December 2018 READER Revelation Space by Reynolds

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

The December 2018 READER Pick is Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds. Please use this thread to post questions, comments, and reviews, at any time.

Official description:
Nine hundred thousand years ago, something annihilated the Amarantin civilization just as it was on the verge of discovering space flight. Now one scientist, Dan Sylveste, will stop at nothing to solve the Amarantin riddle before ancient history repeats itself. With no other resources at his disposal, Sylveste forges a dangerous alliance with the cyborg crew of the starship Nostalgia for Infinity. But as he closes in on the secret, a killer closes in on him. Because the Amarantin were destroyed for a reason — and if that reason is uncovered, the universe—and reality itself — could be irrecoverably altered….

[Jemima]

I've got this on order but it's not going to arrive in December. I hope you'll forgive me for reading it in January :)

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Discussion threads can be used long after the official month - no worries!

[AndrewP]

I'm about 50% in and really enjoying it. There's lot's of really interesting stuff going on and many ways the plot could go.

[MadProfessah]

I love this series but reading the blurb for the book I was like “what are they talking about?”

[Patrick]

MadProfessah wrote: "I love this series but reading the blurb for the book I was like “what are they talking about?”"

I thought the same thing.

[Richard]

Finally reading Revelation Space for second time and enjoying it every bit as much as first time. Amazing how much I don’t remember from the first time when I read something a second (or more) time. Two of my favorite sci fi characters are Ilia Volyova and the Mademoiselle; spaceships, the Nostalgia for Infinity.

[MadProfessah]

You must admit “Nostalgia for Infinity” is one of the great space ship names ever!!

[Andy]

I read this last year (2017)... damn but it was hard work, that being said ... some of the best books are and make you work for it. I think it’s scope and scale truly define ‘Space Opera’. These things are why I read science fiction. The idea is a wonderful answer to the Fermi Paradox, a term I only learned after reading this book. On the whole I loved it ... but I did read some pointless passages where I felt the author was just showing off his science knowledge. I have the others in the series but not mustered up the strength to tackle another yet :). But I will soon.

[MadProfessah]

It’s definitely worth finishing the series. I like the standalone CHASM CITY (which is set on the planet the Glitter Band orbits) as my favorite.

[AndrewP]

Just finished reading this yesterday and will defiantly be reading the rest of the series. There were so many things in this book that hit the sweet spot that I like in my SF reading; future tech, space travel, exploration, lost ancient tech and vast scale.
I did think there were several unanswered questions at the end, so I am hoping that these are resolved in the following books.

[Book Nerd]

I read Revelation Space a while ago and I just read Galactic North. Now I just have Absolution Gap to finish the series.

One thing I don't understand. The Inhibitors (view spoiler)[are supposed to keep civilization from advancing too far to prepare for the collision with Andromeda. Everything I've ever heard says that the collision will have virtually no effect on anything. Galaxies are mostly space. (hide spoiler)]

[Patrick]

Book Nerd wrote: "Everything I've ever heard says that the collision will have virtually no effect on anything. Galaxies are mostly space"

They are. Collisions are expected to be minimal, but the gravitational forces will still throw everything into disarray and rip solar systems apart.

[Bill]

I read this book about 18 years ago.

I have just started reading/re-reading the series. Just finished Galactic North for the first time and now am reading The Prefect for the second time. In Infinite Stars: Definitive Space Opera and Military Science Fiction, I read Night Passage by Alastair Reynolds and planing to read the rest of the book at a later time.

Here is the read order: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revelat...

[Jemima]

I've managed to get my library to buy a copy, since they have the second in the series already! I hope I'll be picking it up at the same time I pick up the BOTM for January.

[Richard]

Alastair Reynolds is my favorite SciFi author. Glad to hear other people enjoying Revelation Space. I had to concentrate considerably myself to keep straight the Amarantin/Shrouder situation along with where Inhibitors fit in. Anyway, I’m on to Redemption Ark. Meanwhile I haven’t checked the January selection yet and it’s already time for February nominations.

[Jemima]

Well, I finally read it, but it took me a month of dedicated reading!

I found it heavy going at first, and was struggling to get through as many as twenty pages in my reading time. But I felt it had promise, and the various strands were obviously going to come together.
Eventually I found the going easier. I wonder whether I'd got used to the style, the terminology, and all that, or whether it had a phase in the middle where it came together and flowed better. Certainly the puzzle got more exciting, and I really wanted to read to the end.

Slightly let down by the finish, though.

[Richard]

Just finished Redemption Ark and Absolution Gap and really liked all three but Revelation Space in my opinion was the strongest. I did like Absolution Gap but there were a few problems and I would like to have seen a stronger finish to the group. I’m going to reread Chasm City next which is a Revelation Space book though as I recall is a kind of prequel to Revelation Space.