The Thing Itself

Adam Roberts

This book is weird. It is about how Kant's theory about the existence of 'the thing itself' can be proved right by an artificially intelligent computer, a mad scientist or two, and various other people who somehow get caught up in the space-time continuum, if such a thing exists. I've made it sound a bit like Doctor Who, but there are no Daleks. The monsters are of our own making. And there are monsters. Take that from me.

Extract

I didn't know what to say. But I thought I ought to say something. I cleared my throat and the rattle of phlegm swelled and grew into a sudden din, a roaring it took me a moment to realise was exterior to my own voice box. A look of concern passed over the armed man's face. He unclipped his holster and took out his sidearm, but as he did this he began, weirdly, sliding off to the right. He looked like a skater, upright but in motion and slipping out of my field of view.

Parallels