The Chronoliths

This is, quite simply, one of the best SF books I have ever read. This book made Wilson my favorite SF author.

It starts with an intriguing SF concept: what if a giant pillar appeared in Bangkok, marking the victory of a future warlord? What would be its impact on society? How could such an event come about and why must people in the future send mementos to the past?

On this premise, "The Chronoliths" fully deliver in intrigue, surprise twists and clever, thoughtful SF. But what makes this novel a masterpiece in my eye is how every bit of clever SF is actually wrapped in very human events.

The protagonist of "The Chronoliths" is a normal guy living in a fantastic time. He suffers marital difficulties, insecure, lacks confidence. That is not to say he wallows in self-pity, far from it; but his choices, whenever they are made, are rooted in believeable, poignant humanity.

Robert Charles Wilson is such a great author, in my opinion, because even though he writes about grand concepts, he never loses sight of his characters. Too often SF authors are so lost in their grand SF plots that they end up propping cardboard cutout characters against their fantastic stories. Wilson not only outdoes them in the scale of his ideas, but his concepts resonate so much more that we see them happening through very human eyes.

I cannot recommend this book enough. If you like it, know that Wilson's style is consistent, and that other novels of his (I recommend "Blind Lake" and "Darwinia") are filled with the same sense of wonder and deep humanity.