Great Wall of Mars

by Alastair Reynolds

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Short Stories, Hard Science Fiction, Space Opera, Audiobook

46 pages, Unknown Binding

First published February 1, 2000

About the author

I'm Al, I used to be a space scientist, and now I'm a writer, although for a time the two careers ran in parallel. I started off publishing short stories in the British SF magazine Interzone in the early 90s, then eventually branched into novels. I write about a novel a year and try to write a few short stories as well. Some of my books and stories are set in a consistent future named after Revelation Space, the first novel, but I've done a lot of other things as well and I like to keep things fresh between books.

I was born in Wales, but raised in Cornwall, and then spent time in the north of England and Scotland. I moved to the Netherlands to continue my science career and stayed there for a very long time, before eventually returning to Wales.

In my spare time I am a very keen runner, and I also enjoying hill-walking, birdwatching, horse-riding, guitar and model-making. I also dabble with paints now and then. I met my wife in the Netherlands through a mutual interest in climbing and we married back in Wales. We live surrounded by hills, woods and wildlife, and not too much excitement.

Reviews

[Althea Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really complex scenario for a short story, but it works, with a good core narrative and glimpses of a coherent larger universe and history outside it.

A small group of implant-enhanced humans is holed up in a Martian colony, under threat from a vastly larger force who view their actions - attempts to 'escape' - as military provocations. Two brothers are part of that larger force. One, motivated by revenge, wants war. The other, a former POW, insists on going down for peace negotiations.

An interesting entry into the transhumanist genre, and a nice introduction to this universe.

[Insener Garin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kaks tõsiselt head jutustust, esimene spiooniloo võtmes, teine nagu natuke krimka, aga õnneks pole need kummagi loo puhul domineerivad küljed. See oli minu esimene kokkupuude Alastair Reynoldsi loominguga ja tema tuleviku maailmaga, huvitekitajana toimis see raamat suurepäraselt, nüüd sooviks kindlasti Revelation Space'i lugudega edasi minna.
Esimesele loole hindeks tugev neli, teisele kindel viis. Muidugi ei saa ma teise jutustuse puhul mainimata jätta, selle lumist ja liustikulist tegevuspaika, see on minu nõrkus ja isiklik kiiks- kõik jäine ja külm mulle lihtsalt istub.
Nauditav lugemine kaanest kaaneni, soovitan!

[Siobhan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great Wall of Mars takes place in the author’s Revelation Space series, and I feel I would have understood this a lot better if I’d first read the series. As it was, this was interesting, but I felt I was missing a few too many things to completely understand it. Despite my lack of understanding of certain elements, it was an interesting story and I was curious to see how the details would come together, and I’m sure this is a great read for those that have read the series.

All in all, this one wasn’t for me, but it does have me more interested in the main series.

[Cristian Iorga · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story is the one I remember most from all of Alastair Reynolds short stories. It goes into the beginning of the Conjoiners and tells the story of how Clavain (one major character in the Revelation Space series and a favorite of mine) came to be one. It also introduces Galiana and Felka, both major characters in the series as well.

This story is perfect.

[Elar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tõeliselt nauditavad scifi lühilood, kus on nii intriige, tehnoloogilisi uuendusi kui ka väga hästi kirjeldatud tegelasi. Tempo poolest on lood pigem rahulikumad ja arutlevad, aga samas tegevusetuse üle kurta ei saa.

[Mairi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reynolds on nüüd siis ka selles "minu lemmikkirjanikud" nimekirjas. Isegi see ei saanud praegu saatuslikuks, et ühtede kaante vahel mitu juttu koos oli. Mulle lihtsalt meeldib ta Sci-Fi mõttemaailm, milles asjad on ühtaegu pöörased ja loogilised ning mõistuse ja mõtlemise baasil alati sütitavad, inspireerivad ja mänglevadki.

[Mark Tallen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story by Alastair Reynolds, which is only the second story written by him that I've read, I'll definitely be reading more from his collection - Beyond the Aquilla Rift. The Great Wall of Mars in my opinion is an excellent scifi story. It is an imaginative and clever story with intrigue and action.

[Mbgile · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+

[Lauri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kaks esimest lugu Nevil Clavainist ja Revelation Space universumist. Lugudena miskipärast mitte just eriti palju väärt, hilisemad jutud, lühiromaanid ja eriti romaanid on ikka kordades vägevamad. Seega väljendab hinne teatavat arusaamatust miks valiti just kaks esimest, mitte just kõige paremat juttu, et Reynoldsi ülivõimast maailma keelepuudulikele kohalikele ulmesõpradele tutvustada. Ma ise oleks valinud hoopis teised, ütleme, "Nightingale" näiteks, või "Grafenwalder's Bestiary", või hoopis "A Spy in Europe", ülivõimastest lühiromaanidest "Diamond Dogs" ja "Turquoise Days" rääkimata.

[Kalver · Rating 4 out of 5]

õiglasem hinne oleks tegelikult 4,5
esimene lugu (Suur Marsi Müür) hää, teine (Liustikuline) väga hää.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable hard SF story. I do not know if there are other stories in the world described in this story but there should be.

[5t4n5 Dot Com · Rating 5 out of 5]

And so begins the super long binge read of the Revelation Space Universe.   Yippee, all being well we're going through the whole lot in chronological order.

Well it started off well, even excusing it for being one of those worn-out sci-fi tropes of Earthers v Mars.   But this has an interesting twist in it, in that the Martians have become conjoined by the nano things that they've infested themselves with and now think with a hive mind.   Of course, the conservatives from Earth won't accept this new spin on Humanity.

Superbly well written and non-stop fast paced action all the way through.

Really looking forward to getting straight into Glacial .

This book is available in the collection, Galactic North .

[Alexander Theofanidis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Στον Άρη, μετά από κατάπαυση πυρός οι εχθροπραξίες πρόκειται να ξαναρχίσουν. Μία πρώην αιχμάλωτη πολέμου (δυνατός χαρακτήρας στο revelation space), δυο αδέλφια με διαφορετικές (αντιδιαμετρικά) απόψεις για τη χρήση της ισχύος (ο ένας, ο Clavain -γνωστός επίσης από τη σειρά Revelation Space, ειρηνιστής, ο άλλος πολεμοκάπηλος), μια προβοκάτσια και μια γνωριμία του «εχθρού» από μέσα, δίνουν μια πολύ όμορφη ιστορία πάνω στην ανθρώπινη φύση, ακόμη κι όταν αυτή είναι «τεχνολογικά ενισχυμένη».

[Esteban Vega · Rating 4 out of 5]

Possibly the best of "Galactic North".

The Wall, Clavain, the birth of the Conjoined, mechanical worms (as in the movie Vexille). Fast paced, interesting, and Revelation Space's history in the making.

[Jagadish Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant.. The beginning of the Revelation space universe!

[Dustin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Borgin

[Акикат Рас · Rating 3 out of 5]

Embryo of a great space saga...

[Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant short story

[Silmaril · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

[Emz · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining short story.

[Reuben Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Splendid short story that takes us to the heart of the conjoiner movement…

[Paul Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Story - a great addition to the Revelation Space universe with familiar characters a slice of backstory.

[Declan Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic novella. A great introduction to some of Reynolds' most memorable characters, including Clavain, Galiana and Felka. I wish I had read this before Redemption Ark and would recommend others do so.

[Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maha jääb sõja
ussipesa ja suur müür
Koos valgusesse!