Synopsis
Earth in 2064 is politically corrupt and in economic decline. The Long Depression has dragged on for 56 years, and the Bureau of Sustainable Research is hard at work making sure that no new technologies disrupt the planned economy. Ten years ago a band of malcontents, dreamers, and libertarian radicals bolted privately-developed anti-gravity drives onto rusty sea-going cargo ships, loaded them to the gills with 20th-century tunnel-boring machines and earthmoving equipment, and set sail - for the Moon.There, they built their retreat. A lunar underground border-town, fit to rival Ayn Rand's 'Galt's Gulch', with American capitalists, Mexican hydroponic farmers, and Vietnamese space-suit mechanics - this is the city of Aristillus.There's a problem, though: the economic decline of Earth under a command-and-control economy is causing trouble for the political powers-that-be in Washington DC and elsewhere. To shore up their positions they need slap down the lunar expats and seize the gold they've been mining. The conflicts start small, but rapidly escalate.There are zero-gravity gun fights in rusted ocean going ships flying through space, containers full of bulldozers hurtling through the vacuum, nuclear explosions, armies of tele-operated combat UAVs, guerrilla fighting in urban environments, and an astoundingly visual climax.The Powers of the Earth is the first book in The Aristillus series - a pair of science fiction novels about anarchocapitalism, economics, open source software, corporate finance, social media, antigravity, lunar colonization, genetically modified dogs, strong AI…and really, really big guns.
Review
You've achieved something I've been hoping for decades someone would pull off - a book that is at once an affectionate tribute to and criticism/response to "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress".The Aristillus books are very strong.-- Eric S Raymond, author The Cathedral and the BazaarBetter than "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress"-- Russel May Just what the market for libertarian SF is crying out for.-- Ken MacLeod, author of The Cassinni Division, Cosmonaut Keep, Newton's WakeHumor, firepower, and dogs! Very L Neil Smith-ish.-- Claire Wolfe, author of 101 Things to Do 'Til the RevolutionJust plain cool.-- Kurt Schlichter, author People's RepublicOne of the most riveting and fascinating books I've read in years. Highly recommended.-- Robert Kroese, author of Mercury Falls, The Big Sheep and Starship Grifters.The work of a professional writer who knows how fiction works and uses narrative techniques and tropes consciously and purposefully.-- William H Stoddard, author of GURPS SteampunkI'm sure this can be justified as your lovely American free speech and not hate speech or malicious communication, and yes, I'm sure Corcoran has a perfect right to say it and all that shit. Guess what? I have a perfect right not to like it, and a right to not be associated with the nutter who spews it.-- Warren Ellis, author of Transmetropolitan, Iron Man Extremis, The AuthorityStupid, ill-advised, and, frankly, immoral-- Radley Balko, former Huffington Post senior writerHow is Travis Corcoran still a free man?-- The Daily Kos
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