19 results for "Engineering"

Eden

Stanisław Lem
A crew of six crash-land on Eden, fourth planet from another sun. They set forth into a strange world that grows ever stranger. The sun is not completely circular. The desert ground is soft, spongy, it exudes acrid vapors. Thickets of plants are shaped like hanging spiders; trees, violet and blue, breathe noisily; flower petals lift into the air like a flock of startled pigeons. The men come to a wall that moves in rhythmic waves; they enter an automated factory where mysterious objects are created, destroyed, and created again in a meaningless cycle. They meet an inhabitant of Eden, a large, humped, pearl-colored, naked torso from which protrudes another, smaller torso with a child's head and two small arms -- a "doubler," they call him. One doubler leads to another, to whole communities, to a world of flying saucers and genetic engineering. And everywhere, death. Swollen bodies in ditches and in wells, a beehive structure filled with clusters of glass eggs -- a skeleton within each egg.
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich 1989 262 pages

The Uplift War

David Brin
Hostile aliens take an Earth colony hostage in this New York Times -bestselling hard science fiction adventure by the author of Startide Rising . Although they were uplifted and given full sapience, the Bururalli clearly weren't ready to run a planet, almost wrecking Garth. As a "salvage world," it was given to despised Earthlings, assigned to reclaim it from the brink. Many senior Galactics--leaders of the Five Galaxies--hoped humanity would fail. But now Garth is peacefully surging back, tended by human and neo-chimpanzee colonists. Meanwhile, enemies desperately seek some way to coerce Earthclan, looking for a possible answer to the secret of the Progenitors. One of them--the Gubru avian race--prepares to invade and hold hostage defenseless Garth. With Earth itself under attack by other militant forces, no relief is coming for the embattled colonists. If they are to survive, they have no choice but to band together, improvise, and learn the tactics of guerilla warfare. This book features a new introduction by the author. Winner of the Hugo Award "An exhilarating read that encompasses everything from breathless action to finely drawn moments of quiet intimacy. There is no way we can avoid coming back as many times as Brin wants us to, until his story is done." -- Locus "Shares all the properties that made Startide such a joy. The plot fizzes along . . . and there are the wonders of the Galactic civilizations (which have all the invention and excitement that SF used to have)." -- Asimov's Science Fiction "The Uplift books are as compulsive reading as anything ever published in the genre." -- The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
Open Road Integrated Media, Incorporated 2021-05-25 453 pages

Eternal life: a novel

Horn, Dara
Ever since she made a deal to save her son's life in Roman-occupied Jerusalem, Rachel has been doomed to live eternally, but as her descendants develop new technologies for immortality, she realizes that, for them to live fully, she must die. "What would it really mean to live forever? Rachel is a woman with a problem: she can't die. Her recent troubles--widowhood, a failing business, an unemployed middle-aged son--are only the latest in a litany spanning dozens of countries, scores of marriages, and hundreds of children. In the 2,000 years since she made a spiritual bargain to save the life of her first son back in Roman-occupied Jerusalem, she's tried everything to free herself, and only one other person in the world understands: a man she once loved passionately, who has been stalking her through the centuries, convinced they belong together forever. But as the twenty-first century begins and her children and grandchildren--consumed with immortality in their own ways, from the frontiers of digital currency to genetic engineering--develop new technologies that could change her fate and theirs, Rachel knows she must find a way out. Gripping, hilarious, and profoundly moving. Eternal Life celebrates the bonds between generations, the power of faith, the purpose of death, and the reasons for being alive."--Dust jacket.
W. W. Norton & Company 2018-01-23 236 pages

Infinity's Shore

David Brin
A once peaceful planet of refugees faces complete annihilation in this hard science fiction sequel to Brightness Reef . Book Two in the Uplift Storm Trilogy It's illegal to occupy the planet Jijo, but six castaway races have managed to coexist there for some time. They've successfully hidden from watchful law enforcers of the Five Galaxies--until now . . . After making an amazing discovery far away--a derelict armada whose mere existence triggered interstellar war--the Terran exploration vessel Streaker and its crew of humans and dolphins arrive at Jijo in search of sanctuary from the Galactic forces out to destroy them. But they were followed. As behemoth Galactic starships descend upon Jijo, heroic--and terrifying--choices must be made. Together, human and alien settlers must choose whether to fight the invaders or join them. The crew of the Streaker , meanwhile, discovers something that just might save Jijo and its inhabitants . . . or destroy every last one of them. "Well paced, immensely complex, highly literate . . . Superior SF." -- Publishers Weekly , starred review "An imaginative drama of excitement and wonder . . . The sheer virtuosity of the prose alone makes this book worth reading." --SF Site
Open Road Integrated Media, Incorporated 2021-05-25 431 pages

Heaven's Reach

David Brin
Prepare for a harrowing ride through the universe by the New York Times -bestselling author of Startide Rising and The Postman. Book Three in the Uplift Storm Trilogy The peaceful existence of six outcast races on Jijo has ended. Ancient enemies, the Jophur, have discovered them, preparing to subject the refugees to their dark, perverted plans. The Jijoans' only hope is the same ship that accidently led their foes to the planet. The Earthship Streaker , with its crew of uplifted dolphins and a human commander, must somehow lure the Jophur into a chase through space . . . into the unknown. And then into the weird . More than just the fate of Jijo--or that of distant Earth, also suffering a deadly siege--hangs in the balance. Some believe a terrifying prophecy is about to come true, one that involves Streaker 's trove of artifacts coveted by factions throughout all Five Galaxies. As countless white dwarf stars verge on unexpected explosion, all sentient life in the universe appears to be at risk unless someone can save them. Praise for the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning Uplift Saga "The Uplift books are as compulsive reading as anything ever published in the genre." -- The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction "An extraordinary achievement." --Poul Anderson, award-winning author of Tau Zero ,on Startide Rising "An exhilarating read that encompasses everything from breathless action to finely drawn moments of quiet intimacy." -- Locus on The Uplift War "Tremendously inventive, ambitious work." -- Kirkus Reviews on Brightness Reef
Open Road Integrated Media, Incorporated 2021-05-25 368 pages

Brightness Reef

David Brin
Strange visitors throw a planet of refugees into chaos in this science fiction adventure by the author of New York Times bestseller The Uplift War . Book One in the Uplift Storm Trilogy Centuries ago, the Buyur race abandoned Jijo. Now off-limits to settlers, it's warded by guardian machines who will protect the planet until the Institutes of the Five Galaxies declare Jijo ready--in another million years--for new civilization. But mere laws and guardians can't keep out the desperate. Clandestine bands of "sooners" have sneaked down to the lonely planet. Six intelligent races--all refugees--have bickered . . . then built a new society in the wilds of Jijo, hidden beneath forest canopies. Together they live in harmony--and in fear of the day their illegal colony will be discovered and judgment from the Five Galaxies will rain down upon them. One day a strange starship finally does appear on Jijo. But its owners do not bring law or judgment. Only dire secrets. And they'll do whatever it takes to keep them . . . This book features a new introduction by the author. Hugo Award Finalist "A captivating read . . . Brightness Reef leaves you looking forward to more. It's a worthy addition to what promises to be a great science fiction series." -- Star Tribune "Brin is a skillful storyteller. . . . There is more than enough action to keep the book exciting, and like all good serials, the first volume ends with a bang." -- The Plain Dealer "A universe that's immensely appealing, leaving readers hungry for more of this exciting, epic adventure." -- Publishers Weekly "Tremendously inventive, ambitious work." -- Kirkus Review s "A timely, science fictional contemplation of the refugee experience."-- Santa Fe Reporter
Open Road Integrated Media, Incorporated 2021-05-25 419 pages

Eve & Adam

Grant, Michael
While recuperating after a car accident in Spiker Biotech's lush San Francisco facilities, sixteen-year-old Evening Spiker meets Solo Plissken, a very attractive, if off-putting boy her age who spent his life at Spiker Biotech. Like Evening, he's never questioned anything ... until now. Solo drops hints to Evening that something isn't right, and Evening's mother may be behind it. Evening puts this out of her mind and begins her summer internship project: To simulate the creation of the perfect boy. With the help of Solo, Evening uncovers secrets so big they could change the world completely.
Feiwel and Friends 2012-10-02 291 pages

Blackfish City

Miller, Sam J.
“One of the most intriguing future cities in years.” —Charlie Jane Anders “Simmers with menace and heartache, suspense and wonder.” —Ann Leckie A Best Book of the Month in Entertainment Weekly The Washington Post Tor.com B&N Sci-Fi Fantasy Blog Amazon After the climate wars, a floating city is constructed in the Arctic Circle, a remarkable feat of mechanical and social engineering, complete with geothermal heating and sustainable energy. The city’s denizens have become accustomed to a roughshod new way of living, however, the city is starting to fray along the edges—crime and corruption have set in, the contradictions of incredible wealth alongside direst poverty are spawning unrest, and a new disease called “the breaks” is ravaging the population. When a strange new visitor arrives—a woman riding an orca, with a polar bear at her side—the city is entranced. The “orcamancer,” as she’s known, very subtly brings together four people—each living on the periphery—to stage unprecedented acts of resistance. By banding together to save their city before it crumbles under the weight of its own decay, they will learn shocking truths about themselves. Blackfish City is a remarkably urgent—and ultimately very hopeful—novel about political corruption, organized crime, technology run amok, the consequences of climate change, gender identity, and the unifying power of human connection.
Ecco Press 2018-10-02 336 pages

Dangerous Dimensions

Robert Silverberg
In an Earth far into the future, the human race has reverted to a rigid Guild system where every citizen is classified according to function and mandated to strictly abide by the Guild's set of rules. Those who are Guildless are not considered men; they are at the lowest rung of the social ladder and shunned by all. In this universe of specialized citizens, genetic engineering had been done to those who needed special attributes; Fliers had wings and Watchers had the ability to use their minds to scan the outer space for invaders. When a Flier, a Watcher, and a Guildless man decide to travel together, they witness the end of an era as the invasion of enemies from the stars begins. This Hugo-award winning novella, "Nightwings," is only one of the five award contenders included in this new collection of Robert Silverberg's stories. Full of lyricism and melancholic descriptions of the Earth as it was and the Earth as it had been, "Nightwings" had captivated readers when it was first published in the late 1960s and continues to captivate new readers until the present. Those who have read it could not easily forget the images and the emotions evoked by the characters that Silverberg so expertly created. The other stories in this collection--nominated for a Hugo, a Nebula, and Locus awards--highlight the author's mastery of the language and his capacity to engage the reader fully in worlds of his own making. We get to see the irony of the characters' experiences in "When We Went to See the End of the World," sympathize and feel proud of the time traveler in "House of Bones," and quietly applaud the gumption and cleverness of the young girl in "Amanda and the Alien." Like "Nightwings," the story "Beauty in the Night" also haunts with its brutal portrayal of a child's life at a time when the aliens arrived and took over the Earth. Rich in detail and waxing lyrical at some point, it is a quintessential Silverberg story--full of drama of human failures and yet replete as well with instances of great courage that enable the people in his worlds to transcend their fate.
Wonder Publishing Group 2011-06 236 pages

The ambassador

Currie, Edwina
THE AMBASSADOR takes place in Europe a hundred years from now. It is a time when the European Union is the supreme leader of the free world, the main challenger to China, with the USA trailing behind. Scientific advance has brought the ability to beat disease and ageing - not by medicine alone but more fundamentally, by gene therapy. In THE AMBASSADOR, Bill Strether is sent by the American President to the UK to represent his country which, captured by fundamentalists, has banned the medical advances taken for granted in his new home. Although he harbours doubts about its ethics, he finds the official genetic programme breathtaking and impossible to condemn. THE AMBASSADOR is an extraordinarily persuasive account of how the world could be. The results could be chilling, even terrifying. Scientific discovery is both Pandora's box and Ali Baba's cave. When faced with the astonishing array of choices offered to us by the new genetic knowledge, how do we choose?
Little, Brown 1999 439 pages

The Naked Storm

C. M. Kornbluth,Simon Eisner
At first it was just a lark--bribing the stewards to steal food, bribing the conductors to steal blankets, raiding the club car, becoming a trainful of drunks. But then--then they began stealing morphine, and after that they began swapping mates, and after that... Finally the lights went out. And a modern-day miracle of streamlined engineering was turned into a cage of evil, human beings become beasts, and for three days the meaning of civilization was forgotten, and carnality ruled!
Wildside Press 2016-03-05 164 pages

The song of the earth: a novel

Nissenson, Hugh
Even before his birth, Johnny Baker's life is in danger. His mother breaks the law when she has her fertilized egg endowed with genes that will give her son the potential to become a visual artist. Born in 2038, John Firth Baker is the first genetically engineered artist. At the age of nineteen, at the threshold of his career, he is murdered. Now, ten years after his death, Baker has become famous. An art curator has organized a show of his work, and his biography-culled from journals, e-mails, and interviews with those who knew him best-is published. The Song of the Earth is this "biography." It presents a powerful and haunting portrait of an artist as a young man in the twenty-first century. Baker is born into a world transformed by technology: genetic profiles, space travel, and controlled housing communities are commonplace. Global warming has altered the environment. A planetary gender war is raging, familial structures are shattered, and new religions contend with the old. Yet human needs remain the same: the search for love, the desire for approval, the longing for fame, and the quest for knowledge. The Song of the Earth is a hypnotic novel about our desire to control our destinies, our yearning for immortality, and the very human impulse to create art. With prose, poetry, and images, Nissenson tells an original tale that brilliantly captures the experience of another time and place.
Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill 2001-01-01 244 pages

Quit monks or die! a novel

Kumin, Maxine
Set in a small town that houses little more than a research lab and an engineering school, the body of the lab's director is found in a pit used for maternal deprivation experiments with monkeys. A few days later, a graduate student is found murdered as well. Are these deaths connected? And who's responsible for these murders? Written by one of America's greatest poets, this mystery is a scathing social commentary with a criminal twist. Maxine Kumin is the author of poetry, novels, short stories, essays and a number of children's books. She has received several awards, including the Pulitzer Prize, the Poets' Prize, the Levinson Prize, and most recently, the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize. She lives in Warner, New Hampshire.
Story Line Press 1999-09-15 183 pages