false 889247 5 In the world of science fiction/fantasy books, it is fantasy that reigns supreme. While much intelligent, science-based SF is still being written (by such authors as Paul McAuley), hordes of elves, magicians and goblins have long exceeded the more plausible material in terms of sales. There is, thankfully, one exception: Stephen Baxter. He is one of the few intelligent writers still producing massive, fastidiously textured SF epics that flatter rather than insult the intelligence of the reader. As with the very best SF creators, his ideas come thick and fast, and an exhilarating sense of wonder is guaranteed for the reader in any one of his many novels. But what might be called science-based fantasy is also a speciality. . Navigator is the third book in Baxter's much-acclaimed Time's Tapestry sequence, and once again the display of imagination and inventiveness takes the breath away. William the Conqueror's forces are fighting against insuperable odds, when a prophecy is given by a woman in a ruined village describing massive engines of destruction. The clash between civilisations of the East and West in the Mediterranean is reaching apocalyptic levels, and the prophecy of the war engines that will decide the conflict becomes ever more relevant -- which of two religions will win the battle? In the meantime, engineers struggle to bring the fabled machinery into reality. This is the kind of alternative history that is Baxter's métier, and the sheer gusto of his storytelling carries this diffuse narrative along with tremendous panache. --Barry Forshaw 874496 26 7 2007 Navigator (Gollancz S.F.) total:28|5:3|4:10|3:11|2:4|1:0| 28 96 55 3 2 0 false false Tue Nov 11 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Mon Nov 10 20:07:26 -0800 2008 Tue Nov 11 21:58:09 -0800 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sat Oct 18 12:37:19 -0700 2008 Sat Oct 18 12:42:48 -0700 2008 more...]]> 3 0 false false Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Wed Aug 06 14:30:38 -0700 2008 Wed Aug 06 14:32:49 -0700 2008
]]> 4 0 false false Sun Nov 29 03:58:02 -0800 2009 Sun Nov 29 03:58:02 -0800 2009 3 0 false false Fri Nov 27 16:05:22 -0800 2009 Fri Nov 27 16:05:22 -0800 2009 4 0 false false Sat Nov 21 21:39:08 -0800 2009 Sat Nov 21 21:38:15 -0800 2009 Sat Nov 21 21:38:15 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Fri Oct 09 10:15:54 -0700 2009 Fri Oct 09 10:15:54 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Tue Aug 25 05:47:48 -0700 2009 Tue Aug 25 05:47:48 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Tue Aug 11 20:53:57 -0700 2009 Tue Aug 11 20:53:57 -0700 2009 4 0 false false Mon Aug 10 17:00:12 -0700 2009 Mon Aug 10 17:00:12 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Fri Jul 24 01:16:32 -0700 2009 Fri Jul 24 01:16:37 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Fri Aug 14 10:35:12 -0700 2009 Sun Jul 19 08:41:06 -0700 2009 Fri Aug 14 10:35:12 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Sun Jun 28 04:52:40 -0700 2009 Sun Jun 28 04:52:40 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Sun Jun 28 04:22:29 -0700 2009 Sun Jun 28 04:22:32 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Sat Jun 20 04:14:33 -0700 2009 Sat Jun 20 04:14:33 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Thu Jun 18 20:48:08 -0700 2009 Thu Jun 18 20:48:08 -0700 2009 5 0 false false Fri Jun 19 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Jun 15 09:34:30 -0700 2009 Fri Jun 19 18:23:31 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Sat May 23 14:03:41 -0700 2009 Sat May 23 14:03:41 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Wed May 13 01:29:44 -0700 2009 Wed May 13 01:29:44 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Mon Apr 27 18:43:53 -0700 2009 Mon Apr 27 18:43:53 -0700 2009 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=889247