This might seem like a short novel, but it's dense. Written as 3 different narratives, it explores the relationship between memory and legacy. In this future, no one dies anymore. They just keep on living... this means a couple of things: first, it means that there's no change by natural attrition. The people in power do everything they can to stay in power, and there's no hope for better successors because no one leaves their posts. Second, also in this world, people don't retain their memories for much longer than we do. Even though their lives have been extended, it doesn't mean they have the capacity to retain their foundational experiences. (There's a throwaway line about how people write and publish their autobiographies, in part so that they can remember their own pasts.)

In this environment, we read three different narratives. Emma Weil is caught up in the Martian revolution. A few hundred years later, Hjalmar Nederland discovers her diary, one of the few firsthand accounts remaining of the events. And a few hundred years after that, Edmond Doya posits that Nederland's discoveries were all a hoax. But if they were a hoax, what does that mean about the political reforms that Nederland was able to push through by revealing the atrocities of the Civil War - especially when many of the men in power are still in power?

Although portions of the book feel dated (the earliest year this takes place is 2248 and the two major powers of Earth are still the US and the USSR; although Emma Weil is the protagonist of the first "book," the powers that be are resolutely masculine), the themes still resonate. This might be short in terms of page count, but it took me a few days to get through, in part because I'd often set it down to think about the issues it raises. Definitely worth checking out!

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of "Tor Essentials" edition of the book.

Genre: science fiction
Originally published in 1984, new release published 2024

Out on Pluto, there stands a massive monument, with words etched in Sanskrit, mimicking the henges of ancient Briton. How did they get there? When did they get there? Taking place hundreds of years into our future, Icehenge spans hundreds of years itself, in an era where humans can live centuries. It's the story of three people linked in some ways to the mysterious monument. Even in futuristic space travel, Pluto is still considered beyond the reach of many and wild theories circulate regarding the Icehenge creation, some linked to political unrest from Mars and some linked to theories of ancient humans.

This is one of Kim Stanley Robinson's earliest published books, getting a re-publication this year from Tor. I've never put down a book from KSR that didn't make me wonder and think and Icehenge is no different. In some ways it’s narrower in scope than the Red Mars series, and yet, in some ways it’s opening different doors to the stars in unexpected ways. It’s told in a format that mimics a memoir: highly reflective and pondering. And yet, the first and third books are driven by external plot (a coup! a threat to solving the mystery!) and the second book has an urgent pacing as the narrator spirals in his quest to discover the original journal writer (who is also the part one narrator.)

Icehenge is a reflection on human memory, especially memory as humans age hundreds of years, and how easy it is to change collective memory. It’s classic science fiction, tackling space, terraforming, and political turmoil, and yet remains approachable for a reader intimidated by hard sciences. This novel in particular leans more literary and speculative in tone.

Surprise bonus, this was published originally in 1984 and has a queer narrator for part two of the story.

Extra bonus, for those who know KSR... this is exceptionally short, at only 288 pages/12 hours on audio.

Icehenge reads like 3 novellas telling parts of the story at different times in history, progressing as we reach a different character. In this world, humans live for extended periods of life and humans have limitations on how much they can remember over these long lives. Even after reading the events from a character’s perspective when they were seeing them happen, you begin to question things along with the characters later in history as events have been revised to fit the ruling government’s views, but also because those that witnessed history may not be remembering it perfectly.

In part 1, I enjoyed the story, but was not yet fully sucked into it. By part 2, I was inching into the “loving this” category and by part 3 I was fully consumed by the story. The memory and extended lifespan views and commentary were brilliant and feel ahead of their time for when this was originally published.

This book was terribly formatted. Absolutely unreadable. This is a rerelease, why was it formated like the author sent it as a word vomit 15 minutes before they sent the file? Rating it one star on principle because this shouldn't have been sent out to people this way. It's one thing if it's a new release and formatting still needs to be figured out; can't understand why this wasn't done for a book that's been available for longer than I've been alive.