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Echo of worlds

Echo of Worlds (Pandominion, #2)Echo of Worlds by M.R. Carey
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

M.R. Carey's "Echo of Worlds" serves as a powerful and satisfying conclusion to his "Pandominion" duology, following the intriguing setup of "Infinity Gate." While the author's broader works certainly explore diverse realms, this novel masterfully ties together the threads of this particular multiversal conflict.

The story immediately plunges readers into an epic war across countless dimensions. On one side stands the organic Pandominion, pitted against the chilling machine-intelligence known as the Ansurrection. Both factions are escalating their destructive capabilities, threatening to unleash an extinction-level event called the "Scour," which could wipe out thousands of planets.

At the heart of this desperate struggle is the artificial intelligence, Rupshe. Convinced that the "Scour" is inevitable without intervention, Rupshe assembles a captivating and unlikely team from the first book: Essien Nkanika, a soldier seeking redemption; Moon, a formidable and ruthless killer; Hadiz Tambuwal, a brilliant physicist whose consciousness is now digital; the idealistic young Paz; and Dulcimer Coronal, a renegade robot spy.

Their perilous mission is a race against time, taking them across a dizzying array of worlds—from brutal prison planets to a post-apocalyptic Earth. Their ultimate goal: to convince the ancient, neutral entity known as the Mother Mass to abandon its eons of non-interference and help prevent multiversal annihilation. The tension is palpable as the Pandominion's doomsday machines edge closer to deployment, promising unpredictable and catastrophic consequences.

Carey's writing shines in this novel. It's a genuinely fast-paced, action-packed narrative, perfectly complemented by intricate and imaginative world-building. Beyond the thrilling plot, "Echo of Worlds" excels in its exploration of profound themes like identity, the essence of humanity, and the weighty responsibility of sentient life in a vast, chaotic multiverse. The way Carey skillfully weaves together different realities and the complexities of various AI iterations makes for a truly immersive experience, culminating in an explosive and memorable finale to the duology.

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