Eyes of the Calculor

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In Sean McMullen's glittering, dynamic, and exotic world two thousand years in the future, librarians fight duels to settle disputes, there is no electricity, fueled engines are banned by every major religion in Australica, humanity has split into two species, and intelligent cetezoids rule the oceans.In space, the enigmatic Mirrorsun has begun to spin. Immense solar sails are pushing vast amounts of energy into its ancient orbital band, energy that could tear it apart--or be directed down at Earth. Already the hypnotic Call has ceased, and all electrical machines have been reduced to molten metal. A religious prophet has risen and is attempting to bring together the entire continent of Australica under her rule.Meanwhile, her diesel-powered sailwing shot down by religious fanatics, the American princess Samondel is forced to set aside her trade-seeking mission and disguise herself as a student. Her only friends are a disgraced monk who is a member of the secret police and a beautiful young librarian who is a dangerous and unstable psychopath. From these unlikely friendships she must form an alliance between two continents and two species, and prevent ultimate war.Fundamentally, unexpectedly, things are changing everywhere. As catastrophe looms and civilization begins to crumble, the Dragon Librarians of Australica have just one means left to hold their world together: to kidnap every numerate person on the continent and rebuild their out-of-date human-powered computer--the Calculor.At the publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied.From Publishers WeeklyDeadly monks, harassed bird people, daring pilots and a vicious amnesiac are but some of the disparate personalities enlivening the intricate future world upended in Australian author McMullen's latest SF epic. Hailing from different lands, they all wind up in Libris, Australica, the domain of the Dragon Librarians and their computer, the Calculor, after simultaneous, unrelated phenomena make their world go haywire. All electrical machines short-circuit, and the barrier that kept all pure humans out of vast tracts of land disappears. An Airlord from across the sea must obtain from Australica the means to keep her homeland ahead of its enemies in the race for land. This race forces the birdlike aviads to flee what had previously been their havens. An assassin monk becomes a spy for Libris, partnered with a woman who has been mysteriously transformed into a deadly creature with no memory. Ambiguity in the various protagonists' character is a refreshing touch, though it does make it difficult to decide whom to root for. Since the author provides much of the background in two previous novels (Souls in the Great Machine and The Miocene Arrow), first-time readers may be at a bit of a loss. Nonetheless, this stands as a sturdy, enjoyable addition to the McMullen canon. (Sept. 26)Forecast: The publisher's odd decision not to position this title as part of a series, or at least indicate it shares the same world as other works by McMullen, could confuse readers and dampen sales.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.From Library JournalWith the cessation of the deadly Call and the changes in the orbiting Mirrorsun, Earth undergoes a crisis of frightening changes. The Dragon Librarians of Australica desperately seek solutions to the problem of a deteriorating society by attempting to rebuild their human-powered Calculor by force if necessary. Set 2000 years in the future, McMullen's (Souls in the Great Machine, The Miocene Arrow) sf epic examines the implications of low technology and religious idealism set against a world in the throes of transformation. For most libraries. Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.