Icicle

"The concept of embedding a human consciousness into the digital architecture of computers has been around since at least 1982 when Disney Studios released the groundbreaking movie Tron. We’re not talking Artificial Intelligence, but human intelligence, consciousness, however disembodied that might be.

I suspect that Robert G. Williscroft, author of the novel Icicle, a Tensor Matrix, is fully aware of the new science suggesting that consciousness is perhaps not constrained to the brain. It may be distributed. Arguably, it may function quite well in disembodied form; a form that some are bold enough to identify as the human soul.

Williscroft borrowed the creativity of Tron, infused it with current knowledge of global information networks and topological mathematics, sprinkled on modern research on the nature of consciousness, and ended up creating something totally new.

Williscroft’s new book, Icicle, is fundamentally different from his earlier work. True to form, it is a techno-thriller, but this time his work is a sometimes dizzying, mind-bending romp through hyperspace (both virtual and real). One indication of its originality is that it has one character becoming both the protagonist and antagonist—the same, yet different. It takes a darn good writer to pull that off.

For added spice, there are smart and sensuous women who coyly taunt the protagonist/antagonist with enticing displays of flesh. Can a digital consciousness with memory of a human past become titivated? Is voyeurism even possible in the disincarnate? Well, that’s just one of the many thought-provoking questions explored in this novel.

Adding to that powerful mix are geo-political tensions and the good guys versus bad guys theme that makes any thriller, well, thrilling.

Of course, any reader of Williscroft would be disappointed without outer space adventure. Rest assured, there’s plenty of that in his beautifully detailed, hard-hitting, hard science fiction story.

There is a lot to enjoy about this memorable, one-of-a-kind novel. But when you’ve closed the final pages, you’ll see there is more to come. Icicle is merely the first of the “Oort Chronicles.”

I can’t wait to read the next one.

 John R. Clarke

Robert Williscroft’s new book is a mind-expanding journey into the future where human consciousness becomes immortal through the technology to be uploaded into the net. It explores a future where human life spans solar systems and galaxies. But there is a problem when species reach that far: it’s the risk of treading on the territory of other species.

This was a fascinating exploration of the idea of Fermi’s Paradox, that is, if the possibility of other intelligent life is almost assured, why haven’t we encountered it yet? Stephen Hawkins once warned us against searching for intelligent life in that a more-advanced species might arrive and dominate us, as has been the case through most of human history when an advanced civilization meets a less-advanced people.

This is an interesting book describing what such consequences might be. The book tells a fascinating story of the earth’s past and its future. The characters are well written, and the plot moves along well. I found myself considering the ideas it puts forth for many hours reading. I recommend this book for a stimulating and fun read.

 Lemmy Caution

Robert G. Williscroft’s Icicle—A Tensor Matrix starts out in a way reminiscent of Larry Niven’s A World Out of Time or Dennis E. Taylor’s We Are Legion (We Are Bob), with the main character dying. Centuries later, his mind is uploaded from his frozen body. From there, Icicle takes off in a completely new direction. 

Our hero, Braxton Thorpe, is supposedly the first successful such upload…so why is there someone, or something, else here? The action (and there’s plenty of it) takes place in both the virtual and real worlds, with mathematical metaphors that remind me of classic Heinlein. The scale keeps building, from the laboratory on up through something bigger than the Solar System itself. Although not set in the same universe, fans of Williscroft’s Starchild Trilogy will feel right at home here. I’m looking forward to the next one.

 Alastair Mayer, Author of The T-Space Series

In Icicle, eDaphne, an electronic upload of a flesh-and-blood woman named Daphne, describes certain scientific developments as “the most amazing turn of events in human history.” This is certainly true, beginning with page one. As the novel starts, Braxton Thorpe is dying of prostate cancer that has “metastasized throughout his core.” Though his body is doomed, he stays alive by having his head removed and cryogenically preserved in an electronic matrix. Later his consciousness is transferred to a “massive MIT databank.” 

What follows is no less than a detailed How-To Guide for creating Portal Technology that will enable ships to travel quickly across the universe. What’s more, there is also the possibility that human beings will one day live virtually forever and interact with others through their holoimages. Though Thorpe says that “Not having a body has got to be the biggest downside of this electronic existence,” it also provides insurance against death. One’s body may die, but life goes on through periodic uploads, and people may even have backups for their backups. Oh Death, where is thy sting?

While reading the novel, I realized that it not only included the scope of ideas that one finds in the best hard science fiction, but that it was a dandy set-up for a series. Despite the wonderful scientific achievements, there is trouble looming, and more than one threat to humanity’s future. The novel’s conclusion is riveting and awe-inspiring with a fascinating extrapolation of scientific developments into the future. I look forward eagerly to the next book in the series. 

Professor John B. Rosenman, Norfolk State University, Former Chairman of the Board, Horror Writers Association, Author of The Inspector of the Cross Series

In Icicle, Author Robert Williscroft Imagines a technologically advanced world comprised of interstellar travel at the speed of light, wormholes, and portals. Overlay e-persons, or uploads, allowing a person’s conscious thought to exist in the ether of the GlobalNet, and you have an exciting and fast-paced sci-fi adventure that is sure to entertain and stimulate the reader’s curiosity. Williscroft draws on the fringe of advanced cosmology and physics to extrapolate a framework which is quite plausible, adding to the enjoyment of his suspense-filled plots and rich tapestry of characters. Sprinkle in international tension and an extraterrestrial threat to mankind, and Icicle is guaranteed to keep devotees awake well into the early morning hours.

Dr. Dave Edlund, USA Today Bestselling Author, The Peter Savage Thrillers"