Flashforward

This novel was released in mid-1999, is set in 2009 around the search for the Higgs Boson, actually found at CERN in 2012. The event idea was loosely used for a television series in 2009, set now just months in the future instead of a decade.

A good chunk of the plot covers metaphysical aspects of the event - causality, free will and apparent free will, and even touches on the universe as simulation. Another aspect is Sawyer's vision of two futures - in 10 years (2009) and 31 years (2030). The latter from the excellently named Mosaic project, gathering the glimpses from visions of 2030 (chapter 15). My favorite: "The dream of artificial intelligence was still unfulfilled."

I note from other reviews and agree with the fairly flat characters - science and philosophy are more important in this book. I first read this after a few episodes of the series and thought it pretty cool. The show went a different direction and was cancelled. I'm glad I came back to reread the book and focus on that plot alone. The ending visions are wild, as mentioned a nod to HG Wells The Time Machine.

This book is a pretty quick read and worth checking out. Maybe in 2030 :)

==2009 review==
Good scifi, lots of physics and metaphysics. Only loosely related to the TV series of the same name... at least so far.