Mare Somniorum

“Incandescence” is quite the little trick of a book.  How do you teach relativity to a society that doesn’t seem to pass much beyond our middle ages, if even?  In Egans world, you place them next to a gravity well that’ll make relativity directly effect you.  This is tricky stuff to follow, but the greater trick in “Incandescence” is that it’s so easy to read — on the surface.

You’ll often catch yourself reading a paragraph, and not really notice the subtle physics you’re being confronted with.  Add to this that Egan doesn’t hold many punches (the names of the dimensions, time measurements and other such things) and it’s easy to lose content.  I know I did more than once, requiring rereads of passages.

The main focus of this book has been this half (and it is half the book) that deals with relativity.  But, honestly, the other culture we meet is just as interesting.  Its an Eganesque society only limited by the laws of physics, most notably the speed of light.  The characters we meet and the choices they both do and debate are well done.

It also needs to be said that the way Egan treats the aliens is stellar, they “talk” and only later do you find out what “talking” means from the outside.  Internally they don’t explain how they talk, and why would they?  We don’t see that when Laxness’ characters talk?

“Incandescence” might not blow you away like some of Egans other works, but I think it hits its target quite well.   Its form works well and the writing is quite good for Egan.  Although, it’s hard to evaluate writing.  Could you write a book like this with the vividness of Gaiman or Harrison?  And if you could, would a mortal be capable of reading it?  In the end, we have Egan writing Egans work, and for that we should probably be grateful.