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The Long Cosmos

The Long Cosmos (The Long Earth, #5)The Long Cosmos by Terry Pratchett
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Having just finished "The Long Cosmos," the final installment in the "Long Earth" series—a collaboration Stephen Baxter completed after Terry Pratchett's passing—I found myself a bit disappointed by the number of loose ends left unresolved. I think a core challenge in classifying this series as traditional science fiction lies in its fundamental premise, which sidesteps the real-world physics limitations of interstellar travel.

Knowing the near impossibility of venturing beyond our solar system due to light-speed limits, the authors cleverly engineered the parallel Earth concept as their vehicle for cosmic exploration. Instead of launching spaceships, the characters simply "step" into new worlds. This ingenious workaround allows for adventure without grappling with conventional astrophysical constraints.

While "The Long Cosmos" does bring humanity's journey across the infinite Long Earth to an existential climax, focusing on protagonist Joshua Valienté's search for a successor to understand the multiverse's "cosmic song," and humanity's response to an impending cosmic event, the method of exploration pushes the series closer to fantasy than hard science fiction. The emergence of "Megafauna" and the revelation of the Long Earth as a vast, evolving consciousness deepen the philosophical exploration, ultimately leading to a mass exodus beyond known existence.

In my view, the series functions more as speculative fantasy than hard sci-fi. Given our own physical limitations in exploring the galaxy, perhaps the only way to truly comprehend the rest of the universe is through imagination and a touch of fantasy. Though not a blockbuster, "The Long Cosmos" and the entire "Long Earth" series remain entertaining for readers not strictly accustomed to rigid scientific adherence in their fiction.

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