Review: Brilliant Concept, But Storytelling Needs Work
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 20, 2012
When I first read the sample for Absorption, I thought the book would be about what it's like being part of the "Borg Collective" from Star Trek series.  David Weisman's notion of the "hive mind," "supermind," or "overmind" (the author uses these terms interchangeably with the same meaning)offers a very different take.Imagine a far off future where humanity has reached the stars.  There is an intergalactic government body, with a Space Force to enforce its will and laws.  Oceanian is a human world where nanotechnology has advanced beyond what is available back in the Federalist Worlds.  The nanotechnology has advanced to a point where the human mind can be gathered collectively into a supermind of sorts, and allow for further advances in science and arts.The point of conflict occurs when the federalist government demands that Oceania drops its use of nanotechnology, or face war.  The demand is based on the atrocity committed by the overmind in the Roundhouse world a decade ago, and the federalists fear that it will occur again and again if nanotechnology is allowed to spread and flourish.Major Brett Johnson has been assigned to assist the ambassador to Oceania as the governments try to negotiate a peaceful resolution.Absorption is a surprisingly complex story.  The comments above is a summary of the setting for Absorption.  Unfortunately, the author doesn't give you, the reader, this understanding in such a concise, condensed format.  Indeed, this illustrates the problem I have with Absorption.  The author throws a lot of bits and pieces of information at you, and it is tough to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together into a neat story.  Thus, it takes some work for the reader to follow the story.Here's another example.  At the very beginning, it is established that the protagonist, Brett Johnson, is a medical doctor in the Space Force.  But it takes the author 2/3 into the book to mention that he is a NEUROSURGEON, when the Oceanians are trying to figure out what specialty skills he can contribute to the overmind.  To me, there is a BIG difference between your regular doctor, and a brain surgeon.  And this colors how doctor views the concept of the Oceanian overmind.David Weisman is at his best when exploring the implications of nanotechnology and the overmind.  For the example, the nanites can be used to connect and control devices.  It can also be used as a "natural" contraceptive.  The author delights in examining the overmind collective, and whether individualism will be lost and absorbed into the collective.  On this point, the author draws a very different conclusion than that in the Borg Collective.Absorption is an intellectually engaging novel that requires more than average patience and attentiveness from the reader.  The author's inexperience as a storyteller shows in this book, but I am confident that his skills will improve as he writes more stories.