New Releases by David Brin

In this classic hard science fiction-thriller by the New York Times–bestselling author of Startide Rising, a man-made black hole threatens the future of Earth. Scientist Alex Lustig has created a tiny, yet very destructive, problem—a microscopic black hole that he accidentally dropped into Earth''s core. Now, racing to keep it from consuming the planet, he begins to suspect something even stranger is going on. Something linked to civilization''s expanding information web. And with the planet overpopulated and neglect taking its toll on the environment, there are those who demand a harsh solution: that Mother Earth would be better off without humanity at all . . . A Finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Novel "The Moby-Dick of the whole Earth movement." — Locus "A powerful, cautionary tale." — San Francisco Chronicle "Brin has conceived his story on a supremely ambitious scale, and executed it with all of the skills at his command." — Chicago Sun-Times "It is indeed a book that anyone interested in the survival of our terrifying species should read." —Interzone

Can science fiction--especially sci-fi cinema--save the world? It already has, many times. Retired officers testify that films like Doctor Strangelove, Fail-Safe, On the Beach and War Games provoked changes and helped prevent accidental war. Soylent Green and Silent Running recruited millions of environmental activists. The China Syndrome and countless movies about plagues helped bring attention to those failure modes. And the grand-daddy of "self-preventing prophecy"--Nineteen Eighty-Four--girded countless citizens to stay wary of Big Brother. It''s not been all dire warnings. While optimism is much harder to dramatize than apocalypse, both large and small screens have also encouraged millions to lift their gaze, contemplating how we might get better, incrementally, or else raise grandchildren worthy of the stars. Come along on a quirky quest for unusual insights into the power of forward-looking media. How the romantic allure of feudalism tugs at men and women who benefited vastly from modernity. Or explore why almost every Hollywood film preaches Suspicion of Authority, along with tolerance, diversity and personal eccentricity, and how those messages helped keep us free. No one is spared scrutiny! Not Spielberg or Tolkien or Cameron or Costner... nor Dune or demigods or zombie flicks. Certainly not George Lucas or Ayn Rand! Though some critiques are offered from a lifetime of respect and love... and gratitude.

Doppelgänger mit Verfallsdatum Stellen Sie sich vor, Sie könnten eine Kopie Ihres Körpers anfertigen lassen – eine Kopie, die genauso aussieht, genauso handelt und genauso denkt wie Sie. Eine Kopie jedoch, deren Lebenszeit auf wenige Stunden begrenzt ist. Was würden Sie mit dieser Kopie tun? Oder anders gefragt: Was würde diese Kopie mit Ihnen tun? Albert Morris ist Privatdetektiv. Unangenehme oder gefährliche Recherchen überlässt er den Ditos, seinen Kopien, die zwar über seine Erinnerungen verfügen, aber nur 24 Stunden lang überleben. Als Yosil Maharal, einer der Mitbegründer des Konzerns, der die Rohlinge für die Ditos herstellt, erst spurlos verschwindet und dann tot aufgefunden wird, beauftragt dessen Tochter Ritu Morris mit den Ermittlungen. Sie ist davon überzeugt, dass ihr Vater ermordet wurde. Als Morris‘ Ditos anfangen, sich eigenartig zu benehmen, ahnt er, dass weit mehr hinter der Geschichte steckt als nur ein Mord ...

Dans une Amérique sombre et violente issue d''une guerre dévastatrice, Gordon est un comédien errant, troquant des histoires contre nourriture et un toit provisoire. Jusqu''à cette froide nuit d''hiver où il endosse la veste d''un facteur depuis longtemps décédé. Car le vieil uniforme est un symbole qui fera renaître l''espoir chez ceux qui survivent encore dans quelques communautés isolées. Héros malgré lui, il sera obligé de les défendre contre des forcenés ennemis des valeurs civilisées. « Un livre exaltant qui contient tout, de l''action palpitante à des moments doux d''intimité finement décrits. » Locus « Ce roman va vous absorber jusqu''à la dernière page. » Chicago Tribune

Anomale Welten Dem Physiker Dennis Nuel gelingt es, in eine Parallelwelt vorzustoßen. Sie ähnelt der unseren auf erstaunliche Weise, nur scheinen dort ein paar unserer vertrauten Naturgesetze keine Gültigkeit zu besitzen: Schwerter werden nicht stumpf, wenn man sie benutzt, sondern schärfer; Werkzeuge nutzen sich nicht ab, sondern erreichen erst nach und nach ihre volle Effektivität. Dieses Phänomen wird als „Übungseffekt“ bezeichnet, doch was – oder wer – löst es aus?

The River of Time brings together twelve of David Brin''s finest stories, including "The Crystal Spheres," which won the Hugo Award for Best Science Fiction Short Story in 1985. Here are powerful tales of heroism and humanity, playful excursions into realms of fancy, and profound meditations on time, memory, and our place in the universe. Who guides our fate? And can we ever hope to wrest control for ourselves? "The Crystal Spheres" offers a fantastic explanation for the Great Silence. Instead of being latecomers, might humanity have come upon the scene too early? "The Loom of Thessaly" merges classical mythology with impudent modern spirit in a science-fiction classic that speculates on the nature of reality. "Thor Meets Captain America" offers an alternate history exploring a chilling scenario behind the Holocaust. In this parallel world, the Nazis narrowly avoid defeat in World War II when they are championed by the gods of the Norse Pantheon. Sample these and other speculations into the future of humanity in The River of Time. Table of Contents: "The Crystal Spheres" "The Loom of Thessaly" "The Fourth Vocation of George Gustaf" "Senses Three and Six" "Toujours Voir" "A Stage of Memory" "Just a Hint" "Tank Farm Dynamo" "Thor Meets Captain America" "Lungfish" "News from 2025" "The River of Time"

Wer gab der Menschheit "Starthilfe"? Schon längst ist die Menschheit nicht mehr die einzige intelligente Spezies auf dem Planeten. Als die Menschen ins Weltall vorstoßen und auf andere hoch entwickelte Zivilisationen treffen, ergeben sich allerdings Fragen: Hat sich die Intelligenz der Menschen von selbst entwickelt, oder wurden sie »upgeliftet«? Wenn ja, von wem? Eine Mission ins Herz der Sonne soll Antworten geben ...

In a future world dominated by a neural-link web where people can tune into live events and revolutions can be instantly sparked, an active alien communication device is discovered in orbit around the Earth, triggering an international upheaval of fear, hope and violence.

Hugo and Nebula award-winning author David Brin is one of the most eloquent, imaginative voices in science fiction. Now he returns with a new novel rich in texture, universal in theme, monumental in scope--pushing the genre to new heights. Young Maia is fast approaching a turning point in her life. As a half-caste var, she must leave the clan home of her privileged half sisters and seek her fortune in the world. With her twin sister, Leie, she searches the docks of Port Sanger for an apprenticeship aboard the vessels that sail the trade routes of the Stratoin oceans. On her far-reaching, perilous journey of discovery, Maia will endure hardship and hunger, imprisonment and loneliness, bloody battles with pirates and separation from her twin. And along the way, she will meet a traveler who has come an unimaginable distance--and who threatens the delicate balance of the Stratoins'' carefully maintained, perfect society.... Both exciting and insightful, Glory Season is a major novel, a transcendent saga of the human spirit.

NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE • “A moving experience . . . a powerful cautionary tale.”—Whitley Strieber He was a survivor—a wanderer who traded tales for food and shelter in the dark and savage aftermath of a devastating war. Fate touches him one chill winter’s day when he borrows the jacket of a long-dead postal worker to protect himself from the cold. The old, worn uniform still has power as a symbol of hope, and with it he begins to weave his greatest tale, of a nation on the road to recovery. This is the story of a lie that became the most powerful kind of truth. A timeless novel as urgently compelling as War Day or Alas, Babylon, David Brin’s The Postman is the dramatically moving saga of a man who rekindled the spirit of America through the power of a dream, from a modern master of science fiction. “The Postman will keep you engrossed until you’ve finished the last page.”—Chicago Tribune

In a universe filled with habitable worlds why have we had no contact with extraterrestrial intelligence? David Brin''s short story, "The Crystal Spheres," offers a fantastic explanation for the Great Silence. Instead of being late-comers - might humanity have come upon the scene too early? This haunting tale was voted one of the "most beautiful" of the eighties. Winner of the 1985 Hugo Award.

David Brin''s Uplift novels are among the most thrilling and extraordinary science fiction ever written. Sundiver, Startide Rising, and The Uplift War--a New York Times bestseller--together make up one of the most beloved sagas of all time. Brin''s tales are set in a future universe in which no species can reach sentience without being "uplifted" by a patron race. But the greatest mystery of all remains unsolved: who uplifted humankind? The Terran exploration vessel Streaker has crashed in the uncharted water world of Kithrup, bearing one of the most important discoveries in galactic history. Below, a handful of her human and dolphin crew battles armed rebellion and a hostile planet to safeguard her secret--the fate of the Progenitors, the fabled First Race who seeded wisdom throughout the stars.

The award-winning Uplift novels comprise one of the greatest achievements in science fiction history. Dramatic, thought-provoking, and inventive, these books describe a fully realized world rich in character, detail, and ideas. Now Uplift author David Brin collaborates with acclaimed artist Kevin Lenagh to compile the definitive guide to the species, societies, and technology of one of the greatest feats of literary world-building ever accomplished. CONTACTING ALIENS Here in the form of a handbook for Terran field agents is a detailed look at Uplift’s many alien races--from the friendly Tymbrimi to the warlike Tandu, from the wise and enigmatic Kanten to the fiercely reptilian Soro, from the bureaucratic Hoon to the manipulative Thennanin--their physiology, psychology, history; their clans and alliances; and their shifting attitudes toward Earth and its representatives. Here, too, is a history of Earth’s contact and challenging interactions with the mysterious and powerful Civilization of Five Galaxies, a look at its institutions, languages, and customs, plus a time line of momentous events going back 3 billion years. For the millions of fans of the Uplift novels, this long-awaited guide will be an essential reference work, filled with vital information and never-before-seen illustrations that reveal, for the first time in one volume, the keys to the ambitious vision and bold speculation of the Uplift universe.

David Brin’s Uplift novels—Sundiver, Hugo award winner The Uplift War, and Hugo and Nebula winner Startide Rising—are among the most thrilling and extraordinary science fiction tales ever written. Now David Brin returns to this future universe for a new Uplift trilogy, packed with adventure, passion and wit. The planet Jijo is forbidden to settlers, its ecology protected by guardians of the Five Galaxies. But over the centuries it has been resettled, populated by refugees of six intelligent races. Together they have woven a new society in the wilderness, drawn together by their fear of Judgment Day, when the Five Galaxies will discover their illegal colony. Then a strange starship arrives on Jijo. Does it bring the long-dreaded judgment, or worse—a band of criminals willing to destroy the six races of Jijo in order to cover their own crimes?

Winner of the Nebula and Hugo Awards, David Brin brings his bestselling Uplift series to a magnificent conclusion with his most imaginative and powerful novel to date--the shattering epic of a universe poised on the brink of revelation...or annihilation. The brutal enemy that has relentlessly pursued them for centuries has arrived. Now the fugitive settlers of Jijo--both human and alien--brace for a final confrontation. The Jijoans'' only hope is the Earthship Streaker, crewed by uplifted dolphins and commanded by an untested human. Yet more than just the fate of Jijo hangs in the balance. For Streaker carries a cargo of ancient artifacts that may unlock the secret of those who first brought intelligent life to the Galaxies. Many believe a dire prophecy has come to pass: an age of terrifying changes that could end Galactic civilization. As dozens of white dwarf stars stand ready to explode, the survival of sentient life in the universe rests on the most improbable dream of all--that age-old antagonists of different races can at last recognize the unity of all consciousness.

David Brin''s Uplift novels are among the most thrilling and extraordinary science fiction ever written. Sundiver, Startide Rising, and The Uplift War--a New York Times bestseller--together make up one of the most beloved sagas of all time. Brin''s tales are set in a future universe in which no species can reach sentience without being "uplifted" by a patron race. But the greatest mystery of all remains unsolved: who uplifted humankind? As galactic armadas clash in quest of the ancient fleet of the Progenitors, a brutal alien race seizes the dying planet of Garth. The various uplifted inhabitants of Garth must battle their overlords or face ultimate extinction. At stake is the existence of Terran society and Earth, and the fate of the entire Five Galaxies. Sweeping, brilliantly crafted, inventive and dramatic, The Uplift War is an unforgettable story of adventure and wonder from one of today''s science fiction greats.

The classic apocalyptic novel that stunned the world.

Depuis le Contact avec les Galactiques, les Terriens font figure d''exception. Si les extraterrestres ont tous été initiés par une espèce plus ancienne à laquelle ils doivent obéissance avant de pouvoir eux-mêmes " élever " une nouvelle espèce, il n''y a aucune trace des " parents " de l''humanité. Se peut-il qu''elle ait accédé d''elle-même à la civilisation galactique ? C''est d''autant plus surprenant que l''homme a déjà élevé à la conscience les dauphins et les chimpanzés. Peut-être les patrons de l''humanité se sont-ils réfugiés au cœur du Soleil où d''étranges troupeaux de magnétovores ont été observés ? C''est ce que vont tenter de découvrir Jacob Demwa et les membres extraterrestres du Projet Plongée Solaire. Premier volume du Cycle de l''Elévation, jusqu''au cœur du Soleil est un roman de science-fiction haletant, où suspense, rigueur scientifique et réflexion se côtoient.

This cutting edge science fiction anthology features stories by award-winning authors who imagine what would happen if the vastness of cyberspace was replaced by things surprising and strange. Authors include Stephen Baxter, David Brin, and S.M. Stirling.

In a perilous future where disposable duplicate bodies fulfill every legal and illicit whim of their decadent masters, life is cheap. No one knows that better than Albert Morris, a brash investigator with a knack for trouble, who has sent his own duplicates into deadly peril more times than he cares to remember. But when Morris takes on a ring of bootleggers making illegal copies of a famous actress, he stumbles upon a secret so explosive it has incited open warfare on the streets of Dittotown. Dr. Yosil Maharal, a brilliant researcher in artificial intelligence, has suddenly vanished, just as he is on the verge of a revolutionary scientific breakthrough. Maharal''s daughter, Ritu, believes he has been kidnapped-or worse. Aeneas Polom, a reclusive trillionaire who appears in public only through his high-priced platinum duplicates, offers Morris unlimited resources to locate Maharal before his awesome discovery falls into the wrong hands. To uncover the truth, Morris must enter a shadowy, nightmare world of ghosts and golems where nothing -and no one-is what they seem, memory itself is suspect, and the line between life and death may no longer exist. David Brin''s Kiln People is a 2003 Hugo Award Nominee for Best Novel. At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Retenu prisonnier dans les cavernes d''acier de la planète, Hari Seldon sait que sa Seconde Fondation poursuit secrètement son oeuvre depuis la lointaine planète Terminus et qu''elle est en sûreté entre les mains des " Cinquante ". Il s''apprête à mourir en paix avec le sentiment du devoir accompli lorsqu''il a vent d''une nouvelle théorie susceptible d''expliquer l''émergence des Mondes Chaos qui menacent sa fondation. S''évadant en compagnie d''un pirate et d''une jolie passagère clandestine, il parcourt la galaxie en quête de la réponse à ce qu''il croit être l''ultime question. Il ne trouve qu''une nasse où les ambitions, les doutes et les traîtrises se donnent libre cours. La Fondation secrète elle-même est menacée : les " Cinquante ", avec leurs terrifiants pouvoirs mentalistes, parviendront-ils à assurer l''avenir de l''humanité ? La Seconde Fondation ne risque-t-elle pas, après des succès initiaux, de succomber aux puissances du chaos qui harcèlent - et séduisent tant - Hari Seldon ?

In New York and Baltimore, police cameras scan public areas twenty-four hours a day. Huge commercial databases track you finances and sell that information to anyone willing to pay. Host sites on the World Wide Web record every page you view, and “smart” toll roads know where you drive. Every day, new technology nibbles at our privacy.Does that make you nervous? David Brin is worried, but not just about privacy. He fears that society will overreact to these technologies by restricting the flow of information, frantically enforcing a reign of secrecy. Such measures, he warns, won''t really preserve our privacy. Governments, the wealthy, criminals, and the techno-elite will still find ways to watch us. But we''ll have fewer ways to watch them. We''ll lose the key to a free society: accountability.The Transparent Society is a call for “reciprocal transparency.” If police cameras watch us, shouldn''t we be able to watch police stations? If credit bureaus sell our data, shouldn''t we know who buys it? Rather than cling to an illusion of anonymity-a historical anomaly, given our origins in close-knit villages-we should focus on guarding the most important forms of privacy and preserving mutual accountability. The biggest threat to our freedom, Brin warns, is that surveillance technology will be used by too few people, now by too many.A society of glass houses may seem too fragile. Fearing technology-aided crime, governments seek to restrict online anonymity; fearing technology-aided tyranny, citizens call for encrypting all data. Brins shows how, contrary to both approaches, windows offer us much better protection than walls; after all, the strongest deterrent against snooping has always been the fear of being spotted. Furthermore, Brin argues, Western culture now encourages eccentricity-we''re programmed to rebel! That gives our society a natural protection against error and wrong-doing, like a body''s immune system. But “social T-cells” need openness to spot trouble and get the word out. The Transparent Society is full of such provocative and far-reaching analysis.The inescapable rush of technology is forcing us to make new choices about how we want to live. This daring book reminds us that an open society is more robust and flexible than one where secrecy reigns. In an era of gnat-sized cameras, universal databases, and clothes-penetrating radar, it will be more vital than ever for us to be able to watch the watchers. With reciprocal transparency we can detect dangers early and expose wrong-doers. We can gauge the credibility of pundits and politicians. We can share technological advances and news. But all of these benefits depend on the free, two-way flow of information.