I just finished Alastair Reynolds' Terminal World. This certainly wasn't his best work but I enjoyed most of it nonetheless. Been trolling the internet since I closed the cover last week looking for some kind of discussion on this book - which seemed to leave a significant number of unanswered questions yet didn't really set up any kind of sequel. It very much felt like a standalone book.
I can't wait to get my hands on his new book, due out later this year Blue Remembered Earth. Hopefully Reynolds will get back to what he does best - massive in scope, hard SF space opera...
I am looking forward to this as well, the first part of a trilogy.
Terminal World was good, I especialy liked the fact that there where so many unanswered questions. The world building was great, unobtrusive and mysterious. In my opinion there is nothing worse than paragraphs of exposition. Richard morgan is also very good at this. Hints and anacdotes work so much better for me than an intricate timeline.
I am pretty sure that you are correct, Terminal World is a standalone novel, and for that reason I like it even more.
Blue Remembered Earht is due out here (UK) on the 19th of January - I will let you know how i get on with it.
From the blog on his website it's going to be a 'standalone' trilogy. very few, if any, characters from the books will continue into the next one. the time span covers ten thousand years so forget the parts 1, 2 and 3 thing. which is probably why i'm not going to bother with it.
Reynolds is very hit and miss unfortunatley.
If you want hard SF space opera, stick with Peter Hamilton.
Give him credit, Chasm City is easily one of the very best sci-fi books ever. The other Revelation Space stuff is nearly as good (i.e., very, very, very good!!!!) especially the trilogy and The Prefect.
On the whole I'm not so keen on the non-Revelation Space material, but House of Suns is superb.
So, "very hit and miss" is a hugely unfair, and even at his worst (I'd say Century Rain, for example, starts very well indeed but trails off) he's way, way above most authors.
I would agree. Terminal World was the closest Reynolds has come to writing a mediocre novel and it was still very, very good. I've read a ton of Science Fiction and for my money the Revelation Space trilogy is one of the best series I've ever read. Redemption Ark in particular. I can't wait for his new series.
From the blog on his website it's going to be a 'standalone' trilogy. very few, if any, characters from the books will continue into the next one. the time span covers ten thousand years so forget the parts 1, 2 and 3 thing. which is probably why i'm not going to bother with it.
Reynolds is very hit and miss unfortunatley.
If you want hard SF space opera, stick with Peter Hamilton.
From the blog on his website it's going to be a 'standalone' trilogy. very few, if any, characters from the books will continue into the next one. the time span covers ten thousand years so forget the parts 1, 2 and 3 thing. which is probably why i'm not going to bother with it.
Reynolds is very hit and miss unfortunatley.
If you want hard SF space opera, stick with Peter Hamilton.
Comparing Reynolds with Hamilton is like pairing up Arthur C Clarke with E.E. Doc Smith, Hamilton is just a pulp author in comparison. Plus his sex-and-power fantasies are beginning to make his books a bit creepy, like late period Heinlein.
I just finished Alastair Reynolds' Terminal World. This certainly wasn't his best work but I enjoyed most of it nonetheless. Been trolling the internet since I closed the cover last week looking for some kind of discussion on this book - which seemed to leave a significant number of unanswered questions yet didn't really set up any kind of sequel. It very much felt like a standalone book.
Today I've read a few early magazine and newspaper reviews and they've all been very, very good.
Hopefully this will be a return to form … although in fairness The Prefect and House of Suns were both brilliant, so if Reynolds has been off form we're really only talking about Terminal World.
I'm surprised no one has picked one up yet, they are on sale here. I agree with the hit or miss notion, but I would emphasise that when he hits he usually hits well. I've not read Hamilton, the size of his books intimidate me.
Comparing Reynolds with Hamilton is like pairing up Arthur C Clarke with E.E. Doc Smith, Hamilton is just a pulp author in comparison. Plus his sex-and-power fantasies are beginning to make his books a bit creepy, like late period Heinlein.
The only reason i picked up Reynolds book (Revelation space) was because the blurb said he was the 'new Hamilton'.
It was a massive disappointment. I was expecting something on the scale of 'Night's dawn' or 'commonwealth saga' but in comparison it was very, very small. What annoyed me most was i'd bought the whole trilogy, plus Chasm city, expecting magnificence and got 'steam punk' ,whatever the hell that is, instead.
I was so pissed i left them on the shelf and didn't touch them for four years.
What got me to read them was Pushing Ice. Ok, it was a massive Clarke rip off ( Hammer of god/Rama anyone?) but i enjoyed it so i went back to RS but without the expectations, and you know what? I liked it.
It wasn't 'space opera' but it was a good SF novel. Then I read Chasm city which is easily his best work. Great characters, excellent setting, really pulled you in.
Redemtion ark was on a par. Clavain is a very memorable character, so much so I couldn't wait to read Absolution gap.
SPOILERS:
What a pile of crap. It was absurd, had nothing to do with the rest of the trilogy, and is a clear indication of a writer who makes his bad guys so powerful he has no clue how to actually defeat them. That's why some other 'good' aliens just happened to show up right at the end and save us.
Lucky us.
Personally i think he's should stick to short stories or stand alone novels, that seems to be his strengh.
Yes I couldn't quite see where steam punk came into it. Cyber punk maybe but I don't think so. Plain old space opera I would have thought.
I have avoided getting into this discussion as I think it has side tracked the thread away from the subject material. Blue Remembered Earth is what it's supposed to be about and what I was interested in reading about. However I will say that I do think they are comparable authors but different and therefore open to preference rather than one better than the other.
I have avoided getting into this discussion as I think it has side tracked the thread away from the subject material. Blue Remembered Earth is what it's supposed to be about and what I was interested in reading about.
Yep - sorry about that. I wouldn't have said anything myself but for the spoilery stuff. (It hits me that way, anyway, as I've only read Revelation Space, so far, of the three.)
Ah well I fully understand that but don't worry there's not really that much spoiling in his post. Though I am afraid that I did find Absolution Gap disappointing. I think my favourite RS book is the standalone one The Prefect, closely followed by Chasm City. Actually I generally recommend reading Chasm City before Revelation Space.
I read Reality Dysfunction, and figured it was really a short novel that had been bloated into an epic trilogy. Didn't want to read any further about peripheral characters to the nth degree, and projected author fantasy fulfillments.
Tried reading Fallen Dragon. After 70 pages, the only event of significance was a small cloud in the sky. No humour, no engaging characters, so put it down and never returned to his books.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
