The Book Depository Absolution Gap by Alastair Reynolds

Author: Mr. Paul J. Grenyer

Rating: 5

Review: I re-read Absolution Gap a decade or more after the first time in anticipation of the next part coming out in July of this year (2021). It was always the weakest of the trilogy, but not nearly as bad as I remember. In fact this time I devoured it in a relatively, for me, short period of time. It’s true, as some other reviewers have said, that the story here could have been told in far fewer words, but then much of the texture of the story telling would have been lost and I think this is what makes this such a great book! The characters and themes are believable in this universe. I think the story could have been very different if certain characters had not been killed off so early or at all. It’s always a shame when a lot of the main thrust of a previous book (Redemption Ark) is undone, but this is often how things play out in the real world. I achieved what I wanted by re-reading Absolution Gap, I’m up to speed ready for the next installment. The problem is that there is so much in the Revelation Space universe I now feel the need to go back and read it all again. Ignore the naysayers. Read this book. Love this book.

Author: Mark_C

Rating: 2

Review: Since discovering The Prefect in 2008, I've been a big fan of Alastair Reynold's books, the Chasam City series was fantastic. However, this the last book in the Inhibitor's series, finishes in a far than satisfactory manor. Over the series of books we have been introduced to a number of sentient species across the universe, we have got to know them in depth and what motivates the various factions, and over the course of several centuries these various species and factions have come together to try and stop the universe wide plague of Inhibitors, who's sole purpose is nothing short of wiping out all sentient life in the universe. The Inhibitors are all powerful, relentless in their aim of destroying all life, and adaptable to any challenge made against them. The greatest weapons the universe has ever know has only slowed them down, but never stopped them. So all of this is to be wrapped up in the Absolution Gap. Over the first few chapters of this book, as well as seeing the old familiar characters continuing their struggle against the Inhibitors, we are introduced to some new characters. These new characters are exotic, interesting, and their motives are as varied as they are devious. After a couple action packed chapters of setting the scene, the book settles down to a crawling pace as the characters go on individual journeys to discover "answers, and the book begins to examine their motives in minute detail. At first I was fine with this, after all there was going to have to be a massive payoff at the end of the book to show how sentient life survives (or not) after many centuries of being defeated time and again by a seemingly unstoppable universe wide force ... however after the first couple of chapters the book never again gets above (quite literally) walking pace. I remember realising I was getting very near the end of the book, and being surprised that nothing had happened. There was no hint of how the Inhibitors could possibly be defeated, no gearing up for a final battle, no plan amongst the factions. Surely the payoff was going to begin soon? Then the book ended. If the book had ended on a cliffhanger, I wouldn't have minded, sometimes getting to the pivotal point in a story and then leaving the rest to the readers imagination can be better than spelling out a long and convoluted (sometimes forced) plot twist.However this was far worse. After a whole series worth of set up, literally the last page saw characters we have known from the beginning being killed off in a single sentence and the all powerful Inhibitors being dismissed in a single very vague paragraph without any real idea of what happened. It felt as though Alastair Reynolds had set himself a page limit, got to the last page, realised he hadn't resolved anything, and so scribbled a couple vague notes to wrap it up. The two stars are for the first couple of chapters, after that the rest of the book isn't worth the time to read. In fact I would advise stopping at the end of the previous book, at least that had a cliffhanger.