Review: “Rainbows End,” by Vernor Vinge

This is my first experience reading Vinge and I’m excited by the possibility of picking up a few more of his books. “Rainbows End” opens fantastically, intertwining thoughts on politics, scientific research, psychology and technology into an unholy amalgamation which sets the story cranking. While not quite the frenetic pace of the opening scenes in “Snow Crash,” it was darned close - a slightly dystopian vision of technology-enabled society and its impact upon our collective consciousness. This society is one never-ending stream of interruptions and threats. Real-world protests occurring for millions of fans while a small group of government spooks investigate the possibility of a terrible new weapon.

The July 18 Pseudomimi and the advertising at the football match - together they amounted to an extremely well disguised test of a new weapon concept. In its developed form, such a weapon would make the Sunrise Plague look like a malignant toy. At the least, biological warfare would become as precise and surprising as bullets and bombs: slyly infect a population with the slow random spread of disease, all but undetected, and then bam, blind or maim or kill - singly with an email, or by the billions with a broadcast, too quickly for any possible “defense against disease.”

Unfortunately, after about the first 100 pages or so, the story becomes a bit derailed and tired, eventually chugging to a stop after a lackluster climax. The characters all have Dickensian quirks but lack depth. The plot is an artificial structure made only to hold the ideas which are indeed dazzling. The writing is lyrical and sharp. While this is all good enough, it’s not great. It’s recommended only for those singularity/futurist types who really lap this stuff up.

Does anyone have a suggestion as to which Vinge I should try next? They’re all open game… If you do, please post it in the comments.