Brain Wave, Poul Anderson
Brain Wave, Poul Anderson
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Brain Wave

Author: Poul Anderson

Narrator: Daniel Thomas May

Unabridged: 6 hr 43 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 11/08/2022


Synopsis

From the multiple Hugo and Nebula award–winning author: "A panoramic story of what happens to a world gone super intelligent" (Astounding Science Fiction).

With "wonderfully logical detail . . . exciting storytelling and moving characterization" (Anthony Boucher), science fiction master Poul Anderson explores what happens when the next stage of evolution is thrust upon humanity and animals. As Earth passes out of a magnetic field that has suppressed intelligence for eons, the mental capacity for all mammals increases exponentially, radically changing the structures of society.

A mentally impaired farm worker finds himself capable of more delicate and intelligent thoughts than he ever dreamed. A young boy on holiday manages to discern the foundations of calculus before breakfast. Animals that were seen as livestock and pets can now communicate clearly with their owners and one another. And an already brilliant physics researcher now uses his boundless intellect to bring humankind to the stars—even as his wife plunges into an existential crisis. For all of them, the world will never be the same . . .

About Poul Anderson

Poul Anderson (1926-2001) grew up bilingual in a Danish American family. After discovering science fiction fandom and earning a physics degree at the University of Minnesota, he found writing science fiction more satisfactory. Admired for his hard science fiction, mysteries, historical novels, and "fantasy with rivets," he also excelled in humor. He was the guest of honor at the 1959 World Science Fiction Convention and at many similar events, including the 1998 Contact Japan 3 and the 1999 Strannik Conference in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Besides winning the Hugo and Nebula Awards, he received the Gandalf, Seiun, and Strannik, or "Wanderer," Awards. A founder of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, he became a Grand Master, and was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Bradley

Great concept, troubling conclusions. I mean, isn't this what a lot of great SF is all about? A great idea to explore and get really excited about, coupled with a great story for the personal impact? We've got half of this. I almost squeed like a little girl with the idea that EVERYTHING on the plane......more

Goodreads review by Bill

I like returning to the “classics” of my youth, for I always discover not only something new about the work itself, but something about myself and how I have changed. Sometimes, though, rediscovery is a mitigated pleasure; sometimes I must face that fact that one of my old “classics” isn’t really a......more

Goodreads review by Scott

Imagine for a moment that humanity is a race of drooling idiot-children, operating at 20-25% of our brain capacity. (Was that a stretch for you? It wasn't for me, thinking of the US election, sundry pointless wars and the popularity of The Coolest on Kickstarter.) Now imagine that over the course of......more