Just Finished Reading: Vacuum Diagrams by Stephen Baxter

I’ve always found it to be true that Science Fiction is a mind expanding ‘drug’. Apparently C S Lewis agrees with me [grin].

This book of SF short stories is certainly an example of this phenomenon. Taking as its theme the future of mankind in space, it follows human history from 1500 years hence to the destruction of the Universe 10 million years later. In there are tales of discovery, the finding of various life forms, invasion and resistance, war and defeat. Never a dull moment anyway!

These are stories, however, that take the science in science-fiction very seriously. I can’t vouch for how much of it is actually firmly based in our present knowledge but the terms and concepts – from biology and quantum physics to cosmology will definitely stretch anyone who left science behind in High School. But don’t let this put you off. Baxter has a way of weaving hard science into an entertaining and informative narrative. After reading this book you’ll never quite look at the Universe in the same way – and with luck it will prompt you to explore his themes in non-fiction books.

Go on. Have your mind expanded!