Vast

Author: Linda Nagata

A disparate group of refugees aboard the spaceship "Null Boundary" are fleeing from the alien Chenzeme. The Chenzeme have already destroyed much of human space, and if the people aboard the "Null Boundary" are going to survive, they really need to find out why. Essentially, Vast is one long chase scene, but boy is it exciting. And with the technology she has created, including advanced nanotechnology and ghost technology in which human memories and personalities are electronically preserved, the universe we glimpse along the way is incredibly complex. That's one of the joys of good space opera: a gripping, fast-moving story that reveals a universe that is awe-inspiring, wonderful and, of course, vast. John Clute has written about the "exorbitant inventiveness" of Linda Nagata, and if that isn't a definition of great space opera I don't know what is. This is a book that really will repay you seeking it out.