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title: "The Children of the Sky (Zones of Thought)"
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# The Children of the Sky (Zones of Thought)

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## Description

After nearly twenty years, Vernor Vinge has produced an enthralling sequel to his memorable bestselling novel A Fire Upon the Deep. In Children of the Sky, ten years have passed on Tines World, where Ravna Bergnsdot and a number of human Children ended up after a disaster that nearly obliterated humankind throughout the galaxy. Ravna and the pack animals for which the planet is named have survived a war, and Ravna has saved more than one hundred Children who were in cold-sleep aboard the vessel that brought them. While there is peace among the Tines, there are those among them―and among the humans―who seek power…and no matter the cost, these malcontents are determined to overturn the fledgling civilization that has taken root since the humans landed. On a world of fascinating wonders and terrifying dangers, Vernor Vinge has created a powerful novel of adventure and discovery that will entrance the many readers of A Fire Upon the Deep . Filled with the inventiveness, excitement, and human drama that have become hallmarks of his work, Children of the Sky is sure to become another great milestone in Vinge's already stellar career. One of Library Journal 's Best SF/Fantasy Books of 2011.

Review: A Critical Five Star Review - My expectations for this novel were impossibly and unfairly high. The Hugo winning A Fire Upon the Deep is my favorite work of fiction. Vernor Vinge is easily my favorite author. That said, I have doubts about The Children of the Sky getting a Hugo for Mr Vinge. Onward to the details. Be forewarned that there are a few medium spoilers and at least one major spoiler ahead. Plus, some speculation regarding the next book in this series. The Children of the Sky is a very enjoyable book that develops, but does not settle, the story of the Tines, Ravna Bergnsdot, Johanna and Jefri Olsndot. A new evil character is introduced, and the familiar ones are there too. I disagree with another review here, I do not find the bad guys to be cartoon like and simple. I think Vernor Vinge understands evil very well. That is a part of what makes his novels so interesting and so thought provoking. From misguided well intentioned evil, to kill them all mega death evil, and every shade in between. The biggest thing I didn't like about The Children of the Sky is the similarity of the Tines planet plot in A Fire Upon the Deep. This is beyond (no pun intended!) merely being in the same setting. For instance, both novels have Johanna in a perilous escape by sea journey on a small craft. Both novels have a perilous but better prepared long overland journey. At times, I felt like I was reading a rewrite of those portions of A Fire Upon the Deep. Second, I prefer Grand Scale Science Fiction. Sure, there is talk of other worlds, Zones, and the Perversion. But The Children of the Sky isn't truly Grand Scale, it takes place on one planet. My last complaint is that the current status of the Blight (aka the Perversion) gets only a few paragraphs in the entire book, and the lack of resolution with regard to the Blight. Despite the above, I'm giving The Children of the Sky five stars. This is still a great book. Vinge still stands above the rest. Vinge is so thought provoking, beyond mere entertainment. One example is the Blight Deniers. They are a pernicious group, some well aware that they deceive, others are innocent tools of evil who believe that they know a secret truth. The Blight Deniers example can be projected onto so many modern real world circumstances. Moon landing deniers, evolution deniers, presidential birth certificate deniers, climate change deniers, AIDS deniers, they all share a common method of operation with the Blight Deniers in The Children of the Sky. I'll end this review on a speculation. Due to the circumstances (a Zone surge in progress) I'm having a hard time believing that the cloud of firefly like insects around Pham's grave is coincidence. When we get the next book in this series, I predict some sort of resurrection of Pham Nuwen through Countermeasure. If my speculation turns out to be correct, it will be interesting to see if Pham returns whole and human, or as the formerly human Transcendent memory of Pham Nuwen.
Review: Only Children (Mild Spoilers) - This story takes place ten years after A Fire Upon The Deep 's closing events. Ravna Bergsndot tends the out-of-commission starship Out of Band II, watches the skies for the slowly-approaching Blight fleet, and watches over the Children released from Oobii's cold sleep containers. The Children have adjusted to Tines World, making friends, building homes, and in some cases having children of their own. And they have formed beliefs of their own. One group, who become known as the Deniers, no longer accept Ravna's account of the Blight's destructiveness. Nor do they support preparations to deal with the Blight's fleet. These issues lead to deep disagreements. The Tines themselves also experience change. Some comes from technological development accelerated by Oobii's databases. Personalities also change as packs add new members. Woodcarver takes on a puppy and develops a sharper, almost paranoid aspect. Flenser, reduced to a four-pack, is as crafty as ever. But evil seems to have left him. Explorers from Woodcarver's domain learn more about the southern Choir, a vast mob of singletons that may not be as mindless as it seems. There are new alliances and new inventions. And the traitor Vendacious is still dipping his snouts in where he is not wanted. I enjoyed reading this book. The Tines are fascinating and the author explored new aspects of their one-from-many nature. Political intrigue among the humans took directions I did not expect. But the book did not live up to my enjoyment of the previous book nor of A Deepness in the Sky . Part of the reason may be the absence of the parallel-plots-that-converge structure both of these books have. I had under-appreciated how much this structure helped with pacing and building suspense. There is some sub-plot switching in this story, but to lesser effect. The absence of a high-tech, off-world story line is part of another problem: The neglect of off-world events almost entirely. This was not all bad, because it did build suspense about the activities--and proximity--of the Blight fleet. But the absence is felt. By late in the story even Ravna has become something of a Denier, thinking more about affairs among the Tines than about the larger context. I do see how this, and a few other events I won't mention, set up nicely for a sequel--and I will elbow my grandmother in the throat to get the very first copy. Maybe this is the natural middle-of-the-story letdown that you see even in The Two Towers and The Empire Strikes Back . Even understood, it disappointed a bit. So there is a downside. But don't let it stop you. Get to the bookstore, grab your Kindle away from the kids, fork over extra for over-night shipping--get this book and read it. You've been waiting for years to hear more about the Tines and their refugee humans. Here it is. And while you read it... watch the skies for more.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #1,557,752 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #331 in Hard Science Fiction (Books) #547 in Exploration Science Fiction #601 in Alien Invasion Science Fiction |
| Customer Reviews | 4.0 out of 5 stars 1,296 Reviews |

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## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Critical Five Star Review
*by T***Y on November 27, 2011*

My expectations for this novel were impossibly and unfairly high. The Hugo winning A Fire Upon the Deep is my favorite work of fiction. Vernor Vinge is easily my favorite author. That said, I have doubts about The Children of the Sky getting a Hugo for Mr Vinge. Onward to the details. Be forewarned that there are a few medium spoilers and at least one major spoiler ahead. Plus, some speculation regarding the next book in this series. The Children of the Sky is a very enjoyable book that develops, but does not settle, the story of the Tines, Ravna Bergnsdot, Johanna and Jefri Olsndot. A new evil character is introduced, and the familiar ones are there too. I disagree with another review here, I do not find the bad guys to be cartoon like and simple. I think Vernor Vinge understands evil very well. That is a part of what makes his novels so interesting and so thought provoking. From misguided well intentioned evil, to kill them all mega death evil, and every shade in between. The biggest thing I didn't like about The Children of the Sky is the similarity of the Tines planet plot in A Fire Upon the Deep. This is beyond (no pun intended!) merely being in the same setting. For instance, both novels have Johanna in a perilous escape by sea journey on a small craft. Both novels have a perilous but better prepared long overland journey. At times, I felt like I was reading a rewrite of those portions of A Fire Upon the Deep. Second, I prefer Grand Scale Science Fiction. Sure, there is talk of other worlds, Zones, and the Perversion. But The Children of the Sky isn't truly Grand Scale, it takes place on one planet. My last complaint is that the current status of the Blight (aka the Perversion) gets only a few paragraphs in the entire book, and the lack of resolution with regard to the Blight. Despite the above, I'm giving The Children of the Sky five stars. This is still a great book. Vinge still stands above the rest. Vinge is so thought provoking, beyond mere entertainment. One example is the Blight Deniers. They are a pernicious group, some well aware that they deceive, others are innocent tools of evil who believe that they know a secret truth. The Blight Deniers example can be projected onto so many modern real world circumstances. Moon landing deniers, evolution deniers, presidential birth certificate deniers, climate change deniers, AIDS deniers, they all share a common method of operation with the Blight Deniers in The Children of the Sky. I'll end this review on a speculation. Due to the circumstances (a Zone surge in progress) I'm having a hard time believing that the cloud of firefly like insects around Pham's grave is coincidence. When we get the next book in this series, I predict some sort of resurrection of Pham Nuwen through Countermeasure. If my speculation turns out to be correct, it will be interesting to see if Pham returns whole and human, or as the formerly human Transcendent memory of Pham Nuwen.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Only Children (Mild Spoilers)
*by J***D on October 31, 2011*

This story takes place ten years after A Fire Upon The Deep 's closing events. Ravna Bergsndot tends the out-of-commission starship Out of Band II, watches the skies for the slowly-approaching Blight fleet, and watches over the Children released from Oobii's cold sleep containers. The Children have adjusted to Tines World, making friends, building homes, and in some cases having children of their own. And they have formed beliefs of their own. One group, who become known as the Deniers, no longer accept Ravna's account of the Blight's destructiveness. Nor do they support preparations to deal with the Blight's fleet. These issues lead to deep disagreements. The Tines themselves also experience change. Some comes from technological development accelerated by Oobii's databases. Personalities also change as packs add new members. Woodcarver takes on a puppy and develops a sharper, almost paranoid aspect. Flenser, reduced to a four-pack, is as crafty as ever. But evil seems to have left him. Explorers from Woodcarver's domain learn more about the southern Choir, a vast mob of singletons that may not be as mindless as it seems. There are new alliances and new inventions. And the traitor Vendacious is still dipping his snouts in where he is not wanted. I enjoyed reading this book. The Tines are fascinating and the author explored new aspects of their one-from-many nature. Political intrigue among the humans took directions I did not expect. But the book did not live up to my enjoyment of the previous book nor of A Deepness in the Sky . Part of the reason may be the absence of the parallel-plots-that-converge structure both of these books have. I had under-appreciated how much this structure helped with pacing and building suspense. There is some sub-plot switching in this story, but to lesser effect. The absence of a high-tech, off-world story line is part of another problem: The neglect of off-world events almost entirely. This was not all bad, because it did build suspense about the activities--and proximity--of the Blight fleet. But the absence is felt. By late in the story even Ravna has become something of a Denier, thinking more about affairs among the Tines than about the larger context. I do see how this, and a few other events I won't mention, set up nicely for a sequel--and I will elbow my grandmother in the throat to get the very first copy. Maybe this is the natural middle-of-the-story letdown that you see even in The Two Towers and The Empire Strikes Back . Even understood, it disappointed a bit. So there is a downside. But don't let it stop you. Get to the bookstore, grab your Kindle away from the kids, fork over extra for over-night shipping--get this book and read it. You've been waiting for years to hear more about the Tines and their refugee humans. Here it is. And while you read it... watch the skies for more.

### ⭐⭐⭐ disappointing
*by C***Y on October 17, 2011*

I consider Fire Upon the Deep & Deepness of the Sky to be among the greatest sci fi books ever written. So it was disappointing for me to see how inferior this book was. It is simply not in the same league. Positives: Hard Sci Fi: The world is interesting as always, and Vinge expands on the Tines by giving a variation of their species. That was well done. He further expands on the technology, its limitations in the Slow Zone and all the impossible technology the "Children" (survivors of the crash) miss so much. Also interesting. His creation of the alien Tines is thorough and mostly well done, although I felt their civilization bears far too much similarity to our own considering how very different they are from us. Still, I enjoyed them. Plot: Plot was actually both positive and negative. Sometimes, the plot would race forward and you would hang on the edge of your seat. But other times - most times - it was a chore to read; all in all, very haphazard and amateurish. Many parts dragged, or were highly repetitive. It felt like a case of a lazy or indulgent editor. With top editing, Vinge would have been told to re-write much of it and scrap other parts. Many sections were utterly unnecessary - the same thing would be said later, or the conflict presented was repeated later - and this was especially frustrating given that IT DOESN'T HAVE AN ENDING! Negatives: The main negative was what I just said: No ending. I mean exactly what I say, not "no ending for some major points" I mean "no ending." It just ends in the middle of the major conflicts. Really this is just inexcusable, particularly since so much of the book could have been removed with zero difference in plot or conflict. I really, really, really resent books that end without resolution. It is supremely self-indulgent of the author - sorry, guys, I was just too lazy to finish this! - and it is dishonest to present the thing as a discrete book. Rainbows End ALSO lacked an ending - no resolution of ANY of the main plot questions - and we still haven't seen a sequel. So it's especially annoying given that this is the SECOND book Vinge disappoints. Characterizations: His villains are preposterous. They are just Evil in a silly, cartoonish bad guy way. As in, 'Bwa ha ha, I vill take over ze planet!' One of the humans is supposed to be some political genius simply because his parents were -- this was another very silly thing Vinge kept insisting that if your parents are x, you are x. He did this with every Child character. For instance, another child's parents were the equivalent of janitors, with practical hands on skills, so therefore, ipso facto, his son was exactly the same. I don't know where Vinge learned genetics, but he needs to go back to school for this one. Anyway, the character that was supposed to be this political genius plotted on a cartoonish level so that you could see his machinations a mile away. Actually, in some ways he exhibited the same foolish hubris the Straumli folks were supposed to have, but rather than pursue that angle, Vinge just kept asserting - via other characters - that he was a genius and also 'evil.' Most other characters are the same level of shallowness, particularly the humans. (I was reminded of Asimov, whose robots often seemed to have greater depth than his humans. Here, the Tines were more complex than the humans. Back to the preposterous 'genetics,' Vinge makes this big deal that the Children's parents were supposed 'geniuses' so therefore the children are 'geniuses' too. This was cloying and not believable. Yes, if your parents are very intelligent, you stand a higher change of being smart too-but not a guarantee by any means. If you have a large enough sample, you should find a range of intelligence in the "Children" even if we accept the parents were all supposed geniuses. But even that assertion was just annoying. Who CARES if the parents or "Children" are all 'geniuses"? How does this forward the plot in ANY way? According to the previous book, they let loose the Blight due to Hubris. This has very little to do with "genius" and indeed the 'genius' part makes it less interesting as it is not universal (and anyway, their whole society funded their Lab so the hubris was in their civilization.) Ravna was also really annoying to me. After Ravna does a series of stupid, passive things, another character tells her she's not a 'fool' but rather a pure heart. Um, where did this Ravna come from? She certainly wasn't like this in Fire. I felt like Vinge wanted her to act in such a way that would further the plot he wanted to write, so he changed her character. In other words, characters (also Jeff & Amdi) arose from plot necessity rather than the other way around as a pro should write. I'd recommend the book but with the caveats that a) it has no ending b) large parts are very slow and weak c) some characters are really silly. You will need accept that this is not up to Vinge's usually brilliant standards. You can still extract an mildly interesting read, with some very good parts, and a few great parts. I wish Vinge would get a better, more honest and brutal editor, someone who is willing to tell him the truth rather than merely flattering him. He has the potential to be an absolutely brilliant sci fi writer. It's painful to see his gifts so squandered.

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