James Nicoll wrote:
Two Plot-Friendly Approaches to Generation Ships
When it comes to governing a generation ship, do you prefer the
Watsonian or Doylist strategy?
Books I have read over the past few years featuring generation ships:
1. Noumenon by Marina J. Lostetter. In this one, it's not a colony
ship, but rather a scientific exploration. The passenger/crew started
as clones of various scientists. Subsequent generations are as well.
They are not magically imprinted with memories, so just the bodies. "Retirement" means, "get composted". Some trouble arises along the way.
2. Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite. Again clones, but also with memory capture. All the passengers get a brand-new 20-ish body at the start,
and replacement periodically. No new children are supposed to be born.
Things are run pretty peacefully by a council, and really what's there
to be unhappy about?
3. Halcyon Years by Alastair Reynolds. This features a mix of
generations and cryo-sleep. Rich people can use the latter freely,
either to skip ahead or maybe reach the end. Some have insurance
policies to place their dead bodies in the tanks to be revived on
arrival. It seems to be somewhere about the 1950s on board, with some exceptions. There is a lot social stratification, but on the whole
things seem to be running along. Seem.
Brian
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