What I'm Reading This Month
By Linda Carpenter
June 2006
I just finished Kiln People, by David Brin. The title was a turnoff, but it is explained within the first few pages and becomes increasingly appropriate as the story develops. This is science fiction of the sociological type, an exploration of how people would behave if there were a major technological breakthrough that significantly impacted their lives. As one of the characters states, it is “(a) time when religion and philosophy have become experimental sciences, subject to hands-on manipulation by engineers.”
Brin describes a future in which only those with highly specialized skills have jobs. The employed send modified duplicates of themselves to do much of their work. Most people survive on welfare payments and spend their lives on hobbies and other pleasures. Duplicates don’t last long, but can “inload” experiences to their corresponding humans. Therefore, a person can have several lifetimes of experiences. The book is filled with comments on human nature and behavior. Many are thoughts of the cynical private detective at the center of the story.
This is as much a mystery as a science fiction novel. It is also social, political, and religious commentary. There is lots of witty humor, even in the chapter titles and in words coined by the author. There are also some deep questions about self, individual and universal consciousness, humanness, and personal fulfillment. Brin’s exploration of these questions is definitely thought-provoking.
This book can be enjoyed by the technologically-impaired reader, but is not an easy read. The difficulty is in keeping track of what has been experienced by the numerous manifestations of each of the main characters.
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