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'A million years from now, the galaxy is divided between the vast, cooperative meta-civilisation known as the Amalgam, and the silent occupiers of the galactic core known as the Aloof. The Aloof have long rejected all attempts by the Amalgam to enter their territory, but have occasionally permitted travellers to take a perilous ride as unencrypted data in their communications network, providing a short-cut across the galaxy's central bulge. When Rakesh encounters a traveller, Lahl, who claims she was woken by the Aloof on such a journey and shown a meteor full of traces of DNA, he accepts her challenge to try to find the uncharted world deep in the Aloof's territory from which the meteor originated.
'Roi and Zak live inside the Splinter, a world of rock that swims in a sea of light they call the Incandescence. Living on the margins of a rigidly organised society, they seek to decipher the subtle clues that might reveal the true nature of the Splinter. In fact, the Splinter is orbiting a black hole, which is about to capture a neighbouring star, wreaking havoc. As the signs of danger grow, Roi, Zak, and a growing band of recruits struggle to understand and take control of their fate. Meanwhile, Rakesh is gradually uncovering their remote history, and his search for the lost DNA world ultimately leads him to a civilisation trapped in cultural stagnation, and startling revelations about the true nature and motives of the Aloof.' (Publisher's blurb)
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Other Formats
- Sound recording.
Works about this Work
-
Geopolitics in Greg Egan's Science Fiction
2014
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Southerly , vol. 74 no. 1 2014; (p. 186-198) -
Title 'We'll All Change Together': Mathematics as Metaphor in Greg Egan's Fiction
2012
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Mathematics in Popular Culture: Essays on Appearances in Film, Fiction, Games, Television and Other Media 2012; (p. 265-273) -
The Fiction of the Future : Australian Science Fiction
2012
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Sold by the Millions : Australia's Bestsellers 2012; (p. 128-140) 'According to Russell Blackford 'commercial science fiction is the most international of literary forms.' He observes that 'Australian SF continues to flourish, even if it trails heroic fantasy in mass-market appeal.' Australian SF writers although published internationally, with a dedicated fan followings in USA, UK and Europe, were overlooked for a very long time by Australian multinational publishers. The international editions had to be imported and were then distributed in Australia (Congreve and Marquardt 8). Blackford in his chapter throws light on the history of Australian SF and observes how Australian SF writers, with their concern for the future, achieved a powerful synthesis in form and content. The progress of Australian SF, maturity of style in the work of younger writers, and massive worldwide sales make Blackford optimistic as he asserts that 'the best Australian writers in the genre will be prominent players on the world stage.' (Editor's foreword xii-xiii) -
The Field : Reviews
2011
single work
review
— Appears in: SF Commentary : The Independent Magazine About Science Fiction , June no. 81 2011; (p. 22-23)
— Review of Zendegi 2010 single work novel ; Incandescence 2008 single work novel -
Untitled
2009
single work
review
— Appears in: Aurealis : Australian Fantasy & Science Fiction , no. 42 2009; (p. 134-137)
— Review of Incandescence 2008 single work novel ; Quarantine 1992 single work novel
-
Cover Notes
2008
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sunday Age , 27 July 2008; (p. 27)
— Review of Incandescence 2008 single work novel -
Take Three
2008
single work
review
— Appears in: Sunday Canberra Times , 7 September 2008; (p. 26)
— Review of The Daughters of Moab 2008 single work novel ; Incandescence 2008 single work novel -
Untitled
2008
single work
review
— Appears in: The Advertiser , 20 September 2008; (p. 12)
— Review of Incandescence 2008 single work novel -
When Insects Meet Humans, It All Adds Up
2008
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 29-30 November 2008; (p. 39)
— Review of Incandescence 2008 single work novel -
Incandescence and the Digital People
2009
single work
review
— Appears in: Australian Book Review , March no. 309 2009; (p. 45)
— Review of Incandescence 2008 single work novel -
An Interview with Greg Egan
Russell Blackford
(interviewer),
2009
single work
interview
— Appears in: Aurealis : Australian Fantasy & Science Fiction , no. 42 2009; (p. 16-23) -
An Interview with Greg Egan
Simon Petrie
(interviewer),
2008
single work
interview
— Appears in: Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine , no. 36 2008; (p. 85-88) -
The Fiction of the Future : Australian Science Fiction
2012
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Sold by the Millions : Australia's Bestsellers 2012; (p. 128-140) 'According to Russell Blackford 'commercial science fiction is the most international of literary forms.' He observes that 'Australian SF continues to flourish, even if it trails heroic fantasy in mass-market appeal.' Australian SF writers although published internationally, with a dedicated fan followings in USA, UK and Europe, were overlooked for a very long time by Australian multinational publishers. The international editions had to be imported and were then distributed in Australia (Congreve and Marquardt 8). Blackford in his chapter throws light on the history of Australian SF and observes how Australian SF writers, with their concern for the future, achieved a powerful synthesis in form and content. The progress of Australian SF, maturity of style in the work of younger writers, and massive worldwide sales make Blackford optimistic as he asserts that 'the best Australian writers in the genre will be prominent players on the world stage.' (Editor's foreword xii-xiii) -
Title 'We'll All Change Together': Mathematics as Metaphor in Greg Egan's Fiction
2012
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Mathematics in Popular Culture: Essays on Appearances in Film, Fiction, Games, Television and Other Media 2012; (p. 265-273) -
Geopolitics in Greg Egan's Science Fiction
2014
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Southerly , vol. 74 no. 1 2014; (p. 186-198)
Awards
- 2009 finalist Locus Awards — SF Novel