Rocheworld

Summary

In the hard sci-fi novel Rocheworld, Robert L. Forward explores the scientific exploration of a distant star system by a crew of human scientists. Center to their exploration is the double planet system Rocheworld, two planets orbiting each other very closely, one completely covered in water named Eau while the other is almost completely dry and filled with rocks, named Roche.

This double planet system is interesting because the planets get close enough to one another in their orbits that they exchange both atmosphere and water on their passby. This leads to all sorts of wild phenomena, such as huge tidal waves and storms that the crew of scientists has to worry about.

On the watery planet the scientists even find an intelligent extraterrestrial life form. It is nothing like anything the scientists have ever seen, but is highly intelligent and communicative. In the exchange with the other life forms the scientists learn a lot. But they also are forced to think about the moral dilemmas of sharing knowledge and playing an influential role in the development of this other species. They don't want to harm them or give them knowledge beyond their power to wield yet, while at the same time the humans would like to learn more about them and help where they can. This dynamic is interesting to follow along. The humans also have something to learn because the Flouwen, as the aliens call themselves, are really good at solving and proving mathematical theorems. It's like their favorite past time and they do it in a sort of built-in, intuitive, biological way. They get along wonderfully with the bord computer AI of the scientists spaceship, basically nerding out about mathematics.

Overall, Robert L. Forward's hard science approach gives a detailed look into how different planetary environments could influence the development of life and culture on different planets. The book is an interesting sci-fi story, belonging to a category of my favorite sci-fi books like Permutation City, Blood Music or Dragons Egg, where unique ideas are explored beautifully and give you stuff for thought.