Axis (and Spin)

Axis is the sequel to the science fiction novel Spin by Robert Charles Wilson. Just finished Axis, and actually quite disappointed with the plot because I thought Spin was so great and so should the sequel Axis be. XD
Spin is about the Earth get enveloped by an invisible membrane placed by unknown entity (which later named Hypothetical in the novel) and the effect of the membrane is that, for every second passes on Earth (within the membrane), that is around 3 years passing outside the membrane. So 1 Earth year = ~100 millions years outside. The immediate danger is that within less than 100 years, the solar system will age many billion of years, and the sun will expand and destroy the Earth. The rest of the book focus mainly on the people's response for this phenomenon, called spin, and how they response to it. One interesting aspect worth mentioned is that they tried to seed the Mars with DNA, microorganisms, and information of evolution, hoping that with the accelerating time outside the Earth, the life on Mars could evolve further than Earth, advance enough to be able to understand Spin and solve the problem. By the end of this novel, there is this gate called the Arc built by the alien on Earth, which link the Earth to another habitable planet. The story ends with the protagonists passing through the Arc, entering to the 'another world' which they call Equatorial.

Axis's plot centers on events occurs on Equatorial, with new protagonists. I think Axis is generally quite boring because of the dragging part of the story between Lise, Turk and Brian. Good part (which I believe is also the main theme of Axis) is that the Hypotheticals matter is given highlight in this novel, which solves a lot of mysteries carried over from the first book Spin. Many parts of the novel are insignificant and left unexplained (like the flowers born from the ash part) and sometimes I find it difficult to understand. Probably why I couldn't enjoy this novel I think, ha. Similar to the ending of Spin, in Axis, there is another new Arc in Equatorial, and something about everything get sucked into it, into the central vortex. Since the 3rd to be released novel of this series is titled Vortex, I guess it will be about what's happening in the Vortex, with another new set of protagonists probably.

Spin: Highly recommended if you like astronomy, evolution, end-of-the-world theme.

Axis: If you like Spin, there is no reason why you don't read the sequel, lol XD