A Fire Upon the Deep

Fantastic book! It has been years since I read this originally, long enough that I'd essentially forgotten everything about it. It was definitely worth the re-read, though. The concept of the “Zones of thought” is so original, but makes a sort of sense that may have you wondering if it's scientific truth. And the way the concept is explored is pretty fantastic. It has some hard science edges to it that are reminiscent of Alastair Reynold's revelation space books, but I have to admit I prefer Vinge's prose. The characters are well fleshed out with motivations that make sense.

The plot line is also very well done. It's essentially a race in space. As I'm writing this, I find myself thinking of the race that makes up the majority of The Last Jedi movie and how horribly done that is compared to this one. Whereas TLJ's race is dumbfounding, making no sense from a scientific or plot line point of view, this one is exciting. You know the risks. The consequences. And it's a huge thing for not only those involved in the race itself, but essentially the rest of the galaxy as well.

This is essential reading for any fan of science fiction. One of the absolute best books out here.