Revelation Space series

[Connavar]

Any fans of the Alastair Reynolds series ?

I'm reading the first book and i am truly hooked on the story, most of all i dig the Universe. The weird alien cultures,different human ways of life like Ultras,Chasm City and so on.

I have read 130 pages of the book so far. It seems like i have read at least 300 pages because so much has happened that it feels like it should have taken more pages to tell the story so far.

 

[Tillane]

I'm a huge fan of Reynolds, Conn. For my money, he's one of the best "ideas" writers out there. The Revelation Space series is excellent, but I have to admit that my personal favourites are Century Rain and his latest two, The Prefect and House of Suns.

 

[iansales]

Connavar, welcome to 21st Century sf

 

[Connavar]

Connavar, welcome to 21st Century sf

Haha very funny


Actually i still are 70 % of my SF reading in Golden Age SF era, 60s-70s.

Sure modern SF has good Hard SF authors. Some genres im interested in are too generic and lack thought provoking stories.

What i enjoy most are social SF about human condition. Those SF arent not on high rise these days. Too many SF on the shelfs these days are not about ideas, social or political stories.

Specially the so called new Big Guns in SF are not to my taste except Richard Morgan,Reynolds.

Next time i try newer SF authors i will try the less famous ones that are maybe acclaimed. I hope to find someone interesting that way.

 

[Ursa major]

You can count me as a fan (give or take the novella Diamond Dogs, which I didn't like at all).

Frankly, he seems to have got the balance between story, character, world building and what I'll have to call "shiny things" about right (better than in some of the Iain M. Banks books I've read).

I still haven't read Chasm City, but I've heard good things about it.


I can see that some people could be put off by the "horror" apsects, but Reynolds is rarely gratuitous in this respect. (I'm no horror fan, and it doesn't put me off.)

 

[Werthead]

I'd say that the biggest flaw with the series is that it assumes some familiarity with the short stories. For example, in Redemption Ark (supposedly the second book of the trilogy) a bunch of new characters turn up and Reynolds seems to just assume you know who they are, because they were introduced in two short stories he published inbetween the novels (now the first two stories in Galactic North). It's not a huge problem and it's still possible to enjoy the second book.

A much bigger problem is that the final part of Absolution Gap maks almost no sense unless you've also read the title story in Galactic North. I heard a lot of complaints about Reynolds introducing a massive new force to the universe in the epilogue to Absolution Gap and not explaining it at all until you read the short story collection (which wasn't published until 3 years later).

Otherwise Reynolds is a good, solid SF author.

 

[Ursa major]

A much bigger problem is that the final part of Absolution Gap maks almost no sense unless you've also read the title story in Galactic North. I heard a lot of complaints about Reynolds introducing a massive new force to the universe in the epilogue to Absolution Gap and not explaining it at all until you read the short story collection (which wasn't published until 3 years later).

I didn't really have a problem with this, Werthead, although I do understand why some people think the ending of Absolution Gap is a bit abrupt.

 

[rol7805]

Love the series. Don't miss Chasm City, the side story novel set in the same universe. Definitely a world of big ideas, good action and interesting characters. I've enjoyed all his other works I've read as well, including Pushing Ice.

 

[Connavar]

I'd say that the biggest flaw with the series is that it assumes some familiarity with the short stories. For example, in Redemption Ark (supposedly the second book of the trilogy) a bunch of new characters turn up and Reynolds seems to just assume you know who they are, because they were introduced in two short stories he published inbetween the novels (now the first two stories in Galactic North). It's not a huge problem and it's still possible to enjoy the second book.

A much bigger problem is that the final part of Absolution Gap maks almost no sense unless you've also read the title story in Galactic North. I heard a lot of complaints about Reynolds introducing a massive new force to the universe in the epilogue to Absolution Gap and not explaining it at all until you read the short story collection (which wasn't published until 3 years later).

Otherwise Reynolds is a good, solid SF author.

Well then im very lucky to become fan of the series now that i can get the new short story collection that has all RS short stories

I see though how it is an annoying problem for fans that have been reading the series for years. I know it would drive me crazy if i was one of those fans.


Speaking about the second book, is it set much more in that city ? I found Chasm City so fascinating that i was sad when the story moved from the city.

I think Reynolds storytelling worked much better when he was telling the story from Khouris point of view in Chasm City. That was very interesting.

I hope one or two Revelation Space novels/ short stories are like that. Set in an interesting place like Chasm City from a characters point of view and how he/she sees her city/world.

The Prefect sounds like that, im looking forward to it !

 

[iansales]

There is another short story collection by Reynolds - Zima Blue from Night Shade Books. Looks like it's already out of print, though.

 

[Urien]

I'm a moderate fan. Unfortunately the ending of Absolution Gap completely threw me. After about 700 page of build up, it was all wrapped up in very short order. The short of ending that makes you go "huh?" and search for the missing 300 pages.

All that said, I enjoyed earlier novels. I felt short changed with this one and have not had the gumption to buy another book in the series.

 

[Connavar]

I'm a huge fan of Reynolds, Conn. For my money, he's one of the best "ideas" writers out there. The Revelation Space series is excellent, but I have to admit that my personal favourites are Century Rain and his latest two, The Prefect and House of Suns.

The Prefect is listed as Revelation Space series.

Although it doesn't sound like it has much in common with the first four books.

Has he said if he will keep writing a series in that U or not ?

 

[iansales]

The Prefect is set in the Revelation space universe, but it isn't part of the story-arc that is Revelation Space, Chasm City, Redemption Ark, Absolution Gap and various short stories (e.g., 'Great Wall of Mars') or novellas (e.g., 'Diamond Dogs'). I'm also a fan of his work - enough to forgive him for featuring Elton John in one of his stories anyway...

 

[Connavar]

I understood that since i saw Werthead talking about that story arc ending with Absolution Gap. I was wondering if he planned to create another story arc in RS universe. I read in wiki his next novel isnt space opera or in RS universe. Which is interesting.

I wonder if he would be better writing Hard SF that wasnt Space Opera.


Speaking about the book Revelation Space, im a little annoyed by what keeps happening to Dan Sylveste. For a brilliant famous scientist,leader he keeps becoming a prisoner and wasting his life in prisons. I wonder why people thinks so highly of him when he cant save himself from first Nils G and now Sluka.

The only minus so far about the book is everyone seems like an immortal. Every main character are rich enough or with techs to stay young for centuries like the Ultras in the lighthugger.

Not interesting if people arent afraid of dying. Like early in the book Khouri was sad for losing her husband that she couldnt go back for cause of the 40 years it would take for travel. Thats more interesting that immortal people that can refersleep and wake up as young as ever,

 

[ktabic]

Chasm City is part of the story-arc? I missed that book (it's in the to read pile, along with prefect) but I though the main arc was Revelation Space/Redemption Ark/Absolution Gap?
Still kinda disappointed the stories ended as suddenly as it did, even having read the shorts, it still seems to quick.

 

[Werthead]

The chronological order of things seems to be:

'Great Wall of Mars'*
'Glacial'*
'A Spy in Europa'*
'Weather'*
'Dilation Sleep'*
The Prefect
'Diamond Dogs'**
'Turqoise Days'**
'Grafenwalder's Bestiary'*
'Nightingale'*
Chasm City
Revelation Space
Redemption Ark
Absolution Gap
'Galactic North'* (actually spans the period 2303-AD 40,000)
*Story in Galactic North
**Story in Diamond Dogs, Turqoise Days

Chasm City is indeed not part of the main story arc and is set just before Revelation Space (the main character in Chasm City has a small cameo at the start of Revelation Space).

The 'big event' in the RS universe prior to Revelation Space is the Melding Plague, which takes place offscreen during the events of 'Diamond Dogs'. The Prefect shows life in the orbital Glitter Band a few decades before the Plague, whilst Chasm City shows life on the planet itself some decades after it took place.

 

[Ursa major]

Thanks, Werthead, that's more than useful.

 

[Tillane]

There is another short story collection by Reynolds - Zima Blue from Night Shade Books. Looks like it's already out of print, though.

Yep, out of print and there are (I believe) no plans to do a new print run in the future. As you've indicated, Amazon seems like the only place you can pick up a copy - for a price. (In my case, £22.50 for a first edition hardback - which now seems cheap as they seem to be going for twice that.)

 

[iansales]

I have the signed limited edition. Bought it when it was published. I keep an eye on the small presses - Night Shade, Subterranean, PS, Golden Gryphon, etc. - because they often bring out books by authors I like.

 

[Tillane]

*Till attempts to hide his envy at the signed first edition*

None of mine are signed as yet. They're all first editions apart from Chasm City, but I keep missing Reynolds when he comes up here to do talks and signings.

Next time. Next time...