It is a sign of the great talent of Greg Egan that he nevertheless manages to keep the story a seamless one. The central topic of Distress is the search of cosmologists for a final theory of everything, possibly the socially most far-reaching endeavour science is engaged in. While hard sf has a quite long tradition of describing physical implications of different cosmologies, very little has been written about the social and spiritual impact a ToE could have. In the course of the novel, Greg Egan gives an excellent summary about what a ToE is all about - what is understood by a final theory, if its discovery will mean the end of all serious research, what constitutes the beauty of a ToE and how scientists decide which of different ToE's should be chosen. By putting the scientists in conflict with the members of various Ignorance Cults, he shows what science is and what it is not.
Distress is set in a world where biotech rules supreme, for good and for ill.
The world population can easily be fed by genetically engineered plants but countries which are unable to pay the licensing fees face famine. And while those who can afford it can buy pharmaceutical units which deliver the daily dose of drugs needed to stay in perfect health, others who violate patenting laws can expect anything from a hit-squad to a nuclear bomb. Against this background, where anything seems possible and everyone can choose from any of seven sexes, the impending arrival of a ToE looms large and threatening. But Distress is not only an intellectual feast, it is also a roller-coaster of a novel, with twists and turns, surprises and suspense right to the end. It also contains some excellent subplots, each of which would deserve to be expanded to a novelette, at least.