"
Tor, May 2001, 25.95, 300 pp.
ISBN: 076530032X
In the twenty-first century, renegade programmer Matt Cairns accepts a job from an American freedom fighter named Jadey to crack the impenetrable codes of the Marshal Titov space station. Matt proves to have the right stuff as he breaks the code. He quickly learns that contact with an alien species has occurred. However, the authorities learn of the breach, forcing him to seek passage elsewhere, perhaps with the alien interstellar technology.
Several centuries later, Gregor Cairns, a descendent of Matt, along with his research partner searches for the crew of the Bright Star. He believes that studying the crew and looking at the star-hopping aliens should lead to finding the answer to leaping between the stars. This is something his ancestor apparently had done.
COSMONAUT KEEP is an excellent science fiction tale that will excite sub-genre fans who enjoy a complex in depth look at future earth and alien cultures. The story line is as deep as it gets as the audience tastes two futures on two comparative worlds in one complicated tale. This novel shows that Ken Macleod is one of the better novelists on the market today.
Harriet Klausner
"
Harriet Klausner, Resident Ken MacLeod Scholar
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Overall Review
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dozens of literary elements, all of which are searchable.
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book
- very upbeat
Spying & Investigations
Yes
What is main char. doing?
- unraveling a conspiracy
- rescue mission/escape from confinement
Tech./$$$/Info hunt
Yes
Stealing/recovering/destroying
- info about lifeform(s)/society/phenomena
- state secrets
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- small businessman
Age:
- 20's-30's
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- an organization
Profession/status:
- government investigator
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a little/some
Setting
Earth setting:
- near future (later in 21st century)
- distant future
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
scientific jargon? (SF only)
- a fair amount of scientific explanation
How much dialogue?
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
