Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter: The Long Utopia

Hi everyone

This was my second time reading the fourth book in The Long Earth series by Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter.
I have to admit, the experience was just as emotional and thought-provoking as the first time.

" 2045-2059. After the cataclysmic upheavals of Step Day and the Yellowstone eruption humanity is spreading further into the Long Earth, and society, on a battered Datum Earth and beyond, continues to evolve.
Now an elderly and cantankerous AI, Lobsang lives in disguise with Agnes in an exotic, far-distant world. He’s convinced they’re leading a normal life in New Springfield – they even adopt a child – but it seems they have been guided there for a reason. As rumours of strange sightings and hauntings proliferate, it becomes clear that something is very awry with this particular world.
Millions of steps away, Joshua is on a personal journey of discovery: learning about the father he never knew and a secret family history. But then he receives a summons from New Springfield. Lobsang now understands the enormity of what’s taking place beneath the surface of his earth – a threat to all the worlds of the Long Earth.
To counter this threat will require the combined efforts of humankind, machine and the super-intelligent Next. And some must make the ultimate sacrifice... "

I still find the ending difficult to read. Even though I don’t particularly like Sally, the way her story concludes left me surprisingly emotional. It’s one of those moments that lingers long after you’ve turned the last page.

The scope of this series is staggering. The idea of alien species from another universe aiming to destroy the Long Earth is terrifying—it’s the kind of concept that makes you pause and wonder, What if? 

The shift in perspective for Joshua’s family history threw me off a bit. I think it would have felt more natural if it had been told from Nelson’s point of view or through the narrator’s voice.

Lobsang’s journey, however, was beautifully done. Despite being an AI, he’s so deeply human in his emotions and reasoning. His decision to escape to another world and start anew with Agnes is both heartbreaking and beautiful. They make such a sweet, unlikely couple.

And I’m so relieved Joshua and Sally never became a couple. It would have been too easy, too forced. Their dynamic works much better as it is, and I appreciate that the authors resisted the urge to push them into a romantic relationship.

Have you read The Long Utopia? What did you think of the series as a whole? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!
Helena