Mother of Storms

1994 novel by John Barnes

For the 1989 fantasy novel Mother of Storms, see Adrian Cole.

Mother of Storms

First edition

Author| John Barnes
Cover artist| Bob Eggleton
Language| English
Genre| Science fiction
Publisher| Tor

Publication date

| July 1994
Publication place| United States
Media type| Print (Hardcover)
Pages| 432
ISBN| 0-312-85560-5

Mother of Storms is a 1994 science fiction novel by American writer John Barnes. It was nominated for three major science fiction awards.[1]

## Plot summary

[edit]

In the early 21st century, the Earth suffers from a giant hurricane spawned by the release of clathrate compounds, as the result of a nuclear explosion. The hurricane spawns hundreds of progeny, which kill at least 1 billion people by the novel's end. Two massively computer-augmented human intelligences (both of whom witness their organic bodies die) race to corral a comet from beyond Pluto's orbit. They use the ice from the comet to reduce the Earth's surface temperatures, and quell the mother of storms.

The novel is written in the present tense, and jumps between the viewpoints of many characters, some of whom recur while others appear only once or twice.

## Scientific ideas referenced

[edit]

The clathrate gun hypothesis is the basis for the origin of the hurricane.

## Award nominations

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* 1995 – Locus Poll Award, Best Science Fiction Novel nominee
* 1995 – Arthur C. Clarke Award, shortlist
* 1995 – Hugo Award, Best Novel nominee
* 1996 – Nebula Award, Best Novel nominee

## Translations

[edit]

* French
* La Mère des Tempêtes, translated by Jean-Daniel Brèque. Le Livre de Poche (2001), ISBN 2-253-07235-4
* Romanian
* Uraganele, translated by Gabriel Stoian. Editura Nemira (1999)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "MOTHER OF STORMS by John Barnes". Kirkus Reviews. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved June 10, 2018.

## External links

[edit]

* Mother of Storms title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
* Mother of Storms at Macmillan Publishers website

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John Barnes

Century Next Door|

* Orbital Resonance (1991)
* Kaleidoscope Century (1995)
* Candle (2000)
* The Sky So Big and Black (2002)

Thousand Cultures|

* A Million Open Doors (1993)
* Earth Made of Glass (1999)
* The Merchants of Souls (2002)
* The Armies of Memory (2006)

Daybreak|

* Directive 51 (2010)
* Daybreak Zero (2011)
* The Last President (2013)

Other|

* Mother of Storms (1995)
* Encounter with Tiber (1996)
* One for the Morning Glory (1996)
* The Return (2000)

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