Far from the Light of Heaven
A triumphant return to science fiction from the Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author
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4.0 • 12 Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
'Gripping and skilfully told, with an economy and freshness of approach that is all Tade Thompson's own. The setting is interstellar, but it feels as real, immediate and lethal as today's headlines' Alastair Reynolds
Arthur C. Clarke Award winner Tade Thompson makes a triumphant return to science fiction with this unforgettable vision of humanity's future in the chilling emptiness of space.
The colony ship Ragtime docks in the Lagos system, having travelled light years from home to bring one thousand sleeping souls to safety among the stars.
Some of the sleepers, however, will never wake - and a profound and sinister mystery unfolds aboard the gigantic vessel. Its skeleton crew are forced to make decisions that will have repercussions for all of humanity's settlements - from the scheming politicians of Lagos station, to the colony planet of Bloodroot, to other far flung systems and indeed Earth itself.
'A gripping space opera with characters fighting for their lives aboard a dying starship. I enjoyed it so much and can't wait to see what Thompson does next' Martha Wells, author of the Murderbot Diaries
'Simultaneously brutally grounded and wildly imaginative' Adrian Tchaikovsky, author of Children of Time
'Perfectly balances inspired universe building with both high-octane action and emotional depth' Big Issue
'Readers looking for a smart sci-fi mystery should snap this up' Publishers Weekly
'First-rate space opera from one of the genre's most exciting voices' Gareth L. Powell
'Tade Thompson is a writer of enormous heart and talent. Just brilliant' Dave Hutchinson
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
After the AI fails aboard the colony ship Ragtime, first mate Shell Campion must figure out who's responsible for a string of deaths in this inventive tale from Arthur C. Clarke Award–winner Thompson (the Wormwood trilogy). Starship AIs are supposed to be infallible, but when the Ragtime arrives at the colony planet Bloodroot, Shell wakes to find the ship in backup mode. The AIs are barely maintaining the ship, and 31 of the 1,000 sleeping passengers are dead. Thompson builds intrigue through clever story structure and shifting perspectives when Shell's distress call to Bloodroot is answered by investigator Fin and his AI assistant, Salvo—and Shell jumps to the top of their suspect list. A fun dynamic emerges between logical Fin and no-nonsense Shell as it becomes clear that the ship AI is not just faulty but severely compromised, and a new question arises: how did a wolf get aboard the Ragtime? Though the resolution is rushed, with some details of the mystery arising too late to be truly satisfying, Thompson's appealing take on long-distance space travel, subversion of typical AI tropes, tender characterization, and cleverly constructed suspense makes this worthwhile fare. Readers looking for a smart sci-fi mystery should snap this up.
Customer Reviews
great read!
In some ways this is a wonderful book full of sympathetic characters trying to do the right thing. Great concepts, some wonderful visuals, and an emotional focus without being too earnest. But in the end it’s just too damn busy to rate higher. But I really recommend reading it - it’s fun, and it’s warm hearted.