for Best Science Fiction Novel Nick Gevers called Deepness "one of the best constructed and most absorbing space operas of the decade", and commented that its "shrewd triumph" is that neither optimism nor pessimism defeats the other. John Clute lauded it as "the most extended example of dramatic irony ever published," in that not only do none of the characters ever learn the truth about the universe, neither does anyone who has not read Fire; he did, however, criticize "the odd dozen-page segments given over to hard-SF geekishness about orbits and computers and stuff". The SF Sites Greg L. Johnson considered the novel to be "deceptively straight-forward", and at Strange Horizons, Amy Harlib praised it as "huge, complex and captivating" and "rich and satisfying and deserving of its award", emphasizing that it is the equal of its predecessor work. Kirkus Reviews described it as a "chilling, spellbinding dramatization of the horrors of slavery and mind control", while Publishers Weekly noted that it would "fully engage" readers' sense of wonder, and correctly predicted that it would be nominated for the Hugo Award. References Release details 1999, United States of America, Tor Books, , Pub date March 1999, Hardback 2000, United States of America, Tor Books, , Pub date January 2000, Paperback External links A Deepness in the Sky at Worlds Without End 1999 science fiction novels 1999 American novels American science fiction novels Hugo Award for Best Novel-winning works John W. Campbell Award for Best Science Fiction Novel-winning works Novels by Vernor Vinge Tor Books books Novels about mass surveillance Fiction about mind control