Heaven's Reach (Uplift Trilogy) - Hardcover

Brin, David

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0553101749 ISBN 13: 9780553101744

Publisher: Spectra, 1998

Synopsis

In Brightness Reef and Infinity's Shore, David Brin boldly returned to the Uplift universe he so brilliantly invented in the Nebula and Hugo award-winning trilogy Sundiver, Startide Rising, and The Uplift War.  Now he concludes this second trilogy with his most imaginative and emotionally powerful novel to date--the shattering epic of a universe poised on the brink of revelation...or annihilation.

After centuries of mutual peace, the "sooner" experiment on planet Jijo is coming to a tragic end.  The six fugitive races that escaped there from the Five Galaxies have been discovered by ancient enemies.  The terrifying Jophur have plans for the exiled inhabitants: a program of genocide and forced breeding to suit their own perverted needs.

The Jijoans' only hope is the very ship that inadvertently led the Jophur to their obscure planet.  The Earthship Streaker, crewed by uplifted dolphins, commanded by an untested human, engages the Jophur in a desperate race to a mysterious point in space that could well mean the destruction of them both.  Yet more than just the fate of Jijo hangs in the balance.  For Streaker carries a cargo of ancient artifacts that may unlock the secret of the Progenitors, the mythical race that first brought sapience to the galaxies.  Some believe a dire prophecy is already coming to pass: an age of terrifying changes in time and space that could end galactic civilization.

Against this apocalyptic backdrop, sapient beings, both human and alien, must come together to face the ultimate crisis.  An uplifted chimpanzee scout must overcome prejudice and his own limitations to survive the bizarre terrors of increasingly unstable hyperspace.  A brilliant scientist attempts to wrest order from onrushing chaos.  Streaker's commander will push the limits of courage and skill as she plunges her crew headlong into the unknown.  And two lovers from Jijo, prisoners of the Jophur, embark on a perilous journey, which will either transform them...or destroy them.

Already dozens of white dwarf stars stand ready to explode, as if guided by an unseen hand, while countless reclusive Old Ones gather in search of ultimate transcendence.

As worlds are sundered and hyperspace becomes impassable, the survival of sentient life in the universe rests on an improbable hope: that age-old antagonists of different races can at last recognize the unity of all consciousness.

Once again David Brin has combined brilliant intellectual speculation, dazzling characterization, and breakneck action in a novel that reaches the pinnacle of achievement: a galactic panorama of wonder and wisdom, insight and adventure, in which he reveals mysteries that may lie at the heart of the universe.

About this title

Review:

Heaven's Reach is the final volume of the Uplift trilogy, which begins in Brightness Reef and continues in Infinity's Shore. It chronicles the adventures of a handful of primitives from the planet Jijo who have left or been taken from their homes only to be swept into the intrigues of galactic politics. The novel also continues the story of the fugitive Earth starship Streaker, pursued across the galaxy for its precious cargo of ancient artifacts. Just when it looks like things can't get worse for Streaker, the foretold Time of Changes rocks the galaxy. Devastating "space quakes" shake every planet and star, and some of the particularly unscrupulous alien races attempt to use the disaster to further their bizarre goals. There's danger and excitement on almost every page (in contrast to much of the first two books in the series) and Brin finally delivers on many of the mysteries of the Five Galaxies. The Progenitors, the Hydrogen Breathers, Streaker's cargo--these and more are explained at last. Or are they? Each seemingly ultimate truth tends to dissolve a chapter later, revealing a new and more complex truth. New adventures and mysteries await. --Brooks Peck

From the Publisher:

A San Francisco Chronicle bestseller!

Praise for David Brin's New Uplift Trilogy:

Brightness Reef:

"A captivating read...Brightness Reef leaves you looking forward to more. It's a worthy addition to what promises to be a great science-fiction series."
--Star Tribune, Minneapolis

"Brin is a skillful storyteller....there is more than enough action to keep the book exciting, and like all good serials, the first volume ends with a bang."
--The Plain Dealer, Cleveland

"Don't miss this one, folks. Or the next."
--Analog

Infinity's Shore:

"Well paced, immensely complex, highly literate...on full display here is Brin's extraordinary capacity to handle a wide-ranging narrative and to create convincingly complex alien races.... Superior SF."
--Publishers Weekly

"Here, again, David Brin displays the considerable expertise in universe-building which has garnered him numerous awards. And, again, he proves himself to be a very gifted storyteller."
--Mysterious Galaxy

About this edition

• Publisher: Spectra
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0553101749
• ISBN 13: 9780553101744
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 464