If you want some hard science fiction, A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge, the first in a trilogy, is a good pick-up. Although I’m only three decades late, this story is both accessible and, at times, a bit difficult to read. When I think about FTL space travel in the far future, this is the kind of thing I had in mind. Science fiction has always been the genre for readers and scientists alike to discuss artificial intelligence, especially during the early days when this book was written, and here we get almost three separate stories that ultimately converge into one.

I really enjoyed the story when it focused on the Tines and their medieval world. These doglike creatures were very interesting and ultimately what kept me glued to the book. I honestly don’t know if I would have made it all the way through without their part of the story. Although Ravna and Pham’s arc in trying to reach the Tines world was only slightly interesting at best, there were many parts where I think it just veered toward the deep end, where the hardcore science portion of it left me a bit disinterested. In addition, I just never really liked Pham from the beginning. Ravna’s infatuation with him right from the very start just felt a bit weird. Although there’s an entire Bottom, Middle, Beyond, and Transcend, at times it still felt a bit hollow and empty. I get that the level of technological expertise and automation levels get more advanced the higher up we go in the universe but I had wanted to see this in action in different ways instead of just it being described to me. Ironically, it wasn’t any of the upper universes that was the most compelling to me as the reader but rather the world of the lowly medieval Tines world and its inhabitants that gets the most coverage.

Upon finishing the book, I discovered that the next book in the series is a prequel and that the third book is actually the sequel. However, I also learned that the story ends on a cliffhanger since the author sadly passed away. I may be interested in reading the second book, as it appears to be a standalone, but I likely will not continue with the third.