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Sean McMullen
Sean McMullen is the author of Loosed Upon the World, a collection of science fiction stories. He writes speculative fiction that explores big ideas.
Souls in the great machine
Synopsis
Souls in the Great Machine, by Sean McMullen, is the first book in the post-apocalyptic Greatwinter Trilogy. The book was published in June 1999. It is set in a future where electricity has been banned by all major religions, librarians fight duels to settle disputes and wind engines are the main form of mechanical power. The book deals with a machine called the Calculor, a great construction with many workers inside solving various equations, it is basically a human powered computer. The ambitious Highliber Zarvora Cyberline constructed the Calculor under the disguise that it will be used for calculation of taxes and other small tasks however Zarvora plans to use the Calculor for a much greater purpose of her own. (From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Souls_in_the_Great_Machine) It was originally published in Australia as two separate books, Voices In The Light (1994) and Mirrorsun Rising (1995).
Genres
Characters
Zarvora CyberlineAntagonist
Frequently asked questions
Does Souls in the Great Machine need to be read in order?
While it is the first book in the Greatwinter Trilogy, Souls in the Great Machine introduces the world and its core conflicts in a way that allows new readers to start here without prior knowledge of the series' overarching narrative.
What makes Souls in the Great Machine unique among science fiction novels?
The novel stands out for its intricate world-building, particularly the detailed depiction of a post-apocalyptic society that has regressed technologically but developed complex social and political structures around a massive, human-powered computer. This blend of low-tech living with advanced computational concepts offers a distinctive take on future societies.