The Nominal Echo Chronicles
The Nominal Echo Chronicles is a fascinating book. So far, the books that I have reviewed have had a certain hook. In Turning Forward it was the structure. Life Taker had grit, realism, and touch. Suddenly Supper was whimsically fun. The Nominal Echo Chronicles is interesting and different because it begs the question and never gives us a straight answer.
The Nominal Echo Chronicles is a collection of short stories that explore different facets and challenges of a deep space mission. Over seventy years, we follow this mission from initial concept to deployment. Exploring what it would take for humans to colonize another planet. This is a very broad canvas to explore and paint. Each story is open to interpretation, thought provoking, and moves the overall narrative along.
It can feel jarring when making time jumps. It can be a little disorienting switching from moral to societal, to practical scientific issues. If you like a story that ties everything up, then this book isn’t for you. However, personally, I enjoy it when a book starts a conversation and makes me think. When I come to a conclusion on my own, it’s more gratifying than when a book tells me what to think. For instance, early in the book, a few advisors ask a philosopher/scientist what a society would look like if it completely started anew. One created without the burdens history places on our collective consciousness.
Imagine for a second how you would create a new society. One free of the social conventions and historical burden woven into the very fabric of our existence. One free of misogyny, discrimination, racism, where no one has ever been anyone else’s enemy and where survival is predicated on working together. What would the power dynamic look like? What would the government and economy look like?
This idea of new hooked me. What would cities look like if you could one day just create a new one? Many of the burdens of modern city living are predicated on adapting the needs of today into what came before.
That’s just one example of a question asked in this book. In many ways, The Nominal Echo Chronicles isn’t meant to be a main course, but an appetizer to whet your beak on. It is a thought experiment of science, philosophy, and even sociology.
Even if it is jarring and possibly frustrating, this story energized and invigorated me. Beyond that, this story made me think more critically about the issues we face today. How many of us think about the people across the world right now having their lives torn apart by war? We see the pictures, but how often do you write your senator, protest, send resources, or do something for change?
Go a step further. Do you remember the politicians who served you for the past decade? Or even who your neighbors are? Think about the last big media story, the emergency, and how much of that has become background noise. Things like the moon landing, the world wars are a part of history. My grandparents dreamed of the day where video calls existed. That ground breaking innovation of video technology came without much fanfare and is now a part of our everyday life, the same as water and electricity are.
The Nominal Echo Chronicles has made me want to be the driver in my life, to be more proactive in deciding what our morals, culture, and societal values I recommend you rocket into The Nominal Echo Chronicles .