I just finished what I will call the "Probablity" trilogy by Nancy Kress. The books are "Probability Moon", "Probability Sun", and "Probability Space".
The series revolves around a war between Humans and "Fallers", a totally alien race that takes no prisoners, doesn't communicate, and is described as intensely xenophobic. Add "space tunnels" that have been discovered here and there about the galaxy, including one just beyong Neptune's orbit and you have a way to travel. "Moon" involves a mission to a planet called "World". World has one the more interesting alien races I read about in quite a while. It is DNA-based and all members share reality. Worlders seem eager to befriend and trade with humans, IF humans turn out to be "real." Orbitting World there are 7 moons, one of which is found to be an alien artifact apparently made by the same "Protector" race that built the space tunnels. The artifact may in fact be a weapon that can turn the war in favor of humanity. "Moon" flips back and forth between members of an anthropological mission on the surface of "World" and those who are part of a secret military mission sent to decipher the artifact. Naturally, the folks on the surface are aware of neither the secret mission nor the artifact. "Sun" is a re-visit to World by some returning members and a few new characters. The re-visit is in secret because first member mission left in a hurry thinking humans had been declared "unreal" and in danger (among other reasons). BTW, there is a second artifact on World that may be a smaller version of the one that was in orbit and may be the cause of the Shared Reality of World. "Sun" is mostly about the study of the second artifact and the moral dilemma of taking (stealing) the artifact to use against the Fallers and thereby destroying the shared reality civilization of World. "Space" is about the effects of the artifact and the resolution of the Human/Faller war. It also examines the political realities of the solar system at the time. There are return characters and new ones as well. Anymore will spoil. It is a solid conclusion. This is an excellent read. The books are well written, with logical plots, and characters you can care about. And one more thing: the physics. If you've read Brian Greene's, "The Elegant Universe", then you're at least familiar with string theory, quantum foam, 6 tiny curled up dimensions (Calabi-Yau spaces), and quantum entanglement. The science of this trilogy is right out of Greene's book (Ms. Kress acknowledges his book right up front). The space tunnels and the artifacts and what they can do all involve string theory and Calabi-Yau spaces. Recommended. George A _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
