-812-51528-5, U$5.99, C$6.99
vinge@saturn.sdsu.edu

Vinge's novel is a well-crafted story which happens to have a very solid
insight into aspects of the current Internet and Usenet.  The plot line has
consistent and well built tension that is maintained right up to the end.  The
characters are interesting and develop in believable ways during the course of
the book.  Some of the plot devices, such as "group" minds connected by
ultrasound links and "zones" within the galaxy wherein the laws of physics
change sufficiently as to allow faster than light travel or disallow rational
thought are strictly fantasy.  Somehow, though, the more outre concepts are
believable, or at least we are willing to suspend disbelief.  Less believable,
perhaps, is that the galactic net is RFC 822 compliant.

(The cover blurb states that this is a classic space opera from the Golden Age
of science fiction.  In many ways this is true: an exciting and swashbuckling
space tale, complete with privateer, but updated, more consistent and
constructed.)

A part of the major plot is activity on the galactic communications net.  This
is not central to the story, and could have been replaced by something else,
but it is remarkably accurate.  There is even mention of the need for antenna
arrays, given the great distances involved (and in spite of faster than light
communications).  OSI fans will be gratified that the presentation layer is
represented by a translation field.  Even some "net types" are identifiable: 
"Twirlip of the Mists" is a relative of all newbies and the ubiquitous B1FF--
and is, appropriately, completely irrelevant to the story.

Some commentators on the Internet have seen, in this story, reference to a type
of "information virus" which infects the thought, and affects the behaviour, of
those to whom it is "told".  This goes a long way beyond the bounds of the
actual text.  We know that a certain force is awakened, and that its sphere of
influence shows startling growth.  We are not, however, told anything at all
about the mechanism.

Ironically, it is the similarity of the galactic net to Usenet that may be
least credible.  An unmoderated net will be culturally very similar.  There is
discussion of the commercial aspects of the net (quite frequently, in fact) but
it is likely that the messages in the book are of the type that could be seen
"piggybacking" on excess bandwidth from other applications.

Enjoyable and recommended.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1994   BKFIRDEP.RVW   940225
 
======================
DECUS Canada Communications, Desktop, Education and Security group newsletters
Editor and/or reviewer ROBERTS@decus.ca, RSlade@sfu.ca, Rob Slade at 1:153/733
Author "Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses" (Oct. '94) Springer-Verlag