Vinge is a computer scientist with emphasis on automation.
The premise of the universe is that the closer you get to the galactic core, the less advanced tech will work
to the point where even biological systems are affected. The further away, the more advanced systems will operate... blue sky things like anti-grav and nanotech.
The series hints that this system was set up in bygone times by advanced races who saw that supreme intelligences were dominating everything, allowing no new intelligences to emerge. At the galactic fringes, or "Slow Zones", a kind of creche for intelligence to evolve was created, with no FTL or AI.
Yep, we're deep in the "Slow zone". All the advanced things we speculate about become the "failed dreams".
His depiction of human life under these conditions is pretty grim; like here and now, and often worse.
Interesting concepts, but his writing can suffer from filler and pointless sub-plots.
A Fire Upon The Deep is the first one, quite good.
A Deepness In The Sky is a sort of prequel, very good.
The third one, I'm reading now, not much happening in it so far, Children Of The Sky.
Ranted by Doomboy
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