The third, biggest and boldest of Swainston’s Castle novels, The Modern World starts to open up the characters’ understanding of the multiversal cosmology within which they live — most forcefully via a tour-de-force chase sequence across worlds variously devastated by contact with the rapacious Insects. It is in some ways a novel about starting to discover a scientific worldview; it’s certainly a novel about coping with change, and coming to terms with a radically decentred perspective of existence. And it’s got a bloody great battle sequence in the final third. What more do you want?
Please email me with your top ten science fiction novels by women from the last ten years (2001-2010). All votes must be received by 23.59 tonight, Sunday 5 December. Your own definition of science fiction applies.
vector-bsfa.com 