 First edition | |
| Author | Ian McDonald |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Darren Wall |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
Publication date | 2004 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | Print (Hardback,Paperback) |
| Pages | 485 (Paperback 1st edition), 583 (Hardcover 1st edition) |
| ISBN | 0-7432-5670-0 (Paperback 1st edition),ISBN 0-7432-5669-7 (Hardcover 1st edition) |
| OCLC | 56503983 |
| 823.914 22 | |
| LC Class | PR6063.C38 R58 2004 |
River of Gods is a 2004science fictionnovel by British writerIan McDonald. It depicts a futuristic India in 2047, a century after itsindependence from Britain, characterized both by ancient traditions and advanced technologies such asartificial intelligences, robots andnanotechnology. The novel won theBritish Science Fiction Award in 2004[1] and was nominated for aHugo. It was followed by a short story collection calledCyberabad Days in 2009.
The novel follows a number of different characters' viewpoints on and around the date of 15 August 2047, the centenary of India's partition and independence from thecolonial British Raj. This future India has becomebalkanized into a number of smaller competing states, such asAwadh, Bharat, andBangla. The global information network is now inhabited by artificial intelligences,phonetically calledaeais in the novel, of varying levels of intelligence.
Aeais higher than level 2.5 (able to pass theTuring test and imitate humans) are banned, and their destruction ("excommunication") is the responsibility of "Krishna Cops", like Mr. Nandha. While some pockets of the subcontinent are still steeped in ancient tradition and values, mainstream culture is replete with aeais in TV entertainment and robotic swarms in defense. During such a time, Ranjit Ray steps down from his control of Ray Power, a keyenergy company, and the responsibility falls on his son Vishram Ray. Theplayboy Vishram is struggling to make it on his own as astand-up comedian inScotland when he is flown back toVaranasi to assume his role at Ray Power, for which he finds himself terribly ill-equipped but eventually surprisingly effective. He learns that his company is working on harvestingzero-point energy from other universes, and sees theparticle collider built by his father with the help of Odeco, a clandestineinvestment firm.
After a prolongeddrought, a severewater shortage threatens to jeopardize the peace between the subcontinental states. To avert this crisis, governments are meltingglaciers and modifying natural systems. To take advantage of the unrest, aHindu fundamentalist leader named N.K. Jeevanji organises a "rath yatra" on a spectacularjuggernaut. He starts releasing key information to the press via Najia Askarzadah, an ambitious Swedish-Afghan reporter with a desire to be part of history as it is being made.
Lisa Durnau notices an apocalyptic crisis brewing in Alterre, a simulated evolution of earth created by AI scientist Thomas Lull, who is currently hiding in aSouth Indian coastal village. While Lisa is sent into space to investigate anasteroid, Thomas Lull runs into Aj, a girl with mysterious powers that allow her to see into people's lives, pasts and futures. He decides to follow her and protect her during herquest to find her own true identity, but it is soon revealed that Aj's powers extend beyond mere mortals, when she brings arobot army to a halt with the raise of a hand.
Tal is a beautiful nute (ofneutral gender) involved in the designing team of India's greatest"soapi",Town & Country, some of the main stars of which are not human actors, but aeais. Tal falls prey to aconspiracy that compromises the career of Shaheen Badoor Khan, Private Secretary to thePrime Minister Sajida Rana, leading to herassassination and thefall of the government. All this leads toriots and popular fury againstMuslims andtranssexuals across Varanasi.
Lisa Durnau discovers that at the center of the mysterious asteroid is an 8-billion-year-old greysphere, possibly ablack hole remnant, or an alien artifact from another civilization. This "Tabernacle"communicates a message to the scientists, and this leads Lisa to India to find Thomas Lull, who alone can explain this phenomenon.