Absolution Gap, Alastair Reynolds
Hm, I just realized I forgot to post about this one. It’s been a while now, I did put it off for a good while after feeling that the second book in the trilogy (Redemption Ark) didn’t suck me in. Anyway, I did eventually pick up “Absolution Gap” and it brings us back into Reynolds’ big opera.
But, hey, we’re down planetside on yet another track. In more ways than one. Surprisingly I found a lot more of a fresh feel to this book than I expected and it was obvious that Reynolds really wanted to go somewhere with this book. We get more character time and lots of peeks into peoples inner workings, in the not-so-gory way.
The actually planetside setting itself is quite interesting and the culture that has come around the place is eeriy yet believable. Our old friends come back to face another set of challenges and to make some tough choices. All in all, it was a very nice step up from were we left off.
The series as a whole is worth reading, but it’s not something I’d feel horrid for missing. Not like “Chasm City” anyway, that still stands out for me as Reynolds’ crux. He’s written something that he’ll be measured out against for all time, and I really don’t see him being able to match it.