585 pages
English language
Published Oct. 8, 2002 by Orion Publishing Group.
Revelation Space is a 2000 science fiction novel by Welsh author Alastair Reynolds. It was the first novel (but not published work of fiction) set in Reynolds's eponymous universe. The novel reflects Reynolds's professional background: he has a PhD in astronomy and worked for many years for the European Space Agency. It was short listed for the 2000 BSFA and Arthur C. Clarke Awards.
Exactly what I was promised, epic sci-fi with so many fascinating ideas, I'm really looking forward to reading the other books of the cycle!
Having read the previous novel and the novella, I quite enjoyed this one. It feels as though the Universe it is set in, is beginning to expand to bring in new species and systems as well as a new enemy. Hinting that this might also connect to the incidents in the first novel is a nice touch too. I'm looking forward to seeing where things go next.
If you enjoyed the first novel then this one's even better.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I tried so hard to like this book. I am a big fan of much of Reynolds' other work but I could not get into this book. At page 520, out of 580 or so, I put it down. I had been muscling my way through this book for the last three weeks, trying to make myself finish for the sake of finishing but I kept putting it down. After 500+ pages, I still didn't care about any of the ensemble cast of characters.
It's clear that Reynolds' later books benefited from increased skill or an editor with a heavier hand. Probably both. Revelation Space might have been interesting if it were 200 pages instead of almost 600, but it drags on and on.
Try The Prefect, Pushing Ice, Blue Remembered Earth, or Chasm City instead.
Finally got this back from the library! Finished it up and was mostly pleased :) I'm liking Reynolds books :)
