Arthur C Clarke / Stephen Baxter - The Light Of Other Days

[Michelle]

'Space is what keeps everything from being in the same place. Right?' With these words Hiram Patterson, head of the giant media corporation OurWorld, launches the greatest communications revolution in history. With OurWorld's development of wormhole technology, any point in space can be connected to any other, faster than the speed of light. Realtime television coverage is here: earthquakes and wars, murders and disasters can be watched, exactly as they occur, anywhere on the planet.

 

Then WormCams are made to work across time as well as space. Humanity encounters itself in the light of other days. We witness the life of Jesus, go to the premiere of Hamlet, solve the enigmas that have baffled generations. Blood spilled centuries ago flows vividly once more - and no personal treachery or shame can be concealed. But when the world and everything in it becomes as transparent as glass and there are no more secrets, people find new ways to gain vengeance and commit crime, and Hiram Patterson finds new ways to keep his Machiavellian schemes secret.

 

I picked this one up in a charity shop, and it proved to be one of my best buys for a while! The technology went over my head, and I'm pretty sure it's not even close to realistic, but that really doesn't matter.

 

One of the main issues this book explores is the removal of privacy.. just what would happen if anyone can see you at any time.. now or at any point in the past? How would society react, and what lengths would you go to to 'hide'?

 

Beyond that, it questions history, religion etc.. most of which is good fun.

 

There is a weak point towards the end when the origin of our species is explored.. it feels slightly out of place, and a little unbelievable. Although the 'moral' is an interesting one.

 

All in all, for a sci-fi book, it's an easy read, and hard to put down. It's fairly though-provoking, and the ideas and issues stay with you after finishing. I've already spotted another couple of books by this pair, which I'll be interested in picking up.