Gravity Dreams

A young man banished from his fundamental religious home must learn to survive in his new space community, where his unexpected piloting skills bring him success until, in deep space, he meets a God-like entity. 20,000 first printing.

Amazon.com Review

A Zen master in a primitive society gets turned into a nanotech-enhanced "demon" by a mad, malicious mushroom-farmer. The master, now gifted with superhuman strength and senses, must flee his fearful Luddite fellows or face death. The similarly gifted, space-faring Rykashans take him in and use more "nanites" to bring their low-tech stray up to speed. Pssht! A spray can of nanites teaches the master the rudiments of Rykashan society. Pssht! He then learns to be a space janitor. Pssht! He later becomes a "needle jockey," a sort of interstellar flying-ace/truck driver, who even gets to talk to God (or a god, at any rate). Leave it to L.E. Modesitt, Jr. (Fall of Angels, Ghost of the Revelator) to pull this sort of weirdness. But, as should be expected from such an inventive author, the quirky mise-en-scène serves a purpose: setting a story of personal transformation against a Twilight Zone-ian backdrop of contrasting societies, ethics, and tech levels. Although flat in spots and maybe a little pokey, Gravity Dreams is a winning little SF drama, the tale of one man's realization that true knowledge doesn't come from a can. --Paul Hughes

From Publishers Weekly

The transformation of a young man from an agrarian Luddite to a physiologically enhanced star pilot provides the plot for Modesitt's (The Ghost of the Revelator) latest, a far-future SF adventure. Young Tyndel is content with his career as a teacher and following the antitechnology philosophy of his religion, Dzin. But when he's infected with nanites, microscopic machines that alter his blood chemistry, he's labeled a "demon" and forced to flee his home of Dorcha for the high-tech neighboring country of Rykasha. Tyndel is welcomed by the ultra-rational Rykashans, who not only embrace his enhanced abilities, but recognize that he has innate talents that would make him an excellent intergalactic pilot. At first, Tyndel resists Cerrelle, his Rykashan teacher, and eschews the teachings administered through nanopills, preferring to work as a "low tech" worker on an orbital station. Yet eventually he relents and asks to begin training as a pilot. Tyndel overcomes his squeamishness, letting the Rykashas "adjust" his nervous system so he can complete the space program and integrate himself into his new society. Modesitt does a fine job of creating a believable world where citizens are exhorted to accept complete responsibility for their actions and genetically "rehabilitated" if they do not. While some readers might be put off by the excessive philosophizing on Dzin naturalism vs. Rykashan pragmatism, the novel is loaded with enough hard science and space opera elements to please the author's large and avid body of fans. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Infected by nanites designed to enhance the capabilities of the human mind and body, Tyndal flees his theocratic homeland for a neighboring country inhabited by "demons" who dwell in a society of technological wonders. Modesitt's latest novel traces Tyndal's struggle to adapt to a new way of life in a society that accepts the superhuman as "natural." The author of the popular Recluce series displays a unique ability to infuse the minutiae of everyday life with depth and meaning in this stand-alone sf tale that belongs in most libraries. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Independent new SF venture from the author of Colors of Chaos (Jan. 1999) etc. In the 46th century, Dzin Master Tyndel teaches philosophy and lives peacefully with his beloved wife Foergathat is, until a vengeful neighbor infects Tyndel with nanites, microscopic machines that enhance his physical and mental capabilities. Unfortunately, thanks to long-ago wars and social upheavals caused by the nanites, Tyndel now faces imprisonment and slow death unless he can escape to Rykasha. The high-tech Rykashans fix Tyndel's primitive and dangerous naniteshe becomes effectively immortaland fill his head with knowledge that he has trouble assimilating. Rykasha's balanced but remorseless social system, however, requires Tyndel to make recompense. Beautiful, sympathetic Cerrelle recommends starship pilot training, where Tyndel's Dzin philosophy gives him advantages. But confused, resentful, angry Tyndel rejects Cerrelle and her advice, opting instead for unskilled labor on a remote space station. Three years pass before Tyndel accepts his situation, apologizes to Cerrelle, and accepts training. Piloting a starship is arduousimagine playing multidimensional Tetris against whizzing, strange-smelling neon blocks of frozen music that can kill youbut his Dzin calm helps. Later, after several ships vanish, Tyndel must attempt to negotiate with the mysterious, godlike entity inside the Anomaly. A persuasive alternate socioeconomic system, solid personal growth, and memorably weird hyperspacealong with a disappointing plot and a so-so chat with an uninteresting god. -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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