Jupiter War

Starred review from March 17, 2014
This dizzying and unusually thoughtful space opera, which concludes the trilogy begun in The Departure and Zero Point, shows the tyrannical forces of Earth trying to stop a lone genius from fleeing the solar system. Serene Galahad, Earth’s psychotic dictator, is willing to kill most of the “human scum” and genetically alter the rest in order to mend the damage of overpopulation. Alan Saul has been mechanically augmented until he is much more than human, and he now questions whether preserving the humans aboard his stolen space station is worth the bother. These two very clever opponents, armed with mind-stretching super technology, feint and parry as they struggle for supremacy. Mordant commentary interspersed throughout the action reminds readers to observe how the different definitions of “humanity” influence the conflict and the question of who—if anyone—is in the right. The result is a challenging, extremely satisfying read.

April 1, 2014
Final installment in the medium-future trilogy (Zero Point, 2013, etc.) featuring an armed struggle between a brutal Earth regime and a single post-human intelligence. Ruthless dictator Serene Galahad has killed half of Earth's population with a virus triggered by implants in their brains, an act for which she blames Alan Saul. Saul, a fusion of human and artificial intelligence, has vastly expanded his brain into the electronic systems of Argus Station, currently orbiting near Jupiter. He develops new fast, smart robots capable of linking in teams, accomplishing in hours what would take ordinary humans months or years. He has a warp drive for interstellar travel. The crew of Argus Station is now superfluous to his needs. He wonders if he's still human. Should he just dump his crew and flee? Yet his sister will die a slow death on Mars unless he rescues her. Serene, he realizes, has her own hardware-equipped, computer-linked "comlifers" that in a few years will grow powerful enough to challenge him. She will eventually develop her own warp drive. And she has three warships nearing completion. Meanwhile, a heavily damaged vessel, having failed to destroy Saul, heads toward Earth, some crew members intent on killing Serene, others hoping to bargain with her over the Gene Bank, the key to rebuilding Earth's devastated ecology. Violence, of course, is what Asher does best--by presenting a stunning, brutal spectacle and taking his readers right into the middle of it. He expertly ratchets up the narrative tension and excitement with high-tech mayhem and technological razzle-dazzle. And it's a genuine pleasure to watch him construct a formidably advanced intelligence and show us its capabilities. A must for fans of the trilogy; newcomers will want to start with Book 1.

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