Revelation Space

I discovered Alastair Reynolds, who is now my favorite science fiction writer, by reading this book, which was a mind-opening experience. I especially enjoy his combining a kind of “film noir” sensibility with realistic science ideas (the latter is not surprising since he has a Ph.D. in astronomy.) 

This first novel in his series is an excellent way to delve into his marvelously imagined Universe, where humanity exists in a number of genetically modified variants, and intelligences have to contend with ancient and powerful machines that deem organic life too war-like to be permitted to live.

I loved this book because it started as three stories and ended as one—a style I recognise in my writing.

I re-read Revelation Space over Christmas, and it was almost like reading a new book: there was so much I had missed in my previous read (or forgotten). But it’s not just the intermingled plotlines; my visualisation of Reynold’s world makes this a favourite. He has a way of describing his universe that is incredibly evocative.

This is not a shoot-em-up sci-fi; this is a complex read that paints pictures in the reader’s mind—a rare skill.

This deep into the list, I want to start taking the training wheels off. The Revelation Space series by UK writer Alastair Reynolds is the only example on this list of mine of what we in the business call hard science fiction. This is the sort of stuff people think of when they think of the genre in general, I think—or at least its literary end. Reynolds used to work for the European Space Agency, and his technical acumen shows in the books. His work has some of the craziest and most well thought out applications of technology that I’ve… show more.