Ventus
Encyclopedia
Ventus is a 2001 science fiction
/fantasy
novel
by Karl Schroeder
. It was Schroeder's debut solo novel, and introduced his concept of thalience. The novel is available for free under the Creative Commons
license at Schroeder's website. Its prequel, Lady of Mazes, was published in 2005.
nanotechnology
. To coordinate the terraforming effort, advanced AIs
called “Winds” were created. Using raw materials from the planet, the Winds slowly changed the planet’s atmosphere
and soil
, transforming it from a lifeless, poisonous world to a veritable garden, with pre-built cities and mansions ready for their human masters to arrive. The Winds toiled away over the years, maintaining the fragile artificial ecosystem
of Ventus – without their efforts, the planet’s livable environment would degrade and become poisonous once more.
Centuries later, the colonists arrive to populate the planet. But something has gone wrong: the Winds no longer recognize mankind, and begin attacking all human ships and technology as threats to the precarious ecosystem. Individual people, seen by the Winds as simply “wildlife” (and thus part of the ecosystem) are left alone, but all their technology is destroyed, leaving them helpless.
Fast-forward to the present, where the descendants
of the colonists live in ignorance of their past, existing in a perpetual pre-industrial state. Seeing the Winds as capricious gods who destroy anything and anyone who advances technology too much, the people have reverted to superstitious monarchies and aristocracies. Ventusians simply see themselves as living in a world filled with magic
, and live their lives in awe and fear of the Winds.
In the rest of the galaxy, though, humanity has other problems. A gargantuan war between AI’s is fought, between the “Archipelago” (representing the bulk of humanity) and the malicious “3340” (described in detail in the prequel Lady of Mazes). Ultimately, 3340 is destroyed, but not before it sends “Resurrection
Seeds” of itself throughout the galaxy. The Archipelago starts a long process of tracking these Seeds down, lest 3340 rebuild itself anew.
Unfortunately, one of these Seeds has landed on Ventus, in the form of former-demigod
Armiger. Packed with nanotechnology, Armiger secretly installs implants in several unknowing humans around the planet, in an effort to reconnoiter
the Winds. He begins a campaign of warfare, intending to first take over the human population, and then attack the Winds head-on, but inadvertently alerts the Winds when he uses forbidden technology during a battle and is subsequently destroyed by them. Entombed by his former soldiers, his nanotech slowly pieces him back together.
A young adolescent named Jordan Mason begins having visions of being Armiger, seeing and hearing everything that Armiger does. Frightened by what is happening to him, Jordan runs away from home. He is soon intercepted by the mysterious Calandria May, who, unbeknownst to Jordan, has been sent by the Archipelago to Ventus to track down Armiger. Along with her partner Axel, Calandria intends to use Jordan to get to Armiger.
The novel explores the mystery of why the Winds have rejected humanity, and also explores the themes of Platonic Ideals
and identity
.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
/fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Karl Schroeder
Karl Schroeder
Karl Schroeder is an award-winning Canadian science fiction author. His novels present far-future speculations on topics such as nanotechnology, terraforming, augmented reality and interstellar travel, and have a deeply philosophical streak...
. It was Schroeder's debut solo novel, and introduced his concept of thalience. The novel is available for free under the Creative Commons
Creative Commons
Creative Commons is a non-profit organization headquartered in Mountain View, California, United States devoted to expanding the range of creative works available for others to build upon legally and to share. The organization has released several copyright-licenses known as Creative Commons...
license at Schroeder's website. Its prequel, Lady of Mazes, was published in 2005.
Backstory
In preparation for the arrival of human colonists, the planet Ventus was seeded by an autonomous probe with a suite of terraformingTerraforming
Terraforming of a planet, moon, or other body is the hypothetical process of deliberately modifying its atmosphere, temperature, surface topography or ecology to be similar to those of Earth, in order to make it habitable by terrestrial organisms.The term is sometimes used more generally as a...
nanotechnology
Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres...
. To coordinate the terraforming effort, advanced AIs
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
called “Winds” were created. Using raw materials from the planet, the Winds slowly changed the planet’s atmosphere
Atmosphere
An atmosphere is a layer of gases that may surround a material body of sufficient mass, and that is held in place by the gravity of the body. An atmosphere may be retained for a longer duration, if the gravity is high and the atmosphere's temperature is low...
and soil
Soil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
, transforming it from a lifeless, poisonous world to a veritable garden, with pre-built cities and mansions ready for their human masters to arrive. The Winds toiled away over the years, maintaining the fragile artificial ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
of Ventus – without their efforts, the planet’s livable environment would degrade and become poisonous once more.
Centuries later, the colonists arrive to populate the planet. But something has gone wrong: the Winds no longer recognize mankind, and begin attacking all human ships and technology as threats to the precarious ecosystem. Individual people, seen by the Winds as simply “wildlife” (and thus part of the ecosystem) are left alone, but all their technology is destroyed, leaving them helpless.
Fast-forward to the present, where the descendants
Lineal descendant
A lineal descendant, in legal usage, refers to a blood relative in the direct line of descent. The children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc...
of the colonists live in ignorance of their past, existing in a perpetual pre-industrial state. Seeing the Winds as capricious gods who destroy anything and anyone who advances technology too much, the people have reverted to superstitious monarchies and aristocracies. Ventusians simply see themselves as living in a world filled with magic
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
, and live their lives in awe and fear of the Winds.
In the rest of the galaxy, though, humanity has other problems. A gargantuan war between AI’s is fought, between the “Archipelago” (representing the bulk of humanity) and the malicious “3340” (described in detail in the prequel Lady of Mazes). Ultimately, 3340 is destroyed, but not before it sends “Resurrection
Resurrection
Resurrection refers to the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is used both with respect to particular individuals or the belief in a General Resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. The General Resurrection is featured prominently in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim...
Seeds” of itself throughout the galaxy. The Archipelago starts a long process of tracking these Seeds down, lest 3340 rebuild itself anew.
Unfortunately, one of these Seeds has landed on Ventus, in the form of former-demigod
Demigod
The term "demigod" , meaning "half-god", is commonly used to describe mythological figures whose one parent was a god and whose other parent was human; as such, demigods are human-god hybrids...
Armiger. Packed with nanotechnology, Armiger secretly installs implants in several unknowing humans around the planet, in an effort to reconnoiter
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
the Winds. He begins a campaign of warfare, intending to first take over the human population, and then attack the Winds head-on, but inadvertently alerts the Winds when he uses forbidden technology during a battle and is subsequently destroyed by them. Entombed by his former soldiers, his nanotech slowly pieces him back together.
A young adolescent named Jordan Mason begins having visions of being Armiger, seeing and hearing everything that Armiger does. Frightened by what is happening to him, Jordan runs away from home. He is soon intercepted by the mysterious Calandria May, who, unbeknownst to Jordan, has been sent by the Archipelago to Ventus to track down Armiger. Along with her partner Axel, Calandria intends to use Jordan to get to Armiger.
The novel explores the mystery of why the Winds have rejected humanity, and also explores the themes of Platonic Ideals
Theory of Forms
Plato's theory of Forms or theory of Ideas asserts that non-material abstract forms , and not the material world of change known to us through sensation, possess the highest and most fundamental kind of reality. When used in this sense, the word form is often capitalized...
and identity
Identity (social science)
Identity is a term used to describe a person's conception and expression of their individuality or group affiliations . The term is used more specifically in psychology and sociology, and is given a great deal of attention in social psychology...
.