Eversion

Product Information

There was a lot of exposition dumping towards the end, and some of the characters seemed to get lost in the narrative, but I didn't mind because I was too invested in the story. He started this blog as a way to experiment with writing science fiction and to learn from its many masterful practitioners. Alastair Reynolds has already proved himself a master of intelligent space opera such as Shadow Captain - with Eversion he enters more exotic territory, giving us an SF novel where things are much more weird and wonderful, and he succeeds equally well here. A new Alastair Reynolds novel is always a cause for celebration, even if my enjoyment of them is inconsistent.

The friendship that develops between the two is one of the high points of the novel, as is the conflicted relationship between Coade and the sharp-tongued Ada Cossile. It’s odd and weird and compelling, a story of denial and acceptance, friendship and hard ethical choices.To say more would be to give spoilers, but I will tell you the reveals are well-timed and powerful, the novel’s conclusion both satisfying and thought-provoking. Shaking off his nightmares, Doctor Silas Coade joins his fellow exploders on the deck of the zeppelin Demeter and realises something has already gone dangerously wrong with their mission. From here on in things get decidedly strange: Coade is suddenly on a steam ship rounding Cape Horn, but with the same crew and the same mission. It becomes a kind of journey of exposition and self-discovery—and that has merit, I would agree, but it doesn’t hold interest as much as the tension of the first half did for me.

At its heart it's a poignant tale with a grand reveal that develops throughout the narrative via the protagonist's recurring processes of denial and acceptance and is pretty mind blowing. Apenas uma crítica apesar de estar listado como usado mas como novo o livro vinha com bastantes danos e amolgadelas. The other characters are convincing and, for once, there’s a good ending, even if it is a little corny. I had to flick back to the information page as I was sure I had seen it was a Reynolds story but the beginning didn't seem anything like past reads. I met my wife in the Netherlands through a mutual interest in climbing and we married back in Wales.

You only get to know a part of him when the book begins, but it’s enough to know that he’s a caring and dedicated doctor, well-liked among the crew. Coade spends a good deal of time wondering about it, then double-guessing himself, and then actively trying to figure out, what exactly might be going on. Compared to the average sci fi thriller, this one was solid with a bit of mystery and an intriguing plot.

But the summary of this book intrigued me enough to have me taking a chance on it, and it ended up checking all the boxes for me and truly exceeding my expectations.And while it’s not always clear where the story is going, it is vitally important that you trust the author to know what they’re doing.