JUST RELEASED: The Corroding Empire by Johan Kalsi
Monday , 20, March 2017 Just Released 11 Comments
Galactic society is ruled by algorithms. From interstellar travel and planetary terraforming to artificial intelligence and agriculture, every human endeavor has become completely dependent upon the hypercomplex equations that optimize the activities making life possible across hundreds of inhabited worlds. Throughout the galaxy, Man has become dependent upon the reliable operation of ten million different automated systems.
And when things begin to go wrong and mysterious accidents begin to happen no one has any idea what is happening, except for a sentient medical drone and the First Technocrat of Continox. But their ability to even begin to try fixing the unthinkably complicated problem of galaxy-wide algorithmic decay is made considerably more difficult by the fact the former is an outlaw and the latter is facing a death sentence.
Johan Kalsi is Finland’s hottest science fiction author. An accomplished geneticist as well as a 6’3″ ex-Finnish Marine, in THE CORRODING EMPIRE, Kalsi shows himself to be more Asimovian than Asimov himself.
I love this review:
“The Amazon blurb brags, ‘Kalsi shows himself to be more Asimovian than Asimov himself.’ I wouldn’t go quite that far. The Corroding Empire fails as an Asimov pastiche in a few ways. The characters aren’t wooden cutouts, they are real, sympathetic, and relatable. The underlying theme of this book isn’t that everything would be so much better if only the technocrats were in charge instead of those lousy politicians – technocrats like the author, you know? This book doesn’t possess a strong undercurrent of contempt for the common man and all his problems, it sympathizes with the little guys who suffer whenever the managerial class screw up their five year plans, as they so often do…. And in that way, this isn’t Asimov. It’s something far better.”
YES! You just sold a book.
So, after reading this blurb and the review pasted by deuce, I’m interested in the book . . . but Amazon says it’s not available. What’s up with that?
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You can get the full lowdown here:
http://voxday.blogspot.com/2017/03/amazon-pulls-corroding-empire.html
An anticipated speed-bump.
And Amazon pulled it from their store, without providing clear reasons for it and in spite of its good sales.
Oh and someone was apparently bragging about it, in a damn unsubtle manner, BEFORE it actually happened. Amazon is heavily converged.
Yeah, I saw that. This might even increase sales of the CH book. Scalzi is flailing. Let the death spiral begin.
I’m just glad someone has taken Azzy’s basic “Fall of the Roman Empire in Space” concept and done it justice. As Morgan says, “How do you take a concept with such potential and make it BORING? Only Asimov could do that.”
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I almost lost my geek credentials when I once admitted I never cared for Asimov’s books. Have to admit I could never articulate why I didn’t care for them. Boring and pretentious. Like big “L” literature. Poor heathen me. Whatever shall I do?
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It’s called “Azzy-hater Shaming” and I’ve been a victim of it myself from a young age. I felt confused, unintelligent and unworthy. It’s a wonder I didn’t try to end it all. Then I just said, “I don’t care,” and read another Burroughs or Poul Anderson novel.
All sarcasm aside, if loving Azzy is what it takes to ascend the final steps to Geek Nirvana, I’ll stay a normie pleb.
Word on THE CORROSION straight from Vox on Darkstream:
Judging from the latest updates over at Vox’s blog, this was the work of some low ranking Amazon employee. And a rather foolish one, at that, as I can’t imagine that he will stay their employee for long after this. Not that I expect these guys to be anything but foolish.