Seveneves
Amazing hard worldbuilding from a lunatic seed: 'what would happen if the moon just blew up?' You will stomach pages of physical exposition before scenes can occur, but it isn't superfluous. First two-thirds are psychologically convincing: you will ball your fists at the politics. (By which I mean treachery and irrationality.)
He does railroad a couple of plot points - e.g. it is taken for granted that a psychopathic war criminal has every right to an equal share of the genetic future. And the last third's extrapolation of 5000 years of cultural creep is less formally ambitious than e.g. Cloud Atlas.
First two-thirds 4*/5, last third 3/5.
[Theory #1, Theory #2, Theory #4, Values #2]
***
How does it do as Serious science fiction?
Social development: Lots, though the races that develop are primary-coloured and fantastical, including a fantastical war.
Software development: A little bit, particularly Dinah's cool claytronics.
Actual Science: Plenty, with the lone exception of the initial moonburst.
He does railroad a couple of plot points - e.g. it is taken for granted that a psychopathic war criminal has every right to an equal share of the genetic future. And the last third's extrapolation of 5000 years of cultural creep is less formally ambitious than e.g. Cloud Atlas.
First two-thirds 4*/5, last third 3/5.
[Theory #1, Theory #2, Theory #4, Values #2]
***
How does it do as Serious science fiction?
Social development: Lots, though the races that develop are primary-coloured and fantastical, including a fantastical war.
Software development: A little bit, particularly Dinah's cool claytronics.
Actual Science: Plenty, with the lone exception of the initial moonburst.