Absolution Gap

The Inhibitor Sequence #3

by Alastair Reynolds

In the third book of the legendary Revelation Space trilogy, the last remnants of humanity realize that forging an alliance with a greater and even more mysterious alien force may be their only chance for survival. The Inhibitors were designed to eliminate any life form reaching a certain level of intelligence -- and they've targeted Humanity. War veteran Clavain and a ragtag group of refugees have fled into hiding. Their leadership is faltering, and their situation is growing more desperate. But their little colony has just received an unexpected visitor: an avenging angel with the power to lead mankind to safety -- or draw down its darkest enemy. And as she leads them to an apparently insignificant moon light-years away, it begins to dawn on Clavain and his companions that to beat one enemy, it may be necessary to forge an alliance with something much worse . . . "Absolution Gap is a good as it gets, and should solidify Alastair Reynolds' reputation as one of the best hard SF writers in the field." -- SF Site

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Space Opera, Audiobook, Space, Hard Science Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

756 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2003

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

[Reidar]

Triloogia saab endale lõpu. Õigemini lõpp on täiesti lahtine ja üsna segane. Võrreldes eelmise kahe osaga, venis antud romaani lugemine kuidagi eriti. Hela planeedil toimuv oli minu maitse jaoks natuke liiga detailne (jällegi liiga suur raamatu maht). Oleksin oodanud rohkem keskendumist suurtele küsimustele ja lahendustele, milles Reynolds muidu väga tugev on. Maailm on endiselt äge, kollid hurmavalt vinged! Tegelased ka huvitavad - no juba varemalt armsaks saanud Scorpio, Skade, Vasko, Clavain ei saa lihtsalt külmaks jätta. Ekstra meeldisid veel Grelier ja see silmaklambritega antagonist, kelle exit oli niivõrd ootamatu ja koomiline, et ajas naerma :D Quaiche oli vist tolle tüübi nimi. Mitte et tegelaste loetelu arvustuse sirvijale korda läheks, aga kuna antud romaani ei saa lugeda eelmist kahte osa läbi töötamata, siis on see pigem soov näidata, et kui oled ainult Revelation Space'i lugenud, võta kindlasti järjed ette. Olles Reynoldsi andunud fänn, ei saa ma kuidagi alla 4 tärni panna. Tema kirjutamisstiil, tumedus ja teaduslik fantaasia sobituvad perfektselt minu koljuõõnde.

[Jaagup]

Korralik lõpp heale triloogiale – vähemalt nende jaoks, kes ei nõua täielikke, lõplikke ja konkreetseid vastuseid ning selgitusi. Mulle meeldis, et Scorpiost tehti üks kahest peategelasest, ja kogu tema lugu. Rashmika lugu oli ka hea, aga alles tagantjärele. Raamatu suurim miinus oligi see, et Rashmika/Hela tegevusliini osas pole umbes poole raamatuni selgust, kuidas see üldse millegagi seotud on. Lõpuks muidugi on, aga enne kipub see osa venima, kuna lugeja jaoks ei tähenda see kõik midagi, ehkki Hela on iseenesest huvitavalt väljamõeldud ühiskond. Teise miinusena tooks veel välja, et tegelastevahelised dialoogid on kuidagi kohmakad – enamus tegelasi räägib ühtemoodi, selgelt ja artikuleeritult, et plot saaks edasi antud – mitte nii, nagu inimesed päriselt räägivad. See häiris mind ka esimeses raamatus. Ja kolmas, kõige väiksem miinus on see, et imevõimetega lapsed, kes maailma päästavad, on tänaseks üpris kulunud klišee. Õnneks ei ole käesolev raamat selle kaugeltki kõige talumatum ilming.

Kokkuvõtteks: mitte parem kui suurepärane teine osa, aga siiski hea raamat.