Written by Shane Dowling | 18 December 2011

Gollancz 2011: ISBN 9 780575 095120

In The Clockwork Rocket, internationally-famed Australian writer Greg Egan has given us another powerful work of hard science fiction. It is set in an alternate universe: one which has some major differences in the laws of physics from our own.

How can such a work of fantasy be referred to as hard science fiction? You may well ask — and the answer is: Because this is Greg Egan we are talking about! These alternative laws of physics — and in particular, light, space and time — are intricately crafted and articulated through Yalda, the main character. She is herself a scholar in the rotational physics of light and therefore expertly placed to guide us through the finer points of the complex physics of this alien universe.

This world is different from ours in many ways, but its people are somehow familiar. They are able to reshape their bodies to form new limbs for varied purposes. They can write messages to each other on the surface of their skin and transfer these messages to paper with the use of dye, if required.

The inhabitants of Orthogonal tend their fields, which seem familiar but somehow different: even light seems to behave differently, although it is hard to put your finger on exactly how as Egan weaves his story through perfectly logical descriptions of its effects.

The culture of this world is largely built around perceived gender roles, set rigidly by the reproductive process, but also reinforced by traditions and opinions that are slow to change. Those who do not conform to social norms can find it difficult to gain acceptance. Parallels may be made between this and another world with which readers will be familiar.

And then the hurtlers come, unexplained meteoric flashes of increasing frequency and proximity cross the sky. The hurtlers threaten devastation of life as the inhabitants of this world know it.

Yalda and her group of scientific thinkers and misfits have a plan. A plan that includes the slowing of time itself to aid the discovery of a solution, all achieved with good hard science, of course — this is Greg Egan we are talking about, remember, pushing himself to the limits of his reputation for highly complex technical writing and coming out on top.

I found The Clockwork Rocket engaging and interesting and even challenging at times. At certain points, however, a conscious use of the technique of 'suspension of disbelief' was employed to get through some of the more technical aspects of the book.

For the more astute reader, there is little doubt that the science will bear out. For more information please read the detailed appendices at the end of the book.

Egan's website www.gregegan.net has pages upon pages of detailed information about the science of Orthogonal. For the hard science fiction fans, this is a definite must read. For those who are just looking for a good story, the website also mentions the titles of the next two instalments, Book 2: The Eternal Flame and Book 3: The Arrows of Time.

On the website Egan says the Orthogonal Series will follow Yalda and her descendants as they continue their task, trying to survive the perils of their long mission and carve out meaningful lives for themselves, while the threat of annihilation hangs over the world they left behind.

Overall, The Clockwork Rocket is intricately thought out, insightful and entertaining; another great contribution to Australian science fiction by Greg Egan.