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mazda wrote on Mon, 10 May 2004 11:44

I've just had a "flashback" to a story I read about 10 years ago and thought this would be a good place to ask for help identifying the book. The primary storyline revolved around some perfect spheres that were used to trap objects to freeze them in time inside the spheres. The spheres were some kind of "event horizon" and reflected perfectly any radiation from their surfaces - like the heat of your hand if you touched them. In the end I think that the "good guys" figured out how to create spheres that would decay just when they wanted them too. I have vague memories of the book starting with a jet fighter that was "cut" by a sphere, and also people firing guns that could hit one target with one bullet, whilst firing rapidly, or am I mixing up two books ? Anyone any ideas ? Cheers, M

Ha! I remember this one, read this years ago! Remembering this stuff made my flesh creep!
Hm, I'll have to look this up but from memory the first book was called in Dutch "Vredesoorlog" which means "War of Peace" rougly translated (because that war ended all wars, most military installiatons were captured in spheres)... Let's see if I can dig up the orignial titel ... the writer is ATM a blank spot in my memory but it will come to me soon ...

You are right about the jet fighter that was cut by a sphere!
Not sure about the "one bullet/one target" ... aren't you talking about chaff? "one missile/one kill"

There was a second book, played many many years in the future where people used those spheres to "travell forward in time" (no way to return), that book was more like a detective ...

In the second book if someone would capture another in a sphere it was not considered a real murder (since the captured person was still alive inside the sphere and would come out off it unharmed years later, which could be 100's of years) so the punishement was to also capture the "murderer

[Updated on: Mon, 10 May 2004 07:30]

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Got it!

VINGE, Vernor - "The Peace War"

(I knew his name started with a V it's just that the name "Vonnegut (Kurt)" kept coming back in my head but I knew it wasn't him, just couldn't think of another name)

Second book might be "Across Realtime" but I'm not sure, I don't remember the Dutch title ... so can't compair, but the cover shows a sphere ...

mch

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Second book could be "Marooned in realtime" (the lead character "marooned" several 100 years in the future after he got "murdered" with a sphere), not "Across Realtime", so there seems to be a thrid one? (or just confusing titles ... )

mch

[Edit: should have looked first and answered all in one post. Sorry. Just got on a role, I love reading SF, I just can't find the time to read a lot anymore. Probably should cut down in playing Stars! ...]

[Updated on: Mon, 10 May 2004 07:29]

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Micha wrote on Mon, 10 May 2004 07:28

Second book could be "Marooned in realtime" (the lead character "marooned" several 100 years in the future after he got "murdered" with a sphere), not "Across Realtime", so there seems to be a thrid one? (or just confusing titles ... ) mch [Edit: should have looked first and answered all in one post. Sorry. Just got on a role, I love reading SF, I just can't find the time to read a lot anymore. Probably should cut down in playing Stars! ...]

Vernor Vinge is right.

"Across Realtime" is a collection that has _The Peace War_,
_Marooned in Realtime_ and a third story all in one volume. The first two are referred to as the "bobble stories" in some circles since "bobbles" are the nickname for the null-time spheres.

His other work is quite good as well. _A Fire Upon the Deep_ and _A Deepness in the Sky_ are both recommended.

(The latter features the "Childrens' Hour of Science" - which is the name basis for the CHoS series of games I hosted. )

- Kurt

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Thanks a lot. I knew this was the best place to ask.
I'll put the book and the author on my "shopping list".

M

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A Fire Upon the Deep, A Deepness in the Sky, and Across Realtime are all well worth reading (the former two are excellent, the latter very good). His earlier books - at least those that I've read - have been mediocre at best. Can't wait to see what else he'll come out with now that he seems to have figured out what he's doing.

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