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Binary System #1
Binary
On what should have been a routine mission to the star system of 61 Cygni A, Delia Kemp finds herself shunted thousands of light years into uncharted space. The only survivor of a catastrophic starship blow-out, Delia manages to land her life-raft on the inhospitable, ice-bound world of Valinda, and is captured by a race of hostile aliens, the Skelt. What follows is a break-neck adventure as Delia escapes, fleeing through a phantasmagorical landscape.
As the long winter comes to an end and the short, blistering summer approaches, the Skelt will stop at nothing to obtain Delia's technical knowledge—but what Delia wants is impossible: to leave Valinda and return to Earth.
- GenresScience Fiction
ebook
First published September 15, 2016
2 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
Eric Brown
362 books184 followersEric Brown was a British science fiction author and Guardian critic.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 2, 2016
4.5 Stars
Binary by Eric Brown is a fantastic science fiction novel done right. This is a novella and Brown gives us the perfect mix of action, world building, and science. I am a huge fan of Eric Brown and he is a great in the genre. I really enjoyed this book.
Great characters.
Great setting.
Superb small scoped science fiction adventure.
Satisfying ending.
A blast of a read.
Binary by Eric Brown is a fantastic science fiction novel done right. This is a novella and Brown gives us the perfect mix of action, world building, and science. I am a huge fan of Eric Brown and he is a great in the genre. I really enjoyed this book.
Great characters.
Great setting.
Superb small scoped science fiction adventure.
Satisfying ending.
A blast of a read.
June 9, 2025
En "Binary" de Eric Brown, Cordelia Kemp, una doctora de 35 años, sobrevive a la catastrófica explosión de la nave estelar Pride of Amsterdam durante un tránsito por un agujero de gusano lunar, que la lanza a un sector inexplorado de la galaxia, a más de diez mil años luz de la Tierra. Varada en una cápsula de salvamento, Delia aterriza en Valinda, un planeta de extremos climáticos y hogar de dos especies sentientes: los pacíficos Fahran, similares a primates azules, y los opresivos Skelt, insectoides tecnológicamente atrasados pero beligerantes. Acompañada por su implante de inteligencia artificial (Imp), Delia se une a Mahn, un Fahran en peregrinación, y a Var, una joven Vo (una especie de arañas gigantes), para buscar a otros posibles supervivientes humanos y enfrentarse a los Skelt, quienes poseen un arma avanzada que amenaza la paz en Valinda. Su viaje, lleno de descubrimientos y peligros, explora su lucha por la supervivencia, la pérdida y la esperanza de forjar conexiones en un mundo alienígena.
"Binary" es una novela corta de ciencia ficción que combina con maestría la exploración psicológica y la aventura interplanetaria, características distintivas del estilo accesible y emotivo de Eric Brown. La narrativa, centrada en Delia Kemp, ofrece una protagonista compleja cuya resiliencia y vulnerabilidad resuenan profundamente, mientras que el mundo de Valinda, con su ecología vibrante y sus culturas alienígenas, se presenta con un detallismo que enriquece la inmersión. La interacción entre Delia, Mahn y Var no solo impulsa la trama, sino que también aborda temas de pérdida, solidaridad interspecies y resistencia frente a la opresión, aunque la novela podría beneficiarse de un mayor desarrollo de los antagonistas Skelt para equilibrar su impacto. Con un ritmo ágil y un final que mezcla esperanza y melancolía, "Binary" es una obra sólida que cautivará a lectores de ciencia ficción interesados en historias de contacto alienígena y supervivencia en mundos hostiles.
Esta es la primera novela de la bilogía Binary/System.
"Binary" es una novela corta de ciencia ficción que combina con maestría la exploración psicológica y la aventura interplanetaria, características distintivas del estilo accesible y emotivo de Eric Brown. La narrativa, centrada en Delia Kemp, ofrece una protagonista compleja cuya resiliencia y vulnerabilidad resuenan profundamente, mientras que el mundo de Valinda, con su ecología vibrante y sus culturas alienígenas, se presenta con un detallismo que enriquece la inmersión. La interacción entre Delia, Mahn y Var no solo impulsa la trama, sino que también aborda temas de pérdida, solidaridad interspecies y resistencia frente a la opresión, aunque la novela podría beneficiarse de un mayor desarrollo de los antagonistas Skelt para equilibrar su impacto. Con un ritmo ágil y un final que mezcla esperanza y melancolía, "Binary" es una obra sólida que cautivará a lectores de ciencia ficción interesados en historias de contacto alienígena y supervivencia en mundos hostiles.
Esta es la primera novela de la bilogía Binary/System.
September 15, 2016
Binary is the latest work from Eric Brown, though I’m not entirely sure how to classify it. Releasing in ebook-only format it’s novella length with a page count just under 150 pages. But Binary is just the first part of this story and the second, System, will release early next year, also in ebook form. However, once they’re both out the publisher, Solaris, will issue them together in novel form under the title of Binary System. I’ve not come across this release style before, though the longer release window certainly gives more visibility to the novel, and that’s no bad thing given the high regard I hold Brown’s work to.
From the publisher:
On what should have been a routine mission to the star system of 61 Cygni A, Delia Kemp finds herself shunted thousands of light years into uncharted space. The only survivor of a catastrophic starship blow-out, Delia manages to land her life-raft on the inhospitable, ice-bound world of Valinda, and is captured by a race of hostile aliens, the Skelt. What follows is a break-neck adventure as Delia escapes, fleeing through a phantasmagorical landscape.
As the long winter comes to an end and the short, blistering summer approaches, the Skelt will stop at nothing to obtain Delia’s technical knowledge – but what Delia wants is impossible: to leave Valinda and return to Earth.
The above synopsis from the publisher covers the plot very succinctly, and there really isn’t too much to add without giving away spoilers. However, Valinda boasts another two intelligent species – the Vo and the Fahran – both enemies of the Skelk, and the dynamic that this brings the story helps to keep the pace fast and fluid. The planet is also in a highly elliptical orbit around one of two stars in this binary system, taking ten years to complete and suffering from very cold temperatures for nine of those years. Fortunately for Delia she crash-lands as the short and blistering summer approaches, and it’s the descriptive opportunities this offers that really shows off Brown’s narrative flair.
Brown is more than capable at weaving an enticing story, and his prose is simple and elegant, flowing off the digital page with ease. Despite Delia’s frosty arrival – in more than one way – we get to experience Valinda through her eyes and through Brown’s words, building a world that is rich and vivid despite being cold and seemingly barren. This only increases as the arriving summer brings a thaw, and the way in which the landscape changes is beautifully portrayed. I fully expected this when I started Binary, while also knowing that it is through the characters and descriptive passages that Brown conveys his story, not through detailed world-building and info-dumping.
In short, Binary is a great read that brings a sense of excitement and discovery, and delivered at a pace that keeps the e-pages turning and has left me eager for the conclusion in System. It’s also typical of Brown’s work, so if you’ve read him before you know what you’re getting into. If you haven’t then this could be the perfect place to start!
From the publisher:
On what should have been a routine mission to the star system of 61 Cygni A, Delia Kemp finds herself shunted thousands of light years into uncharted space. The only survivor of a catastrophic starship blow-out, Delia manages to land her life-raft on the inhospitable, ice-bound world of Valinda, and is captured by a race of hostile aliens, the Skelt. What follows is a break-neck adventure as Delia escapes, fleeing through a phantasmagorical landscape.
As the long winter comes to an end and the short, blistering summer approaches, the Skelt will stop at nothing to obtain Delia’s technical knowledge – but what Delia wants is impossible: to leave Valinda and return to Earth.
The above synopsis from the publisher covers the plot very succinctly, and there really isn’t too much to add without giving away spoilers. However, Valinda boasts another two intelligent species – the Vo and the Fahran – both enemies of the Skelk, and the dynamic that this brings the story helps to keep the pace fast and fluid. The planet is also in a highly elliptical orbit around one of two stars in this binary system, taking ten years to complete and suffering from very cold temperatures for nine of those years. Fortunately for Delia she crash-lands as the short and blistering summer approaches, and it’s the descriptive opportunities this offers that really shows off Brown’s narrative flair.
Brown is more than capable at weaving an enticing story, and his prose is simple and elegant, flowing off the digital page with ease. Despite Delia’s frosty arrival – in more than one way – we get to experience Valinda through her eyes and through Brown’s words, building a world that is rich and vivid despite being cold and seemingly barren. This only increases as the arriving summer brings a thaw, and the way in which the landscape changes is beautifully portrayed. I fully expected this when I started Binary, while also knowing that it is through the characters and descriptive passages that Brown conveys his story, not through detailed world-building and info-dumping.
In short, Binary is a great read that brings a sense of excitement and discovery, and delivered at a pace that keeps the e-pages turning and has left me eager for the conclusion in System. It’s also typical of Brown’s work, so if you’ve read him before you know what you’re getting into. If you haven’t then this could be the perfect place to start!
September 28, 2016
Yep, as I thought: I enjoyed this very much. A "half-novel" in that it is the first installment of a two-part story that will be published next year as a single volume. It is quite typical of Brown's more recent sci-fi stories which have a distinctive pulp feel. I've mentioned this before in other reviews of Brown's work, and it's a style that I find myself liking a lot. There's more of a focus on the yarn and not so much on depth of character or world-building, etc. Many of Brown's other works show his prowess in those areas, but this one is pure fun. The story follows a scientist as she becomes marooned on an unknown alien world and her adventures there. The planet and the aliens are interesting without becoming a distraction to the overall, and rather simple, plot. The whole thing works because of some well used tropes and overall it blends together into a cohesive whole that is a satisfying read. It's what I think of as a great bedtime read that doesn't tax your mind but keeps you interested with a sense of wonder which is a facet that Eric Brown does so well.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews