Gravity Dreams

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Gravity Dreams is a 2000 science fiction novel by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

[edit] Synopsis

Set in the distant future (4512 by the date in the book), where humans, or at least a small section of them have mastered faster-than-light space travel along with nanotechnology, Gravity Dreams centers itself around its main character, Tyndel. He was born and lived until his middle years in Dorcha, a culture that uses Dzin as a method of social control (Dzin preaches that what you see is, and not to ask questions that a scientist normally would: A rock is there for it exists, the clouds are there for they exist).

In Dorcha, Tyndel is considered to be a master of Dzin having learned it from the masters in the capital city of Henvor and is sent out to practice, however instead of the prominent town that he wishes to receive as a teaching spot he is instead sent to a back water village called Hybra. Along with his wife Forga, he spends a number of years teaching the children their lessons in Dzin however things begin to go astray and a number of occurrences happen that lead Tyndel to visit one of his students fathers. While there Tyndel is attacked and infected with Nanites created by the 'Ancients' thus making him a 'Demon' as Dorcha has rejected Technology as the cause of a major ecological collapse that effected earth centuries ago.

After escaping the prison that he is placed in Tyndel returns to his wife, and witnesses the people who are meant to protect her, instead kill her. After effecting his revenge by killing the man who infected him with the nanites Tyndel flees north to the 'Demon Nation' of Rykasha, whom still retain high technology and use nanite techlogy.

He awakens some time after collapsing in the borders in a medical facility after experiencing weird lights across his vision, here he learns that he was infected with a very ancient strand of nanites that if not removed would have caused his system to burn out. The 'Demons' have fixed the problem and replaced them with more balanced nanites adjusted to his system. He is then introduced to his handler Cerrelle who explains to him that with out their help he would have died and it is her duty to make certain that he adjusts and becomes a productive citizen so that he may repay the services he owes for those rendered to him.

Tyndel however is riddled with guilt over being alive while his wife is now dead and sees many of the same attributes in Cerrelle, he also believes the system should care for him, even though he knows that on a social level that is not possible. He rejects and pushes everything being offered to him away, even as he learns slowly more of the world that he has found himself in, one that clashes with the views that have been sowed into him by his training. At the same time Cerrelle starts to force him to question how Dzin is used to prevent development, and why it fears Nanite Technology.

As time progresses Tyndel is meant to start training as a Web Jockey, or one of those who are able to pilot ships through the 'web' which allows FTL travel, however he rejects this position, much like a spoiled child and is instead shipped off to Omega Eridiani, where he spends almost 2 years as a low level tech a position that in the social ladder of Rykasha makes him extremely low. During his time on Eridiani outer station Cerrelle first attempts to bring him back offering him a position and the two have a small fight over what he truly wants, he also gets involved with a fellow tech and after she dies in an accident, begins to question much of what he has been doing himself. He requests to go back to web jockey training shortly after and is accepted back.

The next six to nine months are filled with a mix of training and relationship building, Tyndel undergoes extreme physical training to condition his body to peak levels along with audio and sensory reaction training, he also repairs the relationship with Cerrelle finding that he needs her raw honesty to help keep himself honest. As time goes by and it becomes clearer to him that he does have the potential to be a web jockey he also begins to see a spiral like star cluster that he saw when first infected more often.

Eventually he is given the choice of taking the final steps along the way to becoming a web jockey and is further enhanced by nanites, so that he may link with the Web Needle, the name given to the FTL capable ships that the Demons use. After further year of training in space he is finally made a web jockey and begins to travel routes. However things quickly begin to go astray as he learns of Engee, and a 'new' star/solar system that is being made. It is shortly after this that Needles begin to go missing, and Tyndel hears a voice asking him questions while he is in the web, one that points out some answers to questions raised.

After he is eventually taken from flight status and then because no needles vanish for a time reput on flight status Engee again contacts him and he asks the Entity what it wants to stop taking needles. It tell him that it requires his consciousness to act as an observation platform for it in a reverse energy universe. Tyndel accepts and is sent through finally learning that Engee is a group of nanites created by the 'ancients' of earth before the devastation and that it is attempting to prevent the universe from completing it's purpose by replacing the amount of information lost by the expansion of the universe with matter from another universe.

After doing as asked Tyndel returns to earth and explains what has happened, the demons act as though it is the end of their society however Tyndel states that they should just trade with the station of 'followers' because they have some technology that the demons do not like gravity control, he then returns to Cerrelle who he has become close with explains what has occurred and that he and his children will no longer require the nanite treatments as engee has made them part of his genetics during his 'services'.

The Book ends with Tyndel returning to Doracha to reflect on the past before returning once more to what he now knows is his home in the north.