The Long Earth
Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter. Harper Voyager, $24.99 (400p) ISBN 978-0-06-206775-3
In this thought-provoking collaboration, Pratchett (the Discworld series) and Baxter (Stone Spring) create an infinity of worlds to explore. A revolutionary process known as Stepping has allowed humanity access to an unlimited number of parallel Earths, all devoid of human life. The further one travels, the stranger the variant worlds become. Joshua Valiente, one of a rare breed who can Step without external help, is hired by the transEarth Institute to travel by airship across the Long Earth, exploring as far as possible. Accompanied by Lobsang, a Tibetan reincarnated as an artificial intelligence, he journeys across millions of Earths, discovering just what sort of bizarre secrets lurk in the farthest reaches. The slow-burning plot plays second fiddle to the fascinating premise, and the authors seem to have more fun developing backstory and concepts than any real tension. An abrupt conclusion comes as an unwelcome end to this tale of exploration. (July)
Details
Reviewed on: 05/28/2012
Release date: 06/01/2012
Genre: Fiction
Hardcover - 400 pages - 9780857520098
Mass Market Paperbound - 418 pages - 9780062068682
Mass Market Paperbound - 400 pages - 9780552167239
Paperback - 400 pages - 9780857520104
Hardcover - 400 pages - 9780857521460
Open Ebook - 432 pages - 9781446465738
Paperback - 400 pages - 9780552164085
Hardcover - 336 pages - 9780062067753
Other - 432 pages - 9780062067760
Compact Disc - 10 pages - 9780792788058
Audio book sample courtesy of HarperAudio