A Fire Upon the Deep (Zones of Thought, #1)

by Vernor Vinge

[Quirky Cat]

Summary:

In a distant future, myriad races populate a cosmos where mental prowess aligns with spatial coordinates, spanning from the sublime intellects of the Transcend to the rudimentary faculties of the Unthinking Depths. It doesn't take long for chaos and bloodshed to fall upon the galaxy.

Amidst the chaos, a family of scholars, with their offspring, becomes ensnared by the Tines, a medieval alien society embroiled in Machiavellian machinations. Now, a diverse coalition, not solely human, embarks on a daring mission to retrieve the abducted children and safeguard clandestine knowledge crucial for the preservation of the galactic order.

Review:

A Fire Upon the Deep is the read for you if you love complex science fiction novels full of battles and space-wide politics. In truth, this book took me a bit longer to get through than I'd like to admit (and let's not even talk about how long it had been on my TBR, okay?).

What I liked the most about A Fire Upon the Deep is that it had that right blend of new and old. Some core concepts felt familiar (especially the Blight and similar characters/themes), while others felt entirely new and original. By mixing the two together, we can focus on the newer (to us) elements, which is always nice.

Likewise, there's so much to learn about the characters and zones within this world (er, universe). I'm still not sure that I grasped all of it. I'll have to look up a guide before even considering diving into the next of the series (as a refresher).

Highlights:
Science Fiction
Space Opera
Galactic War

Thanks to Tor Science Fiction and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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