This was a fun book. Short story is an important form in sci-fi. Many of the greatest authors got their start by getting short stories published that caught the attention of book publishers. Giving proven authors a starting point with a single line from a famous books is kind of a silly idea, but it results in some very good stories.
A series of short stories in the Revelation Space universe, my recommendation is that you only read it after having read all the others in the series. The stories start back at the very beginning of humankind first reaching out beyond the solar system, and continues all the way out to the end. Though the stories stand alone, some are intertwined with each other, and all are interwoven into the whole Revelation Space universe. Another top-notch book in the series.
I read this right after The Prefect, and to me it’s the perfect follow-on novel. The absolute strangeness of Chasm City is magnificent. Though I normally prefer space operas that bounce from world to world spanning the galaxy in all its splendor, I love Chasm City. The city itself seems to be a character of its own. It’s especially interesting because I read this right after The Prefect, which takes place in the Glitter Band, which Chasm City was part of before the Melding Plague brought the whole band into ruin. This is a fantastic book that I’ve read and enjoyed multiple times.
The Revelation Space universe is outstanding. In this installment, we go to the “Glitter Band” time and place and follow a detective uncovering a system-threatening mystery. There are some incredible aspects to this book that I love to revisit. In this story Reynolds creates a number of throw-away worlds that the characters visit once and are never revisited in the rest of the series… because the universe is so absolutely massive. But even in those throw-away worlds, you’re drawn in to an unique story or angle that leaves a lasting impression. It serves to make the world feel more real by its shear size.
I digress. This detective novel inside a space opera inside a fantastic sci-fi universe has great twists and does not disappoint.
I had to go back and re-read this because I didn’t remember much other than the Rastafarians in space. Though there are some anachronisms throughout the book, it’s still so far ahead of its time. AI’s, drones, cybersecurity, hacking, and virtual reality are just a few of the things Gibson really nailed. He also created and defined the cyberpunk sub-genre and for that we can all be thankful. Go read this, it’s worth it.