known as the Archive. The Archive was built by a coalition of all the sentient beings in the universe in an effort to save consciousness from death. However, "viruses" (parasitic artificial life-forms) known as psions have invaded the system of the Archive. Guilford Law eventually learns that he and those like him serve as instruments in a cosmic struggle against the psions for the survival of consciousness itself. Reception Darwinia won the Prix Aurora Award (Canadian science fiction and fantasy) for Best Long Form in 1999, and was nominated for the 1999 Hugo Award for Best Novel. John Clute considers the novel to follow the themes of Canadian literature, despite an opening which indicates that it would follow the themes of American literature; he has also criticized Wilson for "not (...) creat(ing) any single character capable either of understanding [the] story, or effecting it in his own person." See also October the First Is Too Late Omega Point Simulated reality Simulated reality in fiction References External links Darwinia at Worlds Without End 1998 American novels American science fiction novels Novels about virtual reality American steampunk novels Novels by Robert Charles Wilson Tor Books books Novels about the end of the universe Cultural depictions of Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener