Alastair
Reynolds
The Revelation
Space
Collection
Praise for Alastair Reynolds:
‘Alastair Reynolds is a name to watch. Mixing shades of Banks and Gibson with gigatons of originality’ Guardian
‘Intensely compelling; darkly intelligent; hugely ambitious’ Paul McAuley
‘Reynold's narrative is truly breathtaking in scope and intricate in detail, making him a mastersinger of the space opera’ The Times
‘When word of mouth builds up the head of steam that Reynolds's massive SF epic has created, attention needs to be paid. Like many of the best novels in the hard SF genre, the span here is mindboggling, with a comprehensively realised protagonist’ Good Book Guide
‘[Alastair Reynolds] has a genius for big-concept SF’ Publishers Weekly
‘Dark, gothic and graphic, with tightly composed narratives full of shocks and jaw-dropping moments’ BBC Focus
‘Reynolds is currently the best exponent of this “Sense of Wonder” school.’ Daily Telegraph
‘Alastair Reynolds occupies the same frenzied imaginative space as Philip K. Dick or A. E. Van Vogt’ M. John Harrison, Guardian
‘He is taking the stuff of space opera and making it into something new … the most exciting space opera writer working today’ Locus
Alastair Reynolds was born in Barry, South Wales, in 1966, and studied at Newcastle and St Andrews Universities. He has a Ph.D. in astronomy and works part-time as an astrophysicist for the European Space Agency. His ‘Revelation Space’ series, Revelation Space, shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke and the BSFA Awards, Redemption Ark and Absolution Gap, shortlisted for the British Science Fiction Award, and his SF thrillers, Chasm City, winner of the British Science Fiction Award, and Century Rain, are all Gollancz bestsellers.
Also by Alastair Reynolds from Gollancz:
Chasm City
Revelation Space
Redemption Ark
Absolution Gap
Century Rain
Pushing Ice
Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days
Galactic North
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Praise for Alastair Reynolds
About the Author
Also By Alastair Reynolds
Revelation Space
Chasm City
Redemption Ark
Absolution Gap
Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days
Galactic North
The Prefect
Copyright
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Praise for Alastair Reynolds
About the Author
Also By Alastair Reynolds
Revelation Space
Cover
Title Page
Contents
ONE - Mantell Sector, North Nekhebet, Resurgam, Delta Pavonis system, 2551
TWO - Aboard a lighthugger, interstellar space, 2543
THREE - Cuvier, Resurgam, 2561
FOUR - Carousel New Brazilia, Yellowstone, Epsilon Eridani, 2546
FIVE - Carousel New Brazilia, Yellowstone, Epsilon Eridani, 2546
SIX - En Route to Delta Pavonis, 2546
SEVEN - En Route to Delta Pavonis, 2546
EIGHT - En Route to Delta Pavonis, 2546
NINE - Mantell, North Nekhebet, Resurgam, 2566
TEN - Approaching Delta Pavonis, 2564
ELEVEN - Approaching Delta Pavonis, 2565
TWELVE - Sky’s Edge, 61 Cygni-A, 2483 (simulated)
THIRTEEN - Resurgam Orbit, 2566
FOURTEEN - Mantell, North Nekhebet, Resurgam, 2566
FIFTEEN - Mantell, North Nekhebet, 2566
SIXTEEN - North Nekhebet, 2566
SEVENTEEN - Rendezvous Point, Resurgam, 2566
EIGHTEEN - Resurgam Orbit, 2566
NINETEEN - Delta Pavonis system, 2566
TWENTY - Approaching Cerberus/Hades, 2566
TWENTY-ONE - Approaching Cerberus/Hades, 2566
TWENTY-TWO - Cerberus/Hades Orbit, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566
TWENTY-THREE - Cerberus/Hades Orbit, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566
TWENTY-FOUR - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566
TWENTY-FIVE - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566
TWENTY-SIX - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566
TWENTY-SEVEN - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566
TWENTY-EIGHT - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566
TWENTY-NINE - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566
THIRTY - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566
THIRTY-ONE - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566
THIRTY-TWO - Approaching Cerberus Surface, 2566
THIRTY-THREE - Cerberus/Hades Orbit, 2566
THIRTY-FOUR - Cerberus/Hades Orbit, 2566
THIRTY-FIVE - Cerberus, Interior, 2567
THIRTY-SIX - Cerberus/Hades Orbit, 2567
THIRTY-SEVEN - Cerberus Interior, 2567
THIRTY-EIGHT - Cerberus Interior, 2567
THIRTY-NINE - Cerberus Interior, Final Chamber, 2567
Chasm City
Cover
Title Page
Contents
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
NINETEEN
TWENTY
TWENTY-ONE
TWENTY-TWO
TWENTY-THREE
TWENTY-FOUR
TWENTY-FIVE
TWENTY-SIX
TWENTY-SEVEN
TWENTY-EIGHT
TWENTY-NINE
THIRTY
THIRTY-ONE
THIRTY-TWO
THIRTY-THREE
THIRTY-FOUR
THIRTY-FIVE
THIRTY-SIX
THIRTY-SEVEN
THIRTY-EIGHT
THIRTY-NINE
FORTY
FORTY-ONE
FORTY-TWO
EPILOGUE
Redemption Ark
Cover
Title Page
Contents
PROLOGUE
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
NINETEEN
TWENTY
TWENTY-ONE
TWENTY-TWO
TWENTY-THREE
TWENTY-FOUR
TWENTY-FIVE
TWENTY-SIX
TWENTY-SEVEN
TWENTY-EIGHT
TWENTY-NINE
THIRTY
THIRTY-ONE
THIRTY-TWO
THIRTY-THREE
THIRTY-FOUR
THIRTY-FIVE
THIRTY-SIX
THIRTY-SEVEN
THIRTY-EIGHT
THIRTY-NINE
FORTY
EPILOGUE
Absolution Gap
Cover
Title Page
Contents
Dedication
>
PROLOGUE
ONE - Ararat, p Eridani A System, 2675
TWO - Lighthugger Gnostic Ascension, Interstellar Space, 2615
THREE - Lighthugger Gnostic Ascension, Interstellar Space, 2615
FOUR - Ararat, 2675
FIVE - Ararat, 2675
SIX - Ararat, 2675
SEVEN - Approaching Hela, 2615
EIGHT - Hela, 2727
NINE - Hela Surface, 2615
TEN - Hela, 2615
ELEVEN - Hela, 2727
TWELVE - Hela, 2727
THIRTEEN - Ararat, 2675
FOURTEEN - Ararat, 2675
FIFTEEN - Ararat, 2675
SIXTEEN - Ararat, 2675
SEVENTEEN - Hela, 2727
EIGHTEEN - Ararat, 2675
NINETEEN - Ararat, 2675
TWENTY - Hela, 2727
TWENTY-ONE - Ararat, 2675
TWENTY-TWO - p Eridani 40, 2675
TWENTY-THREE - Hela, 2727
TWENTY-FOUR - Ararat, 2675
TWENTY-FIVE - Ararat, 2675
TWENTY-SIX - Hela, 2727
TWENTY-SEVEN - Ararat, 2675
TWENTY-EIGHT - Ararat, 2675
TWENTY-NINE - Ararat, 2675
THIRTY - Ararat, 2675
THIRTY-ONE - Near Ararat, 2675
THIRTY-TWO - Hela, 2727
THIRTY-THREE - Near Ararat, 2675
THIRTY-FOUR - Interstellar Space, Near p Eridani 40, 2675
THIRTY-FIVE - Hela, 2727
THIRTY-SIX - Interstellar Space, Near Epsilon Eridani, 2698
THIRTY-SEVEN - Interstellar Space, Epsilon Eridani, 2698
THIRTY-EIGHT - Hela, 2727
THIRTY-NINE - Hela Surface, 2727
FORTY - Hela Surface, 2727
FORTY-ONE - Hela, 2727
FORTY-TWO - Hela, 2727
FORTY-THREE
FORTY-FOUR
FORTY-FIVE
FORTY-SIX
FORTY-SEVEN
FORTY-EIGHT
FORTY-NINE
FIFTY
EPILOGUE
Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days
Cover
Title Page
Contents
Dedication
DIAMOND DOGS
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
TURQUOISE DAYS
ONE
TWO
THREE
Galactic North
Cover
Title Page
Contents
Dedication
GREAT WALL OF MARS
GLACIAL
A SPY IN EUROPA
WEATHER
DILATION SLEEP
GRAFENWALDER’S BESTIARY
NIGHTINGALE
GALACTIC NORTH
AFTERWORD
The Prefect
Cover
Title Page
Contents
Dedication
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
Copyright
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Contents
ONE - Mantell Sector, North Nekhebet, Resurgam, Delta Pavonis system, 2551
TWO - Aboard a lighthugger, interstellar space, 2543
THREE - Cuvier, Resurgam, 2561
FOUR - Carousel New Brazilia, Yellowstone, Epsilon Eridani, 2546
FIVE - Carousel New Brazilia, Yellowstone, Epsilon Eridani, 2546
SIX - En Route to Delta Pavonis, 2546
SEVEN - En Route to Delta Pavonis, 2546
EIGHT - En Route to Delta Pavonis, 2546
NINE - Mantell, North Nekhebet, Resurgam, 2566
TEN - Approaching Delta Pavonis, 2564
ELEVEN - Approaching Delta Pavonis, 2565
TWELVE - Sky’s Edge, 61 Cygni-A, 2483 (simulated)
THIRTEEN - Resurgam Orbit, 2566
FOURTEEN - Mantell, North Nekhebet, Resurgam, 2566
FIFTEEN - Mantell, North Nekhebet, 2566
SIXTEEN - North Nekhebet, 2566
SEVENTEEN - Rendezvous Point, Resurgam, 2566
EIGHTEEN - Resurgam Orbit, 2566
NINETEEN - Delta Pavonis system, 2566
TWENTY - Approaching Cerberus/Hades, 2566
TWENTY-ONE - Approaching Cerberus/Hades, 2566
TWENTY-TWO - Cerberus/Hades Orbit, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566
TWENTY-THREE - Cerberus/Hades Orbit, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566
TWENTY-FOUR - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566
TWENTY-FIVE - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566
TWENTY-SIX - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566
TWENTY-SEVEN - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566
TWENTY-EIGHT - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566
TWENTY-NINE - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566
THIRTY - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566
THIRTY-ONE - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566
THIRTY-TWO - Approaching Cerberus Surface, 2566
THIRTY-THREE - Cerberus/Hades Orbit, 2566
THIRTY-FOUR - Cerberus/Hades Orbit, 2566
THIRTY-FIVE - Cerberus, Interior, 2567
THIRTY-SIX - Cerberus/Hades Orbit, 2567
THIRTY-SEVEN - Cerberus Interior, 2567
THIRTY-EIGHT - Cerberus Interior, 2567
THIRTY-NINE - Cerberus Interior, Final Chamber, 2567
ONE
Mantell Sector, North Nekhebet, Resurgam, Delta Pavonis system, 2551
There was a razorstorm coming in.
Sylveste stood on the edge of the excavation and wondered if any of his labours would survive the night. The archaeological dig was an array of deep square shafts separated by baulks of sheer-sided soil: the classical Wheeler box-grid. The shafts went down tens of metres, walled by transparent cofferdams spun from hyperdiamond. A million years of stratified geological history pressed against the sheets. But it would take only one good dustfall - one good razorstorm - to fill the shafts almost to the surface.
‘Confirmation, sir,’ said one of his team, emerging from the crouched form of the first crawler. The man’s voice was muffled behind his breather mask. ‘Cuvier’s just issued a severe weather advisory for the whole North Nekhebet landmass. They’re advising all surface teams to return to the nearest base.’
‘You’re saying we should pack up and drive back to Mantell?’
‘It’s going to be a hard one, sir.’ The man fidgeted, drawing the collar of his jacket tighter around his neck. ‘Shall I issue the general evacuation order?’
Sylveste looked down at the excavation grid, the sides of each shaft brightly lit by the banks of floodlights arrayed around the area. Pavonis never got high enough at these latitudes to provide much useful illumination; now, sinking towards the horizon and clotted by great cauls of dust, it was little more than a rusty-red smear, hard for his eyes to focus on. Soon dust devi
ls would come, scurrying across the Ptero Steppes like so many overwound toy gyroscopes. Then the main thrust of the storm, rising like a black anvil.
‘No,’ he said. ‘There’s no need for us to leave. We’re well sheltered here - there’s hardly any erosion pattering on those boulders, in case you hadn’t noticed. If the storm becomes too harsh, we’ll shelter in the crawlers.’
The man looked at the rocks, shaking his head as if doubting the evidence of his ears. ‘Sir, Cuvier only issue an advisory of this severity once every year or two - it’s an order of magnitude above anything we’ve experienced before.’
‘Speak for yourself,’ Sylveste said, noticing the way the man’s gaze snapped involuntarily to his eyes and then off again, embarrassed. ‘Listen to me. We cannot afford to abandon this dig. Do you understand?’
The man looked back at the grid. ‘We can protect what we’ve uncovered with sheeting, sir. Then bury transponders. Even if the dust covers every shaft, we’ll be able to find the site again and get back to where we are now.’ Behind his dust goggles, the man’s eyes were wild, beseeching. ‘When we return, we can put a dome over the whole grid. Wouldn’t that be the best, sir, rather than risk people and equipment out here?’
Sylveste took a step closer to the man, forcing him to step back towards the grid’s closest shaft. ‘You’re to do the following. Inform all dig teams that they carry on working until I say otherwise, and that there is to be no talk of retreating to Mantell. Meanwhile, I want only the most sensitive instruments taken aboard the crawlers. Is that understood?’
‘But what about people, sir?’
‘People are to do what they came out here to do. Dig.’
Sylveste stared reproachfully at the man, almost inviting him to question the order, but after a long moment of hesitation the man turned on his heels and scurried across the grid, navigating the tops of the baulks with practised ease. Spaced around the grid like down-pointed cannon, the delicate imaging gravitometers swayed slightly as the wind began to increase.
Sylveste waited, then followed a similar path, deviating when he was a few boxes into the grid. Near the centre of the excavation, four boxes had been enlarged into one single slab-sided pit, thirty metres from side to side and nearly as deep. Sylveste stepped onto the ladder which led into the pit and moved quickly down the side. He had made the journey up and down this ladder so many times in the last few weeks that the lack of vertigo was almost more disturbing than the thing itself. Moving down the cofferdam’s side, he descended through layers of geological time. Nine hundred thousand years had passed since the Event. Most of that stratification was permafrost - typical in Resurgam’s subpolar latitudes; permanent frost-soil which never thawed. Deeper down - close to the Event itself - was a layer of regolith laid down in the impacts which had followed. The Event itself was a single, hair-fine black demarcation - the ash of burning forests.
The Revelation Space Collection Page 1