johnbreeden 's review for:

Galactic North by Alastair Reynolds

4.0

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I really enjoyed this mix of 8 short fictions based in the Revelation Space universe created by Alastair Reynolds. As I listened to these stories on audiobook, it's a bit more challenging to tear them apart from one another and do a story-by-story review. What I can say is that these stories, spanning from our near future into the vastness of time, revolve around various aspects of the RS universe. For me, each helped me better understand the history (I've only read Revelation Space itself) and the various groups and technologies I first saw in that book. So, I'm simply going to do a most / least favorite.

Most Favorite:

"Nightingale" * with a close second in "Grafenwalder's Bestiary"

This story was exciting, but what made me really enjoy it was the absolute twist of the ending and the

Spoiler

horror elements of its plot.

It was relevant in the idea of a society split in two by conflict that is trying to bring itself together - but I won't explain how that might be a spoiler for the ending.

Least Favorite:

"Galactic North" * but probably not the story's fault

I honest doubted every second of the story. I have to go spoiler mode to explain why.

Spoiler

I was waiting the entire time for the ending to reveal that all of the action was merely an illusion designed to pry the password from her head. Even as I saw threads of stories set in the relative future that they wouldn't have known, I couldn't push the idea that it was all trickery. Even with the ending, I couldn't convince myself.

So, I have to give these stories their due. I loved how they collectively built on pure hard SF, did an amazing job in world-building for the existing RS cannon, and how they mixed in other genres, such as horror and mystery. I will definitely be reading more.