I just finished reading David Brin’s Sundiver, a bit of a rarity in that it is a space opera that is also very much in the realm of ‘hard science fiction.’

As a rule, hard sci fi tends to be more near future, allowing the writer to be more careful about their science and go out on less of a limb. But not Brin, who placed his story in a fairly advanced and well detailed future, with a complicated galactic cultural system.

That cultural system is the centerpiece of his Uplift universe.

Basically, status in the universe is achieved by ‘uplifting’ other species. Guiding their evolution and introducing them to technology like space flight and the like. These species become ‘client’ races to their ‘patrons,’ which roles come with certain responsibilities from each. Eventually, a ‘client’ becomes independent.

Humans are unusual in not having been uplifted and achieving space flight on their own, which slightly upsets that galactic apple cart and also leaves human uncomfortably outside the galactic social strata (though we try to move up anyway by uplifting chimpanzees and dolphins).

The plot involves the discovery of life in the sun – life that some folks theorize could be our ancient ‘patrons.’ After that, there’s lot of politics, some action sequences, some murders, etc.

It’s good stuff. And it also has an obscure reference to the character of Tom Bombadil from Tolkien’s Middle Earth: “Imperturbable as Bombadil…”

I’m looking forward to reading the sequel, Startide Rising.