Gothic sci-fi horror, steampunk action and some good old detective fiction all rolled into one makes Chasm City a page turner. Tanner Mirabel, the protagonist, who is a security expert, and a hired assassin, has your attention from page one.
The novel moves in flashbacks & we learn a lot more about why Tanner worked at Sky’s Edge, and why he was one day on the way to Chasm City. The mystery sustaining the pace several hundred pages pertains to what is he looking for? Whose memories is Tanner seeing in his dreams? What is the deal with the plague infecting the inhabitants of Chasm City? And how does it tie back to Sky Haussmann, the original colony founder and war criminal?
As I read through this hefty book, I had a strong sense of déjà. As if I was reading Revelation Space all over again (another one from the same series). I was awed by the detailed, unique world building – a vision of a future that was so far out that one wondered if there was a thing such as too-much sci-fi. I struggled with connecting to any characters, and while the story kept moving, I didn’t know if I cared about what the end was.
I cannot argue with the genius of Alistair Reynolds as a writer, but there is something about his writing that is quite dry for my reading preference.
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