Elitist Book Reviews

I was a little late to get on board with Alastair Reynolds. I only picked up a book of his two or so years ago, but once I found him he quickly became one of my favorite authors. He writes the type of book I love: big, grand space operas with vast ideas that can take place over thousands of years and span across galaxies.

Recently I’ve tried to get my dad to try Reynold’s books out. He kept asking me which book of his to start with. I honestly didn’t have an answer. It seemed like everything he had written (that I had read) had some great stuff in it. I enjoyed all of his books.

Sadly after reading BLUE REMEMBERED EARTH, I can tell him which book not to start with.

While BLUE REMEMBERED EARTH had some great moments and certainly showed that this series can become something really cool and special, this book sadly wasn’t up to the usual standards that I hold Reynolds too. Which isn’t to say it’s not a good book. It really is. It’s a lot of fun and would be a great book by some authors. But it’s not Reynolds best in my opinion.

Here’s the blurb from Amazon: One hundred and fifty years from now, Africa has become the world’s dominant technological and economic power. Crime, war, disease and poverty have been eliminated. The Moon and Mars are settled, and colonies stretch all the way out to the edge of the solar system. And Ocular, the largest scientific instrument in history, is about to make an epochal discovery…

Like I said earlier, the book is fun, and I really did have a good time reading it. It just didn’t hold up after the fact. You know what I mean? There are those books that you read and read and enjoy, but then after you’ve put it down, it kind of wanders out of your head. You don’t think about it much, it doesn’t leave a big impression on you. This is one of those books. It just didn’t stay. And even now looking back on it, I can see some really fun scenes and some big ideas, but that’s all it is, fun scenes. Not great characters for me, not a compelling story, just moments.

The weird thing about BLUE REMEMBERED EARTH is the end of it really did leave me wanting to read the next one. The book, in and of itself, didn’t blow me away but DID manage to set me up to where I’m anxious about reading the next in the series. With most authors I would be wary. I naturally ask myself, "Sure he set me up for some cool things to happen, but is he going to come through on those ideas?" Or, "Is the next book going to wow me where this one only showed the potential of wowing me?" I’ve read enough of Reynolds' work to believe that this book was just the slow set up to something big and amazing to come. I could look back on this book as the beginning of a great epic story.

Like I said, with someone of Reynolds caliber, I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. For now, BLUE REMEMBERED EARTH falls right on the line of "Mediocre" and "Like", but good follow ups could make this the start of a fantastic series.

Age Recommendation: I dunno, 14+? 16+? There’s nothing really bad here, it’s just a bit complex and full of science explanatory stuff.
Language: Not much that I remember
Violence: Nothing to be upset about
Sex: I don’t remember any. Maybe referenced, but that’s about it.

Want to read it? Here is your link: BLUE REMEMBERED EARTH

So, I don’t particularly care for science fiction. Call me a hypocrite, yes you may, but don’t be too harsh, because there may be some hope for me yet. In fact, you might have already heard of him. His name is Alastair Reynolds.

I don’t remember how I came across my first book from Mr. Reynolds or what possessed me to pick it up. Perhaps it was the fact that I really did (somewhere deep inside) like science fiction and wanted to find something good. Or maybe it was an impressive review that I found about one of his previous books. Then again, it could have been the contract he has with Gollancz, which speaks for ten books over the next ten years for £1m. Whoa. Regardless, I picked up HOUSE OF SUNS by him shortly thereafter and was far from disappointed.

TERMINAL WORLD is a standalone book set against the backdrop of a far-future earth where one of the largest population centers still around is called Spearpoint. It’s a miles-high inverted cone that spirals up into the atmosphere with no realizable purpose but to house several strata of technologies and peoples. Each of these technologies is held in check by the unknown workings of the “zones,” and affect in detail the lives of those living on Spearpoint’s outer surface. High above in the Celestial Levels, post-humans called Angels float on the thermals and currents. Those that descend into a lower zone quickly die. In Neon Heights, life is much like you’d expect from that in a modern city--cars, commuters, buildings agog--all familiar but for the sharp drop near the outer shelf. There are also zones where steam prevails, and others where it’s nothing but the wild-wild west. Crossing borders to some extent is permitted, though cause extreme discomfort, sickness, and sometimes death without the aid of “anti-zonal” medications. Electricity, steam, combustion, guns, lasers, they all work in their requisite zones, but simply don’t in others. Really cool ideas all.

In amongst this network of awesome futuristic backdrop works Quillon, an angel that was secretly modified years ago to infiltrate the lower zones but ultimately went AWOL. Unfortunately, a pack of angels has finally found him. Luckily though they don’t want to give him a lobotomy. There are, however, other more sinister angels who do. For the technology to modify their bodies has somehow gone missing, and within Quillon’s brain lies the only copy of the plan.

Then it’s time for Chapter 2.

One of the things that Alastair Reynolds has done in both of his books that I’ve read is give me realistic, intricate, engaging characters and put them into a world that is mind-blowingly new and complete. Science fiction is all about the ideas: the original, the unfamiliar, the enlightening. He does all this and more with grand panache, and even gives us a great story to go with it. Bad guys, betrayals, and blimps. Oh my!

Despite how dense this book was, I found myself tearing through the pages. His prose is easy to read, his ideas easy to understand, and the book incredibly easy to get drawn into. On the whole, I enjoyed it (can you tell?), though there were parts that got a bit slow. A large portion near the middle of the book kind of felt like a “world-building” section, though props to him for giving it to us as an integral part of the story and not as pages and pages of exposition (as so much science fiction does). He helps us to feel the world, to take a stake in it, to understand how these people live and survive on a hostile, heat-ravaged planet, both inside and outside the security of the cities. He unfolds their history and makes things terrifying and awesome to them, feel terrifying and awesome to us. My only real complaint with the book was about the ending. Guess I expected a bit more action. Even though the ending was satisfying and uplifting and full of promise for our characters…a few more explosions or something would have been kind of cool.

In the end, I say, “READ ALASTAIR REYNOLDS!” in a mighty, booming voice that will ring through your head until you do. He deserves the praise. He deserves the money. He deserves your money. Buy his books. And then tell him we sent you.

Recommended age: 16 and up
Language: Yes, a mild amount. One of the main supporting characters has a potty mouth.
Violence: Some. Killer cyborg dogs that eat your brains. A number of people get shot. There’s a few medical scenes. Not a whole lot of major page-time though.
Sex: A few references, nothing direct.

http://www.alastairreynolds.com/