Review of Pushing Ice,
A Novel by Alastair Reynolds
By Ernest G. Saylor

I am incredibly fond of Revelation Space and all wonders of that groundbreaking series, and I must admit I was secretly hoping for another, but I can honestly say after reading Pushing Ice that I would now prefer a sequel to it as opposed to the former. Make no mistake, Pushing Ice pushes the limits of hard science fiction and, like a great rushing comet, soars magnificently through the stellar medium of

modern science fiction. This awe inspiring novel follows the lives of two women aboard a comet mining vessel as they experience an unforgettable sojourn through time and space. They battle the elements, their resources, each other, aliens, and time itself.

This is no daft space opera here. Alastair keenly develops every scene, character, and plot device meticulously with the practiced hand of a literary surgeon. In an unprecedented (and perhaps unconscious) lift of the oft forgotten 19th century classic literary technique of using a character with the initials J. C. to act as the sacrificial Christ-like catalyst and turning point of the narrative, Alastair Reynolds cleverly blends classic and contemporary literary strategies, intrigue, action, and character throughout the scope of this novel.

I have often wondered who would finally answer the question of how do you justify or create a universe where vastly different races develop at approximately the same rate. The overwhelming odds are that if several different races did come together they would be at such vastly different levels of technological development that they would never truly interact. This fact has been ignored or overlooked since before Ming the Merciless attacked the Earth with his Purple Death Ray.

My favorite race from Pushing Ice is best introduced by Alastair himself: "Musk Dogs are not in themselves belligerent or aggressive, nor are they exceptionally advanced by Structure standards. They are just . . . trouble." And that was no overstatement.

Read this book and be captivated. I have to ask, does anybody know where this guy comes up with this stuff? Alastair Reynolds is the future of Space Epic