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I read a sci-fi novel whilst on a teaching assignment in Guernsey in 2014.

I regret only skimming the book because I was so busy and would like to read it fully now that I am retired. Here's what I remember.

It starts in the present, pretty much. The Moon and Mars have been terra-formed and settled. Some humans choose to have genetically enhanced brains which makes them super intelligent and they eventually master inter-dimensional travel and plan to set up home in some other dimension having become disillusioned with our world. For some reason this threatens our existence (can't remember why). There are no aliens as such, just branches of humanity that have been adapted to living on other planets, thus some have become virtual aliens.

I recall a lot of reference to the Einstein-Rosen bridge. The heroine of the story lives many lifetimes, taking up to 30 year time-outs to marry and live normal lives with normal humans with normal life spans. (I think she is a mathematician) the medics also conquer, more or less, old age. Near the beginning of the story she sets up some kind of school for potential enhancement candidates.

If anybody can give me this title I will be so grateful as I want to read this properly and enjoy every line.

The cover was predominently red and it was a thick book -- I would guess 500 pages or more. My best guess is that it was written post 2000. It may have the word "millennium" or "500" in the title but that could just be my brain playing tricks.

The author, whoever he/she may be, was IMHO a gifted story teller and not a newcomer to the genre.

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  • Welcome to SciFi SE! Some good details here, but we can never have too many. Anything regarding when the book may have been written, any images on the cover, anything like that could be useful.
    – DCShannon
    Aug 19, 2016 at 20:29
  • The cover was predominently red, it was a thick book, i would guess 500 pages or more. my best guess is that it was written post 2000.
    – puzznic
    Aug 19, 2016 at 20:34
  • The Moon and Mars have been terra-formed and settled.
    – puzznic
    Aug 31, 2016 at 10:04

1 Answer 1

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Could it be Judas Unchained, 2nd book in the Commonwealth Saga by British Sci-Fi writer Peter F. Hamilton? It follows the first book called Pandora's Star.

The Saga begins in 2380, the human race has had wormhole technology for over 300 years thanks to the work of Nigel Sheldon and Ozzie Isaacs, and has colonised several hundred planets across hundreds of light years. On a distant planet, Astronomer Dudley Bose performs the first detailed observations of an astronomical event known as the Dyson Pair Enclosure. Two stars, located roughly 1,000 light years from Earth (750 light years from the edge of Commonwealth space), seemingly disappeared some time earlier. The theory is that they have been enclosed inside Dyson spheres.

....

Primes had colonised Dyson Beta using slower-than-light starships and enslaved its native inhabitants in the process. Disconnected from their originating immotile groupings, Beta's Primes started to routinely alter themselves through genetic manipulation and mechanical augmentation and therefore were referred to as alienPrimes by the Alpha Primes. As they were no longer under the control of Alpha's Primes, a war began between the two systems. The war appears to have continued until the barrier was erected around the stars by forces unknown.

One item which does not match is there being no aliens.

Non-human sentient civilisations have been encountered by the Commonwealth in its expansion through the Galaxy. The most prominent of these are the elf-like Silfen, who appear to eschew most forms of technology, as well as any participation in the politics or events of the Galaxy. The Silfen choose instead to wander across uncharted alien worlds on Paths, the Silfen equivalent of wormholes. The High Angel is an enormous sentient starship of unknown origin, acting as home for several colonies of alien species, most of which keep themselves away from humans. The Raiel are the exception to this – a race of large, somewhat self-satisfied creatures, capable of immensely complex computational calculations. All of the species encountered up to the start of the novel are peaceful, though few impart useful information to the Commonwealth.

I Googled "Einstein-Rosen mentioned in Science Fiction novels" and found this possible match in the list. I know how frustrating it can be to try to refind a book you once read. Good luck on your quest and happy reading!

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  • 1
    Can you add some points elaborating why this might match the OP's requirements?
    – Möoz
    Aug 29, 2016 at 3:52
  • A bit of googling and reading has made me think that you're probably right, but I agree with @Mooz that you should elaborate. The Einstein-Rosen bridge may be a good indication, but surely this isn't the only book in which it has been used. This question really made me interested, and I'm waiting just as eagerly as the OP.
    – user68965
    Aug 29, 2016 at 5:16
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    Thank you Mary 'Judas Unchained' sounds like a great book and I have added it to my to-read list but it is not the one. There are no aliens in my book (at least I have no recollection of any so if there are it is not of any significance), many thx
    – puzznic
    Aug 31, 2016 at 9:59
  • Just touching base in case any new viewers think this an unviewed post,
    – puzznic
    Oct 18, 2016 at 14:20
  • Although there are no aliens as such, there are many colony worlds on which the original human settlers have been transformed either by science or evolution, many have their own unique religions and cults resulting from their struggles on the new worlds, many look down on them as second class, a bit of inter-planetary racism. BUT these are not the main thread..... ...The main theme is very much the female mathematician, and her star pupil at the school she was involved in creating....more...
    – puzznic
    Mar 15, 2017 at 20:32

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