A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is what I consider serious SF. Huge, epic scale SF where nothing is treated like a joke. It's also the source of the term "Singularity", for those who need an introduction.

I've loved this novel ever since it came out in the 90s, being totally fascinated with the Zones of Thought, where different areas of the galaxy can achieve godlike intelligence -- and others are reduced to simple biological slowness, taking away FTL and even computers.

The Blight is spreading that zone faster than any alien race can handle. *shiver*

But here's the best part, IMHO: The Tines world. We spend a lot of time here, with just two humans awake, a brother and sister, who get used in a big political alien game -- but it's nothing simple. Indeed, the aliens themselves are utterly fascinating -- not truly intelligent unless they stay fairly close together in small packs, like wolves, they run a medieval society. The whole tale is delicious.

I won't spoil it here. The thing is -- this is one of THE science fiction greats. So rich with worldbuilding, character development, ranging from cannons and radio to fleets of aliens, super ancient god-like remnants, unknowable threats, and physics, itself, being a major player in the tale.

There have been some pretty great epic-scale SFs, of course, but it's safe to say that most must tip a hat to Vernor Vinge.

That being said, RIP, Vinge. You will be missed.

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