Alastair Reynolds "Galactic North", Part 2

Continuing to cover the wonderful collection "Galactic North" - READ THE FIRST PART HERE Alastair Reynolds - The leading writer of modern space adventure, equally adept at epic novels & short fiction. Absolute "must-read" for all hard sf fans, but perhaps a little dry for those who like more conventional sf. Reynolds fiction can also be quite cold and impersonal, though it's ALWAYS entertaining. Blockbuster wide-screen special effects and extensive "future history" are guaranteed in every story. ---------------------------------------------- Alastair Reynolds "Glacial" (Revelation Space series) © Spectrum SF # 5, 2001 --novella : 2002 Locus /15 --/ fourth place space sf novella --/ adventure award --/ wonder award --/ idea award What a perfect title for Reynolds' murder mystery concoction! Chilly in the most intriguing way, slightly morbid and glimmering, reflecting Alastair's barely hidden joy at writing such an orderly, distinguished space investigation story (as someone noted, Reynolds likes mysteries). This is a solid, competent example of the sf mystery sub-genre, better than similar (and rather more famous) stories by Isaac Asimov. Not as maniacally spectacular as other entries in this collection, but still a good way to pass the time (much better than most TV anyway). The plot revolves around various mysteries of a deserted human colony (of a period before "Revelation Space" and approximately the same as "The Great Wall of Mars"). Other reviewers noted that "The Great Wall of Mars" and "Glacial" are best read after "Revelation Space" and before "Redemption Ark", as they give a gripping account of Clavain's early years. review: 12-Sep-07 (read in 2005) (art copyright: John Berkey) ---------------------------------------------- Alastair Reynolds "Great Wall of Mars" (Revelation Space series) (prequel to "Glacial") © 2000, Spectrum SF #1 --novella : 2001 Locus /14 --/ fourth place space sf novella --/ adventure award --/ wonder award --/ idea award Something very epic, as Heinlein could've written it in his Golden Period, but with new gleam and shine, plus huge doses of Bruce Sterling's Shaper/Mechanist ideas thrown in for a good measure. Exciting action and thrilling visuals are a given, as we have come to expect from Alastair Reynolds. This novella is a starting point for the whole "Revelation Space" series, so the scale is still very small, confined only to the Solar System, but the initial conflict between Conjoiners/Demarchists (or are they Shapers/Mechanists ??) is revealed in a very concise manner, introducing all key characters (Clavain, Galiana, Remontoire)... and starting them on a 4-novel, thousand-page journey. Isn't it a good feeling, when you can gaze on a whole bookshelf of "Revelation Space" novels and know that no matter how much you read Reynolds, there is always going to be some more :) The embattled walled City of Mars reminded me of Henry Kuttner's "Fury" series - same subdued militaristic drive and laconic writing. Good taste, good reading times - cheers, let's read some more! review: 12-Sep-07 (read in 2003) (art copyright CGSociety, Pawel Lewandowski) ---------------------------------------------- Alastair Reynolds "A Spy in Europa" (Revelation Space series) © Interzone, Jun 1997 --fiction : 1998 Interzone Poll /10 (tie) --short story : 2003 Seiun --/ third place space sf story --/ adventure award --/ wonder award --/ style award "A Spy in Europa is an entertaining mixture of hard sf, James Bond, and Jaws." "Inventive, colorful adventure steeped in interplanetary politics as rival factions vie for control of Jovian space."(Locus) All good reviews can't convey the sense of discovery I experienced upon reading this story - this was my VERY FIRST encounter with Alastair Reynolds's fiction. At first, I liked the underwater caper and "Thunderball"-like spy intrigue, being "duly" entertained by highly visual descriptions and the overall sense of cool coonfidence. It's as though Reynolds has read ALL the best examples of space adventure story on his weekend (or downloaded them straight into his cortex) and decided that he is going to "ace" them all before lunch on a lazy afternoon. Effortless, smooth writing, good control of the plot and intricate world-building - all displayed in this, one of his earliest published stories. Plus there is an interesting twist in the end. After reading the last page, I shook my head in disbelief and announced to my wife that I've got a new "MOST FAVORITE" sf writer... Her reply was "How many "my most favorites" do you have? Must be some crowded company". She's right of course. Reynolds is good at what he does, but the beauty of fantastic literature is that it is so diverse and so full of flavors and styles, that there is always a room for another "your one and only" favorite writer. Here is a pretty neat excerpt from the interview in Aurealis: Australian SF: AUREALIS: I've read you also enjoy spy-novels and this again comes out in many of your stories. "A Spy in Europa" is probably my favourite of this style of story. You intrigue us with a whole mess of espionage and double-crossing, only to turn everything on its head for both the reader and the protagonist. There doesn't seem to be anything sly, or of pulling-the-rug on the reader about this. The ending is rational and logical, you just don't see it coming. Is this an effect you consciously set out to achieve when you write a story? The ability to surprise a reader just when they think they've got it all figured out? ALASTAIR REYNOLDS: I guess that's the effect I'm striving for with that specific kind of story, certainly. Whether I hit the mark all the time, or any of the time, is another matter entirely. I know people who disliked A Spy... intensely, because they felt it was implausibly contrived. Again, you write the stories you think of. With that one, I got the ending nailed down pretty early and worked back from it. It was actually one of the easiest stories I've ever written: I think I started it on a Friday evening, and had it done by Sunday. Most times, my short stories take at least three to six weeks. ("Interzone" illustration by SMS) ---------------------------------------------- READ THE FIRST PAGE HERE READ OTHER REVIEWS FOR THIS WRITER

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