Diamond age

The events of the novel take place in the same world as the events of Stevenson’s earlier novel “ Avalanche ”, but in a somewhat more distant future (after two generations ^[2] ).

National states were replaced by phyla , uniting people on ethnic, cultural, religious or ideological grounds. The largest filaments are New Atlantis, which revived the culture of Victorian England, Nippon ( Japan ) and Confucian Han ( China ). Filas are often very geographically dispersed, having enclaves in most major cities. Some of them (for example, Sendero ) easily accept almost anyone. There are people who do not belong to any fillet.

Technology

The most notable feature of the world described in the novel is the development of nanotechnology . Most of the production is carried out by mats pickers ; public floor collectors provide people with free food, water and sleeping mattresses.

Interactive cinema (“active games”) has been greatly developed, some of the roles in which are played by professional “actors”, and some (usually secondary roles) are played by clients.

The action takes place in Shanghai , which during the events of the novel remained mainly a Chinese city, connected by dams with artificial islands controlled by the New Atlantic, Japanese and Hindustan forces. In the novel, several storylines develop in parallel.

In the center of the plot is the story of a girl Nell from a poor and dysfunctional family, who got the ABC Book for Noble Maidens in her hands - a unique interactive book developed by brilliant New Atlantic engineer John Hackworth commissioned by Lord Finkel-McGraw (the ABC book was intended for the granddaughter of the Lord, Hackworth illegally made another copy for his daughter, but on the way home he was robbed by a teenage gang led by Brother Nell).