The Celestial Steam Locomotive by Michael Coney

The year is 143,624.  The human race has evolved into five dictinct species.  Two of these species - the Cuidadors and the Neotenites - dwell exclusively in giant domes dotted across the countryside.  The Cuidadors oversee a gigantic worldwide computer known as The Rainbow.  The Neotenites' bodies lie in suspended animation while their minds live in an idyllic cyberspace reality known as Dream Earth.  But things are starting to go wrong.  The Rainbow becomes unreliable, and the Neotenites are dying for no apparent cause.  An unlikely triad - a Cuidador, a Neotenite and a Wild Human from outside the domes - join together to discover what is happening.

I first read this novel in 1987.  I think it is one of the best stories I have ever read.  Coney is a master narrator,  and he gently nudges the main narrative forward while leading the reader down many delightful, horrifying or plain amusing sidetracks.  Coney's inventiveness is to be marvelled at, as is his prescience.  This novel describes a worldwide computer web and a shared cyber-reality, and it pre-dates William Gibson's Neuromancer.

The reader is introduced to concepts of The Greataway, The Ifalong, Hate Bombs, Happentracks, Dream Earth and The Celestial Steam Locomotive itself.  Once these are understood (and they are described beautifully and succinctly), an amazing tale unfolds, and it takes us from the jungles of South America to the far reaches of the galaxy, and backwards and forwards through time.  Improbably, In amongst all of this, we meet Blind Pew, Long John Silver and Marilyn Monroe.  Yes, an amazing tale, and one told with good humour and great compassion.  And, yes, Science Fiction is literature too. 

The Celestial Steam Locomotive is Book One of The Song of the Earth.  Book Two is called Gods of the Greataway.  I will be reviewing that book in the near future.

Publishing details: The Celestial Steam Locomotive by Micheal Coney (First published by Orbit Books in 1983.  This edition: [e-reads] Books, New York, 2003)