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Sunstorm (novel)
Encyclopedia
Sunstorm is a 2005 science fiction
novel
co-written by Arthur C. Clarke
(author of 2001: A Space Odyssey
) and Stephen Baxter
. It is the second book in the series A Time Odyssey
. The books in this series are often likened to the Space Odyssey series, although the Time Odyssey novels ostensibly deal with time where the Space Odyssey novels dealt with space. The first book in the series was Time's Eye.
In the meantime, a major solar event occurs on June 9, disrupting virtually all of the Earth's electronic hardware. Dramatic as it is, this phenomenon is only a minor precursor of a far more massive solar eruption about five years off. Scientific models of the projected 2042 event make clear that the Earth will be sterilized completely by the upcoming solar burst. The effects will be so powerful as to even endanger astronauts on Mars.
Rather than sit by and allow the sun to just destroy all of earth's life, political leaders (most notably the President of the Eurasian Union, Miriam Grec), and scientific leaders (led by Siobhan McGorran, the Astronomer Royal
) decide to embark upon an ambitious plan to literally shield Earth from the worst effects of the storm. The plot is further complicated when information from Bisesa's odyssey makes it clear that what is happening to the sun is not simply a random happening in nature, but is rather the result of events set in motion by an alien intelligence, known as the Firstborn, since they were the first alien race to reach sentience, and thus the most advanced civilization in existence in the universe. They are determined to stop mankind from infiltrating the stars, since they believe mankind to be a disorderly and wasteful life form, increasing entropy with its energy usage and eventual wars, thus hastening the Universe's eventual heat death.
A lunar base named Clavius appears in both 2001 and Time's Eye.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
co-written by Arthur C. Clarke
Arthur C. Clarke
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE, FRAS was a British science fiction author, inventor, and futurist, famous for his short stories and novels, among them 2001: A Space Odyssey, and as a host and commentator in the British television series Mysterious World. For many years, Robert A. Heinlein,...
(author of 2001: A Space Odyssey
2001: A Space Odyssey (novel)
2001: A Space Odyssey is a science fiction novel by Arthur C. Clarke. It was developed concurrently with Stanley Kubrick's film version and published after the release of the film...
) and Stephen Baxter
Stephen Baxter
Stephen Baxter is a prolific British hard science fiction author. He has degrees in mathematics and engineering.- Writing style :...
. It is the second book in the series A Time Odyssey
A Time Odyssey
A Time Odyssey is a series of novels co-written by Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter. , the series consists of:*Vol. 1 – Time's Eye *Vol. 2 – Sunstorm *Vol...
. The books in this series are often likened to the Space Odyssey series, although the Time Odyssey novels ostensibly deal with time where the Space Odyssey novels dealt with space. The first book in the series was Time's Eye.
Plot summary
Sunstorm opens with the last chapter of Time's Eye as its initial chapter, and Bisesa Dutt is in London, reunited with her daughter. It is June 9, 2037, the day after her helicopter was shot down in the North Western Frontier Province of Pakistan. The five years that she spent on Mir, an alternate Earth, are now only memories (though the fact that her body has aged five years since June 8, 2037, will eventually serve as some confirmation of her story).In the meantime, a major solar event occurs on June 9, disrupting virtually all of the Earth's electronic hardware. Dramatic as it is, this phenomenon is only a minor precursor of a far more massive solar eruption about five years off. Scientific models of the projected 2042 event make clear that the Earth will be sterilized completely by the upcoming solar burst. The effects will be so powerful as to even endanger astronauts on Mars.
Rather than sit by and allow the sun to just destroy all of earth's life, political leaders (most notably the President of the Eurasian Union, Miriam Grec), and scientific leaders (led by Siobhan McGorran, the Astronomer Royal
Astronomer Royal
Astronomer Royal is a senior post in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. There are two officers, the senior being the Astronomer Royal dating from 22 June 1675; the second is the Astronomer Royal for Scotland dating from 1834....
) decide to embark upon an ambitious plan to literally shield Earth from the worst effects of the storm. The plot is further complicated when information from Bisesa's odyssey makes it clear that what is happening to the sun is not simply a random happening in nature, but is rather the result of events set in motion by an alien intelligence, known as the Firstborn, since they were the first alien race to reach sentience, and thus the most advanced civilization in existence in the universe. They are determined to stop mankind from infiltrating the stars, since they believe mankind to be a disorderly and wasteful life form, increasing entropy with its energy usage and eventual wars, thus hastening the Universe's eventual heat death.
Connections to other Clarke works
Just as in Time's Eye, Baxter and Clarke pay small homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey with lines lifted from the earlier book.- The first words of Athena, a sentient artificial intelligence in Sunstorm, are "Good morning, Colonel Tooke. This is Athena. I am ready for my first lesson." This is similar to the statement spoken by HAL and addressed to Dr. Chandra during his regression in 2001: A Space Odyssey, implied to also be HALHAL 9000HAL 9000 is the antagonist in Arthur C. Clarke's science fiction Space Odyssey saga. HAL is an artificial intelligence that interacts with the astronaut crew of the Discovery One spacecraft, usually represented as a red television-camera eye found throughout the ship...
's first words. - Additionally, in Sunstorm, Athena is talking to her partner in space, Colonel Bud Tooke, shortly before she is expected to lose consciousness. Athena says to Bud, "I have always had the greatest enthusiasm for the mission", echoing HAL's words to Dave Bowman on the DiscoveryDiscovery OneUnited States Spacecraft Discovery One is a fictional spacecraft appearing in The Space Odyssey series, including the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. Discovery One is a large, nuclear-powered interplanetary spaceship.-History:...
.
A lunar base named Clavius appears in both 2001 and Time's Eye.