The Algebraist

I've been reading an actual book (*gasp*) for the last couple of weeks. The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks is a science fiction novel, and one of the better ones I've read. While it takes place "only" one or two thousand years in the future, it depicts a history that is much longer. As far as I can tell, it fits mostly within the realm of "hard" scifi; IE, there is little to nothing in it that directly contradicts current science, and there are no humanoid aliens (except one race who are actually bipedal cats, and another species that was actually created through genetic engineering). One of the other races involved is purported to have existed for fifteen billion years, and now inhabit 99% of the gas giant planets in the galaxy.

The book shows some of the interaction between these veritably ancient races who have settled into their patterns, and don't concern themselves with much, collectively known as the Slow; and the Quick, such as humans, that go to so much trouble to devise quicker ways to move place to place, and cause (and fear) death so much more. These Quick also generally last only a few thousand years once they discover galactic civilization, before they either annihilate themselves or evolve beyond themselves.

I won't reveal any of the plot here, but it really is an engrossing book. Check it out.