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The Long Utopia

The Long Utopia (The Long Earth #4)The Long Utopia by Terry Pratchett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In The Long Utopia, a novel in the Long Earth series, the artificial intelligences Agnes and Lobsang embark on a unique endeavor: adopting a human child, Ben, and attempting to build a normal pioneering life on one of the seemingly infinite parallel Earths.

However, their peaceful existence takes a dramatic turn with the human pioneers discovering a peculiar species dubbed 'silver beetles'. These insects exhibit an unusual behavior of 'stepping down' to lower-numbered Earths. As the pioneers observe them, a terrifying realization dawns: the silver beetles are not merely migrating; they are systematically transforming their chosen parallel Earth into a colossal Dyson Motor, a structure designed to harness the star's energy.

Lobsang, with his advanced analytical capabilities, understands the catastrophic implications. These silver beetles can step sideways to other parallel Earths, potentially converting an infinite number of worlds into similar energy-harvesting megastructures. To prevent this interdimensional catastrophe, Lobsang recognizes the urgent need to isolate and effectively close off the affected parallel Earth from the stepping process.

Their efforts lead them to seek the assistance of the 'Next,' a post-human evolutionary branch that emerged due to the widespread stepping activities of regular humans. Among the Next is Stan Berg, a particularly powerful and capable individual. Together, Lobsang, Agnes, Sally, and Stan collaborate on a desperate plan to sever the connection of that specific world from the stepping network, effectively quarantining the silver beetles and their world-altering project.

Through a combination of Lobsang's understanding of the stepping mechanics and Stan's unique abilities, they succeed in their mission, preventing the silver beetle's influence from spreading across the Long Earth. In the aftermath, Lobsang makes a profound decision. Uploading his consciousness to a starship, he chooses to witness the complete transformation of that isolated world into a Dyson Motor from a safe distance, embarking on a solitary journey into the Oort cloud of that particular universe, perhaps contemplating the vastness and strangeness of the Long Earth and its myriad possibilities.

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