Lockstep
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ☆ ☆
Lockstep by Karl Schroeder
I’ll keep this one short: it’s confusing. 😵
That said, I do admire it. Lockstep proves that science fiction isn’t just about its clichés or tropes, it’s a setting that can be molded to tell any kind of story.
Going in, I expected something much more epic based on the synopsis. And while the Lockstep universe does deliver a true galactic scale, it may have bitten off a little more than it could chew.
There are just too many moving parts to keep track of:
The lockstep/wintering cycles
Planets outside the system
Planets inside the system, but on different schedules
Worlds being labeled “slow” or “fast” compared to the standard cycle
And the fact that wintering, or refusing to, is used as a punishment
😐🤔🤷♂️ (Confused yet?)
Here’s the gist: Humanity lives one month at a time every 30 years. While people hibernate (aka “winter”), bots mine resources so that when humanity wakes up, supplies are ready and waiting.
It’s a fascinating idea, no doubt about it. But the execution? Maybe a little too ambitious for its own good.
