John Varley'sThunder and Lightning books have been
compared to Heinlein's young adult science fiction. As a big
fan of Heinlein's Have Spacesuit, Will Travel I can see the
resemblance, but Varley's books (although the main
characters tend to be young adults/new adults) have a level
of sophistication that Heinlein's stories lack. Swashes are
definitely buckled but DARK LIGHTNING and it's predecessors
fall just shy of typical space opera.
The setting of DARK LIGHTNING is intriguing; a closed system
spaceship created from a hollowed-out asteroid that is
based in general terms on a Dyson sphere. Although there is
a certain level of violence, on the whole DARK LIGHTNING is
a bit easier to read than some of the earlier books, with
none of the horrors of cleaning up after tidal waves as part
of the story. I enjoyed all of the Thunder and
Lightning books but was glad to have a lighter-themed
novel to read this time.
I have had a wonderful time this week reading all four of
the Thunder and Lightning novels in preparation for
this review, and it was an absolutely pleasurable reading
experience. I particularly enjoyed the shifting points of
view from generation to generation as I went from one book
to the next without having to give up the connection to the
earlier characters. It didn't hurt that these very human
stories were set against John Varley's plausible and
fascinating imagined universe. With DARK LIGHTNING I was
able to happily round off the four course meal of satisfying
science fiction the series provided (but I have to admit I
am still hoping for a fifth book, for dessert.)
On a voyage to New Earth, the starship Rolling Thunder is
powered by an energy no one understands, except for its
eccentric inventor Jubal Broussard. Like many of the ship’s
inhabitants, Jubal rests in a state of suspended animation
for years at a time, asleep yet never aging.
The moments when Jubal emerges from suspended animation are
usually a cause for celebration for his family, including
his twin daughters—Cassie and Polly—and their uncle who is
captain of the Rolling Thunder. But this time, Jubal makes a
shocking announcement…
The ship must stop, or everyone will die.
These words from the mission’s founder, the man responsible
for the very existence of the Rolling Thunder, will send
shock waves throughout the starship—and divide its
passengers into those who believe and those who doubt. And
it will be up to Cassie and Polly to stop a mutiny, discover
the truth, and usher the ship into a new age of exploration…
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