Uplift Universe

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The Uplift Universe is a fictional universe created by science fiction writer David Brin. A central feature in this universe is the process of biological uplift.

His books which take place in this universe:

There is also a short story Aficionado (originally titled Life in the Extreme), published in 1998 and a novella Temptation published in 1999 in Far Horizons,, which are set in the same background. Brin also wrote Contacting Aliens: An Illustrated Guide To David Brin's Uplift Universe which is a fictional guidebook about the background of the series.

GURPS Uplift is a sourcebook for a science fiction themed role-playing game based on the Uplift Universe.

[edit] Overview

In the Uplift universe an intergalactic civilization called the Five Galaxies, comprising a multitude of sentient races, has existed for billions of years. This civilization is perpetuated by the act of Uplift, in which a "patron" species genetically modifies a non-sapient "client" species until it is sapient. The client species is typically indentured to its patron species for 100,000 years. A patron species gains considerable status, and patrons and clients often unite into powerful clans.

It is generally accepted in this universe that the process of Uplift was initiated at least one billion years ago by a species known as the Progenitors. Humanity is therefore a rare anomaly — a species with no apparent patron race. Whether humanity truly evolved independently, or whether it was criminally abandoned by an unknown patron early in its uplift, is a topic of fierce debate. Most of humanity believes itself to be a wolfling species that emerged into sapiency solely through natural evolution, without genetic manipulation of a patron species. This belief is considered heresy and ridiculous by most of the galactic civilization and has made most of the galactic powers to be enemies of Earthclan. The fact that Humanity had already uplifted two species when it encountered the galactic civilization gave Humanity patron status, which is one of the few lucky turns it has had in its difficult position as pariah in the galactic civilization. This saved humanity from the likely fate of becoming client to another race. The two recently uplifted species were chimpanzees and bottlenose dolphins.

Humanity and its clients are collectively known as Earthclan. In contrast to most SF universes, humanity in the Uplift universe is not a dominant nor a technologically advanced species — it is centuries, even millennia, behind the great galactic powers.

The civilization of the Five Galaxies has several bureaucracies that are tasked with specifying how species deal with each other and the uplift process. One of the most significant of these is the Library, which is the repository of all knowledge. Humanity prides itself on utilizing the Library as little as possible. For instance, rather than drawing upon the highly refined starship designs available in the Library, humanity tends to develop its own vastly inferior vessels. Humans generally feel that this is a way to exercise their own independence and creativity, and it occasionally allows them to find solutions to problems which surprise more powerful races.

Other intergalactic bureaucracies regulate species' environmental impact on planets, the uplift of sentient species, warfare, etc.

The civilization of the Five Galaxies is made up of mostly oxygen-breathing species. This oxygen-breathing civilization is aware of, but rarely interacts with, the other orders of sapient life, which include hydrogen-breathing, retired, transcendent, mechanical, memetic, and quantum. There is also a designation for Hypothetical orders of life which could also exist.

[edit] Books

Ecology and stewardship of genetic diversity are major themes in the Uplift books. Religious orthodoxy and the behavior of static societies are also themes.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The first book in the Uplift series, Sundiver (1980), is essentially a detective story and occurs only decades after humanity's first contact with the Five Galaxies.

The second book, Startide Rising (1983), occurs centuries later. It follows the Earthclan space ship Streaker (crewed by uplifted dolphins and their human patrons) which has discovered a colossal derelict fleet. The Streaker is pursued as rumors spread throughout the Five Galaxies that Streaker has found the remains of the Progenitors.

The third book, The Uplift War (1987), occurs around the same time as Startide Rising but in another part of the galaxy. An intergalactic war sparked by the events of Startide causes trouble on the planet Garth, heavily populated by uplifted chimps.

In 1995 Brightness Reef was published, the first book in a new Uplift trilogy. The "Uplift Storm" trilogy follows the survivors of the space ship Streaker as they continue to evade the various galactic powers. Along the way they encounter a hidden planet where the inhabitants have illegally settled and dropped out of the civilization of the Five Galaxies. They eventually make contact with the other orders of life.

The short story Aficionado is set earliest of all the currently written work and gives an account of the early days of the human uplift program before Contact. The novella Temptation was set just after the ending of Heaven's Reach, and tells what happened to some of the characters from the trilogy after the main story ended.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Trivia

The Uplift Universe has been mentioned as the inspiration for the universe of the Star Control computer games.

In a similar fashion, some of the concepts of the Universe, namely the Progenitors and the derelict fleet, are present in the Homeworld 2 computer game.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links


The Uplift series
Sundiver (1980) | Startide Rising (1983) | The Uplift War (1987)
Uplift Storm trilogy
Brightness Reef (1995) | Infinity's Shore (1996) | Heaven's Reach (1998)
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