by Vernor Vinge
First published 2007
Robert Gu awakens from years of Alzheimer's decline to discover a world he barely recognizes. The seventy-five-year-old former poet finds himself in 2025 San Diego, where digital layers overlay physical reality through smart contact lenses and wireless clothing. His thirteen-year-old granddaughter Miri navigates this augmented world with ease, but Robert must relearn everything at Fairmont High alongside other struggling seniors. As he adapts to this seamless blend of virtual and real environments, Robert stumbles into a vast conspiracy that aims to reshape global power through technology. His son and daughter-in-law, both high-ranking military officials, cannot crack the plot despite their security expertise. Even Miri becomes entangled while trying to shield her grandfather. The conspiracy reaches a breaking point when authorities announce plans to eliminate all physical books worldwide, including those at UCSD's Geisel Library. Robert joins fierce protests against this digital transformation, setting the stage for a climactic confrontation that will determine the future of human knowledge and connection.
Genres: science-fiction, dystopia, technology, 21st-century, artificial-intelligence, academic
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: San Diego, UCSD, Fairmont High
Period: 2025
384 pages · Paperback · Tor Books