The Sword and Laser discussion

Okay, I'm'a critique some of the science here. First tho I have to acknowledge that the book is generally really good on it. Thing is, that's expected. Reynolds has a PhD in Physics, worked as a physicist, and is known for hard science works. Even where he's on the edge it's justified by recent theories, even if far fetched.

So the Glitter Band itself - wonderful. Advances in technology leading to AI or perhaps near-AI, and the attendant problems. Space battles that have real constraints. Gimme me more.

But, because he gets it right so often, some plot points come off just plain wrong. It's as if you were watching a TV show about suave international detectives who suddenly refer to the capital of Australia as "Can-BERRA" instead of the actual pronunciation "CAN-brrr-uh." (example chosen because FBI:International did just that.)

So...big plot point about a rolling near-sphere in a space habitat. The person who sets it rolling expects it to go in a straight line. But hark! Coriolis force unexpectedly sends it in a curve.

Wait. Unexpectedly? You only would expect it to roll straight if you grew up on a planet. Everyone in that scene grew up in space habitats. The youth of the chapter's POV character is described in a moderate amount of detail and it was definitely NOT on a planet. So the motion would be perhaps unexpected to the reader, but not the characters.

And then, the evacuations. Got to get people out of some habitats because emergency (which I don't want to specify as I'd rather not spoiler protect this whole post.) Then it's...hard to get them to remote habitats? *ponders a moment* The Glitter Band is in orbit around an Earth-size planet. Geostationary orbit is about 25K miles out. They don't specify Geostationary so maybe it's as far out as the Moon, 250K miles. Just get a modest acceleration and float out.

Do they use fusion drives? TBH I don't recall. The "Conjoiner Drive" is supposed to be a wormhole to the early moments of the Universe and its Quark-Gluon Plasma. Um, okay, way out there but actually has some justification in theory. That drive is said to be substantially better than the best regular people (non-Ultras) can get, tho it doesn't address what they actually use in practice. I'm having a hard time believing they use chemical rockets. Even if they do, just point and float.

And I won't even get into the emission-less "Dark Drive" used in Inhibitor Phase. If it's a rocket with no emissions then it ain't a rocket, and we are into Star Trek territory. Which is fine territory, but it's not what Reynolds is known for.

Anyhoo, overall a well put together techno-drama. Because it's otherwise well put together, the silly parts stand out.

John (Taloni) wrote: "who suddenly refer to the capital of Australia as "Can-BERRA" instead of the actual pronunciation "CAN-brrr-uh." (example chosen because FBI:International did just that.)."

Not how I'd pronounce it. I'd say it's more like:
Can-Bruh. Even Can-Bra is close enough to sound correct.

I was wondering how you could ride on a pegasus and not once feel the wind? Maybe I missed something?

Hey, that's right! Definitely should have felt wind on the face. Now that I think about it, the rotating habitats should have had some kind of constant wind. After all it isn't gravity, it's constant pressure. The hull rotates with internal air that wants to stay still. Reminds me that Niven went to great lengths to describe the vast storms of the Ringworld. Gotta be at least some noticeable air effects on a large rotating cylinder.

John (Taloni) wrote: "Hey, that's right! Definitely should have felt wind on the face. Now that I think about it, the rotating habitats should have had some kind of constant wind. After all it isn't gravity, it's consta..."

Space scientists aren't so hot on fluid dynamics... (truly hard math)...

Iain wrote: "John (Taloni) wrote: "Hey, that's right! Definitely should have felt wind on the face. Now that I think about it, the rotating habitats should have had some kind of constant wind. After all it isn'..."

If you want to be a completist here are a fw other publications:

PhD Thesis: https://research-repository.st-andrew...

Three scholarly publications on the arrive: https://arxiv.org/search/?query=Reyno...

(and yes he worked at a site with speakers that could literally melt your brain)...

Iain wrote: "Space scientists aren't so hot on fluid dynamics... (truly hard math).."

Unless they do propulsion...

terpkristin wrote: "Iain wrote: "Space scientists aren't so hot on fluid dynamics... (truly hard math).."

Unless they do propulsion..."

Fair.... My statement is a vast overgeneralisation.....And my colleagues who study Aurora get to deal with Plasmas....

Reynolds publications suggest observational astronomy (Space Science is a really bad term).

I'm kinda hoping our Turtly Scientist holds court here. What'cha think of the science in the book, Terpkristin?

I think we can cut Reynolds a bit of a break; after all, it’s not rocket scie- …oh, wait.

Nevermind. Carry on.

Trike wrote: "I think we can cut Reynolds a bit of a break; after all, it’s not rocket scie- …oh, wait.

Nevermind. Carry on."

When I read the book nothing offended my “Physics” sense enough to register long term. The tech is explicable and I don’t think the Prefect has any really BDOs that his larger scale books have.

For Coriolis effects it depends on scale and speed of objects. If you spend most of your tim in honey comb habitats then it isn’t going to have a huge effect. Fluid drag on the other hand will have an effect but that depends so much on viscosity and other material properties it isn’t easy to get right.

I wish Goodreads had a reactions! "rocket science" HAHAHA. Fluid dynamics = all science hell breaks loose? And thermodynamics the same.

I’m not that far in so I’m withholding judgement but the Glitter Belt reminds me of my favorite visualization of what’s in space. It’s crowded up there! You can use it on cell phone but I recommend regular computer or at least tablet. http://stuffin.space/

Thomas Dolby approves this thread.

terpkristin wrote: "I’m not that far in so I’m withholding judgement but the Glitter Belt reminds me of my favorite visualization of what’s in space. It’s crowded up there! You can use it on cell phone but I recommend..."

Cool. Totally doesn’t resemble the COVID virus. Nope.

There's an anime called Planetes about garbagemen that cleanup the space around the Earth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DakRY...

terpkristin wrote: "I’m not that far in so I’m withholding judgement but the Glitter Belt reminds me of my favorite visualization of what’s in space. It’s crowded up there! You can use it on cell phone but I recommend..."

Wow!

In a related note: First lines in a text on Stat Mech...

Ludwig Boltzman, who spent much of his life studying statistical mechanics, died in 1906, by his own hand. Paul Ehrenfest, carrying on the work, died similarly in 1933. Now it is our turn to study statistical mechanics. Perhaps it will be wise to approach the subject cautiously. (Opening lines of "States of Matter", by D.L. Goodstein).