1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
|
# Das Kosmotop
In the far future, the galaxy is ruled by intelligent alien civilizations united in the Kompetenz—and humanity stands on the brink of extinction. Only about 14,000 humans remain, scattered across the cosmos, rendered infertile by ancient genetic damage and surviving only through cloning. Each person's consciousness transfers to a new clone body when the old one dies, creating serial immortality tracked by numbers after their names.
Corwain 18 Tallmaster attends his own funeral—the burial of Corwain 17. He is a Pazifikator, a peacemaker who resolves conflicts on behalf of the Kompetenz. Living with his companion Solace, a half-woman half-bird being of considerable power, Corwain enjoys quiet retirement between assignments. Then he is summoned to investigate a crisis: something vast has entered the galaxy.
The Kosmotop is a vessel larger than multiple planetary systems combined. It appears without warning, absorbs entire cities and worlds, and leaves devastation in its wake. During a mission to investigate, Corwain is falsely accused of murder. Stripped of his status and pursued by both the Kompetenz and those who would exploit the Kosmotop's power, he must clear his name while uncovering what the world-ship truly represents.
Corwain's investigation leads him inside the Kosmotop itself, a journey through a space that defies conventional physics and logic. The vessel contains mysteries spanning millions of years, connected to the ancient builders who created it. The hostile Incera species, who have hunted humanity for millennia, see an opportunity to complete their genocide. Meanwhile, factions within the Kompetenz pursue their own agendas.
The novel builds toward revelations about the Kosmotop's purpose and the fate of its creators. Set in the same universe as Kinder der Ewigkeit but tens of thousands of years later, Das Kosmotop explores themes of survival, identity, and what makes existence meaningful when death has become optional. The resolution sees Corwain transformed, choosing a different kind of life than endless repetition.
|
