Reviews & Overviews by Rod Cameron

        

Kil'n People by David Brin

Kil'n people is a new departure for David Brin. Set in a world not very far in our future, and with absolutely no connection to his Uplift Books, this is in essence a detective novel. However, technology has moved on from today. It in now possible for everyone to make copies of themselves using clay bodies, known as dittos. These copies last a maximum of 24 hours, and any acquired memories can be uploaded back into the human's memory, unless the copies have decayed too much. There are servile green ones, and intelligent gray ones. A white body is for pleasure, and there are other colours too ... Al Morris is a private investigator. Because he always has several cases on the go, he needs several dittos going at any one time, and it is crucial that he doesn't lose track of his selves. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happens as Al is drawn into a very convoluted plot that could throw this delicately balanced world into chaos. Kil'n people is an easy humorous read which can be taken on a number of levels - as a satire on American life, or as a serious prediction on the perils of technology. As with all of Brin's books, there is a sound foundation in science. This is a very good book which is easy to read. Watch out for the wonderfully dreadful puns.

Publisher: Orbit Date: 2002 Pages: 502 Price: £10.99 Format: Trade Paperback ISBN: 1 84149 138 1 Reviewed by: Rod Cameron Review Date: July 2002

Copyright : Roderick Alasdair Cameron 2001 - 2012                   rod@rodcameron.co.uk