Science Fiction: Rainbow`s End - So Much Technology, So Little Talent

 (Drivebycuriosity) - Vernor Vinge belongs to the stars on the firmament of America`s science fiction scene ( wikipedia). The author has a reputation for popularizing the idea of continuously accelerating change. This drew my attention to his novel "Rainbow`s End ", published in 2006, which earned the Hugo Award (amazon ). The plot is set in San Diego in the year 2025.

I was disappointed. The book has some interesting technological ideas but the novel reads like a young adult book. The confusing story circles around a grandpa who is recovering from Alzheimer thanks to technological progress (Beavis & Butt-Head would love him). There are also a lot of teens plus 3 intelligence agents who are officially working for "The Great Powers". The plot happens often in school classes of course, sometimes in the school library, and sometimes a virtual rabbits appears. It doesn`t help that Vinge is obsessed with puerile acronyms like a fictional "YCBM technology" - "You-Gotta-Believe-Me". No I don´t!

Vinge does not play in the league of Ted Chiang, Nancy Kress, Liu Cixin, Greg Benford or Alastair Reynolds. One chapter is called "So much technology, so little talent". A very good description of the whole book. Giving this novel the Hugo Award is like awarding a Michelin star to McDonald's.