JAMES P. HOGAN

Bristling as always with one remarkable idea after another, James Hogan gives us a startling and compelling new take on one of SF's favorite chestnuts, the alternate universe. In Paths to Otherwhere, alternate universes — plural — is more like it; this is one of the first, and one of the best, SF novels inspired by quantum physics' mind-bending Many Worlds Hypothesis. It is the not-too-distant future, and the world is torn by geopolitical strife which may well lead to global warfare. In the midst of all this, a small group of Berkeley researchers led by charismatic young Hugh Brenner is extrapolating upon the idea that there are possibly an infinity of so-called alternate universes, in which all historical possibilities have occured and are occuring. What's more, they've developed a machine that can tap into these other realities. But so, of course, has a government agency eager to perfect the machine for intelligence work in the hopes of avoiding worldwide calamity; taking notice of Brenner's talent, as well as that of a colleague (and not to mention their sudden threat as a perceived security risk), the two men are scooped up to work for the more advanced team the government already has in place.

As Brenner and his new co-researchers experiment further with the technology, they begin to see all sorts of wonderful possibilities opening up for humanity: just imagine if all the knowledge gleaned from numerous Earths were pooled. Just imagine if, on some counter-Earth, Shakespeare wrote a play he never wrote here. But there is one bizarre drawback: Brenner and his teammates often find themselves suddenly being "plucked" out of this reality, and deposited into the bodies of themselves as they exist in another reality. Similarly, they are often briefly "inhabited" by alter-egos of themselves who are popping over from their realities. Yikes. At first this is a startling diversion; then it is seized upon as a chance to glean knowledge, and tests get underway to attempt to control and direct this process of disembodied travel betwixt universes. Yet always looming over the whole affair is the governmental defense agency who is running the whole show after all. For them, the machines being tested are for military and intelligence use, first and foremost. So Brenner and his team press forward, following instructions, while pursuing their own researches on the side to see exactly how far they can go, how extreme the deviations can become from their own reality. Finally they stumble upon an alternate world they name Otherwhere, where existence is a peaceful, humanistic idyll so appealing our heroes begin contemplating a permanent transfer. But does the government have other plans...?

Though it sure helps if you have something of a background — or at least a college education — in quantum physics to fully comprehend everything Hogan is throwing at you here, Hogan is as always a skilled enough storyteller to make that not necessary. (Good for me, in other words.) Paths to Otherwhere is executed with consummate believability. Now, if your tastes don't happen to run towards hard SF stories in which scientists spend chapters theorizing, expostulating and arguing, then this may not be the book for you. But by no means does that mean that it is the least bit dull. Again I find myself drawing comparisons to Crichton. Whereas both Hogan and Crichton utilize hard science as the basis for their thrillers, Crichton typically veers towards Hollywood action formula when it comes time to deliver the excitement his readers want; yet Hogan refuses to release the reins on his science and finds ways to excite his readers just as much, but intellectually as well as viscerally. James Hogan is one of the few authors today who can put the science back in science fiction, and deliver an ass-kicking story at the same time. Paths to Otherwhere is another trophy on his mantle.