The Collapsium (Queendom of Sol 1)

Blurb

The Collapsium is a 2000 hard science fiction novel by Wil McCarthy, the first in the Queendom of Sol series. The first section of the novel is based on McCarthy's short story "Once Upon a Matter Crushed", which was a Sturgeon Award finalist. A reviewer stated McCarthy used postmodern literary technique in consciously creating a protagonist who is a "throwback" to the scientist-heroes of Golden Age SF.
It was nominated for 2002's Nebula Award for Best Novel.