story about rendezvous with alien ship travelling through solar system





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I'm looking for a story I read, probably in the mid nineties



The story involved an alien vessel/asteroid coming through our solar system and a human ship going out to meet it and then being stuck on it as it continues out into deep space



As they explored the alien vessel they encounter other alien races who are also stuck, some of them go round looking for new arrivals to steal all their technology



When they first land they find spires sticking out of the surface that are rotating with near infinite torque so they use this to generate power










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  • 2




    Sounds superficially similar to the sequels to Rendezvous with Rama...
    – dominic fonde
    2 hours ago

















up vote
2
down vote

favorite












I'm looking for a story I read, probably in the mid nineties



The story involved an alien vessel/asteroid coming through our solar system and a human ship going out to meet it and then being stuck on it as it continues out into deep space



As they explored the alien vessel they encounter other alien races who are also stuck, some of them go round looking for new arrivals to steal all their technology



When they first land they find spires sticking out of the surface that are rotating with near infinite torque so they use this to generate power










share|improve this question


















  • 2




    Sounds superficially similar to the sequels to Rendezvous with Rama...
    – dominic fonde
    2 hours ago













up vote
2
down vote

favorite









up vote
2
down vote

favorite











I'm looking for a story I read, probably in the mid nineties



The story involved an alien vessel/asteroid coming through our solar system and a human ship going out to meet it and then being stuck on it as it continues out into deep space



As they explored the alien vessel they encounter other alien races who are also stuck, some of them go round looking for new arrivals to steal all their technology



When they first land they find spires sticking out of the surface that are rotating with near infinite torque so they use this to generate power










share|improve this question













I'm looking for a story I read, probably in the mid nineties



The story involved an alien vessel/asteroid coming through our solar system and a human ship going out to meet it and then being stuck on it as it continues out into deep space



As they explored the alien vessel they encounter other alien races who are also stuck, some of them go round looking for new arrivals to steal all their technology



When they first land they find spires sticking out of the surface that are rotating with near infinite torque so they use this to generate power







story-identification






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share|improve this question











share|improve this question




share|improve this question










asked 2 hours ago









mgh42

3645




3645








  • 2




    Sounds superficially similar to the sequels to Rendezvous with Rama...
    – dominic fonde
    2 hours ago














  • 2




    Sounds superficially similar to the sequels to Rendezvous with Rama...
    – dominic fonde
    2 hours ago








2




2




Sounds superficially similar to the sequels to Rendezvous with Rama...
– dominic fonde
2 hours ago




Sounds superficially similar to the sequels to Rendezvous with Rama...
– dominic fonde
2 hours ago










1 Answer
1






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oldest

votes

















up vote
3
down vote



accepted










The timeline is a bit out, but I'm pretty sure the book you are looking for is Pushing Ice, by Alastair Reynolds.




The story involved an alien vessel/asteroid coming through our solar
system and a human ship going out to meet it and then being stuck on
it as it continues out into deep space




The crew of the Rockhopper get tasked with following Saturns moon Janus, after it ditches its disguise and starts heading out of the solar system. The Rockhopper gets caught in its wake and finds it impossible to stop, and so ends up travelling on Janus to its destination.




As they explored the alien vessel they encounter other alien races who
are also stuck, some of them go round looking for new arrivals to
steal all their technology




The Rockhopper eventually ends up in a giant structure which is populated by other species that have also been trapped. One of these species is the Musk Dogs, who alone with several allies go around stealing technologies and resources of new arrivals.




When they first land they find spires sticking out of the surface that
are rotating with near infinite torque so they use this to generate
power




Its this part which makes it certain to me you are after Pushing Ice.



After finding a very slowly rotating spire and using its incredible torque to generate power, a technician is killed when he repeats a regular inspection several times in repetition around it - its discovered that Janus punishes repetition, and so the crew take to carrying around methods of introducing randomness into their lives (dice etc).






share|improve this answer





















  • that's the one, I recognise the name of the Musk Dogs, and I did go through a spell of reading Alastair Reynolds books. Thanks
    – mgh42
    1 hour ago











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1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes








1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes








up vote
3
down vote



accepted










The timeline is a bit out, but I'm pretty sure the book you are looking for is Pushing Ice, by Alastair Reynolds.




The story involved an alien vessel/asteroid coming through our solar
system and a human ship going out to meet it and then being stuck on
it as it continues out into deep space




The crew of the Rockhopper get tasked with following Saturns moon Janus, after it ditches its disguise and starts heading out of the solar system. The Rockhopper gets caught in its wake and finds it impossible to stop, and so ends up travelling on Janus to its destination.




As they explored the alien vessel they encounter other alien races who
are also stuck, some of them go round looking for new arrivals to
steal all their technology




The Rockhopper eventually ends up in a giant structure which is populated by other species that have also been trapped. One of these species is the Musk Dogs, who alone with several allies go around stealing technologies and resources of new arrivals.




When they first land they find spires sticking out of the surface that
are rotating with near infinite torque so they use this to generate
power




Its this part which makes it certain to me you are after Pushing Ice.



After finding a very slowly rotating spire and using its incredible torque to generate power, a technician is killed when he repeats a regular inspection several times in repetition around it - its discovered that Janus punishes repetition, and so the crew take to carrying around methods of introducing randomness into their lives (dice etc).






share|improve this answer





















  • that's the one, I recognise the name of the Musk Dogs, and I did go through a spell of reading Alastair Reynolds books. Thanks
    – mgh42
    1 hour ago















up vote
3
down vote



accepted










The timeline is a bit out, but I'm pretty sure the book you are looking for is Pushing Ice, by Alastair Reynolds.




The story involved an alien vessel/asteroid coming through our solar
system and a human ship going out to meet it and then being stuck on
it as it continues out into deep space




The crew of the Rockhopper get tasked with following Saturns moon Janus, after it ditches its disguise and starts heading out of the solar system. The Rockhopper gets caught in its wake and finds it impossible to stop, and so ends up travelling on Janus to its destination.




As they explored the alien vessel they encounter other alien races who
are also stuck, some of them go round looking for new arrivals to
steal all their technology




The Rockhopper eventually ends up in a giant structure which is populated by other species that have also been trapped. One of these species is the Musk Dogs, who alone with several allies go around stealing technologies and resources of new arrivals.




When they first land they find spires sticking out of the surface that
are rotating with near infinite torque so they use this to generate
power




Its this part which makes it certain to me you are after Pushing Ice.



After finding a very slowly rotating spire and using its incredible torque to generate power, a technician is killed when he repeats a regular inspection several times in repetition around it - its discovered that Janus punishes repetition, and so the crew take to carrying around methods of introducing randomness into their lives (dice etc).






share|improve this answer





















  • that's the one, I recognise the name of the Musk Dogs, and I did go through a spell of reading Alastair Reynolds books. Thanks
    – mgh42
    1 hour ago













up vote
3
down vote



accepted







up vote
3
down vote



accepted






The timeline is a bit out, but I'm pretty sure the book you are looking for is Pushing Ice, by Alastair Reynolds.




The story involved an alien vessel/asteroid coming through our solar
system and a human ship going out to meet it and then being stuck on
it as it continues out into deep space




The crew of the Rockhopper get tasked with following Saturns moon Janus, after it ditches its disguise and starts heading out of the solar system. The Rockhopper gets caught in its wake and finds it impossible to stop, and so ends up travelling on Janus to its destination.




As they explored the alien vessel they encounter other alien races who
are also stuck, some of them go round looking for new arrivals to
steal all their technology




The Rockhopper eventually ends up in a giant structure which is populated by other species that have also been trapped. One of these species is the Musk Dogs, who alone with several allies go around stealing technologies and resources of new arrivals.




When they first land they find spires sticking out of the surface that
are rotating with near infinite torque so they use this to generate
power




Its this part which makes it certain to me you are after Pushing Ice.



After finding a very slowly rotating spire and using its incredible torque to generate power, a technician is killed when he repeats a regular inspection several times in repetition around it - its discovered that Janus punishes repetition, and so the crew take to carrying around methods of introducing randomness into their lives (dice etc).






share|improve this answer












The timeline is a bit out, but I'm pretty sure the book you are looking for is Pushing Ice, by Alastair Reynolds.




The story involved an alien vessel/asteroid coming through our solar
system and a human ship going out to meet it and then being stuck on
it as it continues out into deep space




The crew of the Rockhopper get tasked with following Saturns moon Janus, after it ditches its disguise and starts heading out of the solar system. The Rockhopper gets caught in its wake and finds it impossible to stop, and so ends up travelling on Janus to its destination.




As they explored the alien vessel they encounter other alien races who
are also stuck, some of them go round looking for new arrivals to
steal all their technology




The Rockhopper eventually ends up in a giant structure which is populated by other species that have also been trapped. One of these species is the Musk Dogs, who alone with several allies go around stealing technologies and resources of new arrivals.




When they first land they find spires sticking out of the surface that
are rotating with near infinite torque so they use this to generate
power




Its this part which makes it certain to me you are after Pushing Ice.



After finding a very slowly rotating spire and using its incredible torque to generate power, a technician is killed when he repeats a regular inspection several times in repetition around it - its discovered that Janus punishes repetition, and so the crew take to carrying around methods of introducing randomness into their lives (dice etc).







share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered 2 hours ago









Moo

2,5651534




2,5651534












  • that's the one, I recognise the name of the Musk Dogs, and I did go through a spell of reading Alastair Reynolds books. Thanks
    – mgh42
    1 hour ago


















  • that's the one, I recognise the name of the Musk Dogs, and I did go through a spell of reading Alastair Reynolds books. Thanks
    – mgh42
    1 hour ago
















that's the one, I recognise the name of the Musk Dogs, and I did go through a spell of reading Alastair Reynolds books. Thanks
– mgh42
1 hour ago




that's the one, I recognise the name of the Musk Dogs, and I did go through a spell of reading Alastair Reynolds books. Thanks
– mgh42
1 hour ago


















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