Rating: 
Summary: Starts Great, Ends Awfully
Review: Cloning is one of the classic themes of science fiction, raising all kinds of philosophical interesting questions about consciousness, ethics, morality, and the nature of reality and the human soul. Brin has tackled this topic by entering the relatively unexplored crossover realm of mystery/scifi. There are certainly many examples of this (George Alec Effinger's Mared Audran series, Larry Niven's "Gil of ARM" short stories, which are collected in Flatlander, and perhaps most successfully, Jonathan Lethem's Gun With Occasional Music), however it's a field rich with unexplored possibilities.Brin's tale takes place about two generations in the future, and the technology has spread around the world allowing people to make cheap clay "dittos" of themselves that last about a day before disintegrating. The precise science behind this "imprinting" technique, and the process of inloading the clone's memories, is thankfully glossed over, allowing the reader to dive into this rich world. We immediately meet San Francisco P.I. Albert Morris in the midst of taking on his archenemy, a "bootlegger" who kidnaps high-priced dittos (for example those of movie stars), and makes crude pirate versions to sell on the gray market. Taking on these "copyright violators" forms the bulk of Morris's business, but soon he and his "ditectives" (there's tons of punning and wordplay in the book), get caught up in the the disappearance of the scientist who fathered this cloning process. This is the first hint that Brin is going to build the story into a disappointingly grand scale. The initial world-building is very entertaining, as Brin gradually unveils the consequences of this new technology. The value of "real" life is now sacrocent, and war has become highly ritualized, treated as a spectator sport. Notions of morality have totally disintegrated as any taboo can be indulged in by one's ditto and then the memory of that can be inloaded to oneself. No one really has to work, as dittos can be sent to the office while you sit home all day watching TV. It's not seamlessly thought out, especially in a political or economic sense, but there's all the framework there for a very enjoyable series, as Morris and his ditto sidekicks play detective in this superwired and webcammed world, with plenty of humor and wisecracking throughout. Unfortunately, the scientist's disappearance spirals into a massively complicated and convoluted conspiracy. Throughout the last third of the book, I kept groaning as all the earlier storylines coalesced into a massively unbelievable mad scientist scenario. Then things get really, really out of hand, and the final fifty pages degenerate into an awful exploration of "soulistics", quantam mechanics, and consciousness. Despite the attempt to ratchet up the tension with a ticking clock device, the book grinds to an almost halt as tedious speechifying invades to "explain" everything. The problem is that since Brin skimped (thankfully) on the hard science of the whole cloning procedure at the beginning of the book, it's doesn't work to make the process such a central plot element at the end. So, this is another of those massive scifi works that starts very promisingly, but both runs out of steam and is the victim of an overambitious scale.
Rating:
Summary: A ditto's guide to life the universe and everything
Review: WEDNESDAY MORNING'S POINT OF VIEW In a meeting with the boss, while my rig sits at home reading this book which is about ME! But thems the breaks, dittos don't complain, there's no time really, when you only live for one day. This meeting is really getting on my nerves, i feel an bearable urge to go to the park. I think I WILL go to the park. Oops, i'm out in the park- oh! does this mean I am a frankie? Sigh!
Meanwhile my rig is still reading this book- which i really should get my hands on. But only if I can read the whole thing in one day. If only life extension for dittos was being developed... but there are ethical reasons for that. Might as well go see some people. Oh dear, someone is trying to kill us. But I am only a dit. Woah, this is getting really strange. All the rules don't apply. I'm confused, this really shouldn't happen to a dit. Am I a hero? Who's the hero? Who is God? Where is God? Ah- should have stayed home and read this book instead!
Rating:
Summary: Brin at his best and his worst
Review: I found "Kiln People" to a great example of both David Brin's best and worst qualities as a writer. First, the best: Brin comes up with some of the most novel, intriguing, and well-developed ideas in SF. In "Kiln People", Brin describes a futuristic society based on "ditto" technology, which allows everyone to create short-lived clay clones of themselves. Brin's exploration of this concept is truly compelling, and for that alone I'm glad I read the book. Now, the worst: Brin has shackled these ideas to a confusing plot that is at times frustratingly lightweight and at others is maddeningly incomprehensible. Like "Sundiver", the novel unfolds as a detective story, and one that's not particularly interesting. The story then meanders from one bizarre episode to the next, without seeming to head much of anywhere. Towards the end, it spirals nearly out of control, echoing the pretentious incoherence of the end of the New Uplift Trilogy. When I finished, I couldn't honestly tell you what happened or why, or whether I cared or not. Despite those criticisms, "Kiln People" is worth a read to savor in Brin's exploration of the "ditto" concept. Just don't expect much from the story, and you won't be disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: A Fast-Paced Adventure about a Classic "What-If"
Review: What if you could make a copy of your consciousness in the morning, "download" it into a synthetic body and then "upload" the duplicate's consciousness at the end of the day? It would profoundly change the way we live. The pragmatist could send his double to work for him or get it to perform menial tasks. The deviant could use it to commit crimes or perform any brand of depravity. The altruist could multiply himself to maximize the impact of his good works. Whatever your penchant, the imagination runs wild with the possibilities. David Brin thoroughly explores the implications of this "what if" scenario in "Kiln People". It works very nicely, bizarre as the premise is. Brin approaches his premise as any talented science fiction writer should. He deftly creates a plausible world around it by exploring the social implications. How would society deal with this? If a "ditto" (Brin's word for his duplicates) kills another ditto, it is a crime? What if it kills a real person? Should "dittos" have rights? Would the costs of duplication favor the rich over the poor? What are the religious implications? Brin does an excellent job of weaving these issues seamlessly into the fast-paced plot of the book. Also, like any good science fiction writer, Brin places some limitations on his new technology. First, "dittos" only last about a day. Get them back and "upload" their memories before they disintegrate, or lose those memories forever. Second, some people are better at creating duplicates than others. Most people experience "copying" errors. Some are capable of producing little more than automatons. Some people's "dittos" are morally depraved. Others have one or more of a host of flaws, from the serious to the negligible. Only rarely can someone make a perfect copy of his or her consciousness. These limitations drive the plot. After all, if we could make "dittos" that (i) last a long time and (ii) are perfect replicas of our consciousness, we could achieve immortality. This fact is not lost on the rich and powerful in this story. Brin's follows his main character, a private investigator with an uncanny talent for making perfect copies, through a labyrinth of wealth, power, depravity and greed to get to the bottom of a series of strange goings-on, all pointing to a criminal effort to achieve immortality at any price. The result is a raucous and exciting adventure, written in a witty style that is both smart and internally consistent. "Kiln People" is an excellent effort from one of the better hard science fiction writers of our day.
Rating: 
Summary: Multiple lives with Xerox!
Review: Imagine a world in which you can send out clay copies of yourself, as many as required to handle life's demands. These "dittos" live only 24 hours, and are color coded for specializations: green for mundane household chores; black for intellectual concentration, gray for all-around versatility, white for serious partying. These are not robots; they are true copies, who inload their day's memories back into their original to achieve a ditto's only form of immortality, and allow their originals to lead lives of varied and risk-free experience. Narrated by private detective Albert Morris and several of his dittos, Hugo and Nebula-award winner Brin's humorous and suspenseful story involves celebrity counterfeiting, battling business tycoons and murder. While Albert's dittos chase down various leads and blind alleys, getting themselves banged up, kidnapped, lost and abused, real Albert places his mortal body in interesting jeopardy by disguising himself as one of his own disposable dittos to pursue a lead into the mysterious disappearance of dittotech's founder. As the multi-layered plot proceeds apace from Albert's alternating multi-viewpoints, Brin builds a cohesive, thoughtful, playful picture of a dittotech society and its effect on work, behavior, risk, memory and ideas of individuality.
Rating:
Summary: Brin at his best and his worst
Review: I found "Kiln People" to a great example of both David Brin's best and worst qualities as a writer. First, the best: Brin comes up with some of the most novel, intriguing, and well-developed ideas in SF. In "Kiln People", Brin describes a futuristic society based on "ditto" technology, which allows everyone to create short-lived clay clones of themselves. Brin's exploration of this concept is truly compelling, and for that alone I'm glad I read the book. Now, the worst: Brin has shackled these ideas to a confusing plot that is at times frustratingly lightweight and at others is maddeningly incomprehensible. Like "Sundiver", the novel unfolds as a detective story, and one that's not particularly interesting. The story then meanders from one bizarre episode to the next, without seeming to head much of anywhere. Towards the end, it spirals nearly out of control, echoing the pretentious incoherence of the end of the New Uplift Trilogy. When I finished, I couldn't honestly tell you what happened or why, or whether I cared or not. Despite those criticisms, "Kiln People" is worth a read to savor in Brin's exploration of the "ditto" concept. Just don't expect much from the story, and you won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: A variation on cloning, fun detective story
Review: The basic premise is a technology is developed which allows humans to make copies of our mind/soul, and these clay copies are able to do most everything we'd normally do, thus freeing ourselves up for other actions. The clay copies are only good for a day, and their memories can be uploaded back into the original person. It's kind of an interesting idea. The hero of the story is an investigator, and Brin gets to have fun with different points of view of the same character. Different clay copies have different experiences, but the same basic personality comes through. There are lots of events going on which tie in together at the end. The hero ends up working for some of the richest people on the planet.
One of the weak sides to the story is that so little changes in a hundred years. Given this type of technology it seems like there would be hundreds of ramifications.
David Brin has been one of my favorite authors. When he is good, he is very good. I find that even when he is not at his best, I still enjoy his stories. The scuttlebutt on the internet was this story wasn't very good. I finally got around to reading it, and I'm glad I did. It is a pleasant, fun story.
Rating:
Summary: Well-built SF mystery
Review: Brin manages several worthwhile tasks here. First, it's real SF, without any hard or soft fantasy elements slipped in to help the author weasel out of a tight corner. Brin takes a workable premise in a plausible world and then plays fair. Second, in the manner of the Asimov's robot detective novels, he sets an intriguing and engaging mystery inside his new world. Third, he manages to consider the heavier philosophical and practical implications of his world of easy bake duplicate people. And fourth, it's all put together in crackling, fast-moving, funny style. So it's a smart humorous SF gumshoe novel. And those are mighty rare these days-- grab this while you can!
Rating:
Summary: Great Concept
Review: In a strictly abstract sense this book was great. A nice solid storyline and an interesting new universe helped to build up my anticipation for what should have been a great story and not just a good story. Some parts I liked, a new me everyday, disposable, reuseable clay warriors settling disputs between nations but for as much as you like the story the author sets up charecter development leaves much to be desired. Albert came accross to me as a whimp how carried more about his garden than he did about his girlfriend. Also the ending and the final resolution were very weak considering the incrdable promise the book had at the start. Also and this is just a quibble on my part, why was their no glossary? I grew confussed at use of terms such as Grey, Green, Red and yellow. I'm sure I just missed a definition someplace but it annoyed the heck out of my to not know what the charecters kept refering to. Overall-The book was solid and well thought out but something gets lost in the translation that takes it down a star.
Rating:
Summary: Best Science Fiction Book of the Year Hands Down.
Review: A great read. A very different, thought-provoking, action packed, suspenseful novel with a first rate hero. What would you do if you could send out copies of yourself, not just for mundane everyday chores, but for adventures as well? And then download all the memories as if you were actually there! I found myself completely engrossed with the adventures and misadventures of Albert Morris and his copies. A very creative extension to the cloning debate I think! I found that it was a little difficult at times to keep track of the main characters, but it was certainly well worth the extra effort. I really hated to see this one end! It's right up there with my other favorites Ender's Game by Card, The Truth Machine by Halperin, Inhuman Beings by Carroll, and Dayworld by Farmer. Very imaginative novel and I highly recommend it.
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