Galactic North by Alastair Reynolds

[Rodders]

And the others ursa major? How did you find them?

[Ursa major]

Of the books of his I've read, Chasm City is the best, followed by The Prefect. Century Rain was really good, followed by - on order - Revelation Space**, Pushing Ice, Redemption Ark and Absolution Gap.

The only story of his that I've not liked at all has been Diamond Dogs, simply because it's about obsession, which I treat as just another word for stupidity.







** - The first few chapters of this were hard to get into, but then it took off, as I've said elsewhere.

[Rodders]

I loved Diamond Dogs. I really enjoyed the idea of the Blood Spire and you have to admit that obsession is a large part of being human.

As for the other, i must have missed something in Century Rain as i didn't enjoy it as much as anyone else by the looks of it. I still have to read Puching Ice and i'm looking forward to reading House of Sons.

[Ursa major]

Lots of things are a part of being human - a more important part than being obsessional for the vast majority of us - but that doesn't mean that they naturally form the backbone of a good story. (Or if they do, we think: "the author must be really good to make that interesting.")


I thought that the Blood Spire was fine; until, that is, I realised that it was only there to make the plot "work": basically it was a great big MacGuffin that was there to the bitter end of the story.




(But one iffy story (in my opinion) is more than forgivable given the quality of the rest of his work.)

[Rodders]

Wasn't Christine about obsession?

[Ursa major]

If it was, perhaps it's just as well that I've never read that (non-Alastair-Reynolds) book.

[Parson]

I re-read my post from (can it be?) nearly a year ago. I find that Alastair Reynolds books still leave me frustrated. Some of them start out with such promise (he has some wonderful plot ideas) but they all devolve into a maddening psychological battle, within or without. I have read none with the purity of purpose and grace filled living that draws me to books like David Weber's Honor Harrington series.

It is not that I have not given him a fair shake. I've read Chasm City, Revelation Space, Pushing Ice, Redemption Ark and Absolution Gap. All of them IMO started with great promise and ended in frustrating failure.

[Ursa major]

We can't all have the same taste in things, Parson.



(Otherwise we would all be glued to the soaps, "reality TV" and goodness knows what. )

[Parson]

Originally Posted by Ursa major

We can't all have the same taste in things, Parson.



(Otherwise we would all be glued to the soaps, "reality TV" and goodness knows what. )

Sound of the Parson gagging. I had not thought of it that way!!!

Surely with enough culture and learning every person would share my tastes and the perfection they represent!