An MP3 Star from Mars vs. Giant Aliens from Europa in John Varley’s Cool New Novel

Earth has suffer a monumental climate catastrophe that submerges most of Florida , rips the United States into several mini - nations , and ship a band of freethinking scientists and entrepreneurs to found a settlement ( and a really enceinte eating house ) on Mars . Many twelvemonth later , two of these other colonist have a grandchild whose aspirations are a little more footer than “ relieve the world ” or “ found a new world-wide outpost . ” She ’s the star of John Varley ’s latest novel Rolling Thunder , and she just wants to be an MP3 soda star , the most downloaded missy on the mesh . The third novel in Varley ’s latest series , the Word focuses on a a girl named Podkayne , who at the age of eighteen joins the Martian Navy ’s Music , Arts and Drama Division . But just as her euphony is hit big , her career is break up by several giant mountains on Galilean moonlight Europa come to life and zooming into the central solar organisation .

For those who love the Heinleiny side of Varley ’s composition , Rolling Thunder will be a real treat . Loosely mould on Heinlein ’s space dangerous undertaking Podkayne of Mars ( but with a in spades felicitous ending ) , it ’s a sweet space love affair , a kind of laughable idyl follow on Red Thunder and Red Lightning , the gruelling SF actioners that preceded it . for sure , there ’s action , and there are amazing , secret , melodic aliens that only Varley could create . But mostly it ’s the Freaks and Geeks - style story of a later teen give away herself , getting laid , and starting a band .

Podkayne does grow up a small , but her adventures in maturity have little to do with infinite adventures — rather , she has to number to damage with her unexpected mega - celebrity after she composes a Sung dynasty using sample distribution from the Europan aliens ’ songs . After publish the Sung dynasty , she has a close encounter with the aliens which leaves her in suspended vivification for over a 10 . She wake to find herself the founder of “ Pod music , ” a musical style she ca n’t sympathise and is n’t even sure she likes . Meanwhile , the aliens have flown to Earth and started a mysterious project to convert the atmospheric condition — a project that may make the planet totally uninhabitable for humans .

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It ’s interesting , and weirdly fun , to see these space operatic events through the eyes of somebody who is much more interested about who to invite to her latest party , or which shoes look easily on her . It ’s also intriguing to see Varley try his hand at writing an airheaded girly - female child , since he ’s best - known for writing strong charwoman characters who would be more likely to wrassle a dinosaur or become President of Mars than occupy about how Earth gravity will force them to wear bras . And of course of action , Varley ca n’t quite baulk a few scene where Podkayne gets to be a double - fisted , ultra - competent hero .

But if there is a failing to Rolling Thunder , Podkayne is it . She feels less like a fully - human character and more of a postmodern homage to Heinlein . And sometimes her slangy patter — a mashup of seventies hipster public lecture and references to Google — fall flat . But there are so many cool thing happening in this novel that you wo n’t be capable to dwell on its flaws for very long . The Europan aliens , and glimpses of Earth mired in a climate change so horrible it ’s well-nigh impossible to contemplate , are breathtaking and unforgettable .

Varley ’s obstinate sentiency of humour is at long last what buoy Rolling Thunder along . But he also remains his libertarian curmudgeon self , infecting an otherwise light tale with a difficult , grudging hope for human spirit . Despite how much homo sapiens sort of sucks , he seems to be saying , there are some circumstantially unspoilt ballock left . And hopefully , they ’ll be the 1 who survive .

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