Wheelers

by Ian Stewart

Paperback, 2001

Status

Available

Call number

823.914

Series

Lifesoul Cherisher (1)

Genres

Science Fiction

All Topics

Fiction

Publication

Aspect (2001), Mass Market Paperback

Description

Interplanetary exploration in the 23rd century has been left to a few eccentric outcasts. One such outcast, Prudence Odingo, has returned to Earth with wheeled artefacts from Callisto, a moon of Jupiter. When the wheelers come to life, Earth discovers that Jupiter has declared war on humanity.

User reviews

LibraryThing member RobertDay

I have to say that I've enjoyed this book, despite there being big expository lumps early on in it when each of the authors in turn got onto their specialist subject. A significant portion of the book is set in East Africa, and I'm a little twitchy with the way that's described, as the setting is

the end of the 22nd century yet the society seems not as advanced as one might expect. However, the future history the authors created includes an event they call the 'Pause', a revolt against high technology followed by the embrace of Green issues and the realignment of much policy along those lines, so I suppose this goes towards explaining the description of the African segments; but I'm still not entirely happy with it.

China also plays a part in the plot, and the authors' view of that country is a bit out of kilter with events since the book was written (2000). But these things haven't spoiled the book too much for me.

The aliens are very alien, as you might expect; and the human characters for the most part don't fit into convenient stereotypes. By the end of the book, it had turned into quite a page turner.

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