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'Starting with Vernor Vinge's concept of the Technological Singularity (the moment when machines begin to evolve without human assistance or restraint), Broderick takes three people at the end of this century toward the technological/biological apocalypse, beginning with Abdel-Malik, a Lebanese-born judge. In 2004, Malik is murdered, reanimated about 70 years later, and now rules on the fate of humans in an era when the race has given control of its destiny to the Aleph, a godlike, continuously evolving AI. Amanda, a near-thirtysomething adolescent who plays a great violin, can hack into any communications system and was caught breaking into a mag-lev freighter terminal with her boyfriend Vik as part of a failed attempt to hitch a ride on these superfast underground trains. Malik confines her to her home, takes away her communications and Mall visitation privileges, but Amanda hacks through and, using robot bees, gets the attention of Mathewmark, a product of a severely isolated, kind of latter-day–Mennonite compound in which all technology is banned. Mathewmark agrees to help Amanda and Vik sneak down a mag-lev ventilator shaft inside the compound, but ends up almost dying when their plans go awry. Malik rules that Amanda must take care of Mathewmark, whose brain is now rebuilt of computer circuitry and has extraordinary abilities that lead them to discover the apocalyptic event the Aleph has planned to take everyone to the next evolutionary step.'
Source: Kirkus Reviews (https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/damien-broderick/transcension/). (Sighted: 23/6/2014)
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
-
Scanners
2010
single work
review
— Appears in: SF Commentary : The Independent Magazine About Science Fiction , August no. 80 2010; (p. 86-87)
— Review of Transcension 2002 single work novel -
Science Fiction
2003
single work
review
— Appears in: Canberra Sunday Times , 14 September 2003; (p. 19)
— Review of Transcension 2002 single work novel ; Agog! Fantastic Fiction : 29 Tales of Fantasy, Imagination and Wonder 2002 anthology short story ; Wonder Years : The Ten Best Stories From a Decade Past 2003 anthology short story -
From Potter to Cant of the Future
2003
single work
review
— Appears in: The Courier-Mail , 23 August 2003; (p. 6) -
God-Like Possibilities
2003
single work
review
— Appears in: The Advertiser , 12 July 2003; (p. 11)
— Review of Transcension 2002 single work novel -
Science Fiction
2003
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 7 June 2003; (p. 6)
— Review of Transcension 2002 single work novel
-
Untitled
2002
single work
review
— Appears in: Aurealis : Australian Fantasy & Science Fiction , no. 30 2002; (p. 132-134)
— Review of Transcension 2002 single work novel -
Science Fiction
2003
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 7 June 2003; (p. 6)
— Review of Transcension 2002 single work novel -
God-Like Possibilities
2003
single work
review
— Appears in: The Advertiser , 12 July 2003; (p. 11)
— Review of Transcension 2002 single work novel -
Science Fiction
2003
single work
review
— Appears in: Canberra Sunday Times , 14 September 2003; (p. 19)
— Review of Transcension 2002 single work novel ; Agog! Fantastic Fiction : 29 Tales of Fantasy, Imagination and Wonder 2002 anthology short story ; Wonder Years : The Ten Best Stories From a Decade Past 2003 anthology short story -
Scanners
2010
single work
review
— Appears in: SF Commentary : The Independent Magazine About Science Fiction , August no. 80 2010; (p. 86-87)
— Review of Transcension 2002 single work novel -
From Potter to Cant of the Future
2003
single work
review
— Appears in: The Courier-Mail , 23 August 2003; (p. 6)
Awards
- 2003 shortlisted Ditmar Awards — Best Novel
- 2002 winner Aurealis Awards for Excellence in Australian Speculative Fiction — Science Fiction Division — Best Novel