/lit/ - Literature

What does /lit/ think of Revelation Space?

Into the trash it goes.

>Want to get into sci-fi
>Every author appears to use modern names and reference places/companies/things on Earth which I hate
>Find Alastair Reynolds and all his shit sounds great
>Decide to read his first book before the standalones to introduce the universe and mysteries
>Three POVs which takes place at different times _and_ go both forward and back in time, have flashbacks, and changes POV every half page to three pages
>Author likes to use made-up technobabble to describe things without giving a description of the technobabble
>Can only get through an average of ten pages a day because reading it is so exhausting but I actually really like the story

Also, the breeze fingered the windchimes.

Does sffg like revelation space and reynolds in general? I've never read anything by reynolds but I just started this and it's already getting juicy.

Does sffg like revelation space? I've never read anything by reynolds but I just started this and it's already getting juicy

House of suns was surprisingly uneventful and slow.
Do I give Reynolds another chance?

buddy recommended pic related
should i do it?

Alastair Reynolds is writing a new Revelation Space novel
How does this make you feel?

>>16616158
Revelation Space (Revelation Space #1) - Alastair Reynolds (2000)
At the encouragement of others, I gave this book another try. If it weren't for that, I probably would have dropped it again. Not because it's unreadable, uninteresting, or otherwise unenjoyable, but because it's occupies a middle ground between that. Though I would have preferred much more to have happened, it was marginally acceptable, despite many of the events seeming superfluous considering how and why they arrive at their final destination. The entire book seemed like an introduction to the series, which if if this were a standalone or for anyone who intends to only read this book, it'd be two stars instead without a doubt. My primary reason for reading this is for the two other books in the trilogy, which are supposed to be significantly more worthwhile. I have severe doubts when anyone says that about any series. If this goes well, perhaps I'll read the standalones and related works, but that's currently in doubt. For whatever reason, Reynolds is an author I've tried to like, perhaps too much so. If nothing else I may be able to resolve my ambivalence towards his work.
As for characters, there are three perspective that converge roughly halfway through. A man trying to discover secrets through xenoarchaeology, a coerced female assassin, and a woman who is part of a crew trying to save their captain. All three of them are more or less serviceable, though nothing work remarking on.
The plot could be uncharitably described as mostly filler that serves little in the way of any sort of development, but I somehow didn't particularly mind that. There are infodumps now and again which serve more to explain an idea to a reader than to inform the characters, but sure, why not. It wouldn't be inaccurate to say that the core of the book is a discussion of the Fermi Paradox.
Each book of the trilogy is longer than the one before it and with the first being ~600 pages, that's of considerable length. Is it worth reading ~1,500 more pages to finish the trilogy? I don't know, but it seems I'm going to eventually find out. What I do know is if they are anything like the first book, they ought to have a few hundred less pages than they do as well. When I eventually finish the trilogy this review will be updated with spoilered thoughts on the trilogy overall and a final determination of whether it was worthwhile.
Rating: 3/5

I loved Pushing Ice - mostly easy to understand, loved the grim circumstances, and the core mystery.

But I quit House of Suns after 30 pages - so complicated and boring.

Should I read anything else by Reynolds? Try House of Suns again? Or quit?

This was fun, is the rest of the series good?

What are your thoughts on the Revelation Space series?

Looking to read a good scifi book and was recommended this. About 1/3 of the way through and so far it's pretty underwhelming. I know you shouldn't judge a book this early but I can't bring myself to read anymore. Should I keep going? What are your thoughts on the book?

Just finished Echopraxia from Peter Watts and just picked up pic related from Barnes and Noble. What am I in for?