Classic SF Book Review: "Sundiver" by David Brin

"Sundiver" by David Brin, which was first published in 1980, is the first in the "Uplift" series of science fiction novels. 

It is that rare thing, a novel which thinks really big, asking huge questions about man's place in the universe and coming up with answers - true in the context of the novel - which are quite terrifying, yet it remains entertaining, accessible and easy to read, and manages to address issues of the ne3d to cherish our planet and environment without becoming in the slightest degree preachy. 

"Sundiver" is set in a world a few centuries from now, in a world where those who have been assessed by an exam as having a propensity to violence have been classed as "probationers," had a radio transmitter forcibly implanted in their bum so the state can track them. and deprived of most civil rights including the right to vote.

It's also a world where human spaceships found "Eatees" (e.g. ETs, Extraterrestials) and we discovered that the galaxy is a very frightening place where intergalatic laws to protect planetary environments, biodiversity, and especially infant special with the potential for sentience, are ruthlessly enforced.

A human colony world was labelled unauthorised and "Sequestered" by the Eatees (e.g. species from earth removed from the biosphere of the planet - not explained exactly what that meant but it doesn't sound good.)

The intelligent species of Earth have been saved from the possibility of being turned into slaves only by the chance that status in Galactic society is based on having "uplifted" other species towards greater sentience - and humans have done just enough to help chimps and dolphins in that direction that we qualify as galactic "Patrons."

As if there isn't enough for plenty of storylines there, it is in this context that the centra character, Jacob Demwa, gets involved in an insanely ambitious project - to take a ship into the outer part of the sun itself ...

The fact that when this book was written David Brin assumed the state might implant a radio transmitter into the bodies of those it did not trust to track them is actually a frightening illustration of how much more intrusive technology has become in the last 45 years.

It's unlikely that even the most totalitarian state would feel the need to bother doing anything like that today because they can track us all without the need for such a device.

Nevertheless, a visionary book

The sequel and next in the series, "Startide rising," is one of the best Science Fiction novels I have ever heath the privilege of reading. 

You can buy this book from Amazon at

Sundiver eBook : Brin, David: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

Strongly recommended.

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