In other novels, the spiritual proclivities of some of Robinson's characters ring false here those same proclivities are present, but feel much more credible and sincere. This interest is subtly woven through the sweeping, centuries-spanning plot of this book, enhancing its depth and texture without getting in the way. Those familiar with some of his short fiction and essays are probably aware of his deep and abiding interest in the theory and practice of historical narrative. This book represents the sublime end of my own personal Kim Stanley Robinson spectrum. I run hot and cold on the novels of Kim Stanley Robinson, finding some of them unbearable and pretentious, others sublime, and most somewhere in between. Robinson's best Pinchot's usual excellence From the steppes of Asia to the shores of the Western Hemisphere, from the age of Akbar to the present and beyond, here is the stunning story of the creation of a new world. Rewriting history and probing the most profound questions as only he can, Robinson shines his extraordinary light on the place of religion, culture, power, and even love on such an Earth. Through the eyes of soldiers and kings, explorers and philosophers, slaves and scholars, Robinson renders an immensely rich tapestry. This is a universe where Buddhism and Islam are the most influential and practiced religions, and Christianity is merely a historical footnote. This is a universe where the Industrial Revolution is triggered by the world's greatest scientific minds - in India. This is a universe where the first ship to reach the New World travels across the Pacific Ocean from China and colonization spreads from west to east.
But what if the plague had killed 99 percent of the population instead? How would the world have changed? This is a look at the history that could have been - a history that stretches across centuries, a history that sees dynasties and nations rise and crumble, a history that spans horrible famine and magnificent innovation.
History teaches us that a third of Europe's population was destroyed. It is the 14th century, and one of the most apocalyptic events in human history is set to occur - the coming of the Black Death.
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