Let’s say there were a society where the citizens were comfortable, safe, free to pursue happiness, blah blah blah. The only catch would be that they could not attempt to remove or change the government or the society’s rules, and they could not criticize the government or society’s rules at any great extent in public. If anyone were to try to do so, he or she would be at great risk of being imprisoned, tortured, or killed, depending on the “severity” of the offense. Because all the citizens are comfortable, safe and whatnot, no one in the society actually feels they have any incentive to try to replace the government or the rules, or to mount any substantial criticism of these institutions.

Should the citizens of this society replace this government?

Both A Fire Upon the Depp and A Deepness in the Sky are absolutely fantastic. I think I prefer Deepness more, though the consensus seems to be Fire is his best. I can’t think of any other science fiction write who’s been able to carry me to such emotional extremes. Well, PKD of course, but other then him, Vinge is one of the best.

If it matters, the other sci-fi I really like is pretty much contained by the set of Lem, Dick, Neal Stephenson (sue me, purists), and the New Wave SF writers. I’m really looking forward to Rainbow’s End.