Inhibitor Phase

by Alastair Reynolds

Overview

A stellar new science fiction adventure from the author who redefined space opera, set in his bestselling Revelation Space universe.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316462778
Publisher:	Orbit
Publication date:	10/12/2021
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	54,318
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Alastair Reynolds was born in Barry, South Wales, in 1966. He studied at Newcastle and St. Andrews Universities and has a Ph.D. in astronomy. He stopped working as an astrophysicist for the European Space Agency to become a full-time writer. Revelation Space and Pushing Ice were shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award; Revelation Space, Absolution Gap, Diamond Dogs, and Century Rain were shortlisted for the British Science Fiction Award, and Chasm City won the British Science Fiction Award.

Editorial Reviews

08/09/2021

A human ship passing through the Michaelmas system threatens to draw Inhibitors, a ruthless alien threat, to the hidden community of Sun Hollow in this uneven standalone adventure set in Reynolds’s Revelation Space universe (last visited in Chasm City). Miguel de Ruyter, Sun Hollow’s leader, sets out to destroy the ship before it can draw unwanted attention to the area. Reynolds’s precise, poetic prose provides elegant characterization of his desperate hero as Miguel’s plan goes awry and one of the ship’s passengers, Glass, survives. Glass reveals that she’s come to Sun Hollow purposefully to recruit Miguel for a dangerous mission. Threads of well-layered intrigue spiderweb throughout, occasionally linking to events and characters from previous Revelation Space novels in ways that will delight existing fans without being overly confusing to newcomers. However, some of the science presented as fact makes the fiction implausible after Glass coerces Miguel into accompanying her to the ruins of the Yellowstone system in search of an arcane object with the potential to turn the tide in the fight against the Inhibitors. Suspension of disbelief becomes difficult with the introduction of hyperpigs and contrived technological problems on the way to an underwhelming close. This will best be enjoyed by Reynolds’s diehard fans. Agent: Robert Kirby, United Agents. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"This wonderfully complicated, fascinating space opera carries on the adventures of teen sisters Adrana and Arafura Ness, who find themselves over their heads in deep space intrigue... [A] marvelous mix of character study and space adventure."—Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Shadow Captain

"Shadow Captain does what a great sequel should do: it builds upon, rather than replicates, the earlier work while escalating the drama and upping the stakes. ... The worlds'-shattering conclusion has us very much looking forward to our next voyage with the Ness sisters."—B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog on Shadow Captain

"The sequel to last year's space heist story, Revenger, is an equally-gripping story about two sisters, Adrana and Fura Ness, on the hunt for the greatest treasure in the universe."—Kirkus on Shadow Captain

"A swashbuckling thriller—Pirates of the Caribbean meets Firefly—that nevertheless combines the author's trademark hard SF with effective, coming-of-age characterization."
—The Guardian on Revenger

"Revenger is classic Reynolds-that is to say, top of the line science fiction, where characters are matched beautifully with ideas and have to find their place in a complex future. More!"—Greg Bear on Revenger

"Alastair Reynolds [is] one of the leading lights of the New Space Opera Movement . . . . Revenger is tremendous fun." —Locus

"Reynolds has sketched in a galaxy littered with the relics of former civilizations (human and alien), with plenty left to the reader's imagination, and room for a sequel."—Library Journal on Revenger

"An expert mix of the fantastical and horrific."—Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Revenger

"Reynolds' newest action-packed science fiction novel is a tale of sisterly devotion, heartbreaking loss, and brutal vengeance . . . Fans will enjoy the well-developed characters and detailed world building."—Booklist on Revenger

"By far the most enjoyable book Reynolds has ever written."—SFX on Revenger

From the Publisher